Los Angeles-based Laurel Canyon Animal Company, the only record label that creates music about, for and with animals, is releasing Ugly Dogs Need More Love.
The CD for dog lovers contains nine canine-centered songs— the title track is Ugly Dogs Need More Love. Written by Skip Haynes and Dana Walden and sung by Arnold McCuller (backup vocalist for James Taylor), the song is a different viewpoint on how you might like to select a dog when you go to the pound to adopt a new member of the family.
“I went over to my friend Spike’s house to shoot pictures of his dogs for the CD cover because I knew he had lots of dogs that he adopted from the pound. I figured I could take pictures of all the dogs I needed for the cover at once. I was very surprised by what I saw,” said Haynes. “There were blind dogs, three-legged dogs, really old dogs— even a little terrier who pulled its hind legs along in a little cart. I asked Spike why he had so many visually challenging animals. He told me it was because the cute dogs at the pound got adopted immediately while the ugly dogs got euthanized, so when he adopted, he always chose the ugliest dog at the pound because ugly dogs need more love.”
That phrase inspired the creation of the CD and was the basis of their starting the label— and all of Spike’s dogs ended up on the cover art- along with Haynes’ and Walden’s dogs.
The CD contains nine other songs for dog lovers including:
• “Talking To the Dogs” — chronicling the unusual fact that most people know their neighbors’ dogs’ names better than their neighbors’ names.
• “I Love To Walk My Dog” — America’s favorite pasti” me.
• “The Leash Lambada La La Bow Wow” — celebrates that intricate little dance two people walking two dogs each do when they meet going in opposite directions on the sidewalk.
• “Doing It Doggie Style” — not what you think. It chronicles all the dogs in the writers’ neighborhoods.
• “Cat Thinks He’s A Dog” – a gender-bending feline/canine lament— but lots of fun.
The Laurel Canyon Animal Company provides hundreds of CDs a year to local rescue organizations all over the country to help them fund operations.
Visit www.petcds.com to hear sound samples.