If you don’t mind I’d like to take a moment and explain a recent issue that’s been wreaking havoc on my brain lately. I’d like to explain (or at least try to) a bit about our album cover and an artist I hurt.
I contacted a friend of mine and artist I knew from high school about putting together a cover for Head Like A Mouse. His name is Andrew Pannell. I’m an admirer of his work and was thrilled when he said yes. He and I met up a couple times to work out a concept and design for the front and backside of the album, and from there corresponded online for the fine details of the piece. It was a rather lengthy process, we both had clear ideas of what we wanted on it and there was much discussion over meticulous details such as slight lettering changes. It was a collage on painted canvas. When all was done we were both happy with the final product, but there was a variable I had completely ignored.
The rest of my band.
I was an idiot, plain and simple. I assumed they would be happy with whatever I presented them with for the cover, as they had shown no interest in participating in the process whenever I brought it up. Looking back now I realize I rarely brought it up, so it’s fair to assume they had little idea that it was even happening. The point I imagine you’ve gathered is that the guys weren’t happy with the piece. They felt it wasn’t a strong enough image to carry an album we plan on working very hard behind. Most importantly, they didn’t feel represented in it. It wasn’t The Kelps, it was Cory and Andrew.
It wasn’t an option for the guys to settle for that, it would be wrong. So, we made a new cover and backside ourselves. With the three of us putting our heads together and coming up with the new images it just made sense. There was ideas, arguments, jokes, hurtful insults- everything we’ve grown to know as our creative process. In the end we had an entire layout we were not only happy with but excited for.
But along with this excitement for me there’s an ugly fact: I seriously wronged and artist I respect. I claimed a sizable of his time he will never get back, for nothing. More importantly, I hurt a friend. I had him completely convinced (as was I) that we were going to use his piece for the album, and then he had the rug pulled from under him. All because I took control of the task and neglected the opinions of my two best friends. If I had simply shown the piece to them as it was a rough outline they would have immediately passed on it and saved Andrew many hours of work and creative output.
I don’t know if I’ve made this clear enough, but this situation has really been eating away at me. For lack of a more eloquent phrase, I feel like shit.
All I can take from this is that I learned important lessons from mistakes I will go to great lengths never to repeat.
I’m very sorry Andrew.
Sincerely,
Cory Barringer.
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