Based on the Clive Barker book Cabal, it’s not an amazing film, but I loved it when I was a kid.

Responsible for putting ideas into the mind of a certain street artist who based one of the world’s biggest street campaigns around it’s visuals and ideas. Classic goodness.

Probably the first horror film I set my terrified, underage eyes on. Classic dodgy horror.

Erm…classic shite. What more can I say?!

An army of gargantuan demons crawled through this hell hole and have begun to obliterate the surrounding areas. Creatures born in a dimension so unlike our own that their hideous forms, constructed in a way that no sane human mind could ever dream of, are literally scaring people to death. Those who are surviving the site of these beasts are being driven insane, totally incapable to comprehend the scenes around them.

There is 1 human however who DID dream of this most hellish of places, and these creatures are pouring through the porthole speaking his name, his name is Skinner and he’s been painting these ‘things’ for years.

Skinner’s friends and family have reported that he was taken away by government officials early this morning, against his will and to an unknown location. The only clue is a discarded document found in Skinner’s bedroom that is titled ‘The Bunker’. This is what it said.

We have learned of a threat that will almost certainly end the world as we know it. Luckily for you, we have saved you a room in a top secret underground facility known as The Bunker.

Space inside The Bunker is limited, but you’re allowed 10 items to hopefully ease the pain of the apocalypse and keep you comfortable in your underground abode, while life on the surface is almost certainly wiped out by a catastrophic event. Please complete the form below and return it as soon as possible.

TB: We can allow you access to 1 music video. What will it be?
S: Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
(Because we’ve already shown Thriller thanks to Mysterious Al’s Bunker entry, I’ll upload this version. Thriller as performed by inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines. Which is way more scary than the original in my opinion).

TB: There is room on the wall for 1 piece of art. What would you like?
This is probably the only situation that I would request a landscape in my life but something by one of those Hawaiian artists that paint realistic waves crashing in the moonlight.

Something like this then?

TB: There is a small bookshelf with room for 1 book. What will it be?
S: The biggest goddamn choose your own adventure book I could find.

TB: You’re allowed 1 film. What will you watch?
S: Point break.

TB: There are bunk beds inside the room. Who gets the other bed, and which bunk would you like?
S: My sweet baby Kristie can have one of the bunks or she can sleep in mine with me and Rasheed Wallace can have the other one.

TB: You’re allowed 1 small treasured item. What is it?
S: A glass pipe forged by Zeus himself.

TB: We’ve managed to get you a CD player. What album would you like?
S: The heavy newer mix of dopesmoker by Sleep.

TB: We are willing to cook you 1 meal of your choice on your first night in The Bunker. What would you like?
S: A big ass Vegan Indian food buffet! Get to work!

TB: All inhabitants of The Bunker MUST have their memories of Old Earth erased. However, we will allow you a single memory of your old life. What will it be?
S: Of my mom taking me to see the Hulk at Toy’s R’ Us when I was 5.

TB: We can project a view of your choice onto the Window Screen. What would you like to look at?
S: Some rats fuckin’.

TB: Thank you for your co-operation. We will do our best to satisfy your needs and we wish you a pleasant stay in The Bunker.
S: No problem and don’t forget the weed!

Skinner is exhibiting work at Okay Mountain in Austin Texas until May 29th. A big group show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome in July will be graced with more of his darkness as will a group show in NYC at Bold Hype Gallery on June 3rd. A giant solo show at White Walls, San Francisco in August is also on the cards. For those of us who can’t quite stretch to an original piece of work, Skinner’s website will soon be updated with a new Shop section where us mere mortals can purchase affordable prints and t-shirts, sweet!

I first met Al around 8 years ago when I was invited to put some work into one of the awesome Finders Keepers shows that he organized alongside fellow creative juggernauts D-Face, PMH and Dave the Chimp. It was a big moment for me being the first show I’d ever had work in, and I got chance to meet the artists that inspired me to start painting in the first place. Since then, his instantly recognizable mutants have appeared in countless books, art shows worldwide, on Eastpak backpacks, skateboards, Adidas trainers, Volvo ads but more importantly, walls. Beautiful, non profitable, outdoor walls.

But it doesn’t end there, oh no. In January of this year, he stepped up yet again by releasing his own movie. But not just any type of Movie, it was a Zombie movie. I haven’t seen Life After Beth yet but I’m seriously looking forward to catching it in the summer where it’ll be doing the festival rounds. Until then, here’s the trailer to keep you going.

His latest art offerings take inspiration from ancient Mesoamerican cultures. Beautifully crafted paper collage and mixed media on paper reflecting the patterned masks and ornate headdresses of the Mayan people, yet remaining true to the bold, graphic stylings that have gained him so much recognition over the years.

If this is the kind of thing that butters your muffin then you should head to http://mysteriousal.bigcartel.com where you can check out all of the work he has for sale including his latest print release ‘Salboan Warrior Mask #5′ which quite frankly is an absolute steal at only £60.

Salboan Warrior Mask #5

This direction in work is leading up to a London show in Autumn based around the infamous Doomsday predictions of the Mayan cultures and the blood thirsty gods that they worshipped. I’m personally looking forward to this as it’s a theme that I’ve been into for years which fascinates me. Also this is Al’s first London solo show in a while so it really shouldn’t be missed.

So it’s an interesting coincidence that while he’s been working on themes of the approaching apocalypse, he’s been selected to ride out the coming storm from the secure confines of The Bunker. Earlier today I was handed a document from my ‘contact’ showing details of Al’s administration form, and this is what it had to say.

Welcome to The Bunker.

We have learned of a threat that will almost certainly end the world as we know it. Luckily for you, we have saved you a room in a top secret underground facility known as The Bunker.

Space inside The Bunker is limited, but you’re allowed 10 items to hopefully ease the pain of the apocalypse and keep you comfortable in your underground abode while life on the surface is almost certainly wiped out by a catastrophic event. Please complete the form below and return it as soon as possible.

Q: We can allow you access to 1 music video. What will it be?
A: Thanks! That’s easy. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’.

Q: There is room on the wall for 1 piece of art. What would you like?
A: I could look at Henri Rousseau’s ‘Tiger in a tropical storm (surprised)’ all day.

Q: There is a small bookshelf with room for 1 book. What will it be?
A: The Bible. I wouldn’t read it, though. I’d tear out the pages and eat them.

Q: You’re allowed 1 film. What will you watch?
A: Return of the Living Dead. It’s got everything you could want in a film.

Q: There are bunk beds inside the room. Who gets the other bed, and which bunk would you like?
A: Kylie. And she’d get more than the bottom bunk, I can tell you. The cheeky minx.

Q: You’re allowed 1 small treasured item. What is it?
A: I don’t have any treasured possessions.

Q: We’ve managed to get you a CD player. What album would you like?
A: Man, that’s impossible. So many good albums. I’d probably just settle for a CD of the sound of cattle dying.

Q: We are willing to cook you 1 meal of your choice on your first night in The Bunker. What would you like?
A: I’d probably be pretty full after my Bible, but I’d manage a side order of coal, smashed human bones, dust and ash.

Q: All inhabitants of The Bunker MUST have their memories of Old Earth erased. However, we will allow you a single memory of your old life. What will it be?
A: I’d like to remember an old Christmas Eve with my family.

Q: We can project a view of your choice onto the Window Screen. What would you like to look at.
A: The view from outside the Roebuck Pub, on Richmond Hill, overlooking Twickenham on a warm, summer evening. I’ve seen some seriously good shit in my life, but nothing comes close to that.

Thank you for your co-operation. We will do our best to satisfy your needs and we wish you a pleasant stay in The Bunker.

The Bunker Administration Team.

I have to say, I like Mysterious Al. Why? Because we share a common appreciation for the finer things in life, the things that really matter. Zombies, skulls, doomsday, beer, sunshine. Even if the likes of me don’t make it into The Bunker, as I sit choking on my own tears feeling the heat from the asteroid as it passes overhead, a small part of me will smile knowing that when the smoke clears and the elite step foot back onto the surface, Al will be there. His yellow pointed teeth glistening as the sun rises over a new Earth.

My man on the inside assures me that he’ll have information on a new lucky Bunker next Friday, so stay tuned folks.

Loving this. You’ve seen the image, now buy the t-shirt over at Threadless.

Want something a bit more substantial? Like a sloppy bite wound from a member of the walking dead? Simply dab a ring of liquid latex around the area you want and apply some rolled up toilet roll. Cover the ring of toilet roll in more latex and let it dry. Cover it with a bit more and cover the ring with a thin layer of toilet roll so it blends into your skin more. Just keep repeating the process with the toilet roll until you’ve got the bite as big as you want it. Then apply some liquid latex to the inside of the wound and lay down strips of cotton wool. Apply more latex on top, wait for it to dry then you can pull it around and get the look you want.

Apply blood and make-up…

Get the rest of your kit on and go for a pint! I’ll be doing this tonight too so will post images of tonights effort as soon as I get chance.

Enjoy!