Checkin' in with Rockin' Jelly Bean

Rockin' Jelly Bean is one of Japan's koolest art graphic illustrators who has a penchant for hot curves with a 6T's sensibility. His erotic depictions of the female form has graced many album covers, posters, flyers and their likeness have been transformed into Pop-delic Girl dolls.

I caught up with this masked marauder last month when he visited Los Angeles. We talked about what he's been up to since the last time we did our 1st interview for Patterns and Tones. Between the release of the 1st comprehensive book on his illustrations, "The Birth of Rockin' Jelly Bean" last year, and his upcoming projects, Jelly has been a very busy boy indeed!

Rockin' Jelly Bean has created a bridge between our two counties and has filtered his interpretation of our best bad pop culture into a wonderfully imaginative and sexy playground. I'm please to present to you the following interview and a few pictures I captured of him trying to escape a local establishment. 

Coma ni-ci!

Julie Green
November 14, 2015

JG:  Is this a new Lucha mask you are wearing?

RJB: Yes, this is a new one but I have been wearing this condor bird mask for over five years! I have white and red color variations other than this blue condor mask now.

JG:  Are your masks hand made in Japan?

RJB: All my masks are made by Mister Cacao who is a famous Japanese mask artist. He is also a Luchador (a Lucha libre wrestler) himself. He appeared in Lucha VaVoom the other day.

JG:  You recently visited Austin, TX for the 2nd Mondocon, which celebrates poster artists, comics, toys and music. How was it different from other conventions you have been a part of?

RJB: Oh! That was so good convention! It was Hip! It was fashionable! It was full of humor! The service to a visitor was perfect, too! The arrangement by the organizers for the artists was perfect. I could feel how much they loved the art!  They held a home party every night. I made many artist friends. There were not too many visitors, but those who came were all very friendly and were very interested in the artists from other countries. There was an amazing place where many artists discussed their work with committee members.

JG:  Tell us about your upcoming Erostika film poster release of "Platoon of Big Tits" and where you got your inspiration from!

RJB: We release a fake movie poster every year and this year we focused on war movies. The Vietnam war movie genre seemed in particular to be a big part of the history in the United States. My inspirations ranged from a masterpiece to B Biker movieS! I watched "Apocalypse Now”, “Full Metal Jacket". However, it was the Biker/Vietnam movie "The Losers" from 1970 that inspired this poster the most. In "The Losers", outlaws are made to participate in war by an order of the government. 

[Directed by Joe Solomon, famous for "Hells Angels on Wheels" (1967), "Angles from Hell" (1968) and "Run, Angel, Run" (1969).]

JG:  I see that there's an Erostika anniversary coming up. How many years have your shops in Harijuku (Tokyo) and in Nagoya been open and how are they different from each other?

RJB: I think that 11 years ago that they opened Erostika in Harajuku. The shop of Nagoya opened around six years ago. I ran a brand called "Erosty Pop!" while I was in LA and Tokyo. Because Wild Ox (who is one of the owners of Erostika) liked B movie's, we set the shop in Nagoya under the theme of girls, sex and B movies.  I think that is how the shops are different.

JG:  You recently created an amazing poster for Back from the Grave Return' Halloween Ball. With bands like The Untamed Youth, Guitar Wolf, Jackie and The Cedrics, The Thunderroads, and over 50 other bands! Have you done a lot of artwork for these bands that played at this two day festival?

RJB: There were more bands this year than an average year. However, we do this event every year on two stages in two days. The dressing room is complete CHAOS every year. The number of drunkards is not odd!

(Check out Jelly's amazing new cover Guitar Wolf vs. The Jon Spencer Bues Explosion !!!)

JG: Tell us about your upcoming collaboration series "Naughty La France" featuring Mai Sasaki which will be released at the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom show in December!

RJB: I’m big fan of model Mai Sasaki. She worked with the publishing company that also did my art book. I fell in love with her beautiful hip at first sight on the cover of a magazine.

Then the editor of my book invited her to my release party. We had a long conversation and I suggested this project.

JG:  What does La France Hips mean?

RJB: OMG! Is the la France not known in USA? It was my misunderstanding. It is kind of like the shape of a pear because the form is similar to the form of a beautiful hip, the two are often compared. 

JG:  What is on your playlist at the moment?

RJB: Oh, just now “REKISHI”.  REKISHI is meaning of our Japanese history. The music is good-quality dance music. However, all the themes and lyrics are based on Japanese history. It is a history version of Guitar Wolf!

JG:  Chew Hi or Sho Chu?

RJB: At first I drink two cans of CHEW HI (it’s Shochu and soda). And then I drink SHO CHU afterwards!

JG:  Okonomiyaki or Hiroshimayaki?

RJB: I love both!!!  Soba noodles are either contained inside or not. I usually pick one based on how much money I have in my wallet and how hungry I am! 

JG:  What projects will you be working on next year?

RJB: I have many projects going on next year. I just finished making the SOFUBI (a soft plastic doll) for my monster series which will be for sale starting this winter. I will have a gallery exhibition in Taiwan next April. I intend to participate in a French convention next year. And I want to come back to California on a tour with Jackie & The Cedrics. Please check out our homepage and Facebook!!!Thank you!