Derek Riggs

Appearing Fri/Sat/Sun

Derek was born in a caravan by the sea in Portsmouth, England in 1958. He then moved to Coventry, where he grew up and started to earn a living as an illustrator. He tried to create what he thought was a better kind of imagery for rock music than the rubbish that was current at the time. This endeavor took a couple of years and resulted in a series of images, the most popular of which was the character "Eddie the Head" that was later used as a mascot by the band Iron Maiden. The series of album covers and other designs that Derek painted for Iron Maiden became the most popular album covers of all time. These covers won awards in every country in which they were released, out selling all other forms of merchandise, including Disney's Mickey Mouse. The posters were the best selling posters of all time, they occupied the number 1, 2 & 3 spot in the poster charts of the mid 1980's. These pictures won "best album cover" awards year after year in most of the countries of the world. One year Derek’s designs won the "best album cover" award, and a different picture of his came in second place as well in the same competition. This has never been equaled by anyone before or since.