Yes, for the first time in about six months, I’ve actually taken the time to update some of the stuff in my portfolio. Now don’t go getting all excited. I’m starting with baby steps. I’ve made a new navigation system for the music packaging section - since there are so many pieces, it was getting a bit tough to navigate. Now there’s a nice drop-down menu on each page so you don’t have to go back and forth.
I’ve added a lightbox effect to a few of the pages (ones marked recently updated) which makes it easier to see all of the content for those projects. This will be the new standard eventually… I’ve also added a page for the Mike Ragogna project that I did earlier this year. I’ll slowly be going through and updating all of the pages, but that’s it for now. Stay tuned.
Often times people will ask me “what’s the last movie you’ve seen?” It’s always hard for me to remember, even when I’ve just been, so I’ve decided to start keeping track of them. I’m sort of taking a page from Kyle and using the posters to keep track. I’m not doing any fancy comments like does, but hey… now I’ll remember.
A few months back, I spent a LOT of time working on a kick-ass looking soundtrack for the new Hard Rock® [theme] Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I worked a ton of overtime to get this project done and looking great because it was sort-of last minute for EMI to wrangle up the deal. The whole thing was finished and done and we were sending it to the printer when… the deal fell through. I was really upset about it for a long time, but enough time has passed now that I am over it, but I still think the art was really cool, so I’m posting it on my site. Alas, the soundtrack that never was.
This, my friends, is what you call amazing art direction and production for a television commercial. This blew me away - if you don’t get the reference to any of the visuals, I don’t know if you can be my friend.
Monday was Ringo Starr’s birthday and he asked that everybody celebrate around the world by spreading peace and love. A few fans showed up outside the Capitol tower and we took this picture with a few employees to send over to Ringo.
In other news, I’ve just started designing a Nat King Cole Christmas package for work (they’re re-purposing the same record yet again), but at least it’s something different. We’ll see how this goes.
Pat Benatar Ultimate Collection came out last week and I saw it on the shelves at Amoeba today, along with a few other titles from my department at work. Always fun to see our stuff on the shelves after all the hard work we all go through.
The Glen Campbell album that I did a photo shoot for is coming out soon. The vinyl version of the project is being printed and pressed right now, so that will drop in a few weeks. The CD version is being finished up this week and will ship shortly. I’m hoping to see some of the photos in print this month, as we sent some of them out. If they turn up, I’ll scan them in. In the meantime, EMI has setup a little one-page intro about the new album over at Glen’s website. EMI has also put up a “trailer” for the new record on YouTube. The album is scheduled for an August 19 release, I believe and it’s actually sounding pretty cool, as Glen puts his own spin on some great songs from artists like U2, Foo Fighters and more. I’m really starting to sound like a marketing guy for Capitol. Enough of that.
I’ve been working on a crapload of vinyl stuff at work. We’re reissuing a bunch of great albums on vinyl and it’s been a huge hassle trying to get all of the art in order. Some of the titles are really old and don’t have any digital files, but others were just poorly managed and the files are nowhere to be found. This week, we’ve been dealing with horrible printer issues, so I’ve been ready to pull my hair out, but I think they’re going to turn out pretty cool in the end. I love that vinyl popularity is coming back.
Big props to Matt Harding for making this video. Just goes to show you that if you have the right frame of mind, you can get along with people anywhere. Good stuff.
The new Pat Benatar compilation that I designed hits stores this week. Ultimate Collection has around 40 tracks of PB awesome rock and has been remastered, so her stuff sounds GREAT! You can get it on iTunes here.
Lots of new work happening right now, too…
I did a photo shoot with Ben Lee last night for his new album that my friend, Paul Moore is working on over at New West. The concept for the album is really cool, so I can’t wait to see how the shots turn out and get used in the artwork. Paul’s a great designer - he worked with me here at EMI up until a few months ago. He really showed me the ropes and taught me a lot.
I’m supposedly going to be published again in the upcoming issue of Spin Magazine. I hear it’s already being printed, so when it hits stands, I’ll look for my pic to scan. It’s a shot of Glen Campbell, promoting his new album that’s coming out next month from Capitol.
Also just got brought on to do some new graphics for Terri Nunn and Berlin to promote the new tour and forthcoming album next year. She always photographs so beautifully, so it’s cool to be working with her again. Can’t wait to hear some new music from them.
Here at EMI, things are nuts. We’re swamped with all of these vinyl reissues that we’re restoring and putting out from lots of different artists. I’ll be posting some of the artwork soon if I can. Look for them in stores later this summer. EMI has also started the process of staffing reduction. Layoffs began yesterday and a lot of my friends and colleagues lost their jobs. It’s sad to see peoples’ lives change so dramatically without warning like that. Word on the street is that my department is safe, but you never know. I’m crossing my fingers for everybody.
