Daystar, The TVD First Date

“I grew up in a small house in the forest outside Vancouver, WA. We would almost always lose power whenever there was a big storm that would roll through because of tree branches falling on power lines. My mother got in the habit of getting all of us kids into the living room in sleeping bags around the fireplace to “camp it out.” She’d put a record on the record player and drop the needle so when power would come on music would start up.”

“I remember one particular night when the power went out she put on Queen – The Game and dropped the needle on “Save Me.” The power came on and the song started right at Brian May’s guitar solo. It blew my little mind and cemented my love for music at that very moment.

Her record collection sat next to the big bookcase in our living room. I spent hours reading, looking at pictures, listening to music. Staring at the cover to Neil Diamond – Solitary Man and thinking the photo was such a perfect pairing for that song. The cover of Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon fits the dark sparse moody vibe of that record. Kenny Rogers on the cover of The Gambler looked so cool. The music took on a greater impression of sex, booze and country(?) as I stared at it.

I have never considered myself the songwriter in the band, I am a musician and I am an artist. The visual extension of vinyl is what really excites me. Taking the time to give a visual representation of what you are about to listen to. Set the mood. If the 12” x 12” sleeve can make you feel something, thumbs up. If you put the disc on and the album lives up to the hype of the outside, gold star.

I am a huge fan of music but I am also a fan of album artwork. Take Roxy Music for example. Some of the most beautifully simple album covers ever. Always great photos that are simple, convey sexiness, loneliness, cold, fashion, art… All things that band is. The covers for Stranded and Country Life will still be favorites of mine. Judas Priest – British Steel is a genius album cover. Perfect example of band and artist. Scorpions work with Hipgnosis, and then just Hipgnosis in general. There are so many iconic album covers that came out of them alone.

In some ways I feel like vinyl albums are the book version of the video age. Sitting in front of a set of speakers with the album in your hands looking at artwork, reading lyrics, seeing who played on the albums, sometimes the instruments used. It sets the imagination on fire to the big picture of the band and the record. Imagine the inspiration that can do to an 8-year-old kid holding his mother’s Queen album in his hands.”
—Kelly Simmons