More Abstract Stencils (as album covers)

Some future album covers, if I ever get the money to press them.

Abstract stencils (as album covers)

Two more 2-color/2-layer stencils ostensibly designed for album covers. The top one is inspired by the various "Provocative Percussion" and "Persuasive Percussion" albums that I have a fascination with. The bottom one is basically a "readymade", as both layers are from pre-existing die-cut album covers, re-purposed as stencils.

Billy Joel Halloween Fun

The Billy Joel "Piano Man" mask, the scariest Halloween costume yet for discerning music fans.

Step 1: find an LP copy of this hated piece of dreck (still common in most thrift stores for a dollar.)

"HEY! What's this piece of CRAP doing in with my Jandek LPs!?"


Step 2: remove vinyl and hurl out the window (DO NOT under any circumstances listen to it-- perhaps the only thing scarier than the mask itself, with the possible exception of running into an inebriated Mr. Joel in a dark alleyway.)




Step 3: use a straight edge blade to split the LP cover at the seams (added bonus, the rear cover also makes a good mask, share with a friend.)






Step 4: cut out the eyes (here I just did the pupils for creepiest effect, but you can cut out the entire iris to see better if necessary), then cut along the bottom edge and sides of the nose, bend up slightly.



Step 5: affix to face, scare the bejesus out of Captain Beefheart fans and/or Christie Brinkley.



FOR TRUE MUSIC NERDS ONLY: complete the costume with barbarian clothing for the "Billy-Joel-as-member-of-ATTILA" look (yes, that's him on the right, pre-Piano Man fame.):

The Three Faces of Steve

This is Steve, he is. . . kinda crazy, but he was gracious enough to allow me to make stencils of his face. We used them for these Baab Ceegur (R.I.P.) test album covers, note how the top two are sprayed on white label test pressings with the die-cut covers (no word yet on when the LPs will be released, but the limited edition cd-r at the bottom was released a couple years ago.)

Semi-abstract stencils

More stencils designed for limited edition LP covers.

Lonely Tree Stencil

Another stencil designed for a possible LP cover. It worked out better than I envisioned-- the white-paint version makes it look like the scene is shrouded in mist. (You can see I had to reinforce some areas with masking tape where the blade went astray.)

Found audio "puppy day"

I found this recorded acetate at a thrift store in Florida several years ago-- reminds me of the audio equivalent of found vintage photos. It's a kind of weird, awkward exchange, apparently from a local TV show (note how the girl gives her complete name/address/phone number-- something nobody would do today, and note the weird giggle and uncomfortable silence when she mentions how her sister is dead.) I had several of these kinds of mystery acetates in my record collection (none as interesting as this one), and recently decided to just get rid of them all (sold to a collector in Illinois, who may be posting them on WFMU's blog in the near future-- stay tuned.)

Stenciled LP covers

I have been considering making limited edition LPs (of my own music and local bands I appreciate), with the idea that each release would be limited to 500 copies, and each cover would be a different hand stenciled cover-- these are test covers, trying out some possible designs. Spray painting 500 LP covers would be a long tedious task, and some of these designs aren't practical (the eyeball is too detailed and flimsy to withstand 500 coats of spray paint, and the rooster would take too long simply because you have to align the second stencil layer each time.)

EDAN Echo Party LP covers

I usually only post either my own art, or anonymous "found" stuff, and this isn't anonymous or "found". . . .

So, Edan's new album ECHO PARTY, "limited edition of 1000 LPs-- all hand stamped by Edan." Lots of interesting variations. Here are some of the ones I had access to.