Hello friends!
I’ve got quite a unique project to share with you today. And it honestly might be one of my favorite collaborations to date! (I feel like I say that a lot, but this time, I truly mean it.)
This past year, I’ve been cooking up something special with one of my favorite bands: HAMMOCK. Hammock is made up of two guys, Marc Byrd & Andrew Thompson. The Nashville-based duo makes mostly-instrumental music in the post-rock & ambient genres, ranging from lush ethereal soundscapes to epic atmospheric rock, occasionally accented by poetic lyrics. I’ve been a big fan of theirs for two decades.
I’ve also had the privilege of forging a friendship with Marc over the years. He has a fascinating story arc. I won’t go into much detail here, but instead I’ll just give you a glimpse of what the Table of Contents would include: Growing Up in Arkansas, Strict Fundamentalist Christianity, Moving to Nashville, Co-Writing a Song Called “God of Wonders” (Among Others), Becoming an Alcoholic & an Atheist, Retreating to a Monastery in Big Sur, Finding God Again in Recovery & Christian Mysticism, & Stumbling Upon a Small Anglican Parish named Luminous (where he’s free to call himself a Christocentric Perennialist.) Marc has gleaned some profound wisdom, curiosity & humility along the way. And Hammock has been the ever-evolving soundtrack underscoring his story (not to mention Andrew’s, as well.) Every conversation with Marc feels like a session with a spiritual director, and I’m so grateful to call him a friend.
THE ALBUM COVER
Last year, the guys reached out to inquire about using one of my photos for the cover art on their upcoming album, “The Second Coming Was a Moonrise”. I was floored! Of course, I said yes. But the album cover would only be the start of something greater yet to unfold. (More on that later.)
The photo was taken just a few miles from my house in the Columbia River Gorge. It’s a very special place—hidden & secluded, off the beaten path. It’s known by a few to be a sacred place of ancient worship & mystical visions. I would call it a “thin place.” (You can see a daytime version of this exact spot in my book, WILD WONDER.)
This image was the result of a moment when I needed to challenge my own ideas & stretch my legs as an artist. I usually capture images with my drone in the daylight. But this time, I wanted to experiment with long exposure photography at night, using a mirrorless camera & tripod. The light beam you see at the top is actually my drone hovering just out of frame with its downward facing light on, illuminating the mossy landscape below. There was no purpose other than pure experimentation with zero expectation.
Before finding a home with Hammock, this photograph made its debut in a few art galleries— first at Salmagundi Club in NYC, then in my Wild Wonder solo photo exhibit, and later in the Artists of the Gorge exhibit. That original giclée canvas print has since been collected by my dear friend & neighbor Janet Whittlesey!
DESIGNING THE ALBUM PACKAGING
But how might this photo be re-contextualized as album packaging? And was I up for yet another creative challenge? Next thing you know, I found myself neck-deep in Photoshop, designing the entire album packaging for the vinyl & CD! I was a little intimidated at first, as this is a new medium & format for me, but I jumped in & learned how to make it happen. And I’m happy to say it all came together.
Here are some of the design elements for the physical album packaging:
And here’s the final product!
And yes… the album cover comes to life through Augmented Reality! Every record comes with a QR code that invites the listener to experience the magic. Even the vinyl insert doubles as frame-able artwork, which is also AR-enabled. =)
This video shows you what the AR-magic looks like, though I’m scanning a digital version of the artwork here, as I don’t have any physical copies of the album in hand just yet. (By the way, you can order a copy of the Limited Edition Vinyl or CD HERE.)
THE MAKING OF A MUSIC VIDEO
Last January, I was back in New Zealand on my annual trip for FestivalONE. For the past three years, I’ve illuminated the Festival’s Forest Stage pine grove with immersive projection & a curated soundtrack—a nocturnal experience I call “Luminous Forest”.
Marc saw what I had posted on my Instagram Story & messaged me right away: “Man. i love the forest/trees projections. i would love to do some type of video for the title track that feels like you’re tripping on acid.”
To which I replied, “Let me do some thinking. Just woke up. Would be a nice extension of the moonlight ‘projection’ shining down on the tree.” I was pretty stoked. =)
So a few weekends ago, I got some projectors out & experimented once again. This time, my friend Cornelius Martin, an incredible filmmaker & ambient artist, collaborated with me as the Director of Photography to capture some luminous magic in the forest.
We lugged projectors, drones, cameras, cables, & a heavy power bank up to the “thin place” a few miles away… in the dark. Luckily, we had some help. Fellow artist & friend Scott Erickson (aka “Scott the Painter”) & his 15 year old son Anders jumped in as Production Assistants! We had a blast, to say the least.
Then the next night, Cornelius & I took some of the same gear & set it up right in front of my house, in my own little “cathedral” forest. This time with a fog machine. And Rivendell was transformed for a few hours!
The result became the video that you saw at the very top of this post. It’s truly one of my favorite things I’ve ever created! (And because it’s worth noting these days, ZERO AI was used in the process!)
TIP: the video looks best when viewed at night on a big screen. Even better if on a nice sound system or headphones. Also, this video contains frequent flashing lights, strobe effects, & fast-changing images throughout. Viewer discretion is advised, especially for individuals with photosensitive epilepsy or light sensitivities.
JESUS, DRUGS, & THE APOCALYPSE
So… about that album title. 😏 The short version goes a little like this.
Years ago, when Marc was much younger & under-the-influence of strict religious fundamentalism, he & his buddy took LSD while laying in a field in Arkansas. When the moon started to rise on the horizon, they thought it was the Rapture! But a little later, they realized it was… just a moonrise. But that experience stayed with Marc & began to reveal to him deeper truths about our perceptions of reality, the power of cults, and what we see VS what we are taught & conditioned to see. The video only scratches the surface of this vision-bending reality.
The recurring theme on this album (if there is one) is the difference between appearance and reality, the actual or the imagined, fact and falsehood. Seems like so much of the time we don’t see things or others the way they are; we see them the way we are, or at least the way we were conditioned to see.
~ Marc Byrd, Hammock
Marc unpacks this story much better in some of his recent podcast interviews. If you want to go down that rabbit-hole, I highly recommend listening to this episode on the Independent Minded podcast. And if you’re thirsty for more, check this one out, too. I’ll let you choose your own adventure here, but I do think it’s very fascinating & worth listening to (and without judgement, too.)
If you made it this far, WOW! Thank you for your time & attention! This was a long one, I know… but there was a lot of fun stuff to share. I hope it sparks a little curiosity about the way we see the world & leaves you filled with a little more awe & wonder.
Be sure to check out Hammock’s new album! It released TODAY (5/22) on streaming platforms everywhere. One of the tracks even features The Flaming Lips! 🔥👄
Thanks again for letting me share another one of my adventures with you. This was surely one of the more wild ones. =)
Peace be with you,
Stephen P.
🌙📽️🌲✨🌿🐛🎸
