GILEAD MEDIA: THOU "SUMMIT" CD

So, as most fans of the band know by now, Thou are on tour and currently have in tow a tour edition of their upcoming full-length, Summit. These are limited in numbers, 200 copies, and contain a screen printed outer jacket on 100% recycled paper using non-toxic inks, a litho printed inner lyric sheet on onion skin vellum paper. It really is a pretty striking presentation. There's a long convoluted story as to why we did this, why the official version wasn't finished, but I'm sick of thinking about it. So instead you get these photos I took while my brother and I assembled the handmade version.

It all starts with the screen print. I was not looking forward to printing these, but had no real good reason. When I went to line up the 3-up screens I realized why I was dreading it. One of the pieces of film shifted ever-so-slightly when the screens were burned. So basically this meant that 1 of the images would be spot on, another would be just a TAD off, and a third would be more noticeably off. There was a lot of trial and error trying to get it so all three were acceptable, and ultimately I still wasn't super happy with the outcome, but at this point I do think they turned out damn nice.

Despite the fact that I did use registration pegs, I didn't feel good about taking these in to be cut with a hydraulic cutter. Thank goodness for my wife's crafting supplies! We had an arm cutter that got the job done just fine... it just took FOREVER. So I got a head start on busting those out while my brother de-sleeved a ton of old Gilead Media/Forge Again Records samples so we could use the mylar sleeves. Once I had a good chunk of jackets cut, he began assembly.

Our Shared work station at the ottoman. I cut while he stapled the onion skin vellum insert to the outer jacket... in the background is my wife's button making station. It was a productive day.

Making slow progress. Scraps and a series of unacceptable prints destined for the recycling bin.

My brother's work station on the couch, assembling.

The after-math. 2.5 empty spindles of bulk, professionally replicated & thermally imprinted CDrs... tons of paper.

My back was killing me, but that's what I get for opting to work in front of the TV instead of at the table in the other room where I could listen to records. Failure. But we got it done, and they turned out great. In the end we actually made 250. 200 to sell on the tour, and 50 for the band and I to split between us & give out to friends & business associates. Those copies were still numbered out of 200. I took #19 from the original batch of 200 as my personal copy. Dark Tower junkies will understand. I also took #19 from the mewithoutYou AB LIFE screen printed edition LPs as my own personal copy. A new tradition is born.

So here is the final product. Outer hand set-up and screenprinted jacket, litho printed translucent lyric sheet. If you got your hands on one, enjoy. If you didn't, I'm sorry.