FILTHY MEDIA
WORDS | Emily Hobbs
They call themselves the ‘Hugh Hefners of the design world’,
have a shocking doughnut habit, and would like to ‘artistically
collaborate’ with Anita Dark while Cheryl Tweedy takes notes; no
wonder these guys go by the name of Filthy Media. I caught up
with the owners, Steve and Joe, to probe inside their murky minds
and get them to dish the dirt on their operation.
At only four years old, Filthy Media already boasts an impressive client list and a Another example is their ‘comrades’ collaboration initiative, which basically involves
comprehensive portfolio including sleeve designs for Commix, the new ‘Shogun teaming up with their artistic friends to work on different projects. “Brighton is awash
Assassins’ EP for Shogun, and the recent Splitloop ‘Pleasure Machine’ album for with designers, photographers and illustrators,” says Steve. “So inevitably we have
Against The Grain records. It’s a long way from the bar in Southampton where made contact with a few of them and if we like their work and a brief comes up that
they first met. we think will suit them and us, we get in touch. Our collaboration with illustrator Alex
Young on The Nextmen’s ‘This Was Supposed To Be The Future’ artwork has been one
“Steve and I got talking,” says Joe. “It turned out he was a graphic designer at Addict of our strongest commercial projects to date.”
Clothing, so when I finished my graphics degree he helped me get some work
experience there. Three months after, in the summer of 2004, we decided to move to Unluckily for the guys, I hear that Anita and Cheryl are busy on their own projects at
Brighton and set up Filthy Media.” the moment, so in the absence of any possibility of future collaborations with their
chosen ladies, what else can we expect from the Filthy Stable in the future?
Based in Brighton’s North Laines, Steve and Joe have recently moved into an office
share with Shogun Audio – an arrangement that has added a new perspective on “There’s a new Subwave 12” plus Icicle’s first 12” on Shogun Audio,” says Steve. “We’ve
their business, and their waistlines. “Ed Friction comes in laden with doughnuts and also been working with Friction & Shogun for about 18 months now and the brand is
basically does his best to stop us from working,” says Joe. “The last few months have really coming into its own, so expect more from us there; plus we have album projects
been pretty funny”. for Black Canvas on Cool & Deadly, a new label by Tayo and School of Thought and
also some album work for Shapeshifter and The Qemists.”
Junk food aside, both Steve and Joe have strong passions for similar elements of life
and this has influenced their work and the clients they choose to work with, which has If that wasn’t enough, Steve and Joe like to keep their dirty fingernails in other pies
in turn helped to shape Filthy Media into a design house which creates original, broad around Brighton, namely running the Hospitality nights on a bi-monthly basis. If
and engaging work. “It’s really rewarding to be given total creative freedom on a brief by you’re in the Brighton area on August 1st then do your best to reach it, just make sure
our clients,” says Joe. you shower afterwards.
One example of this is the ‘Shogun Assassins’ EP Filthy Media created for Shogun.
www.filthymedia.com
They hooked up with a local martial artist and spent a day shooting at his dojo as he
modeled for in a full Japanese warrior outfit: “Being left to your own devices to work in
this way really motivates you to create designs you are passionate about and that will
inevitably shine through in your work.”
www.kmag.co.uk
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