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Home , Tom Russell

April ’93

. 2 No Vol. 9, SS UUNN DD The Making of the Album Cover

by-step recount of the making of the cover art for Tom Russell’s new album, Box of Visions? It’s worth a try, Alex, so sit back while we clip these wires to your eyelids and crank up some Ludwig Van. by Arthur D. Bradley Readers will recall the tedious step-by-step recounting of how S produced the Tom HE PUBLIC HAS A FASCINATION in four countries: the United States (Philo), Russell band show at the Grand Emporium for details regarding the creative Canada (Stony Plain), (Sonet), and (“The Heart of the Working Band,” Vol. 5, No. 2, process, be it the technically chal- (Round Tower). Hoping for a con- November ’92). During that first visit, plans lenging makeup application for sistent worldwide release next time out, he were made for my designing a band newsletter, Michael Jackson (“The Making of inquired as to my experience in cassette T to be called “Blood Shots.” Response was pos- and CD design. Thriller”) or the charming irony of Stevie itive and Tom seemed pleased with the printed Wonder demonstrating to how “Oh, sure, I’ve done some stuff, mainly piece, which led to another assignment: a to sing like Bob Dylan (“The Making of We local,” I bluffed. It wasn’t exactly a fib, since press kit. Although the duotone effect on the Are The World”). In some ways, these be- my profession is that of a four-color graphic cover photo didn’t print as well as expected, hind-the-scenes videos are a bit like David artist, but it was definitely hedging a bet. the quality of the finished product was satis- Copperfield or Doug Henning spilling their In the ensuing months, Tom checked factory, and the kits were turned over to Tom secrets—you want to know how it was on my credentials (asking Sound publisher during his second Kansas done, but having too much revealed can Corky Carrel whether or not I could City visit, an acoustic per- take all the fun out of it. handle the task), then decided, formance last November Maybe the oversaturation of insider slightly hesitantly, to give it a shot. at the Shadow. information dripping from the entertain- “Primitive, I want it primitive,” Inspired by that show ment industry will curb our voyeuristic he explained during a preliminary to join up with the en- curiosity. Then again, if Truth or Dare didn’t brainstorming meeting. “Religious, tourage, I hitched a ride in deprogram our nosy voyeurism once and Mexican ... think Los Lobos ... Leo the van with Tom and An- for all, what will? How about a tedious step- Kottke has an interesting cover on drew and headed toward his That’s What album ... there’s a St. Louis with them to take photographer from the 30s, Manuel INSIDE in their next show (with Alvarez Bravo, who has a shot called no concrete plan on how ‘Box of Visions’ which would look DARWINVS. to return home). Being great as a sepia tone on the cover, MOTHERSBAUGH New Yorkers, the pair but I’m still trying to get permission Page 6 couldn’t resist stopping at Ozarkland to look from the Museum of Modern Art to use it. at Missouri bric-a-brac and sign autographs. My girlfriend and I have put together a box HECAN’TDRAW... Plans for a side trip to the Elvis Museum, with various religious icons in it, too; I’ll Page 8 though, had to be cancelled because of a traffic send you a polaroid of it.” crunch on the Interstate. While gridlocked on “Don’t forget the most important part,” GLOWINGREVIEWS the highway,I worked up the nerve, and asked, I reminded him, “a tape of the songs.” Page 9 “So, what exactly is involved with putting to- Before heading to California to begin his gether an album cover?” recording sessions, Tom mailed me a pack- ...BUTCANHEWRITE? Explaining how he normally sends some age containing the song lyrics and his test Page 10 press photos to the labels and leaves the design shot. The photo was a box filled with dis- up to them, Tom complained how that always parate items—some religious mementos, STEVENHILLCRACKSUP left him with four completely different designs. some items which looked to be garage sale Page 11 Being the internationalrecording artist that he rejects—a jumble which showed no sense is, after all, he has to have discs manufactured It’s exit the rainmaker,to page 4 considered a box of visions,” I offered. “Maybe Band, of course. After that, we put on Speaking we could do a TV screen with Tom’s face re- In Tongues, since it had won Robert Rauschen- peated inside another screen, like in those berg a Grammy for design. “A Grammy for c o n t i n u e d John Cleese commercials for Magnavox.” cover packaging could be ours,” Carlo pointed f r o m c o v e r “Or maybe an old radio,” countered Carlo. out, “after all, the Chicago album with the “A radio would relate more to the lyrics of the chocolate bar design won it, and we can cer- actual song [‘Box of Visions’].” It was getting tainly do as well as that.” Then we commenced late, so we decided to sleep on it, then see to do our best. which idea still had a viable ring to it the next It’s no wonder Christie Brinkley earns mil- day. lions of dollars for twenty minutes of work. My first thought upon waking the fol- (I’m talking about modeling, but she probably lowing morning was, “a camera! A camera is deserves it for performing her wifely duty for a box of visions.” Carlo concurred. Billy Joel, too.) It isn’t easy staying perfectly still “My dad has a perfect antique box while hunched over a camera, holding a flash camera,” he said. We both felt that things unit, in the dark, beneath a cloth hood, which were starting to click (pun intended). We was what was required of me, since we had to could have photos to match up with the pop severalexposures, masking the light of the lyrics for the inside of the booklet, give sparkler just the right amount, then burning a them old-timey borders ... the thematic torch to enhance the effect. idea being the box camera on the cover is Each ’roid we developed had elements we capturing the vision of each song. A pic- liked and others we disliked—shoulders too ture of Tom for the back of the booklet droopy, the fake flash unit not held straight. “It might be as a negative inside of a large-format would sure be nice to have a touch of some- of balance and very little skill in composition. film holder, or possibly floating in a tray of de- thing surreal, a bit of Magritte,” I mused, re- Calling up a professional photographer, veloper. flecting my artistic sensibility. “What if we friend, and Tom Russell fanatic (let’s call him Meanwhile, Tom was still working on pol- forget about having someone under the pho- Carlo), I informed him of the situation. He im- ishing his photo idea, the mediately agreed that we should take a stab at box sculpture his girl-

They circle her in foreign cars—the businessmen, the panthers H friend was helping him The Angel of Lyon and the sharks Heart of Hearts (Tom Russell) collaborating on a design of our own. I made VISIONS OF BOX (Tom Russell, Steve Young) Ah, the leaders of society are howling as they’re prowling Hand to mouth, flyin’ blind through the dark I’ve always been the runnin’ kind He had a vision of Anne Marie with a rosary in her hand Is that a clergyman or lawyer with a mask upon his face? Runnin’ when the trouble starts So it’s “Exit The Rainmaker”—the old grey flannel man Stalking Julie Anne tonight behind The Nelson Place Runnin’ from my heart of hearts With a closet full of business suits, he left a letter near the phone And the ballet class of ’91 will miss her with. Time was of the It said: “I’m on my way to Paradise . . . to see my Angel of Lyon” Another road, another town And her hometown hero never got to kiss her I grew tired, I broke down Then he caught a train to Brussels, he ordered cognac and croissants She’s as far away from home as she can get him Xeroxes of the lyrics, since Tom had yet to When all your feelings come apart He made a mental list of things he owned but didn’t want Little Julie Anne, her workin’ name’s Annette Deep trouble in your heart of hearts Ah, the buildings and the real estate . . . the antique glass and stone He’d trade a vow of poverty to see his Angel of Lyon She daydreams for a moment: dancing Swan Lake, yeah, she’s a star You can run through the night, but you can’t hide ’Til a cop rolls up and screams at her, “Heh, Princess, where the hell There’s always someone standing right by your side essence if we were to And he sang ‘Ave Maria,’ or at least the parts he knew you think you are?” There’s always someone reachin’ out in the dark And watched the shadow of the train on the towns Then he says, “How’d you get here, darlin’? I got a daughter Callin’ from your heart of hearts send any demo tapes of the new material. that they rolled through just your age” And he closed his eyes and saw two rivers: She coughs and doesn’t tell him about her daddy’s drunken rage I found love when I found you the Rhône and the Saône Now all my runnin’ days are through The male and female spirit of the city of Lyon The desk clerk at The Cobalt says, “I got a bag I think she left . . . You are the guiding light, born from a spark convince him to go with Filled with teddy bears and ballet slippers, the working girl Hidden in my heart of hearts Then he waited on the bridge where they’d met a year before they called Annette Narrowing down an idea for a design was But the days turned into weeks until the seasons numbered four I believe she drove to Calgary with a hustler name of Ace Frontera Music, ASCAP And his clothes grew worn and ragged, as through the town he roamed He had her in his power, you could read it on her face . . .” Tom Russell: lead vocal Searching every open window for the Angel of Lyon Frontera Music, ASCAP/Pogo Music, ASCAP : background vocals There’s a thousand candles burning in the basilica tonight David Hidalgo: electric lead guitar our scheme. Let’s face Tom Russell: lead vocal Where Sister Eve Maria is the keeper of the light : acoustic and electric rhythm guitars, And down a dream of alleyways walks a saint of rag and bone Andrew Hardin: acoustic and background vocals tough; we knew it could possibly a once-in-a- The madman torn asunder by the Angel of Lyon electric guitars, harmony vocals Lee Thornburg: trumpet, pocket trombone, flugelhorn Dusty Wakeman: bass saxophone Frontera Music, ASCAP; Golden Chain Music, BMI Tom Timko: Skip Edwards: keyboards Dusty Wakeman: bass Tom Russell: lead vocals Jeff Donovan: drums Skip Edwards: keyboards it—lowly fans just don’t Katy Moffatt: harmony vocals Michael Tempo: percussion BOX OF VISIONS Jeff Donovan: drums Andrew Hardin: acoustic and electric guitars, six-string bass lifetime chance for both of us, and so wanted it Jeff Donovan: drums SIDE A: THE ANGEL OF LYON • ANNETTE • HEART Dusty Wakeman: bass OF HEARTS • PURGATORY ROAD • MANZANAR • Skip Edwards: keyboards Purgatory Road stack up in comparison WATERLOO (Tom Russell, Tom Pacheco) SIDE B: CONEY ISLAND MOON • HONG KONG (Tom Russell, David Buskin) I used to get up in the morning, serve six o’clock mass Annette The fear of the Lord did abound to be a source of pride. (Yet there was also the BOY • WEDDING DRESS MARY • BLOOD Tom Russell On Nelson Street near Granville she dances a deadly pirouette It was the smell of the incense, the sacrament wine ORANGES • THE EXTRA MILE • BOX OF VISIONS Little Julie Anne from Kitimat, her workin’ name’s Annette Old women in pews with their heads bowed down You can see behind her makeup, mister, that’s right she’s only 16 years And the hungover priest in a tattered black cassock deadline pressure to consider.) We had plenty to girlfriends. But all she wants is money, Jack, not your bloody sympathy or tears Reciting the Latin so old A shoot was sched- of ideas: a literalinterpretation similar to Tom’s uled for the following CYAN YELLOW BLACK MAGEN- test shot; a close-up of a hooker’slegs on a wet night; when I arrived at pavement next to an opened suitcase filled the studio, Carlo had already taken some test tographer’s hood, and just have the flash unit with teddy bears and ballet slippers (to repre- polaroids. (“’roids,” as the pros call them, suspended in the air? It might add a bit more sent the streetwalker in the song “Annette”); a which sounds to me like something you need ambiguity.” My ulterior motive, however, was shiva statuette engulfed in flames ... I was bel- Anusol for.) “I liked the use of the woman’slegs more along the lines that if you’re not posing in ligerent about trying to work in a photo of in the streetwalker idea,” I noted, “because it the picture, you can sit back and tank up on Albee, my cat, somehow ... but nothing we gave a sense of implied motion to the shot in- Guinness while others do the work. kicked around had that absolute feeling of stead of being just a still life. Like the blurred Using two strands of monofilament, we “yeah, this is ” that can be crucial to a worth- it skirt on the back of Abbey Road.” hung the flash unit from the ceiling and shot a while design. Kicking ideas around, we decided to build final polaroid. We finally felt that “this is it” “How about a television? That could be a faux flash unit and use a piece of black cloth wave come over us, and proceeded to expose as a hood, then having me play the role of the the intermediary transparencies (that’spro talk photographer taking a picture. Creating a flash for taking the actual picture). effect would be the tough part. “I wish we had The film was sent to the lab for processing some sparklers,” Carlo mentioned. It was early the next morning. It was the middle of a February, but remembering how much excess crunch period at my regular job, S was fireworks my nephew had on the last fourth of way behind deadline, reservations had been July, I took a chance and called him. A thirty made for me to attend a software seminar in minute drive, but we had put this much effort Denver at the end of the week, and taking time in to it (and Carlo needed time to build the out to art direct a photoshoot hadn't helped. 314 WESTPORT ROAD flash unit), so what the hell. “Bring back some Then Tom called, inquiring about the progress KANSAS CITY, MO 64111 Guinness,” he called to me as I was leaving. on the typesetting for the lyrics. “Great,” I “To really do this right,” I said upon return- bluffed. “Sure would like to hear those demo (816) 756-5556 ing with the sparklers and the stout, “we need tapes, though.” He had hired a photographer NEW AND USED appropriate music.” Mentally file for the next to take transparencies of the montage he had time it happens to you: the obvious choice for created, so my design had to get to Federal Ex- BUY, SELL, TRADE inspiration when art directing an album cover press that night if it was to stand a chance. photo shoot: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club “Now, I still have the final say in this,” Tom

 SOUND When I was young and impressionable, my heroes were the Marx Brothers and John Huston gently reminded, before proceeding to list sev- completed the image. New comps were sent. eralmore album covers which he liked aspects The version with the mask was chosen, but of: Bruce Cockburn’s Nothing But A Burning the background was rejected. Attempting a Light, the newest Keith Richards, Sonny Lan- montage of religious and secular icons (in- dreth, ... cluding a photo of Albee) proved fruitless. The film came back from the processor, Turning to the Bible in my hour of need, I with, again, good and bad elements among the scanned the verse from the Doubting Thomas shots. Using a Macintosh, I scanned the trans- story in the book of John, gave it a chiseled ef- parencies into Adobe Photoshop, then picked fect, and colored it a nice gold (as nice as the best of those with the flash effect, and su- CMYK printing allows, anyway). For thematic perimposing that onto an image of the camera consistency, Biblical text was ghosted behind by itself. Next, I scanned a NASA photo taken of the box sculpture photo, too, which was then Earth from space, retouching it into the lens used for the back of the CD booklet. Tom ap- area of the camera. Ultra subtle, but I would proved the texture, nixed the color. Andrew know it was there. Finally, a thin white border wanted the mask “brightened” as well. More and reverse type treatment was added in comps were sent out, and, finally, approved. Quark XPress. Now film had to be run—one set each of A PostScript file was written and inter- booklet, a striking, slightly eerie Mexican mask negative film (cassette and CD) for the U.S. and preted through a Canon CLC 500 color copier from Zitlala. I suggested using it for the cover Canada, and a set of positive film for Norway (you wanted the technic al details, didn’t you?). instead. Although he was amenable, Tom and Ireland. More trips to the Fed Ex office. In The color comp was cut to size and placed in wanted to see mock up versions of both ideas. typical S fashion, some typos were dis- an empty jewel box, for added effect, and the Scanning an antique chest from a book covered after the fact, resulting in film re-runs first of many last minute Fed Ex dashes was about the Louvre, the box sculpture was for all four countries. The additional Fed Ex in- made. Carlo and I were both satisfied that we C.O.B.’d (the background was cut out), and voices killed any profit margin there might had a winner on our hands, and I eagerly placed to look as if sitting on top of it. A dif- have been for me. awaited the green light from Tom. fused type treatment was added, and several But by coincidence, another client was versions were created to reflect various possi- printing a large flat with an empty slot about bilities for background colors. this time, and I whipped up a four color pro-

He said, “Son, you’re gonna walk on your knees one day . . . “Came those relocation orders, they took our house, Back when I had a future in the town of Waterloo My client was definitely against a typeset Down the long miles of Purgatory Road” the store, the car motional flyer and tagged it on to the client’s And they drove us to the desert—to a place called Manzanar So I spend my days just standin’ out on Highway 63 Well it might have been Susan, it might have been Annie The Spanish word for ‘Apple Orchard,’ though we saw no With a sign around my neck that says “have you got a job She wore a white cotton blouse apple trees for me?” She’d memorized Modern Youth and Chastity Just the rows of prison barracks with barbed-wire boundaries” Playin’ “Bonaparte’s Retreat” upon a rusty tin kazoo Said, “It’s a mortal sin if we kiss on the mouth . . . Just another patriot who met his Waterloo And if we died in a car wreck on our way home And we dream of apple blossoms look for the title optics, preferring a rough Yeah Waterloo, Waterloo job. A copy of it should be enclosed in this Waving free beneath the stars We’d be damned with this sin on our soul” Stonewall Jackson sang the words and now But we closed our eyes and sealed our fate ’Til we wake up in the desert The prisoners of Manzanar they’ve all come true In the wet grass of Purgatory Road You may live in the present, sir, but the past for me Somewhere between sundown and midnight “Fifty years have all but vanished now and I am an old man will do We made our first wish on a star But I don’t regret that day that I came here from Japan Back when I had a future in the town of Waterloo hand lettered effect. Friends submitted sam-  That all of our sins would vanish behind But on moonless winter nights I often wish upon a star issue of S . Frontera Music, ASCAP That Chevrolet getaway car That I’d forget the shame and sorrow that I felt at Manzanar” Somewhere between heaven and heartache Frontera Music, ASCAP Tom Russell: lead vocal Out where the buses don’t roll Andrew Hardin: acoustic and electric guitars We lay down in the wild asparagus Tom Russell: lead vocals David Mansfield: National steel slide guitar That grew along Purgatory Road Katy Moffatt: harmony vocals Hank Bones: bass ples to me; Tom rejected them. Sure, he was Andrew Hardin: acoustic and electric guitars, harmony vocals Steve Holley: drums and percussion Editor’s Note: Our lucky subscribers will be Well Susan (or Annie) had a vision one night Jeff Donovan: drums With a sign of the cross she was gone Skip Edwards: keyboards and key bass And the old whiskey priest died of old age Michael Tempo: percussion But the church rattled and clattered and rolled along Coney Island Moon As we ran and we wrestled with the fear of our Lord (Tom Russell, Andrew Hardin) being hard to please, but it was his album after As the guilt and desire took their hold receiving an item of memorabilia from this From when the sins of the flesh were a whisper away Waterloo (Tom Russell) We laughed at Errol Flynn in the House of Wax In the wet grass of Purgatory Road Below our little hotel ’cross from the F Train tracks I sit here on the front porch with my travel magazines When the roller coaster rumbled, it rattled our room Frontera Music, ASCAP Staring at those places that I can’t afford to be And played an old memory on your souvenir spoons Oh, once we had some money saved, but the savings Tom Russell: lead vocal we’ve gone through I remember your lips, I remember your face all. In desperation, I took a paint marker and Andrew Hardin: acoustic and electric guitars, harmony vocal Now I’m parkin’ cars at the dog track in the town of Waterloo We were ridin’ number seven in the Steeplechase album cover project along with a letter of au- Hank Bones: bass On the Wonder Wheel you looked far down below Steve Holley: drums and percussion Where the smell of rendered meat no longer putrifies the air You said, “This must be what angels see when they look Since the Rath Meat Packing plant closed down and down in your soul” moved away somewhere And I loved you, back in ’62 Manzanar (Tom Russell) Yeah they might as well have cut and wrapped my heart wrote “Tom Russell” over and over again like a and lungs up too When we were dancin’ ’neath the Coney Island moon thentication. Random issues sent to our distri- He said, “My name is Nakishima, and I’m a proud American . . . In the slaughterhouse of dreams out here that we call Waterloo We counted all our blessings with the fortune telling girl I came here in ’24 from my homeland in Japan Yeah Waterloo, Waterloo Then we stood in line at Nathans—we rode the And I picked your grapes and oranges, saved some money, Stonewall Jackson sang the song in 1962 Tilt-A-Whirl bought a store Well, you may live in the present, sir, but the past for me In a dusty fun house mirror, I watched you slip away Until 1942, Pearl Harbor and the War . . . will do And I regret the simple words that I forgot to say . . . schoolgirl seeing what her married name bution outlets will also include this bonus gift. might look like should she be asked by the Some thanks are in order, so here’s a warm right beau. The acoustic demo tape was be- up Grammy acceptance speech: In keeping with tradition, I should first thank God. Run- ning close behind Him are: Carlo Pascolini, Jo His response: “Guess I should have sent Anna Carrel, Carl F.Martin, Melinda McDon- you that demo tape, maybe then you would ald, Bob Bowlin, Johnny B., Alan Yuelkenbeck, have gotten the right idea.” Cold. Sonny,Nell, Dug, Ernie Block, Fehmi Zeko, and “Far be it from me to suggest whether you anyone else inadvertently overlooked. take that business trip to Denver,” his subtext The album is due the first of May. Tom has was evident, “but I’m typing the acknowledg- promised to send an advance copy. I’ll have it ments in on my Powerbook, and I’m not sure installed on the juke box at Dave’sStage Coach who to put down under ‘art direction.’ It Inn as soon as it shows up. Join me. would be too bad to have to pass up such a nice opportunity because of a business trip.” “I’ll cancel my plans, I’ll cancel my plans.” I received Tom’s transparencies a few days later with the long-awaited demo tape (which featured severalsongs that didn’t make the final DISCS & TAPES cut. I’m working on marketing it as a collector’s —— ——— —— only cassette called Box of Versions, using the ginning to inspire me; after several pages of new used rejected cover design). The composition of the trying, I came up with a “just right” handwrit- DOLLARS OFF WITH THIS AD box sculpture had definitely been improved— ten graphic. a toy blue zeppelin had been deleted at my re- Tilting the Mexican Jaguar mask photo, I New Tape or CD $1 off quest, since it didn’t make sense thematically, drew an angled border with a straight edge on Used Tape or CD $2 off or even as part of the color scheme (yellows, the left interior and right exterior, adding a Sale items excluded golds, browns, and reds) that comprised the deccled-edge effect on the left exterior and SANTA FE rest of the sculpture. right interior. The optics were colored to ૽ Olathe Permission still hadn’t been obtained on match the reds in the mask, and a transparent 113 S. Mur-Len the Alvarez photo, but accompanying the box drop shadow was added. A dusky brown back-

MUR-LEN 829-8333 image was Tom’s idea for the back of the CD ground with a cracked, burlap-type texture

Pack up your guitar, son, we’re heading for Montana in the morning SOUND 