Two Left Feet From Stardom Part V: The Harder They Strum—The Graphic Designer’s Perspective

Posted on by abassford

I’m truly gratified by the public response to “The Harder They Strum.” I’m hot on social media (at least Facebook, the platform I understand best) and I’m getting airplay and sales. (See here for ordering details.) A big part of the appeal of the project is the CD cover. Super designer Brett Collins of Counterspace is one of my guitar students, and so it was natural to turn to him when I needed someone to translate the ideas in my head into something that Disc Makers could manufacture. I used to design CD and DVD covers myself in a previous life, though I didn’t think I was good enough at it to do my own. I needed a master, not a second-level journeyman.

Everyone tells you that packaging is important. But when you see the effect it has on people, you realize just how important it is. Part of the self-promotion and self-marketing process is, of course, selling your album at gigs. Another part is trying to get people to play it on the radio. Over and over again, I’ll mention to people that I have a record out. They go, “Oh, cool.” I show them the cover…and they dig out their wallets! I’ve had the same reaction with DJs. They are noncommittal until they actually see the cover. Then their eyes light up, they rip it open, and and they play it. DJ Roy of Irie-Jam FM did this on the air the other day, much to my astonishment and joy. I’ve had people actually tell me they’d buy it for the cover alone.

A lot of the visual appeal of “The Harder They Strum” is due to former Marvel Comic artist Earthman Maxwell’s wonderful drawing. (Earth doesn’t have a website, though you can find him on Facebook if you look.) But the rest of the design decisions were Brett’s. For our edification and amusement, he’s posted a description of the process on his website, which you can read here. I

Two Left Feet From Stardom Part IV: The Harder They Strum—The Cake Is In The Oven!

Posted on by abassford

Yes, it is! After an incredible odyssey, the cover art and audio files for “The Harder They Strum” are finally at the Disc Makers factory in Pennsauken, NJ., where the disc elves are toiling over whatever machinery disc elves toil over these days. My original release date was April 4th. Then the snowstorm hit, forcing Earthman Maxwell, my amazing artist from his Fortress of Solitude in rural Pennsylvania into a hotel for a week until power was restored. Then a workstorm hit, and I was suddenly covering two full days of guitar and bass lessons in addition to five or six gigs I didn’t have until the last minute. Work is good, always. But in this case work delayed my submission of tax data to my accountant. (At least I can pay him!) So that meant that I couldn’t work on any THTS related matters until that was resolved.

Brett Collins of Coverspace did an amazing rush job on the cover design. I absolutely love it, but since there are thirty-five musicians and singers on “The Harder They Strum,” as well as other important credits and information, it took almost a full day to proofread. Then the factory had some design issues with the artwork. So I missed my next planned release date of Apri 18th. But, we have a planned delivery date and an enormous mental weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

I realized today that I have been working on this project for over three years. The planning stage took almost six months, the recording took about thirty hours (spread out over two years between everything else I do), the mixing took almost a year, (spread out between everything I did last year and everything my engineers were doing, often in different continents), and the label dance took a month or so. Though there may be another round of dancing, we’ll see.

I now have a new set of worries: promoting, marketing, distributing, and selling the record. But I’m ready for that now. I made the record I wanted to make. I’m thrilled with the results. I’d love to make enough money out of it to make another one, though I’m not counting on that to happen. Mostly I’m genuinely curious about what the public response will be. The music makes a lot of sense to me or I wouldn’t put it out. But will it make sense to you? We’ll soon find out.

Two Left Feet From Stardom Part III: The Harder They Strum—I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

Posted on by abassford

Well, some of the final pieces of my first album project, “The Harder They Strum,” are in place. As many of you know, it’s an instrumental homage to the original soundtrack album of “The Harder They Come,” the iconic movie that originally inspired my long journey into the world of Jamaican music. Here’s the latest.

After a few dances with various independent labels, I’m going home alone: the album will be released on Registered Alien Records, my own label. Registered Alien Records was established in Jamaica in 1985 for my first solo 45 release, “Skateland Rock/Too Sweet For Words.” (Ace engineer Liu Ortiz is busy rescuing the music from the original session tapes and these songs will soon be available again digitally.) I thought about a few other naming possibilities, but decided to revive the label as an outlet for both this project and future releases.

Discmakers will be manufacturing the CDs, which will be available for order on this site as well as through some other outlets to be determined. Initially the album will be available as a CD and in digital format. Vinyl may follow later, depending on perceived interest.

Projected release date is now April 4 (of this year!).

I’m about to step on the promotion merry-go-round as well. Junior Hinds of I Never Knew TV and Father German of Power Of Reggae have already done wonderful interviews with me, as has Vintage Guitar Magazine on line and on Facebook video. Other interviews, album reviews, and related adventures are in the works.

Track Listing:

  1. You Can Get It If You Really Want: Andy Bassford
  2. Stop That Train (Draw Your Brakes): Andy Bassford with Monty Alexander, New Kingston, and Klaryti Yaad
  3. Rivers Of Babylon: Andy Bassford
  4. Many Rivers To Cross: Andy Bassford
  5. Sweet And Dandy: Andy Bassford with Soul Sisters Six
  6. The Harder They Come: Andy Bassford with George Naha and The Blue People
  7. Johnny Too Bad: Andy Bassford with New Kingston and The Blue People
  8. 007 (Shanty Town): Andy Bassford
  9. Pressure Drop: Andy Bassford with Soul Sisters Six
  10. Sitting In Limbo: Andy Bassford with Monty Alexander and New Kingston

Singers And Players Of Instruments:

Engineers:

Studios:

Cover Art

  • Earth Maxwell

Cover Design