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Behind NME lines: Celebrating the visual riffs of Run Wrake

By Natalie Bushe | 24 June 2015

The late John Matthew Charrosin Wrake’s graphic work was bold, witty and inventive. He traded under the name Run, a nickname from a childhood cricket match that would prevail throughout his career.

A graphic artist, animator, music video director, he was a hyphenate before the term existed. His illustrations for the NME are celebrated in the book End of a Century, edited by fellow NME alumni Andrew Collins and designed by Run’s widow, Lisa.

Polygon Window (AKA Aphex Twin), Surfing on Sine Waves, January 1993
Prince, The Gold Experience, September 1995

Run regularly produced illustrations for the lead LP review in NME between 1988 and 2000. He captured the 90s, an era in music that the NME said "celebrated personality" and was described as "a decade of laddy excess and musical class battles". And that was just the UK.

His NME illustrations encapsulate a decade of posturing, personality and pop

His images moved from detailed monochrome drawings and photocopy collages to strikingly colourful computer generated graphics, all of which depicted the fluid cultural, political and artistic inclinations of the 90s, and the musicians he portrayed.

His work crossed genres and reflected the variety of styles that proliferated the period.

Run took the evergreen folk of Dylan and literally had him Blowin’ in the Wind, and for Prince’s Gold Experience album he illuminates the hypnotic funk.

Run infused his drawings with humour: Kurt Cobain stares out of the back of a crab From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah and the gritty rap of Public Enemy is diffused by Flavor Flav slam dunkin’ his bandmate Chuck D.

Foo Fighters, The Colour and the Shape, May 1997

There’s even a brief appearance from Bellshill’s alt-rockers Teenage Fanclub, bristling on thistles.

Run Wrake would continue his association with the music world, creating live visuals for U2 and directing music videos for Howie B and Manu Chao. He also directed award winning animated films. He was only 48 when he died in 2012.

Run Wrake had an arresting talent and it’s in his NME illustrations that he encapsulates a decade of posturing, personality and pop.

End of a Century is published on 25 June by Self Made Hero.

The Orb, The Orb Live 93, November 1993
The Beatles, Anthology 3, October 1996
Take That, Greatest Hits, March 1996
Joy Division, Heart and Soul, December 1997
Public Enemy, He Got Game, May 1998
Bob Dylan, The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare and Unreleased), 1961-1981
Nirvana, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah, September 1996
Teenage Fanclub, Songs from Northern Britain, July 1997