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Album cover shoot allows band to preen
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the cover shoot of Stockbridge-birthed Collective Soul’s upcoming album, “Afterwords,” band pal and Buckhead salon owner Richie Arpino assisted with hair and makeup.
Oh, and he shot the cover.
Arpino, who in recent years has taken up photography, producing annual calendars for charity (his upcoming 2008 concept, “Body and Art” combines nudes posing in front of paintings), was recently commissioned to do the shoot by pal and Soul lead singer Ed Roland.
“Out of the blue, Ed says to me, ‘We should probably discuss a concept for the album cover because you’re shooting it,” Arpino told us Thursday. “It’s my first album shoot, so I did a lot of research.”
Thumbing through old Collective Soul CD covers, Arpino discovered something unusual about the photogenic gents — Roland, his younger guitarist brother, Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, guitarist Joel Kosche and drummer Ryan Hoyle had never been prominently featured on any of their album artwork.
“We fixed that pretty fast,” Arpino says. “I just told them, ‘You’re a good- looking band. Let’s get you guys out there.’ “
Dressed in chic rocker black, the band and Arpino fired off frames at Ed Roland’s home studio, late Atlanta artist Paul Chelko’s gallery and finally in front of soup bowls at Metrofresh in Midtown.
As for “Afterwords,” Arpino, who’s heard it, says it has a more acoustic feel and that fans should look out for the single, “Hollywood.” The disc should arrive in stores next month.
FADING SIGNAL
“Radio Golf,” the final installment of August Wilson’s 10-play cycle on African-American life in the 20th century, is ending its Broadway run Sunday. Staged by Atlanta director Kenny Leon, Wilson’s last work ran for only 64 performances and 17 previews, but it was nominated for numerous honors, including the Tony Award for best new play.
“This year was a crowded season for straight plays,” Leon said of the short engagement at the Cort Theatre. “You had a lot of plays that were fighting for that same audience.”
“Radio Golf” failed to surpass the 72 performances of Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean,” also directed by Leon on Broadway in early 2005.
But Leon said, “I’m very excited and proud of the accomplishments of ‘Radio Golf.’ The fact that it was voted best new American play by the New York Drama Critics Circle, the four Tony nominations, the fact that we played to four cities across the country to sold-out houses.” Leon and Wilson dramaturg Todd Kreidler helped shepherd the play into its final form as Wilson was dying of liver cancer in 2005.
Leon, director of Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company, is in rehearsals for his theater’s National Black Arts Festival production of Lonnie Elder III’s “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men,” which begins previews at the Alliance Theatre on July 8 (Tickets: 404-733-5000).
OVERSCENE
MTV’s most memorable “Real World Denver” castmates/frienemies Brooke LaBarbera and Davis Mallory at Tap gastropub on Peachtree Street in Midtown, enjoying cocktails on the bustling patio. Alas, there were no immediate reports of LaBarbera’s trademark bottled water spraying meltdowns or any teary drunken angst involving Mallory’s seemingly fluid sexuality. Perhaps Tap owners Bob Amick and Todd Rushing should consider installing cameras. … Bruce Springsteen once again discreetly browsing the aisles at Acapella Books in Little Five Points … We hear The Boss dropped close to $300 on the shop’s hipster stock.
COUPLING UPDATE
As NBA champion Tony Parker’s wedding date to “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria potentially inches closer next week, he’s staying coy about plans for the event.
Speaking to reporters Thursday in Paris, the San Antonio Spurs point guard shrugged off questions about the wedding date and venue, believed to be July 7 at a French chateau.
“I don’t care where I’m going to get married,” he said. “It’s a girls’ thing.” To other queries, he replied: “That’s a question you should ask Eva.”
He dismissed one rumor: that the wedding cake would be flown in from the United States.
“Why take a cake from the United States … if it is France that makes the best cakes?” he asked.
While Longoria picked the wedding site — believed to be the luxurious chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte — Parker said he was taking charge of the food and music. And that’s all he would say.
With Longoria due back on the “Desperate Housewives” set in a matter of days, expect nups sooner than later.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Gary Busey is 63. Comedian Richard Lewis is 60. Singer Colin Hay of Men at Work is 54. Singer Evelyn “Champagne” King is 47. Actress Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue”) is 46. Actress Melora Hardin (“The Office”) is 40. Rapper DJ Shadow is 35. Country guitarist Todd Sansom of Marshall Dyllon is 29. Singer Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls is 29.
STORK REPORT
“I Know Who Killed Me” actress Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon is pregnant with twin boys.
The 40-year-old actress and her husband, talent agent Mike Nilon, expect to welcome their first children in November, confirms her publicist, Carri McClure.
The pregnancy was first reported by syndicated entertainment TV show “The Insider.”
Beauvais-Nilon’s credits include “NYPD Blue,” “The Jamie Foxx Show” and the aforementioned upcoming flick also starring Lindsay Lohan.
Contributing: Wendell Brock, news services
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