SNAPS CRACK POP! - RED EYE RECORDS / SKULL PRINTWORKS / BLACK EYE RECORDS (2018)
by John Foy and Jim Paton

After screen-printing t-shirts and occasional posters for Phantom Records, John Foy started in 1979 what became Skull Printworks, printing posters for Sydney alternative bands and beyond. Foy designed and in most cases screen-printed posters for The Church, Steve Kilbey, The Crystal Set, The Bhagavad Guitars, and Curious (Yellow) among many others. Foy also worked with Red Eye Records and started the Red Eye Records label, which released albums, EPs and singles for Steve Kilbey, The Crystal Set, The Bhagavad Guitars, and Curious (Yellow) among many others.

Synopsis from the Publisher

It's a mongrel. Neither monograph nor memoir, 'Snaps, Crack & Pop!' is something in between. Utilising the rock posters of Skull Printworks and graphics of Red Eye and Black Eye Records, the book documents the unusual career path of designer and reluctant record executive, John Foy. It's a personal journal that traverses his experiences in the original 70's Punk era, legendary record stores, trading 60's psychedelic posters, as well as more recent exploits. With humour as weapon of choice, Foy establishes facts and dispels myths, as he interweaves his experiences with sociological observations of the times.

Along with notorious performers Thug, familiar entities like The Cruel Sea, Clouds, Steve Kilbey, Beasts of Bourbon, Deniz Tek and Kim Salmon - are revealed in a wealth of previously unseen images. Specially featured photographers include: Tony Mott, Linda Nolte, Geoff Aitken, Tom Takacs, Kim Sandeman, Russell Kilbey and Stephen Best - amongst others. Rich in colour throughout, the visuals of 'Snaps, Crack & Pop!' have been brilliantly realised by former Red Eye art director Jim Paton. It's a book like no other.

The Church/Kilbey-Related Content

Full-page poster reproductions:

• The Church, Fri. 6th / Sat. 7th April 1990, Enmore Theatre, "Metropolis Concert Tour" - page 91
• The Jesus and Mary Chain "Sidewalking 1988" with supports The Go-Betweens & The Bhagavad Guitars, Selina's, Saturday September 17, 1988 - page 92
• Steve Kilbey "Fireman" - "A New 7" 45 on Red Eye" promo - page 113
• The Crystal Set/Curious (Yellow) (+ Mexican Spitfires/Bhagavad Guitars) - "Red Eye Records Extended Play Tour June 1988" - June 10 (Corner Hotel) & June 11 (The Old Tote) - page 121
• Red Eye "Adrianmas 86" at the Piccadilly Hotel - The Crystal Set on Dec. 20, 1986 - page 123
• The Crystal Set with Special Guest Marty Willson-Piper, Harold Park Hotel, Nov. 13, 1987 - page 125
• The Crystal Set at the Piccadilly Hotel - Saturday 20th June, 1987 - page 126
• The Crystal Set, Fri. 26th June 1987 at Mosman Hotel & Sat. 27th June 1987 at Harold Park Hotel - page 127
• The Crystal Set 'Who Needs Who Now' A New 7" 45 on Red Eye promo - page 128
• The Crystal Set 'From Now On' LP Launch, Saturday 9th - Harold Park Hotel - page 129
• "Super Flying Fun Show" with The Crystal Set, Sydney Trade Union Club, Sat. 13th Sept. 1986 - page 131
• Died Pretty/Crystal Set/Porcelain Bus triple bill, The Graphic Arts Club, Friday 13th June 1986 - page 132
• Died Pretty/Crystal Set double bill, The Graphic Arts Club - Friday 15th May 1987 - page 133
• Curious Yellow/Bhagavad Guitars double bill, Fri. June 24 1988, Harold Park Hotel - Red Eye's 3rd Birthday! 2-poster set, part 1 - page 134
• The Crystal Set/Mexican Spitfires double bill, Sat. June 25 1988, Harold Park Hotel - Red Eye's 3rd Birthday! 2-poster set, part 2 - page 135
• Red Eye Records Proudly Present 5 Years Into The Future with Bhagavad Guitars, Cruel Sea, Clouds and John Kennedy - Live at Mars, Sat. 15th Dec. 1989 - page 195

1/4 page poster reproductions:

• Riptides with Special Guests The Crystal Set, 2nd Jan. (1987) Graphic Arts Club / 3rd Jan. (1987) The Venue - page 70
• The Crystal Set 'Benefit of the Doubt' A New 7" 45 on Red Eye x 3 (one silver, one orange, and one blue + the matching 'Benefit of the Doubt' single cover) - page 124
• Curious (yellow) 'I Am Curious' Debut 12" EP on Red Eye, 1988 - page 130
• The Crystal Set / The Hummingbirds double bill, Saturday 19th March, Harold Park Hotel (stencil for unprinted design), 1988 - page 130
• The Bhagavad Guitars 'Foreverglades' Debut 12" EP on Red Eye, 1988 - page 130
• Thurs. 12th Dec. (1991) - Clouds, Cruel Sea, Bhagavad Guitars - Phoenician Club - page 208

Other Photos:

• Outtake photos from the "This Asphalt Eden" and "Unearthed" cover photo shoots (page 112)
• Various photos of Foy's "Hindsight 1980-1987" 2LP package design for The Church (pages 114-15)
• Foy's hand-screened edition of the Crystal Set's "Who Needs Who Now" single cover (page 116)
• Photos of Karin Jansson (x2), The Crystal Set and The Bhagavad Guitars (page 120)
• Group photos of Red Eye Records artists for a Christmas 1986 card and 2-show poster (page 122)

Releases

• Paperback, 252 pages - Past Present Future Art, a division of The Red Eye Record Label, Australia - Oct. 2018
  ISBN-10: 0648227316, ISBN-13: 978-0-6482273-1-1, 257mm x 289mm, color photos - Numbered Limited Edition of 500

Notes

Comes with an "Errata Bookmark" (a 40mm x 300mm glossy paper bookmark listing 15 credits and notes overlooked in the book), a 4" x 6" postcard advertising the John Foy "In Your Eye" Poster Retrospective (August 18-27, 1999, Wemyss Gallery, Sydney), and a John Foy "World Citizen" business card.

The first 250 copies were "super deluxe" and contained "extra goodies" including a Book Plate individually signed by the authors John Foy and Jim Paton.