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When I got the call from KALUTA in Liverpool, asking if I'd like to try my hand at doing a cover for their first-ever single release, I said YES as quickly as I could... and that evening I went to The City Diner on Broadway, NYC and doped out the basic Idea for the b/w cover they'd requested. I used my sketch paper of choice: the placemat. It has become such a ritual, my drawing in the diner late at night, the waiters put down two or three placemats when they seat me.

In the course of yakking with the band about the image, I was asked to lose the glasses, as that made the Snake Man look a little too "nice" and ineffectual.

Months followed while I tweaked the idea, fooling with the way the snake's body twisted, but, in the end, came back to very close to that first night's sketching. It embarrasses me just how long I took to send them a finish. In the 11th Hour, I sent the background lettering design to my friend Lee Moyer down in Charlottesville, VA, asking that he do a clean version. As always, he replied within 24 hours, nailing the lettering as I can only wish I could. After another hour in Photoshop, tweaking the lettering a tad and compositing the Thin Man Snake over top, the cover was done. Off it went, and The Lads sent me a real fine thank you!!!

I thank THEM for the opportunity, and for their patience!

Sketch #1

Sketch #2

Final Cover

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