Jess Hilliard

 

I was going to post this at my Reliquias de Mostaza blog, but sadly had to put that place out of it's misery before I had a chance to hype this book. What follows is from the press release.

Hi Friend, by Jess Hilliard @jesshilliard with artwork throughout the book by Chris Johanson @chrisjohansonart has been reissued by @somepeoplepress and is available for purchase (a link can be found in the SPP profile).

An excerpt of the book was first released as a zine in the early 90s (images 7 and 8) and then as a full length limited edition in 2000 (image 9), but was not available widely until now.

The book is made up of scenes from Jess’ life and mind during various travels he took in his early twenties. The stories manage to be both introspective and hilarious. Chris’ drawings are an amazing accompaniment.

Hi Friend was in many ways the inspiration for the creation of Some People Press and its pursuit of publishing incredible life stories that otherwise might never be made available to the public.

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The reissue was designed by @smithstuart

Copy edited by Tom Leimkuhler

Additional design by @helloprettycity

Thanks to everyone who has made this book possible and look for it and all of the other SPP publications at the LA Printed Matter Book Fair @printedmatter_artbookfairs in May. 

Chances are, if you lived anywhere near Humboldt State University (sadly, now known as  Cal Poly Humboldt) in the late 80s through the early 90s, you probably knew who Jess Hilliard was. One of those 15 minutes of fame moments found Jess on David Letterman.

My dear friend, Jess Hilliard on bass, and Mr. Al Sobrante on drums, in The Shatners!

Jess (The Bass Man), the heart and soul of the Ne'er Do Wells, playing at the Gilman in 94...wish it was a vid, cuz these dudes had a mountain of stage presence.

This was a Judy and the Loadies tune I posted on YT 13 years ago from a recording they did at KHSU that a bunch of us were involved in and did recordings of our own (the Garden Weasel recording that night was no boeno and muy malo. Anyway, gonna finish this post about my pal Jess with my favorite tune by J&tl, a cover of "Germany" by the Ramones, below...