Art for Art’s Sake By Steve Sheppard

 

Art for Art’s Sake

By

Steve Sheppard

 

I can remember the days when album or single art was as important as the music itself, the cover art spoke volumes on what was going to be found deep inside by the buyer, and I can also remember even buying an album or two based solely on the art work, I would bet that never happens now.

Whilst some are producing some amazing graphics to represent their musical collections, others can simply, or so it seems, not be bothered, this lackadaisical and indifferent attitude to music needs to be reversed, and quickly, as art surely goes hand in hand with art doesn’t it?

I can remember the good old days of the 70’s with artists like Roger Dean, a man who created many a masterpiece, think of the band Yes and you will surely be in agreement, or maybe the sometimes surreal works of Hipgnosis with his sublime creations for Led Zeppelin, Sabbath, AC/DC and many more.

Whilst thankfully to many, those days have evolved, especially in the New Age music market where I can point to several album covers that are quite expressive in their intentions, like Carl Weingarten’s Ember Days or Andy Rogers album from last year with Where The Land Meets The Sea, a manifestation where it does what it says on the can, and sets the listener up for a perfect experience. After all, is it not what as musicians, we’re striving to get over, we want our listeners to feel and be completely connected with what we have produced musically, and album art is the creational panacea to cure all artistic ills, but however the tower is burned to the ground when it comes to the new and ever expanding new age and instrumental singles market, it is like art work is an alien concept, if indeed there is anything included at all.

I cannot express my disappointment strongly enough, when as a radio host I am given a single composition only to find zero art work, when I listen to the music, I want something to gaze at, that is the foundation for your musical processes, but it’s a very rare thing indeed.

In fact in many cases we have contacted an artist who we assume has forgotten to put any art work into the media pack, let alone a description on a sheet as to what the song is about, and the answer we get is sometimes stunning, with responses like, “Art work, why, it’s only a single” My thoughts, so your happy to allow one of your children to walk out in the street naked? Or the ever popular, “Ok here you go, this will do”, as they send me a picture taken from a google search of fluffy clouds.

The sad but ever growing indifference to single art is shocking at times and this is even worse, we get a picture with no artist name or title of the composition, nothing, to me that seems to be the lazy direction were going now, same as social media, everyone is so hooked up on their smart phones, they cannot be bothered to take some time over creating something meaningful, that reflects them and their musical narrative they want us to buy into.

Fortunately this lethargic languor is not shared by everyone creating singles, for example there have been some truly artistic masterpieces created last year, like Chrissie Sheppard’s Raven Cove, art work that takes you to the hub of the content, or Annie Locke’s A Gentle Day, a picture that is idyllic and who wouldn’t want to be sitting on that bench by the lake?

I always have and always will be a believer that art work is a vital ingredient to the manifestation of a musical creation, it is the artistic clothing you wrap your musical child in, it is the tableau that describes your song, it is the tapestry of time and experience that is the tale of your arrangement.

So please, before pressing send for your next single to be uploaded to multiple platforms, give a careful thought, does the art work contained within best reflect my personality and my desire for you to fall in love with my creation, please show us your love, not your laziness, after all it shouldn’t just be art for art’s sake!