O Fool Lyric Booklets

Handmade Lyric Booklets for Local Band O Fool
Photos of a new, nifty SLP creation


Last month we made our first batch of lyric books for local gypsy-punk band O Fool. The idea was to accompany and compliment the release of their limited-edition first cassette, walk off a cliff, out from Manic Static. The artwork for the cassette cover is pretty neat:




I got together with frontman and poet Mathieu Paul to design a quarter sheet booklet with original artwork and lyrics, hand-stitched binding, and neat bright red faux-crocodile-skin cover.




Brett Marren created original illustrations for the project.




The neatest aspect of this mini-project is perhaps the finishing touch. Mat's girlfriend Mel had the idea of putting ribbons and flowers under a wax seal around each book. The purchaser must break the seal to read it, or leave it unread to maintain the look of the original product.




I wish I had a better picture of the finished product, as each of these are individually gorgeous. No two copies are alike.

The faux-red-leather edition has sold out, as we limited the print run to 29 copies. We're gonna get together next month, however, to craft the second edition in an equally tacky, quirky, and creative fashion.

Upcoming SLP Events

This August will be a busy one for the Saint Louis Projects. We have a lot of projects coming to completion and a couple to start as well, not to mention a lot of events around town. Here's a rundown of where you can expect to see us in the next month.



Bad Shoe Release Party at El Lenador's STAG NITE (Aug. 3rd)




We have an awesome party planned for the release of the 6th Issue of Bad Shoe (Vol. 2 Iss. 2). We're taking over Johnny Vega$' Stag Nite, a long-running South City musical institution. In that vein, we are featuring wonderfully talented musicians to play after the poetry reading.

For about the past year, Stag Nite has occurred at El Lenador (3124 Cherokee Street). $5 affords you the opportunity to purchase $1 Stag, heckle Johnny Vega$, hear some amazing poetry from the area's finest women writers, and jam out to O Fool, Beth Bombara, and a super secret AWESOME mystery band (yes, we have booked them; this isn't a feint).

The newest issue of Bad Shoe will be available for a pretty hefty discount. Expect to save $4-5 off of bookstore prices. This issue features the divine artwork of Casey Miller, chief latte artist and owner of Cherokee Street's Mud House (her work just gets radder on paper). Not to mention that you will own a copy of the musings of ALL the following local literary rock stars:

Anna Ross, Stefene Russell, Maria T. Balogh, Julia Gordon-Bramer, Dawn Dupler, Elly Herget, Jennifer Tappenden, Katherine Mead, Christy Callahan, Erin Wiles, & Kelli Allen

Also expect a special spoken word/guitar collaboration between Wiles and local musician Tommy Halloran. El Lenador opens at 8; poetry reading at 9; music after 10 pm. Awesomeness all night long.







Erin Wiles to read at Firecracker Press and Chance Operations (Aug. 6 & Aug. 22)






The Firecracker Press is a gorgeously-run letterpress printing outfit on Cherokee Street. SLP is quite jealous of the luscious textures and old-school vibe of their work, but is also really happy to be sending their editor over to participate in their 2011 Summer Reading Series on Saturday, August 6th . At 2 pm, Erin Wiles, along with Mary Ruth Donnelly, will each perform a 20 minute set. During that time, the Firecracker geniuses will be printing handset broadsides of an excerpt of both ladies' work. The broadsides are ravishing and the conceit is quite clever. $5 gets you a reading and a print.

Chance Operations is a year-old reading that took Get Born's one-Monday-a-month spot at Duff's Restaurant (392 N. Euclid Ave.) in the CWE. Wiles read at the inaugural event last year and returns this Monday, August 22nd as a featured reader, along with 2 other yet-to-be-announced poets. The reading kicks off at 8 pm and will cost you a measly $3.





Stay tuned in the next few days for another posting about recently completed/soon-to-be-finished 100% RAD handmade books by SLP!



One last little goody for you. For the first time ever, Bad Shoe's featured artist has also designed a cover for the magazine. Here's Casey Miller's take: