Backspacer Cover Artist Releasing a Children's Book

Perkins will soon be releasing a children's book, The Very Silly Mayor, out Oct. 1 via IG Publishing. Silly Mayor departs from his usual brand of political commentary, instead offering a picture-book take on the importance of resisting peer pressure and standing up for your beliefs. You know, with talking penguins.

And as you may know, Perkins illustrated the cover of Pearl Jam's Backspacer. After Perkins' cartoon was dropped from the Village Voice Media chain, he turned his friend Eddie Vedder for help (the two met at a Nader campaign rally in 2000.) Vedder gave him a shot at designing the album art, and the Backspacer cover was born. "This is not a pity job," Perkins said. "I really had to work at this thing."

Turns out the proverbial shoe was actually on the other foot: Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament is actually a huge fan of This Modern World who reads it every week and often thinks "God, that's exactly what I was thinking." And Vedder was worried that Perkins wouldn't be supportive of Pearl Jam's political leanings: "I wasn't sure if our politics were hardcore enough for him."

Fortunately, everything seems to have worked out, to the point that Vedder says Perkins is "part of the family now." Just in case you can't get enough Tom Tomorrow, Perkins authored some cartoon shorts for the web in 2001, check 'em out here.

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