JAR OF FLIES
Two jars with identical amount of flies inside, the flies on one jar are fed more than the other, the effect is they reproduce faster, and eventually they die from overpopulation. The other jar receives less food and flies live much longer. This school experiment caused an impact on Jerry´s childhood. This is where the album title comes from, JAR OF FLIES .
The graphic concept that surrounds this great album was born also from this experiment. We are going to start now.
As for the booklet, the main cover is fulfilled with strong orange and black, the only two colors that dominate this side. I would like to point out something that I find very interesting; the orange is a color that acts as a stimulant , symbolizes enthusiasm and exaltation , has an active , radiant and expressive force , of a stimulating and energetic character and dynamic quality .
Mixed with black suggests deception , conspiracy and intolerance and when it is very dark, suggests oppression.
This, contrasts deeply with the image of the main photograph, in which we can see a picture of a sad boy looking through the jar of flies, which shows an inverted logo of the band. The child has a disgruntled expression , denotes indifference , lethargy, disinterest. Even sadness.
By joining the image of the child with the predominant color, the graphics of the album shows a duality of feelings, and the viewer can read it according its judgement. Mine here is hopelessness, which is in tune with the musical content of the album.
I guess the artist wanted to reflect a young Jerry watching the world through his special way of seeing things. The photo taken in the foreground is handled with very saturated and very bright colors, to give a more dramatic touch . The photographer who took this picture is Rocky Schenck .