Gary Panter
Gary Panter (born December 1, 1950) is a cartoonist, illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. One of the biggest representatives of the american new wave comics movement, Panter has worked on multiple fronts, from contributions to comics anthologies to commercial imagery.
He worked with The Residents from the late 70s to the early 80s on many of their artworks. The group also produced his 1981 debut single Tornader To The Tater.
Background
Gary was born in Durant, Oaklahoma on December 1, 1950. He studied art at East Texas State University, and moved to Los Angeles in 1977, at age 27. It was in Los Angeles where he would become heavily involved in the rising counter culture of the era.
He met with The Cryptic Corporation in 1979, who asked him to create artwork for the Ralph Records sampler album Subterranean Modern, featuring The Residents. Shortly after this he created artwork for Snakefinger's What Wilbur single, produced by The Residents.
Panter would continue to create artwork for Ralph Records, providing illustrations for the 1980 Sampler EP, 'Buy Or Die', as and it's follow up, 'Buy Or Die 1980½', both featuring The Residents. The Buy Or Die 1980 catalog, also featured his Rozz Tox Manifesto.
In 1981 he finally met with The Residents, who produced and played on his first solo single, Tornader To The Tater. Both tracks on this single would be put on his 1983 debut album, 'Pray For Smurph'.
He collaborated with The Residents again in 1987, when the group were brought on to score episodes of the second season of Pee Wee's Playhouse, on which Panter was set designer. The Residents were later brought back to score the episodes 'To Tell The Tooth' in 1988, and 'Front Page Pee-Wee' in 1990.
In 2015, Panter was interviewed for the Theory of Obscurity documentary.
