Thom Lessner is a member of the Philadelphia-based band, Sweatheart, who have opened for The Darkness on several occasions. But, there’s more to him than meets the eye. He has been a fan of TD since 2003. Since then, he has designed t-shirts for the band and served as the Art Director for Hot Cakes, the third album from TD. Lessner is the creative artist of the animation from the video for “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”, the first single from TD’s new album. As a bonus, his niece is the star of that same video. Here’s Thom’s message to the band:
A friend from Ohio mailed me a burnt CD of Permission to Land before it’d come out in the States. It was quite random; he heard it and just assumed I’d like it. I was in disbelief. It was every sound I loved in one CD; it almost didn’t seem real. This was before I’d seen what they looked like or knew anything about them. Soon after, I drove 13 hours to see them play in a smaller club in Chicago. It was so good it didn’t seem possible. I was certain I’d be thinking about this band for some time.
I’m proud to have invested so much love into Hot Cakes and the band. Coming back with the new record and constant touring really made me feel like I’d chosen the right band to truly adore. Very rewarding. Getting to know them, it’s safe to say as brilliant the record Permission to Land is, they’re equally brilliant humans. Being able to work with them has only made me love their records more. Mega cheers!