As a result, the single went Gold, having reached 500,000 sales. It was also the first song by an independent artist, in history, to reach #1 on Billboard’s Rock Songs chart. The album’s hit single “Lay Me Down”, featured Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome & had the longest reign at #1 for an Independent Record Label artist in the history of the Billboard Alternative Chart. The Special Edition, re-released in 2010, became a breakthrough piece for the group while the added single “Lay Me Down” played on radio stations nationwide. Dirty Heads – Any Port In a StormĪny Port in a Storm is the commercial debut album by the Dirty Heads in 2008. We did the first sessions for it over 10 years ago.
Whenever I listen to it now, it takes me back.
I’m very proud of that album and what it did for us. “These days we probably wouldn’t do a cover like that, but looking back, I wouldn’t have done it differently. It has been years since that album, which means the guys have grown into their sound and style, but still cherish the old days. I slapped the black censor bars over our man-parts and voila!” This was my first real go at Photoshop and you don’t have to look too close to see that I clearly did a bad job of giving (bassist) JR Gregory abs for fun. We wore tighty-whities and I told the guys to shove it into their butt-cracks so it would be easier for me to Photoshop. Cars were driving by and slowing down at the sight of 4 pasty naked white boys, posing for a camera. We found a rundown lot in Newark, NJ and took our pants off. We set up a shoot with Sam Bassett, a photographer from New York City. It’s not clever by any means, but it’s certainly ridiculous. I had this vision of us naked and grasping dollar bills. I remember thinking that I wanted it to be a conversation starter. No band, especially in their formative years, can survive if they’re only in it to make money.Īs far as the racy cover-art, depicting the band in all their naked glory, Howi describes it best: “We still get questions about the cover-art, which is what I intended. The title, “Do it for the Money”, was a bit of an ironic statement about the nature of the music industry. Luckily, we played a lot and knew the songs really well, getting most of the songs done in a couple takes.” Despite the long period to record it, there wasn’t much time to really polish anything. Howi Spangler, lead singer and guitarist, explains the process: “We were always on the clock and certain things were rushed. Somehow, they ended up with some great songs that brought their name into the spotlight and started the momentum that got them to where they are today.
Partynextdoor 3 album cover clean full#
The band struggled to get the funds to record a full album session, but they kept at it for two years and recorded for a few hours at a time at Right On Recording in Baltimore, MD as they scraped together the money. For some, this phase of Ballyhoo! is radically different from where they are now, but it is a key time period, just as their sound started to catch on in the music scene. Read all volumes to The Pier’s Album & Cover Art History:ĭo it for the Money captures the raw, energetic rebelliousness of a young Ballyhoo!, with their second album release. We pulled the curtain back with how the aligning art plays an integral part to the overall meaning of the album.Įnjoy the read below and let us know in the comments which Album & Cover-Art you’d like us to explore in the future! If you find you’re not familiar with or you don’t own any of these albums, then we encourage you to read this feature as a recommendation of what to add to your music collection! There are great stories to these covers and the albums. They’re cultural statements bringing the visual aesthetics to the music further branding the band. In this feature, you’ll read how the album’s art has more depth to its meaning than just cool visuals thrown together. Welcome to The Pier’s Album & Cover Art History – Volume 3 as we take a look at another five iconic album covers and releases with their concepts & back-story.