From the public gallery featured 10.02-10.03, 2009 @ the Ol’ Brewery in Rockford, IL during the city wide Fall Artscene presented by WallBlank.com, Rockford, IL.

31 Archival Prints of illustrations were featured.
Limited edition run of 75 
The entire gallery (31 illustrations) are available
sized:

8x12” and 16x24”

They are available to purchase directly at the online gallery website.

On Sept. 29th, RCA/Black Seal is releasing Cory Chisel’s major label debut in stores, “Death Won’t Send a Letter”  You can buy it at iTunes right now,  Me?  I’m waiting to take it in the right way, however, I have heard it, it’s a great 2009 American pop-rock-folk-blues-record manic on style and full of live studio energy thanks to an awesome rhythm section… One of Cory’s strongest aspects as a songwriter has been his voice, a soulful gospel rock scream it from the mountain yelp that can crack or soar-  On first listen, I was shocked to notice his vocals take a backseat in the mix.  With a rotating cast of ‘Wandering Sons’ I can understand why his vocals sound buried next to this all-star indie cast of sessions players rumored to be on this new record.  I still miss my midwestern friends known as the Wandering Sons, but let’s focus on facts, major labels are suffering and rightfully so in many cases, but how do you argue a major label fronting the bill for a band like this on record?  Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam, Brendan Benson, Little Jack and Patrick Keeler of the Raconteurs, Greenhornes and solo ventures; Sam Farrar from the very under appreciated Phantom Planet really brings an awesome bass feel to the whole sha bang…  The list goes on, the rhythm section rocked my first listen, and Cory’s songwriting has sharpened too on pop focus. “What Do You Need” may be the best indie pop song I’ve heard this year hands down, the kind that gets buried on a record and slips into indie nerds’ favorite of the year list, like mine- it’s a great overall pop rock song, unlike anything I’ve heard Cory write to this date with a sexy folk- rock-reggae techno like disco rhythm building to a nasty sly Phil Spector like bridge  It is a flawless song, and should be a hit, but chances are it won’t.  This is America afterall.

In 2005 & 2007 I had the pleasure of doing the artwork for Cory Chisel’s EP, “Darken Your Door” and a nice little soulful folk rock record he made 2 years ago, “Little Bird”, both produced by Mark Muraski at the now defunct Fuse studio, Rockford, IL.   Both are temporarily unavailable or in contractual limbo.  Who really knows, it’s  none of my business aside from the fact my design services were requested for both projects I’m happy to have been involved in.  ”Little Bird’ features the great Augie Meyers (sideman for Bob Dylan and Freddie Fender) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick). The success of the new major label release hits the stores after Sept. 28th, 2009, and then hopefully the rest of the world can get a listening opportunity to take in the goodness evident on a track from said ‘little’ record,  “Getting By.”

Without having the luck of working with Cory & The Sons, I would have never had the hard work and privilege of designing record artwork for other great young Midwestern artists.  Daniel McMahon who plays/played with The Wandering Sons has silently partaken in the making of singer song-writer and part-time Wandering Son bassist, Miles Nielsen’s solo record, “Miles” which Rockford, IL area artist Peter Mera & I did artwork for as well.  The record itself is a great documentation of the midwest, the confusion and the beauty in what it’s like to be from here. It’s scene, the players far and wide from many bands, Cheap Trick, The Wandering Sons, Government Mule, Black Crowes, The record is an accumulation of many styles hitting head on, like the midwest, a cross roads of influences, seasons, all kinds of characters, & sounds.

Daniel McMahon has also been playing fulltime as a member of Cameron McGill & What Army who released “Warm Songs for Cold Shoulders” earlier this year.  Their newest EP was released on Sept, 15th, 2009,  “Two Hits and & Miss” Both feature some of the finest songwriting and band performances put to record in 2009 by one of the best live acts I’ve ever seen.  Catch the What Amy while you can, they are the one reason I still believe in the power of rock n’ roll.

I’ve got some things to say about Rockford, IL’s great defunct under appreciated band, The Braves who released a few records on Chicago’s label, Johann’s Face.  It featured three wonderful songwriters in Joe Reina, Kevin Schwitters, & Shawn Ross along with drummer Jesse Carmona.   All have moved on to new projects and they deserve their own little writeup coming soon.  Need to sleep.

This is like a dream come true.  for every terrible pop star that dies there’s an indie band that rocked my world so hard due to make a comeback.  michael jackson dies = pavement’s resurrection.  sounds like a new age deal to me that minorities like me benefit from, I’ll take it, hail yeah. Sold.

Designs for the new Cameron McGill & What Army EP “Two Hits and a Miss” out on Parasol Records, 09.15.2009 / The Tour Edition cover photos by Daniel J. McMahon / The EP wIll be available to purchase on iTunes.

Visit Cameron’s web site for more info.

Most musicians / bands that come to me for design/artistic help I store bits and pieces of online at my agent’s web site, Mr. Andy Whorehall.  Please see band related work I’ve done in the past at this link. It should be noted, when I can’t find time to do my own photography or I just don’t own the right shots I’ve taken or the bands themselves don’t have their own photos worth using, some of the work features photography provided by other local Rockford professional artist / photographers, Brian Milo & Mike Graham who graciously provide photos of the artists for me to, in most cases, destroy for the sake of a project.

Buy Posters Online! Click here!

Over 30 posters designed for midwestern bands, Cory Chisel, Miles Nielsen, The Pimps, Kelly Steward, The Braves n’ more.

CD Design & Illustrations Packaging for Cameron McGill & What Army’s “Warm Songs for Cold Shoulders.”  Out on Parasol Records in April, 2009.

Cameron McGill & What Army / BUY POSTER!
Poster Design
”Warm Songs for Cold Shoulders”
Due in April 2009 on Parasol Records.