April '93 Sound
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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), Norway (Sonet), and (“The Heart of the Working Band,” Vol. 5, No. 2, process, be it the technically chal- Ireland (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 Bob Dylan 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 HE CAN’T DRAW... 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 BOX OF VISIONS (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.