
The township of Hollywood is 25 miles west of Minneapolis, the hometown of Alt-country heroes The Jayhawks. Their third album (which was their major label debut) was a fantastic step forward from the group's good but uneven earlier recordings. Hollywood Town Hall is a down-home blend of country and rock that was accessible without pandering to the trends of the time. It is the work of truly independently-thinking songwriters.
The simple shot of the band bundled up against the cold on an old couch in front of the weathered building (that had stopped being in use less than a year prior) perfectly elicits the emotions I attach with this recording. It's also worth noting that the money that was paid to the township to take the photograph was used to replace a leaky roof and repair the foundation, effectively saving the building from demolition. A project is currently in the works to restore it, so that it can be used once again.