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Release # BFLD640
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Limited to 110
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In stock
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Product Description
Includes: Signed (By Jody Stephens and Michael O’Brien) and numbered 6 X 8 photo print and 1.5″ nickel/ enamel pins with double steel backing clasps. LIMITED TO 110 SETS.
A few years ago, while I was on tour with the Melvins, I had the opportunity to visit Ardent Studios (in Memphis) and meet Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. He gave us all a tour. I was prudent enough to give Jody one of my Melvins parodies. This one was of the band (Melvins) impersonating Big Star on their “Radio City’ album cover. That led to working with Jody and Bifocal Media on a T shirt design which referenced a photo by famed photographer Michael O’brien. -Brian Walsby
About a year ago, We (Walsby, Jody Stephens, and I) started toying with the idea of putting Brian’s Big Star T shirt art on a high quality enamel pin. After finalizing the design, We decided to run the whole thing by Michael O’brien as he took the original photo of the band that Brian used as a reference for the design. The idea was to try and license the original photo to use in the packaging of the pins.
To say that Michael O’brien is a big deal in the world of photography would be a bit of an understatement. He’s well known for his stunning photos of larger than life characters… sports icons, rock stars, actors, presidents…Big Star. I contacted Michael knowing that licensing one of his photos was likely way out of our financial reach (his prints sell for thousands). As it turns out, Michael was/ is an enormous fan of Big Star and it’s individual members. ‘So much so, that he decided to dig through piles of decades old negatives to find a new photo for this project. He also agreed to sign and number 110 prints of said photo and allow us to sell them at a price fans can afford. Once Michael signed them all, he shipped them to Jody for his signature as well. We’re well beyond excited to offer this set! -Charles Cardello/ Bifocal Media
There was a high-ceilinged, well-lit music room in Alex’s house; a turntable, a piano and several of Alex’s guitars filled the space. Together Alex and I spent hours there listening to records: the Beatles, the Byrds, Gram Parsons, Eric Clapton and others. Many of the songs that Alex wrote were born in this room. Magical!
The band asked me to make a portrait of their first album, Big Star #1 Record. The bay windows provided a beautiful, mysterious backlight of the four members of Big Star at the beginning of their journey. Alex, Chris, Andy and Jody were young—barely in their 20s—and hopeful. -Michael O’Brien
