Frank Kozik, a legendary artist who created posters and record covers for various bands, passed away on May 6th, 2023
Some of his famous album covers are Queens of the Stone Age’s self-titled album, Melvins’ Houdini, and the Offspring’s Americana. Among the numerous musicians that commissioned tour posters are Nirvana, Sonic Youth, the White Stripes, Butthole Surfers, and the Beastie Boys. Sharon, his wife, announced his passing on his official Facebook page. He was 61.
The Facebook post stated:
“We are devastated to inform you that Frank Kozik passed away unexpectedly this past Saturday,” the statement read. “Frank was a man larger than himself, an icon in each of the genres he worked in. He dramatically changed every industry he was a part of. He was a creative force of nature. We are so beyond lucky and honored to have been a part of his journey, and he will be missed beyond what words could ever express. He loved his wife, his cats, classic muscle cars, mentoring others, and Disneyland. His forceful presence will be missed by all who knew him. He legacy, like all great masters, will live on through his art and our memories of him.”
Born in 1962 in Madrid, Spain, Kozik’s passion for art was evident from a young age. His family moved to the United States, settling in Austin, Texas, where he immersed himself in the thriving underground music scene. Inspired by punk rock and the burgeoning counterculture movement, Kozik channeled his artistic energy into creating visually striking posters and flyers for local shows. His talent soon caught the attention of bands and record labels, propelling him into the world of album cover design.
He subsequently got jobs for corporate marketing campaigns, took part in gallery exhibits, and eventually founded his own label, Man’s Ruin Records. Music by Kyuss, High on Fire, Melvins, and others was released by his record company.
Kozik’s distinctive style blended elements of pop art, underground comics, and psychedelic aesthetics. He skillfully employed vibrant colors, bold lines, and surreal imagery to create visually arresting compositions. His work often combined dark humor, social commentary, and a touch of absurdity, reflecting his irreverent and satirical perspective.
The “cute animal” turned ghastly is one of Kozik’s most iconic photos. Consider this image for a memorable performance that included all of the above: the Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, and the Rollins Band. The show was held in New Orleans in 1992.
On the other hand, the Neil Young “High Bear” print is undoubtedly his most iconic. The performance took place in The Gorge in George, Washington, in 1993, and Pearl Jam and Blind Melon supported it:
From Music to Toys
Kozik dissolved his record label Man’s Ruin in 2001 to dedicate himself entirely to fine art, design, and the developing art toy movement. Labbit, a smoking, unshaven rabbit figure, was adopted by Kidrobot in 2003, kicking off a long-running cooperation between the two companies.
Labbit became one of the world’s most popular vinyl art figures, and Kozik created over 500 different limited-edition figures as a pioneer in the art toy field.
Kozik bluntly mentioned the reasons why he left the music scene altogether in an interview with Jeremy Riad back in 2010:
“I was around for punk rock and everything that came after, and I had a record label, and the reason I got out of music is because there’s all these fucking assholes that just want to build this little fort. In the old days of the punk rock scene, we’d all band together because everybody was against us. It didn’t matter what kind of weird music you like: we’re all weirdos so we all work together to make a cool things happen. You’d go to the punk rock club and all the gays and old stoners and freaky cowboy dudes were mixing with the punkers and new wavers. But over the years everybody wanted to have their own army, and I got to hate it and I got out of the music scene.”
Kozik continued mentioning the reasons why he went into the Toy industry and why did he prefer to be working there instead of the music industry:
What I like about the Kidrobot thing, the mainstream toy scene, is its kind of like [the old punk rock scene]: there’s 12 year olds and old dudes and most people have a little bit of smarts going on and they’re interested in other cultural things. And like the custom scene, it can still be inclusive.
Aside from Kidrobot, Kozik created products and advertising campaigns for various brands and goods, including NikeSB Dunk Quickstrike sneakers, a limited-edition Swatch watch, the 2007 Spike TV Games Award trophy, and an “Absolute Kozik” print ad.
Long live the art of Frank Kozik!
