Photo by: Brad Klausen

Brad Klausen remembers growing up in the early 1990s surrounded by grunge rock. He also remembers going to college later in that same decade with lofty ambitions of walking on to the University of Denver’s hockey team.

Although that dream was quickly realized as “unrealistic,” Klausen (BFA graphic communication design ’98) rebounded by finding solace and passion in the school’s art program.

Despite the hardships of the post-college world, when he went home to California to find work at a local design firm in Los Angeles, Klausen broke into in the industry when he was hired to be the in-house graphic designer for the popular grunge band Pearl Jam.

Klausen’s journey started with a submission he made to the band following a newsletter he received via being a member of the fan club.

“I thought, might as well role the dice, and might as well take a chance,” said Klausen. “I always say you won’t get inside if you don’t knock, and that’s a good mentality to have. It was fortunately good timing and things fell into place.”

As a member of the Pearl Jam art design team, Klausen worked what he described as a “typical 9 to 5 job where I would go in and work at a desk.” At that job, he ended up creating everything from art posters to T-shirts to album designs – all within his nine year stint with the band in Seattle.

“I remember when I was a teenager and all the grunge stuff was happening, and I asscoiated it with ‘real’ music, because it was tangible and not this coroporate, fluffy post-80s music,” said Klausen. “It had a huge impact on me at that time, and I would eat it all up. Pearl Jam, in particular, was this loud band that addressed my teen angst.”

Nowadays, Klausen is still enjoying success in the indusry even though he is no longer officially with Pearl Jam. However, without that entry into the business, Klausen doesn’t know if he would be able to have what he has today—his own business, Artillery, based out of Seattle.

He still works with Pearl Jam as well as bands such as Built to Spill, Alice in Chains, the Black Keys and Widespread Panic, but still has a special bond with the band that took him under its wing years ago.

“I hold them in a different place in my head, the opportunity to work with them brought me so many other opportunities” said Klausen, who noted that his musical taste has changed since his grunge rock days, yet still realizes how he will be forever linked to the genre. “My life would have been totally different without that opportunity, it changed everything and took me on a completely different road.”

The job has been a dream-like situation said Klausen. He explained that he has been able to accomplish his goals as an artist as well as integrate himself as a fan, creating work for the music industry, something he has always felt a strong connection with.

“Back then, if you told me what I was doing today, I wouldn’t have believed you,” said Klausen.

He remembers being in eighth and ninth grade when he first started paying close attention to music.

“My sister [Lauren] was always listening to Duran Duran, and that got my attention with music, and from there the switch flipped on and I went into this teenage rebellion cliché,” said Klausen with a laugh.

As for his internal motivation, a trait that can be traced back to his breakthrough in the industry, Klausen is happy to admit that his mentality of “doing what I wanted to do” has paid off immensely, especially now that he is his own boss.

According to Klausen, Pearl Jam was extremely hands off when he was a part of their graphic design group, letting him have full reign on his design.

Although he had an enjoyable working relationship with the band, Klausen relishes in the fact that his work isn’t far from his home these days.

“I now have a 15-foot commute from my bed to my office,” said Klausen.

With all that he has accomplished already, and more opportunities still on the horizon, Klausen is certainly living the dream.