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Welcome right back to Post Up Radio. We want to let you know we recently took our very first trip to a Dave & Buster’s, and it was a lot of fun. Four beers deep playing Coldplay’s “Yellow” on Guitar Hero in Times Square is actually a good time…

Moving on! This week’s guest is our friend Alex Abaunza, a creative director and photographer based in New York City. Previous clients include names such as Dead & Company, Off-White and 070 Shake, and he’s currently excited about upcoming work for Hablot Brown. Up until recently, Alex was a senior creative director at OCA, alongside names like Ryder Ripps and Franc Fernandez (man responsible for Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress.) Despite working alongside big names like these, Alex wanted to set up shop on his own and have the freedom to work with smaller, more emerging clients.

Alex Abaunza’s Hard Topo Mix is now streaming on Post Up Radio

Continue reading for our interview with Alex, some pictures of his work, and a full track list for the mix

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you on tour?

One time I had appendix surgery, then toured three different countries just 10 days after the operation. Not to mention I ripped a stitch in Brazil while surfing. The doctor told me not to travel, but I told him I was going to work Lollapalooza South America (Chile, Argentina, Brazil) and that was it. We also got held at gunpoint in Sao Paulo, on our way to Rio to chase waves. The cops stopped us because they thought we were drug traffickers, as we had designer clothes and tattoos. That was enough for them to pull guns on us.

What concert made you fall in love with music?

I was either 16 or 17 when I went to Ultra Music Festival, around the same time I was applying to colleges. I was surrounded by a lot of really fun, cool people and felt the sense of euphoria. It’s hard not to when you’re touring with some of your favorite artists, then watching Die Antwoord standing next to Paris Hilton. There’s no definitive moment, but I realized that I could build my lifestyle around touring and being constantly on the move.

What prompted your switch from photography to creative direction?

I hated busting my ass on tour, going flight to flight, and not treating my body well. The people I was working with were only using my photos for Instagram posts, but I wanted to be on the team designing stages, and helping make the memories for all the kids attending. I didn’t want my work to be reduced to a like or a swipe through.

Who’s an artist you’d love to do creative for?

Primarily, I want to work with artists who know what they want, and aren’t trying to emulate someone else or mimic an era. Artists who truly have their own vision. Two people that come to mind are Bad Bunny and Rosalía, they’re both sick, and it ties into my desire to work with fellow Latin artists. Their music is great, the community is incredible, but there’s a slight disconnect with the creative that comes out and goes to the fans.

As the creative process becomes more digital, what does the future of IRL creative work look like?

For the most part it’ll be commercial work, but the people who will preserve physical art are those who can curate galleries well and people that want to continue printing books. One of my goals is to make, digitize and then print one scrapbook per year, that’ll function as an archive of that year. People will find ways to bring it back to the physical sense, you can’t show photos to your kids on an iPad! You’ll want to print it out.

Are NFTs cool or stupid?

They’re cool, and they’re going to have a purpose in a couple years. Whoever thought of this was so far ahead, but we just can’t see the value now while it’s happening.