The publisher emailed me a proposed cover for my next book, Party Time. I responded that it fails to capture a rave at all. A rave is a carnival of colour and light and glow sticks and sun strobes and smiley happy faces. The cover looks like a séance, and would be more suitable for a ghost story.
Your thoughts please?
Your thoughts please?
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Shaun Attwood
I thought it was from a supernatural writer friend - no way this is anything raver-ish or clubby. Go with your gut on this one - it's great artwork but inappropriate to the subject matter and assumed target audience.
ReplyDeleteGill
...noooooooo- your right - glow sticks and night sky lazers mixed with tiesto and gorden gekko burning 50 quid notes on the cover-with a back drop of san quinton would do it.....lol
ReplyDeleteNigel
if i saw that on the shelf it says to me spiritual,dreams, and not at all party rave.....
ReplyDeleteKaren
thanks, guys, that's exactly what i'm thinking, nice one nige, love your idea :)
ReplyDeletenot rave at all need more neon
ReplyDeleteCherry x
look up the video for Chase & Status Blind Faith. Thats the mood you want to capture, I reckon.
ReplyDeleteJosie
Yer I agree shaun that cover is pants lol
ReplyDeleteSteve
just watched the video, Josie, 4 minutes shows the perfect rave atmosphere that could be used on the cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYpDJw7fThU
ReplyDeleteYep looks like a ghost story cover
ReplyDeleteSadie
Totally agree with your description of a rave and I've never even been to one. The picture they have sent is nothing like my imagination of a rave more of wandering round dracula's graveyard.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
more like science fiction "alien abduction" :)
ReplyDeleteSeb
It'd help if there was some movement in the subjects in the photo. The backlighting is a bit close encounters of the 3rd kind. Maybe more club lighting like barcode in vauxhall?
ReplyDeleteMark
Look forward to reading your book Shaun. First one was great.
ReplyDeleteAlison
that would not sell it to me
ReplyDeleteJay xxx
I stopped the video at 4:11 and was like, "that's a book cover" !!!!
ReplyDeleteJosh
I agree with you Shaun, it looks like some sort of crime thriller to me.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne xxx
Well said, Shaun!
ReplyDeleteMartyn
Raves need chaos. Contact Ben Hopper or some other photographer and get something exciting. This really looks like some sort of PSA for Coming to Jesus rather than whatever it is you did with your life. It certainly doesn't say "PARTY TIME" so much as "I see dead people."
ReplyDeleteKarki
agreed, it looks like a poster for a horror movie. you need bright lights, glo sticks, furry boots, people smiling, hugging and gurning, though you may not be able to fit it all in!"
ReplyDeleteGuida
Agreed!
ReplyDeletetodd
I like the wording. very catchy. But I agree about the image. It is too sombre and does, as you say, look more like a seance than a rave.
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Spot on Shaun no colour no lights or love looks like part of twilight books
ReplyDeleteLiam
Don't like it. looks like the guy is a magician lol fail
ReplyDeleteMari
no party on the front cover there, looks like a crime novel cover, you need some smiley faces and yellow and red in there.
ReplyDeleteJosephine
I don't remember Arizona raves feeling like that.
ReplyDeletePeter
Does look gothic
ReplyDeleteAndrea
it should at least look like the aftermath of a party in the desert. like dead glow sticks, binkeys, fliers, hell even condoms on the desert sand
ReplyDeletePhil
it looks very trippy but not the rave scene i remember good wording but your spot on with the spooky theme
ReplyDeleteTerry
Yeah needs color like an visualized desert
ReplyDeleteXavier
Looks good but for the type of content and what would be inside the book , it wouldn't match it I'm buying it though !! Ha good luck !!
ReplyDeleteBen W
If the colours were psychadelic, maybe. It is evocative of something!
ReplyDeleteBen G
If this is party time, then someone doesn't have a very exciting social life!
ReplyDeleteBenj
Sean I buy loads of books.. But this wouldn't entice me.. Looks like a spiritual book. It doesn't show ur personality/story. Needs some colour-artwork is fine. Hope that helps !
ReplyDeleteMandy
I completely agree shaun
ReplyDeleteJay
I agree it looks spiritual and doesn't capture party time at all.
ReplyDeleteJoy
The cover doesn't work for me
ReplyDeleteClare x
Paranormal is what it captures
ReplyDeleteJason
Looks like something from tales of the unexpected.
ReplyDeleteNot a patch on your Hard Time cover. Does need some more colour.
Aza
Can wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteGrant
there are so many colours in the rave scene, the designer could really go to town so it stands out
ReplyDeleteMore like "Cemetery Time"
ReplyDeleteDitch the cover... I wouldn't take this off the shelf
Mike
needs more color..
ReplyDeletePatrick
I agree however the blurred vision faces is pretty. But your right you need lights, laters, etc
ReplyDeleteKieran
Dunno if you seen this site before Shaun, but its a great archive of pics/flyers from that era here in phoenix.
ReplyDeletehttp://livingart.com/raving/list.htm
Rachael
Being from Phoenix and going to raves during that time, i familiar with your journey here. i personally don't think the cover is relevant at all to your story or the scene you are representing. i have to tell you i cant wait for this book and your story to air on locked up!
ReplyDeleteRE
I like it...The haze of pill's blurry memorie's and faces and a dark shame filled profile.... I'l have a read of it if there's any rough copy's available.... Day's gone by eh...Good luck with it BTW..
ReplyDeletePaul
It isn't you at all. It reeks of cheese. It does need color and I don't like the small white on black print captions. It isn't enticing to a random person passing by in a book store. A lay person (would be book buyer) needs to find something arousing/attractive. Perhaps some sexy background go-go's as well. The cover should be representative of the glamorous side of the club scene, which is what get's normal people in trouble. The addiction to glamour is the heart of what drives us into trouble in scene. That said, high five on the second publishing :)
ReplyDeleteSera
...needs glitter too.
ReplyDeleteSera
Think "Sex in the City" on drugs
ReplyDeleteSera
Blurry laser beams, candy, color, cartoons... we had fun. Smiles, laughter, hugs, and music. Not to say there wasnt a dark side too, but I remember more the sugary sweet e tarded moments personally.
ReplyDeleteBaby Jae
it's not just the pic....that line about you being on a mission to bring raves to the desert has to go too....
ReplyDeleteJill
I was there with you. And you and I both know it does no justice. We are the last of the true club kids. You are right. A carnival of not only light but imagery as well. Events and circumstances were not always dark or there would have never been a lure or appeal. We did things in those days that would make Michael Alig moan in jealousy or Charlie Sheen scream in despair. We saw things that were not all bad? Remember Clownin with the tanks? Or Frequency Barrier Breakdown at my house? The lights, the celeb appeal, the Dj's or the amazing costumes? That cover....no justice....I've seen brighter colors inside a prison cell. We are a long way from there or the actions that got us there...it is OK to remember the good times for what they were without worshipping them. People need to hear the tale from a healed perspective. Do you remember or know Trevva from Candyman productions? She would have some fragrant ideas....I will do anything to help to. Very important the work you do with the kids.
ReplyDeleteJoseph
Shaun how about an English flag with an American flag overlapsed with a large spilling bag of e over both flags???????????????????????
ReplyDeleteTucson Charlie
How about Scott from candyman?
ReplyDeleteTucson Charlie
How about flying Mitsubishi pills and Telly tubby pills. Girls in fuzzy pants with glitter. Lights everywhere!
ReplyDeleteAmanda
you should be on the front Kinkeroo with your glitter and angel wings :) xoxo
ReplyDeleteplenty of my friends could design this and really nail it, but the publisher insists on using their in-house design team, the cover is going to be changed...
ReplyDeleteabsolutely 100% behind ya on this one Blindman, looks like something John Edwards would put on a cover, not in any way fitting the title... stick to your guns on this one... ya know how fickle former family members, clubbers, ravers, and brain damaged party'rz can be. We need something that looks like it Toucan Sam blew a load on it to even raise an eyelid sometimes... and since the adage is don't judge a book by it's cover, it's sufficed to say most people do. So how bout a cover that evokes even a tenth of the madness that was the circus? That way at least the reader has some idea of the depravity their fitting to explore lol Cheers mate! Much Respect... Prophet
ReplyDeletelooking at the people commenting here, i think half of them were at the raves in party time :) thanks for your input everyone!
ReplyDeleteWhat about a big tab with your brand that you used in Phoneix?
ReplyDeletehow about your face but made up of thousands of flyers from the era. with a storm over the desert in the background
ReplyDeleteChris
might suggest adding a touch of acid flourescent green. From a marketing perspective it is the most noticeable color to the human eye.
ReplyDeleteSera
Or it could always be a Roach running towards a green bologna sandwich. Lol Ahh Maricopa County
ReplyDeleteXavier
That just looks like someone who hasn't been picked for a "slowey" at the end of the school disco
ReplyDeleteJane xx
the erection section in top of the town!!
ReplyDeleteChris
It does look like a ghost story.
ReplyDeleteJazmyne
how about a mirage of images from Living Art old skool photos....or others, just know living art has alot
ReplyDeletePatrick
Ghostly .....
ReplyDeleteJessica
Also, who is that man with the hair? Where is the sexy smooth scalp I used to run my fingers over?
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Yeah, looks like a self healing book cover...
ReplyDeleteJeremy
Well said, Jeremy! NOt even close!!!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteJackson
Ya need a Ha BOOB with glitter and glow sticks! LOL! It was CRAY!! And, i was just watching!
ReplyDeleteJackson
terribly dull design. plus your name should be bigger above 'author of HARD TIME'
ReplyDeleteBobbie
Totally agree mate. Where's the 90's scene?
ReplyDeleteChris H
Doesn't do it for me either mate. Looks like an advert for Dr Who!
ReplyDeleteRichard