Awkward Energy

Currently in production at Nanny State, the CD sleeves for the upcoming release by Jack Lewis’ Awkward Energy, coming out soon on Stitch-Stitch Records.The plates we’re using are plastic, rather than the traditional metal ones. The printing is just as crisp, and the plates cost half as much. Good news for the frugal printmaker.

In the Land of Milk and Honey

Down in the basement at Nanny State Towers we have put our new drying rack (read: pasting table found in the street) to good use rolling out a run of CD covers for Bristolian Drum ‘n Brass quartet, Dakhla.

As you can see, it’s a rather lively affair utilising some magnificent scarlet ink.

These recycled card CD sleeves are more helpfully regularly shaped than the standard Nanny State 10″ sleeves, but the rougher texture takes the ink more haphazardly, giving a pleasing mottled effect.

Made do and mended

New ink, new rollers, and a beautiful new logo block (manufactured by Centurion Graphics of Preston) later, the Nanny State press is back in service.

A few hours of inking, pressing and fiddling with thin slivers of wood have filled the drying racks at Nanny State HQ to capacity. I rather fancy one of those nice print-drying hanging racks we had at school, with the marbles that hold the paper in. We also had a bloody great Albion press. Grand times.

Tom and his camera weren’t around today, so we apologise for these rather more prosaic images.

Pressing matters

Having taken delivery of some excellent Gill Bold type, the Nanny State Adana letterpress has been brought into service for the pressing of the outer sleeves for NSV-001. Please enjoy some photos of the process, taken by Mr Tom Cops.

Progress has been temporarily impeded following an unfortunate melting incident with the ink rollers, though replacements have been found, and production is to resume shortly.

The Press Gang

The test-pressings of our first release, ‘The Initial Proceedings of the Boxcar Aldous Huxley Historiographical Society‘ have arrived, and, through a potentially ill-advised haze of ice-liquorice snuff, malt whiskey and Metaxa, the listening panel have confirmed it sounds precisely like seven people making a rousing racket at a single microphone at the far end of a room. Production is to begin this week; all holiday has been cancelled in the letterpress department to prepare the sleeves, and the distribution push-bikes are being oiled in readiness. Details of the Launch Night will be forthcoming, dust off your Sunday Best in anticipation…