Electra/Asylum Constellation Record Label

From the record label, commissioned and published by Electra/Asylum Records, 1982.

This was my one and only record label illustration, although I’ve had several music album covers-all of those were originally book covers that were later adapted-this one was commissioned especially for a music company.

This art has a long, but interesting story behind it.

The story began in the summer or 1982, when I was in my last trimester at Art Center College of Design. I had been told by the Illustration Chairman (Phil Hayes) that I’d be able to do sci-fi/fantasy art in the last trimesters, so as to be ready to go to New York, for book cover jobs.

When I got the class-list, I was disappointed. There was no classes in which I could concentrate on my chosen field.

I spoke to the Mr. Hayes, and showed examples of earlier space-related assignments as proof the school could provide me with my chosen direction.

I was told I’d been “lucky”, and that I needed to attend the classes.

Having been told “you pay us tuition, and your voice in the curriculum counts” I decided to boycott 2 classes.

About 2 weeks later, I was called in by Mr. Hayes, and threatened with expulsion.

After some agonizing days of thought, I (with the help of a counselor) reached a compromise in which I attended one class and had free studies with the other.

Part of the result of both classes are here, and the next post (NASA’s Magellan Radar Mapper Project)

The one required class was taught by Michael Brock (not sure of the first name) who, like everyone else at ACCD, had heard of the conflict, so you can understand his feelings regarding me being in his class…

I finished his class in Sept. 1982, and got my BFA in Illustration.

A month later, I got the most surprising call of my 35 year career from Mr. Brock, asking if I’d be interested in doing this record label!

It was actually a very easy illustration, simply a “black hole” effect, done by attaching the board to a “Lazy Susan”, and spinning it while airbrushing, to get the round effect.

For about 2 days work, I got $800 ($2,000 in today’s dollars)

The label was best known for the Female disco band Klymaxx, but, I found this picture of the label;

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB5FOy…

by Wolf (Bill Wolfer) of the cover “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”, on youtube.

The art was originally gouache on illustration board, but digitally reworked, to recreate the original look. I believe the contrast shown here was reduced for the heavy type seen on the Wolf record and other songs published.