As a New Year’s goal, I decided I wanted to tell more backstories behind some of the album covers and other design work I have created. I thought it might be fun to go back to the beginning, as during a massive “clean up,” (last year’s New Year promise) I came upon perhaps the earliest work I have done.

In my senior year at Boston University, I interned at ClarkeGowardFitts, one of *the* hottest ad agencies in Boston in the mid-80s. Upon graduation, Creative Director Jim FItts— my favorite and most influential professor — offered me a job at the agency and it was there I got my start..

Now, remember: EVERYTHING was different in the mid-80’s. Desktop computers were not a thing, type was sent out on paper, marked up for font, size, leading, headers, and the like, and comprehensive layouts were done by hand, in house, for internal review, and then tightened up to go out to clients. Photoshop? Please. We had markers. But lo and behold, it was these three hand-drawn comps that I created that I unearthed.

The prospective client was Linn Drum, the manufacturer of a drum machine designed by American engineer Roger Linn. His first drum machine, the Linn LM-1, was released in 1980; it retailed for $5,500, making it affordable only to wealthy musicians and studios. As an assistant art director, I had to present the campaign internally, write the headlines and come up with suitable graphics.

So without further ado, here they are!

A couple of things: first off, apologies to all of my drummer friends. LOL. It was 1985. What did I know? Second, I’m pretty sure the photo listed as Niles Rodgers is actually Sly Stone, so the answer to the aforementioned question is “not much.” Lastly, those cows look *a lot* like they belong in Gary Larson’s “The Far Side.” Just sayin’…

Apparently, design and music was my destiny from the start. Only a couple of years later, I would assume the Art Director position at Rykodisc for many years, move to Creative Director at Rounder Records for nine more, and freelance for many musicians and record labels to this day.

Jim Fitts and I remain friends to this day and I try to connect with him as much as I can. Incidentally, he pulled me in to teach at a small college here, which was also a wild ride. While there, I showed him a couple of cover ideas I wanted to present to a jazz musician I had been working with. These were much tighter. In fact, with Photoshop, stock photos, and typography, these comps were basically finished work. Except they weren’t. After reviewing them, Fitts told me I “wasn’t there yet” and I had to go back to the drawing board…err…computer.

I did, and what I finally came up with was miles ahead of the originals and approved immediately. Thanks for the start, middle and end, Fitts. Much appreciated…