On April 1, 1974, a caravan of vehicles departed Gainesville, FL, headed for Los Angeles, CA. Among their passengers were members of the southern rock band @mudcrutch, including their leader, a unique soul named Thomas Earl Petty. This journey across America set in motion a series of events culminating in the formation of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and the release of their debut album. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of these origin years, @umgcatalog is putting out an extensive box set, including No Sleep Til L.A., a 12-track collection tracing Mudcrutch's earliest recordings through the formation of the Heartbreakers. I was brought in to develop a microsite to act as an evolving hub where we could share a trove of content from the archives. UMe and I agreed the most obvious answer was probably the right one: a road trip. But, how do we turn a road trip motif into a modern artist drop platform? Cruis'n USA. Yes, my mind immediately turned towards 90s racing games as a solution to visualize the band’s trip across America. These biome environments, assembled out of 2D images instead of 3D models, nod to the zine aesthetic of the box set. With the road now in view, we thought about the remaining UX. First, an odometer which counts down to the album release. Then, a fuel gauge which represents how far the vehicle can travel before it comes to a rest stop, at which point a series of discoveries might be made. For example, you might find a pair of blublockers added to your “Glovebox.” Upon inspection, you’ll realize you can equip them to filter your journey in that familiar amber hue. Oh, and we might mention they’re available on the online store. Found videos become “Sights,” and tales about some of the iconic locations visited become stories in your “Journal.” You might also discover some AM/FM frequencies which you can tune to on your “Stereo.” Don’t forget to keep an eye on your “Gauges.” Thanks to UMe, @redlightmgmt, and the @tompetty estate for bringing me along on this journey. Tom is undefeated for my family and me. And I consider this project one of the great honors of my life. Join the caravan today. nosleeptilla.tompetty.com

Sometimes I receive pitches which include themes that seem impossible to tie together. Take this new release "Pursuit of Anything" from Vacations. When @NettwerkMusic originally reached out about the project, they mentioned the guys really liked early iOS runner games and figured that could fit the "pursuit" theme nicely. Easy enough. Then, we discussed the themes of past/future selves and self reflection. Wait a minute. That sounds deep! How could these themes possibly come together in a way that would prove useful for the band's campaign? Sounds like a problem only design can solve. Inspired by Abaigh Casey's beautiful work on the album aesthetic, James Meadowcroft's excellent work on the band's official site, and the general direction of a medieval quest for the holy grail, I got to work. I thought it was interesting that the band specifically called out early iOS games and in particular, games they would be playing on their 3GS. I wouldn't call 2009 medieval, but it was certainly a different time. I instantly had this vision of an iPhone 3GS lying in the mud of an English countryside, after a clashing of knights. That's when the heraldic imagery and patterns flooded in. What if I designed an old iPhone which incorporated a knight's shield paint job and a set of medieval inspired icons? And what if this themed homescreen acted as both a link tree to the band's properties on the web but also a home for interactive features? With that past/future foundation in place, the pursuit of apps began. First, we developed a built-in camera which allows fans to take photos using the green halftone aesthetic of the album and share them, wrapped in the album lockup. Then we integrated the band's @laylodotcom number so fans could leave actual voicemails on the phone. Finally, I cut my teeth in @aseprite and turned their Fool character into a simple runner game, complete with 8-bit music and an arcade style leaderboard. It's addictive. pursuit.vacationsband.com Give 1-346-PURSUIT a call and let us know what you’re in search of.

New work for some guy named Tom nosleeptilla.tompetty.com/?x

In 1966, @zappa and the Mothers of Invention released their debut album, Freak Out! Included in early US pressings of the album was a small advertisement which said to send $1.00 to MGM Records to receive a special map which highlighted interesting places but also provided safety tips in regards to the police-terror situation of the era. Apparently, the map is a super rare collectible because no one cared to mail in the dollar. This Freak Out! Hot Spots map was gloriously designed using Letraset dry transfer. A sheet of clear plastic film carrying a letter, texture, or icon was positioned over paper and then the top was rubbed with a blunt stylus. This pressure released the element from the film and transferred the ink directly to the paper. It was time consuming work and not something which you could easily fix if you made errors. The incredible team @UMGCatalog asked if I would help create a digital version of this map and I immediately purchased the original Letraset catalog on eBay. I approached the map like any sort of modern map. It should have all of the intuitive actions a user expects: pan, zoom, and tapping features. We also used a tile based visual system so the map quickly loads lower res files upon initial load and higher fidelity tiles as you zoom in, allowing you to really appreciate the Letraset work. Tap on any spot to read its original description but also how it related to the band’s history. There’s a ton of interesting photos and videos courtesy of the band’s archivist. freakoutmap.com It is such a timeless artifact. Naturally, having lived in Los Angeles, I find the history fascinating. However, it’s the government violence piece I find most relevant for our times. Frank knew that sharing info about problematic areas of town was important. And, while it might read as parody, it was very much a public service. Come to L.A. and enjoy these spots but be wary around others. You’ll find similar solutions like Antifreeze, ICEbreaker, ICE Tea Watch which allows you to report sightings of ICE officers in your area. Stay safe out there.