The story behind the cover art for 'RISE'

So here's the wonderful story behind this wonderful cover art.

I must start by saying that Ari Abramczyk is one of the most splendid photographers I've ever been blessed to work with, and she's all the more splendid a friend. Ari's specialty, as you'll find on http://www.eyesopenphoto.com is underwater photography. Her art is gaining recognition by the day, it seems, and I'm very pleased we got to work with her professionally again (Ari Abramczyk also shot the cover of 'Return of David Gale') before she's busy, wildly succesful, shooting Gisele Bündchen beneath the Mediteranean.

We conceived the concept for the cover art as soon as we decided to name the album 'RISE', and the notion of us 'Rising from the depths of the ocean like sea monsters' mandated use of the one obviously perfect choice. Ari gladly accepted, and thus began the planning for the shoot.

Ari and myself took a Catalina Express out of San Pedro for Catalina Island, for a day of underwater seascape photography, and lighting test shots on yours truely. We shot in the underwater kelp forrest in the Casino Dive Park, and inside the north side of the harbor.

Ari shot tons of exquisite shots, and several are used in the lyric book and back cover art of both 'RISE' and "CONQUER' (to be released in winter 09, idealy). We shot for hours, and ne'er have I seen a more professional photographer. The currents were often mad, and the rocks were always sharp. Her photographs proved to be the same.

We also shot underwater off the soft beaches on the inside of the harbor, on the harbors East facing shoreline. There were charmingly small schools of Garibaldi, gracing a few shots with orange flashes.

The rest of us met at a pool in Woodland Hills a few weeks later, after Ari and I drooled over the shots and narrowed down the fairly large selection to a few choice pieces. There was a bit of awkward in the air, as David F. Gale could not attend the shoot, and the contingency plan was for Harpoon, dressed as David Gale, to be photographed in his stead. The shots were remarkable. Harpoon looked more like David Gale than David Gale does.

Everyone looked amazing, and we were all thrilled when we heard David could arrange a shoot with Ari on a second day. It is, in fact, all of us on the cover. Ari worked her magic and produced precisely the image we conceived.

Please check out her website, and sing praises of her everywhere.

A thousand thanks to Ari Abramczyk,
We love you like crazy!

-Spoo Diggity
The Pirates Charles

P.S. Just wait for 'CONQUER'!!! It's Awesome!