Bob & John's New Praise Album - cover art

[Shell]

The suggestion about the corn field guy is a good one.

Maybe I wasn't clear about what I was trying to say. I have nothing against a lively discussion or people expressing their opinion, and I don't think everyone is required to be "nice" all the time or to like the CD cover. I have bad days and times I can be difficult like anyone else, I'm not Miss Perfect or anything. And no, I don't think the world will end because everyone doesn't like the CD cover. Call me optimistic or whatever, I just think it's possible to have a discussion without being nasty about it, and I think there are more important things than a CD cover. And no, Jesus wasn't "nice" all the time, but the people he was harsh towards were those pretending to be something they weren't.

[sue d.]

To end all critsisim now we need to only to dig out corn field guy and put him on the cover.

Oh no... no no no no NO...... Let the poor guy lie buried deep, deep inside the cornfield, only to arise once a year on Oct. 31 alongside the Great Pumpkin.

[petrabandca]

I hope everyone enjoyed this discussion about the new album and it's artwork. I posted a comment early on in it and meant no disrespect with what I had to say, but I also don't take anything back. The artist who did this work should be use to the criticism because that is our business. Graphic Designers are providing a visual statement and the whole point is to catch someones attention using imagery.

As a Petra "FAN" and huge fan who has literally everything they've put out, I am disappointed with what I see. As a designer I look at album covers because I am a visual person who feels that if you cheap out on what a fan wants to see then what else have you cheaped out on? As a fan I look forward to seeing images because it's like seeing a picture of an old friend you haven't spoken to in a long time. I've met the guys from Petra more than once and I consider them friends NOT idols of any kind.

I collect their merchandise because I support them, I love advertising products, their music, style and imagery gives me an energy that no other band has ever done. I will always support anything that any Petra member past or present will ever do!

These days it's easy for anyone to use a computer to design something, but it takes real talent to design something that speaks. People have mentioned that it all depends on the budget. Well, any fan with the resources would have been honored to provide top quality work for them at no cost. They just didn't ask.

[ctwomn]

OKokok....

Here is my 2 cents!

I have not been over here in a while..I could not help to say that this is really something... to be SO upset about an album cover. I know that the art work is important to some of you. But...can you all be a little more tactful in the way you express opinions. Jesus did say what he thought...but he also did it with love and.. tact. That can be done! To be honest...I am just happy to see them putting out an album...I would buy the thing even if it didn't have a cover! I support this ministry and I am sticking by them all the way!:)

[sue d.]

I would buy the thing even if it didn't have a cover!

now THERE is a unique idea! How about a see-thru plastic cover... no art, no nothing.... just the CD inside. Even that could be blank (remember Double Take?).

Kinda like the Seinfeld episode.... "let's do a show about NOTHING!"

I think you're on to something, Cat...

[Mountain Man]

Better yet, just let us download the MP3s from Bob's site so we don't even have to bother with physical packaging.

[petrafan]

if the corn field guy picture you guys are talking about is the picture that was at petraband.com right before J&H was released, then i second the motion.
but i still think the flying translucent guitar should be brought back.

[epdc]

hahahahaha I TOTALLY SUPPORT SUE LOLOL, no cover and THATS IT LOL.


NOW, i�m starting to like some comments.- what cat said expressed completely what I was trying to say.

What I have like of the latest comments is that you guys are saying: I DON�T LIKE IT BECAUSE..... and you are explaining, I think that�s good, the first comments were more like "I hate it and that�s it".

Even though I still feel you are kinda hard I like that now people is doing an effort to explain why they think is not what they like, that can work as as new ideas to make it look better


but whatever dudes I like it LOL.

and Brent, come on, is not like Julie killed your daughters cat when she made the design, is not a same example, nobody is actually dying here. In situations like that SURE you are gonna be like BLAH!!!! but come on if you are gonna give your opinion about a work, we gotta be profesionals and say what we don�t like and say WHY we think would not work in a normal way if not people will sound like: I WANNA DESTROY YOUR WORK. and that�s not point, I wanna think people give their opinion with an idea of making things better.

[brent]

Elo...I did say what I didn't like and why I didn't like it, and started a new thread with a crappy albeit better suggestion than what was posted here.

1. Read the whole thread.
2. Since you don't bother to read and just shoot off at me, here is a cut and paste, where I do exactly what you say I did not.

"I was hoping for something very classy that would make a good poster, for church venue bookings. This looks like a rap album or something, with the mention of the cops and the big II.

Petra was. Now let Bob and John be. Ditch the Petra reference IMO."

Then you post next saying that you don't think people care about the art of CDs, and I posted this, because I am a people and we buy lots of music, and I know from the industry standpoint that the statement is wrong. EVERYONE is subject to advertising and buys based on stimuli. You may not think that you do but you do. EVERYONE makes decsisions based on apperances. People do it with goods, services and people of other nationalities.

1. We have no idea if Bob loves it.
2. It looks cheesy.
3. If Bob does like it cheesey, then Bob likes it, but that doesn't mean that everyone has to change their opinions about it or that anyone is forced to like it.
4. I don't know who the target market is. I suspect since they are playing off of the Petra name, that they are wanting former Petra fans to pick this up.

Well, as a fan, I will likely anyway, out of curiousity. Atleast I will run down to the store, if it is there, and listen to it first. As stated before by another author, if I were a long lost fan, I would not pick it up, because graphically it does not reach me at my age for all of the reasons mentioned in the thread thus far.

5. Some of us are not sheeples. Some of us still like the art. And believe it or not, it is a science to the major labels and I pay attention to it as a consumer and father of three daughters 15,14, 10.

A. The parental advisory sticker keeps the CD on the shelf for me.
B. Graphic art, as in mature situation art, keeps it on the shelf.
C. Nature scenes keep it on the shelf, as it is usually a sign of bad instrumental elevator music.
D. Art with signs and symbols use by the cults, bangs, etc does it.
E. Corny, overly corny biblical type names, generally used in southern gospel music usually stays on the shelf.

So, why is that 30 people can say it sucks, but you're bustin' my chops anyway? I started off much easier on it than anyone else. I didn't say that it must be an April fools joke. That would hurt me as an artist.

[MineField]

I have seen the photo for myself and I have read everyone's opinions thus far and I have my own opinion too. May not mean much but I do. I can find things that I do agree and disagree with coming from both sides. When I first saw the picture...I did think it was kind of cool how the graphics were done and all. But when I saw the big Roman numeral "ll" I did think of the band Boyz ll Men. But really, it is no big deal! As far as the title "Worship 'Til The Cops Come" I think is a really nice touch because it dislpays a christians' boldness/freedom to praise/worship Christ NO MATTER WHAT! No matter how "cheesy" this album cover may or may not be...I am still going to buy it REGARDLESS! This is John and Bob! John is an excellent singer and Bob is a great guitar slinger/songwriter and I know that when these two men are together...something special takes place musically! This praise album will be NO EXCEPTION! Besides, I personally LOVE CHEESY! I am a CHEESE-aholic! I think I need to move over to Sue's neck of the woods in Wisconsin!

[epdc]

I SAID:

not all of YOU but SOME. I said SOME people were mean. like we say in spanish: "if the jacket fits you, wear it"

I NEVER said people don�t care about art.

I said SOME people were mean, not all of them, and we started to discuss with each other when I said that if Bob likes it that�s what matters, and that I thought SOME people were close minded with their comments and I said "pissed off" and right after that you "jumped" :p , i never attacked you directly, I said that some people were mean, did I put a list with your name on it? .

I did read all the stuff everyone said including your posts and I said that SOME people was being mean, is your choice if you wanna feel included in those SOME , I thought some points you said were very constructive

[epdc]

I just remembered what I was going to put a couple of days before but my boyfriend arrived and I forgot it :p

I�m sure Bob is profesional enough for having check other designs beside this one...

I was just thinking in how many artists become famous until they die it would be funny if in 40 years after Julie be in Heaven her design actually wins an award and the TV people get to say she was an artist who nobody understood in her time

[sue d.]

LOL! ....Elo, you're too much!

I am a CHEESE-aholic! I think I need to move over to Sue's neck of the woods in Wisconsin!

Come on up! we have every kind imaginable.... ever had cheese curds? Freshly made? awesome stuff!

Now if you come up for the Dec. 31 - I promise to buy a bag just for you!

[notunderground]

You�re attacking a straw man guyz. I was not necessarily addressing �nice� and/or �polite� discourse, although it may be inferred from my question. I think that we all know what profanity the word �frickin� is supposed to euphemistically replace. However, do we really know an Old/New Testament (or an Elizabethan-KJV) equivalent word that expresses the 2006-meaning of �frickin�, that was accepted in Bible times? And did Jesus ever use such a word with that intended meaning? Do you really think we can find an instance in the scriptures of Jesus using an equivalent Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic �expletive� derived from profanity like e.g., you �expletive� Scribes and Pharisees �expletive� hyprocrites? I think not.

[Shell]

So in other words, you think we should watch our language? I don't think anyone would disagree with that idea, but there are people who wouldn't dream of using profanity or its equivalent who won't be going to Heaven. You do have the option of not replying if you don't care for the discussion. You shouldn't single out Elo or Charl specifically, they're far from being the only ones here to use colorful language on occasion. And I would venture to guess the majority of us don't know Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic, so we probably wouldn't know any equivalents in those languages to English expressions.