Greece's Rockpages did an exclusive interview with legendary designer IOANNIS (DEEP PURPLE, URIAH HEEP, FATES WARNING, SEPULTURA). The chat covers his entire career and where he sees his art moving in the digital age. An excerpt follows:

Rockpages.gr: Record business is on a decline. How do you see the cover design business in the near and far future?

Ioannis: "Record labels are on the decline and unless they adept will become obsolete, however music is as huge if not bigger than ever and the opportunities for a band to be self-supporting and sell their music is limitless. In the past if a label did not sign you, you were out, it was financially with a few exceptions very difficult to record an album, get it distributed, get airplay, join a tour etc. Not today the internet, technology and viral opportunities have created a level field, a band can grow slowly sell directly to their fans, do gigs, get a following, sell their merchandise and have a number of other options to distribute their music so If they sign with a label eventually they are in the drivers seat. Look at Porcupine Tree or Opeth. Also they have so many ways to license their music, movies, commercials, video games, and television, ring tones, sporting events and so on. Touring and merchandise are now the main income for acts, just look at the explosion of festivals and tours around the world just in metal alone! As far as my work the need is the same just that the technology and palette are changing, for example as I had mentioned earlier the bands still need a look and a style, so their logo is very important, the merchandise design, stage graphics, the website design and so on. I am already trying out concepts as to how they would look on iPad which is the next great frontier. As for physical product when the band releases it now to those fans that want that, it’s more elaborate (digipaks with inserts, special box sets, vinyl) it’s not about cd/jewelcases anymore which I think are becoming less attractive to the buyer, and collector who likes physical product."

Read the entire interview here.