Local artist Trent Call provided the artwork for the first two comps along with design work by Shon Taylor of 24Tix.com, Bottlerocket Manufacturing and the newly opened God Hates Robots gallery. “Creating the little sculpture dude that was inside the salt shaker was pretty fun,” Call says. “I still have him around some place. We shot all the stuff down at Monk’s [now Bourbon House], drinking martinis.” Recalling the process, Taylor says, “The design was somewhat dictated by Call’s salt shaker sculpture. It was great to have something physical to riff from and work around. The project was fun because it allowed me to work with lots of people who I knew but hadn’t ever actually worked with,” including SLUG photographer Russel Daniels and Atheneum Press’ (now The Mandate Press) Ben Webster. “Working with friends can sometimes be challenging,” Taylor says. “Working with these friends was a pleasure.”

Brown and Vernon sent out press releases and sent review copies to national music publications. “My main passion behind helping with Death by Salt was twofold,” Vernon says, “to document the Salt Lake music scene at a particular point, and to have something to send out so we could get the word out about how awesome the Salt Lake music scene is. I remember the huge sense of accomplishment it was to hold those finished compilations in our hands—the weight of them, how great they looked and sounded! We were so excited to share them with the whole SLC scene.”

Local musician Eli Morrison, who assisted Brown with the complexities of DBS III’s vinyl manufacturing process, recalls his contribution: “A track I did by a band called Kick The Dog [‘Suck Beat It,’ DBS III] is the only track we ever released.” Morrison is also on Purr Bats’ “Alaughing Til They Bepissed Themselves” (DBS II), The Wolfs’ “Finding My Way Home” (DBS II) and Ether’s “Untitled,” (DBS III). “Many of the bands featured in the series had little or no recorded releases outside these compilations,” he says. “I think many of these bands might not have even recorded without encouragement from the magazine. A few—Eagle Twin and SubRosa, for example—went on to even greater success. As such, I think the series stands as a very important historical document of underground music in Salt Lake City.”

DBS III artist and musician Dave Styer (Blackhole, Tarn) says, “It was always very exciting to be a part of Death By Salt. I looked forward to their release and shows. It got our music in the hands and before the looking globes of those who wouldn’t normally pay attention.” Local musician and co-owner of S&S Presents, Kilby Court, Urban Lounge and Rye Diner & Drinks Will Sartain (Redd Tape) says, “It meant a lot to us as young musicians to have a chance to be on that compilation. A lot of my favorite local bands were on it. In retrospect, it makes me realize how important it is for local entities like SLUG Magazine to spotlight and promote our local music scene.”

Dave Payne, of Red Bennies, Glinting Gems, Purr Bats, Sleeping Bag and Coyote Hoods, says, “I was very proud of the one with collectible cards, ’cause I was somehow able to sneak in with tons of groups—I remember that Death By Salt was truly epic. It was also a great recording victory for me, having all my productions in there. The collection totally rocked my world, made me feel important, seemed totally culturally relevant and validating to me, and seemed to just totally celebrate a scene in a public way that no one else could have ever done. It was amazing. SLUG seemed to hit on something very dear to me, which is just a clusterfuck celebration of the music.”