Super Furry Animals, Alexandra Palace and the Artwork of Pete Fowler

Some bands stay with you. Their records become attached to places, people and particular periods of your life. For one very special group of music lovers, Super Furry Animals are one of those bands.

Their recent return to Alexandra Palace Park in London was a welcome opportunity to hear songs that have soundtracked the last three decades. I am a long-time Super Furry Animals fan, and was among the crowd enjoying a set that included some of may favourites such as Run! Christian, Run!, Something 4 The Weekend and Juxtapozed With U. They were joined by The Beta Band, another of my all-time favourites, and I had never seen an outdoor gig at Alexandra Palace before - what an amazing setting.

One thing that stands out at a Super Furry Animals show is the crowd. The band's fanbase has always been welcoming, enthusiastic and refreshingly unpretentious. There is a genuine sense of community amongst people who have followed the band over the years.

As the evening progressed, the sun began to set over London's skyline, with the city spread out below the park. Watching the band play against that backdrop was one of those simple gig moments that stays with you long afterwards.

Pete Fowler and Super Furry Animals

It's difficult to think about Super Furry Animals without also thinking about Pete Fowler. His artwork was peppered throughout the Ally Pally crowd, on well-loved and proudly sported t-shirts.

For many fans, Fowler's artwork is inseparable from the band's identity. His distinctive cast of creatures, colourful characters and surreal landscapes became closely associated with Super Furry Animals from the late 1990s onwards, helping to create the visual world that surrounded albums such as Radiator, Rings Around The World, Phantom Power and Love Kraft. At some point I had the music video compilation DVD - not something I would have purchased for any other bands I loved.....it was a special case.

What makes the relationship between band and artist so successful is that Fowler's work feels like a natural visual counterpart to the music. Both share a similar sense of imagination, humour and unpredictability. His artwork never simply illustrates the records; it expands on them, creating a world that fans can immediately recognise.

Today, Fowler's work is collected both by music fans and by those drawn to his broader practice as an illustrator and artist. His unique combination of psychedelia, folklore and playful storytelling has made his work instantly recognisable.

Pete Fowler Prints at Hypergallery

Hypergallery currently stocks two Pete Fowler editions connected to Super Furry Animals. I Was trilled to be able to bring these pieces into our collection and always feel joyful sending them out to fellow fans when an order pops up on my phone, as one did today.

Super Furry Animals / Rings Around The World

Based on artwork from the Rings Around The World era, this signed and numbered archival giclée edition showcases Fowler's unmistakable visual language and his long-standing connection with the band. The print captures the imaginative and slightly otherworldly quality that made both the artwork and the album so memorable.

Super Furry Animals / Phantom Power

We also stock Fowler's Phantom Power edition, another signed and numbered print inspired by one of the band's most celebrated albums. Full of the colour, character and detail that fans expect from Fowler's work, it makes an excellent companion piece to Rings Around The World or a strong standalone addition to any collection.

Music and Art That Belong Together

The Alexandra Palace show was a reminder of how closely music and visual art can become linked. For many Super Furry Animals fans, Pete Fowler's artwork is part of the experience, every bit as familiar as the album covers and songs themselves.

For me, the evening was a chance to see one of my favourite bands in a setting that suited them perfectly. And for anyone who left the gig wanting to take a small piece of that world home, Pete Fowler's Rings Around The World and Phantom Power prints remain two of the most enduring examples of the creative partnership between artist and band.