We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alan Pugach Barker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I knew from a young age that I could not work for someone else’s vision, it just wasn’t going to be in my story line.

From my comic book “APB” which is a nonfiction, to my sweatshirt line, the music production, now footwear, this is all a risk I’m willing to take because it comes with meaning and purpose, what I create isn’t just a creation, there’s importance behind what I create, there’s a reason why I decided to share my story in my comic book, there’s a reason why my sweatshirts have a silhouette of a hooded figure, or that I decided adding the two English quotes on the sleeves, why I used Classical Latin on the nimbus of the hooded figure, why the footwear is inspired by ancient art. My work turned out exactly as I thought it would so far, this is only stage one.

People say things like “you will go through some struggle but…”, the thing is, if it’s a calling, if it’s something you want to do, this so called struggle is something different, something I can only explain as almost robotic, something you want or must do, so while there is struggle, it is not the same struggle as let’s say doing something that doesn’t feel right in your heart, that’s pure misery, but of course, some people are content and happy working for someone else’s vision, that’s their role in life, it was meant to be from the beginning. You must be aware of who you are, and whoever you are plays a vital role, it’s important.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up around artists, musicians, and so on, but honestly, I knew I was a creative since I was a baby. Let me paint the quick picture, I was baptized by a famous musician in South America, when I was young I would sketch different shoes, shirts, faces, and so on, then choose one of each and draw them out together just to see what the character would look like. When I used to live in Spain I remember my grandfather’s music playing in the car, radio I’m assuming, and I used to add instruments and ideas to the music as it’s playing in my head thinking it would sound a lot better if it was this way, even to this day I create visions in my head in sync with the music I’m listening to, on the fly.

We do have a music project featuring Max B, GLC The Ism, A$AP Ant, etc. that I A&R’d, which is already completed. My brother Nico Pugach produced most of the tracks. This will come at a later date.

On my website you can order the signed copy of my comic book “APB” based on real experiences that I’ve had in my life, you can also get the digital version. I also have the “Holy” sweatshirts, made with puff print, reflective material, etc. My main focus currently are the slides, I’m looking to manufacture them, I do have physical samples, but there’s a few more steps to be taken before the manufacturing process. I post all updates regarding my work on my social media.

As far as business for other clients, the vision, art, music production, apparel, ideas in general, I tend to naturally think outside the box, it’s quite hard to simply explain what I could do for any client because it’s extensive. I do tend to focus on my own projects, but I network and research and have done this for so many years, I always say if I can’t get it done, I know someone that can, even outside of what I do for work.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I have a few things in the works regarding NFT’s. As far as what I think about NFT’s… they’re fun. Any money being made from NFT’s would go towards my tangible work though.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alanpugachbarker.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/APBsayin
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/APBsayin