Head To Head
Log In
Register
Unsung Forum »
Favourite Record Sleeve?
Log In to post a reply

118 messages
Topic View: Flat | Threaded
IanB
IanB
6761 posts

Re: Favourite Record Sleeve?
May 24, 2011, 09:35
Squid Tempest wrote:
IanB wrote:
Roger Dean's early work (up to Relayer and Yesterdays) still does it for me. Especially Yessongs.

King Crimson's USA - no idea who designed it but it's a fabulous piece of futuristic rock n roll iconography.

Santana's Lotus - again no idea who designed it but the Japanese fold-out vinyl version was a joy to behold.

Houses of the Holy with the belly band was the visual definition of mysterious in 1973.

Hipgnosis have a great catalogue but the vinyl Wish You Were Here in the black shrink wrap was genius and the images within as enigmatic as the music. Hard to explain how "other" that album sounded when it came out. Talk about a piece of design capturing the spirit of the musical contents. I also love Animals. The flying pig stunt was stupid but the photos of Battersea Power Station are a great postcard from dirty old London just before Thatcher and Livingstone started to fight over its soul. A fight that is still going on in many ways.

The Pop Group's "Y" cover (with the poster) was a genius mixture of Fine Art, Punk collage and reportage.

You've got to have something with a great live photo so the original gold version of Made In Japan wins that one for me.

Finally I have to admit a huge soft spot for a fairly straight ahead Hard Bop record called Art Pepper and the Rhythm Section. Which teamed Miles' core band (Garland / Jones / Chambers) with the west coast alto player who was in somewhat reduced circumstances at the time but pulls out a killer set of performances. In design terms it is almost kitsch but back in 1980 I really wanted the jacket and shirt Art wears on the cover shot. For a man clinging to the wreckage of his life and career he looks supremely chilled.


Some great choices there Ian - I particularly the USA cover. Your mention of a "Live band" picture made me jump laterally to Blue Oyster Cult's On Your Feet or On Your Knees. Tyranny and Mutation and their 1st album were good covers too.


I did think about "On Your Feet" but decided to stick with the stuff that has "could-hang-it-on-your-wall" factor. The early BOC covers are great too.
Topic Outline:

Unsung Forum Index