For the musicians we love, we do incredible things. We
support their art every time they pass through town, and we tuck their
LPs under our arms to transport to friends’ houses with the intention
of making other converts. There’s the strained cotton of the overly
worn band T-shirt we can’t bear to remove from the clothing rotation,
or that one song that elbows its way onto every mix we make. This love
can take many forms, but there is an invisible threshold—a
personal Maginot Line, if you will—that usually involves ink and
skin; when your appreciation manifests in a tattoo, that is devotion
taken to a whole new level.
The loyalty of many the Album Leaf fans has crossed that very
threshold. Following the lead of frontman Jimmy Lavalle, supporters
have inked themselves with the band’s logo (a tastefully drawn single
leaf). Explains Lavalle, “I got my tattoo, then we played a show in
Austin, and this girl had the tattoo as well. Then it just started this
thing.” After an online gallery of tattoo-holders was posted (currently
over 40 participants are represented), Lavalle decided to reward such
unwavering commitment by admitting those with the tattoos into the
Album Leaf shows for free, for life. It’s a similar concession to the
one once made by another San Diego act, Rocket from the Crypt, and
Lavalle recognizes the gravity of such fandom: “It is a tattoo, and I
feel like I should honor it.”
Attaining the level at which fans progress from fleeting to
permanent has been a decade-plus climb for Lavalle and the Album Leaf.
Originally a modest, unassuming solo exercise in precise
instrumentals—a masterful counter to the dramatic flair of his
other instrumental band, Tristeza—it spawned into a massive
project that took Lavalle away from everything else, leading to
collaborations with members of Sigur Rós, a record contract with
Sub Pop, and countless other accolades. They have scored far too many
television shows to mention here, and have been at the forefront of a
minimalist post-rock movement. The sun has long since set on solo
instrumental days: Lavalle now sings, supported by a skilled backing
outfit that evolved from hired guns to integral components of the
songwriting process.
This week, the Album Leaf head north to Bear Creek Studio, outside
Seattle, to start a new recording, their first as a full outfit. The
results of this recording session will see the light of day later this
year, perhaps to convince another segment of the fanbase to make their
dedication permanent.