Dust-to-Digital designer Susan Archie discusses a few of her favorite things
I grew up in the ’60s/’70s when album art was an art form ...""
This week’s CL's cover story, "Soul Searchers," traces Atlanta-based archival label Dust-to-Digital Records' journey from its beginnings to it's latest offering, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You, a five-disc collection that unearths folk-blues innovator John Fahey's earliest recordings.
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The set’s designer Susan Archie disccussed five of her favorite projects from the past decade.
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Tell me about a few releases that best represent your work as a designer.
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Charley Patton
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton
(Revenant Records)
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The most intense work product, a professional roller coaster. A solid year of work culminating in a press-check in L.A. to make a thing unlike any other before it. I was very excited and confident that I had "made it" in the business. There was a lot of turmoil, Fahey (Revenant co-owner and head producer of project) died during the spring, then when I got to L.A. in August, the shop had done everything wrong. I had to prove it was them, not me, threaten legal action, etc. — I had a "mini" nervous breakdown. Then 9/11 happened which drove our schedule even further back. Then a Grammy nod and the surreal experience of a Grammy win — walking up to accept on stage at Madison Square Garden. Surreal as in having Tony Bennett and then Bootsy Collins give ME the thumbs up.
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Captain Beefheart
Grow Fins - Rarities 1965-1982
(Revenant Records)
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This was my most fun work. Jeff Hunt (of Table of the Elements) chose colors and I played 'coloring book' with an abundance of Beefheart images from all kinds of people. Some worked, some didn't, but again, it was a piece like no other. We did a "multi-media" disc with films, which was a big deal 13 years ago. I was inspired by the art, cult and insanity of Don Van Vliet. This was my first CMYK job, all previous work had been spot color.