I got me some Roland-themed artwork.
Jim'll Paint It is a Microsoft Paint artist from Bristol, a city also famous for Massive Attack, Portishead and stool charts.
He mashes up stuff for our entertainment, usually based on prompts from the public. Wallace and Gromit as Mad Max characters? Keir Starmer as Austin Powers? Radiohead's The Bends, but it's Kryten from Red Dwarf and the album title is 'Smeghead'? Jim will indeed Microsoft Paint it.
The print I got was called Roland, at it features Roland from Grange Hill brandishing three Roland synthesisers: a TB-303, a TR-808 and an SH-101. Oh and he's flanked by Roland Rat because of course he is.
By the way, I've been revamping my home decor. Ten years ago, I was running my first ever Edinburgh Fringe run, so to mark the anniversary I designed an enneaptych of colourised artworks from that show. And yes, I googled 'what is a triptych but nine'. It looks pretty striking - see below.
A nice addition to the Roland-ness is that my Roland print was delivered – not intentionally, I suppose – on 8th August, or 8/08, which is the most Roland TR-808 of days. I now regret not opening the package to a soundtrack of 808 State. While eating After Eights. 808 of them.
In 2012, I had a Twitter conversation with Roland Rat, or Sir Roland Rat as he stylises himself on social media. Since Twitter got Xed out, I can no longer see the conversation, so I can't share it here. Just imagine me and the rambunctious rodent hanging out, both of us nibbling cheese and spreading plague. He'd appreciate the Rolandosity of my Roland art, I'm sure.
