Big Brother and the Holding Company Poster
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The poster is also known as FDD001. It was the first of the Denver Dog shows.
The 1st printing A is characterized by its rich light blue color that matches both the postcard and the large version, which is known as 1st printing B. It is on uncoated stock that is slightly coarse and fibrous. It was printed before the concert in a run of 2,000, and it measures 14 3/16" x 20".
The 1st printing B is the same light blue color as the smaller original, but this version is large, measuring 19 7/8" x 28". It is on uncoated index and was also printed before the concert in a run of 2,000.
The 2nd printing A is on plated stock that has a slight sheen. The blue background is slightly darker than the original poster, and it measures 14" x 20". It was printed after the concert.
2nd printing B is distinguished by its glossy stock that is textured with a grid pattern. It is a bold bright medium blue color which is slightly deeper than the A version. It also measures 14" x 20" and was printed after the concert.
Rick Griffin grew up in the surfing culture of Southern California, a milieu which had a profound influence on his art. After high school, he worked on the staff of Surfer magazine and created the best-known surfing cartoon character of the time, Murphy. After his move to San Francisco in 1967, be began combining eclectic typefaces and decorative borders with brilliant colors in his concert posters. Griffin's compositions were complex without being illegible. A perfectionist, Griffin often applied dozens of overlays and redrew lettering again and again until he was satisfied. In the early 1970s, Griffin became a born-again Christian and religious themes dominated his work until his death in a motorcycle accident in 1991.