Aaron Tanner’s return to his roots wasn’t planned, but he’s embracing the change.
His publishing label, Melodic Virtue, was a record label-turned-graphic design business that, in 2004, Tanner spun into a company independent publishing limited-run coffee table books about pop culture subjects like Lil BUB, the late internet-famous cat from Bloomington, Indiana, and rock bands like The Pixies and Butthole Surfers.
More than twenty years after launching Melodic Virtue, he shut things down June 2, a decision he calls “ultimately overdue” but “bittersweet.”
“I would have really liked to continue because the recognition I was getting was fantastic. Even notable bands were fans of my work and asking, when is next book coming out?” he says. Evidence of that was stacking up: Tanner’s books on bands like Face to Face, The Residents, and Butthole Surfers are part of the permanent collections at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio; the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada; and the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Film in New York City.
But the stress of creating, publishing, and distributing each volume took a toll on his health. “Once I made that decision and started to undo everything, I noticed my health improve pretty significantly,” he says.
As an independent creator and book publisher, Tanner handled it all: researching and conducting interviews with bands, arranging photo shoots, designing and proofing volumes, and negotiating printing, storage, and distribution. If that sounds like a lot on one person’s plate, Tanner agrees.
“Being a small business with one new product to offer each year, it just made it a bit more tumultuous. I spoke with one band for two years that ultimately didn’t follow through with the book. Costs were growing. There were delays from sea freight,” he says.
Tanner says he saw the writing on wall about two years ago but was encouraged by others in the music and publishing industries to keep trying. But what ended up being his final Melodic Virtue project burned up whatever remaining passion he had for publishing.
“With that last book” — 2025’s “Cardiacs: A Big Book and a Band and the Whole World Window” — “every step of way, everything that could go wrong, did,” he says. “There was a four-month delay before I could even get started. Ultimately, it led to me flying to the United Kingdom twice to help speed up process. Between that, having to change warehouses three times in four years, and partnering with another warehouse in London, it just became extremely unsustainable for one person to do.”
Now, Tanner is returning to his graphic design roots, again offering branding and design services to businesses and album art for musicians. Tanner’s work also is visible in visuals and branding for Evansville-area businesses and organizations like Arcademie, Azzip Pizza, Pangea Kitchen, Victory International Film Festival, the former Tin Man Brewing Co., and Visit New Harmony and Black Lodge Coffee Roasters in Posey County.
Post-Melodic Virtue, Tanner plans to put more effort into developing a self-funded television pilot, which he is in the first stages of writing alongside Sam Kuban of local punk band The Chugs. After putting down the guitar during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanner wants to return to writing and recording instrumental rock music. He also enjoys mentoring, speaking to college classes, and volunteering to review Ivy Tech Community College design students’ portfolios.
Overall, “I’m ready for some stability and some calm,” he laughs. “It’s the most important thing I’m looking forward to.”
