The late Phil Hartman was a graphic designer prior to becoming a comedian and actor. He designed or was involved in the design of a lot of 1970's album covers. Most notably the Poco albums. |
"Lines" by Charlie from the 70's at Goodwill. I don't know how that ever got past the sensors. The lady on the cover is holding a Bic pen tube, there's a small mirror nearby, etc., yet she doesn't fit the profile of a coke-head, if you know what I mean. The music is forgettable 70's pap. |
Hey, Rushton ...
That's exactly what I was talking about. The older mono RCAs are just as good if not better. Kinda dark, abstract art for those who like that sort of thing ... me included. |
Before Mary Tyler Moore hit it big on the Dick Van Dyke Show, her career also included modeling. I have an autographed copy of a late fifties "easy listening" lp featuring her mucho pretty face which I picked up recently on eBay. |
Since this thread seems to have continuing life, how about the original mono cover for the RCA issue of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique? As used in the Classic Records stereo reissue:  |
Ohio Players-the image of the knife in the back is forever inscribed in my brain. |
Almost always. Good cover art, in my opinion, suggests that care was taken in all aspects of production. Not always true, but a good barometer. There are, of course, exceptions. I remember picking up "Stealing Fire" by Bruce Cockburn and putting it back a dozen times because the cover art was so bad. I'm glad I eventually got over it. Great, great album.
With classical, I have this prejudice against albums whose cover art features the conductor or soloist looking sexy. Covers that feature the composer or the piece in question (i.e. a pastoral scene for Beethoven's 6th) are much more likely to get my money. As much as I like to look at Hilary Hahn (or Maxim Vengerov for you ladies out there), when I am in the serious process of choosing music, sex appeal has no place.
Am I in the minority here, or are the marketing folk that clueless?
Cheers.
P.S. Records made on a shoestring budget, of course, get an exemption. But Deutsche Gramophon's hot new release or a new album by Green Day have the resources to do it well from start to finish, including cover art. |
I've bought some of the early classical recordings on RCA, Capitol, etc., just for the cover art. I love abstract art, and these really fit the bill. I've played the music inside the covers of course, and enjoy that as well. Some of these covers deserve framing and placing on the wall. |
Shventus: Thanks for the interesting bit of info. As to what Papertrail said, i guess we can learn something new everyday. Even here on Audiogon ;) Sean
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The first Black Sabbath album in 1970 at age 13 and Pink Floyd's Meddle in 1972 at 15. I was totally unfamiliar with both albums and bands at the time. |
Carly Simon's "Playing Possum". I liked her music, but the cover was better than gravy. |
Three words ... David Stone Martin. |
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OK Rushton,
Her name is Dolores Erickson. She was 3 months pregnant during the shoot and is now 65. She actually graced the covers of many LP's, but Whipped Cream was clearly the most famous. She also paints. Here is a link to her web site, and an excerpt from a recent expose on Herb Alpert in the Washington Post. Enjoy.
http://www.whippedcreamlady.com/
"The success of the records, says Moss, was a reflection of the "warmth" of Alpert's sound. "It was the kind of thing you hear and feel good about," he says. "That part is as fresh to me now as it ever was."
It's debatable, however, whether one of Alpert's most commercially successful albums owed more to its cover art than to its music. "Whipped Cream & Other Delights," released in 1965, was certainly high concept -- all of its songs were named after foods -- but its most memorable feature may have been the cover photo of a beautiful, dark-eyed and apparently naked model covered in white cream.
The picture occupied a not insignificant piece of real estate in the psyches of adolescent boys of that era, who are men of this one. As Esquire put it in 1989, "We bought this album for the album cover. For here is what lust looked like in 1966."
When art director Peter Whorf presented his cover idea to Alpert and Moss, Alpert says, "We thought it was pushing the envelope too much. You've got to remember this is 1965. Now it's nothing."
They went ahead anyway, hiring a friend of the A&M founders, a Ford Agency model named Dolores Erickson, then 25. Whorf spent most of the daylong photo session slathering Erickson with shaving cream, which held up better under the hot studio lights than whipped cream (although whipped cream was used on Erickson's head and hand). All that shaving cream covered up the fact that she was three months pregnant at the time.
The resulting image reveals far less of Erickson than the average low-cut dress, but the overall effect was electrifying. "People have told me that it's the innocence of the look," says Erickson, now 65, retired and living in Washington state. "It's what you can't see" that adds to its allure. "I understand it was very suggestive to men, but I never thought of it like that."
She refers to it as "the world's most famous album cover."
"Whipped Cream" stayed at No. 1 on the album charts for eight weeks." |
Ray, I bought that Whipped Cream album in high school, lost it somewhere along the way in college and replaced it just a few years ago just to have the cover in my collection. It always makes for a good conversation.
Shventus, I'm waiting for you to share the answer. I'd heard this once along the way, but I've forgetten.
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Sorry Papertrail,
It's true (well as true as I can ascertain, I wasn't there - but sure would have liked to have been).
She has a web site & is selling autographed copies (? print or jacket) for $50.00 (ouch).
Anyone know her name (before I divulge it)? |
Rushton,my father had the whipped cream album ,i must have been 7 or 8,but i fell in love with that girl,,,,that cover brings back memories,i have that album now,, |
Shventus, I don't want to hear that she was pregnant, please say you were lying. |
Sean,
Being a trumpet player, of course I know & knew (way back in the 60's) that Herb is the A in A&M (Moss being the M).
Do you know the name of the lady that posed on the cover? And did you know that she was pregnant for the shoot? 2 points for those that guess how many months. |
Sean---I guess as they say, "we learn something everyday." Thanks |
My Mom gave me a copy of the Dead's "Europe 72" for Christmas one year because she liked the cover. The Ice Cream Kid. That was 30 something years ago and it changed my life forever. |
I guess that one can receive authorization from the label to use a "controversial" ( especially for back then ) type of cover art on the LP when one owns the record label : )
How many of you folks knew that Herb Albert was the "A" in A&M ??? Sean
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Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" album.
How could you not buy an album with a real zipper on the cover? |
WHIPPED CREAM---HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS |
Sure, how could one pass this up from 1965?  . |
Born to Run- had no idea who Springsteen was.
Red Rider- Don't Fight It. Cool cover and as it turned out, great record!
Yes- roll up a fattie and stare at the record covers for hours
Supertramp's Crime of the Century. Totally cool cover, music was interesting at first but over time I'm not that big on it
King Crimson. I was under the influence and bought it
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I've never purchased an album for the cover art. That being said though, I do appreciate the art on a lot covers. For me it's a plus. |
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Never bought, but several times I've listened to a group based on the cover art. Then if if liked the music I bought it.
A lot of stuff with Roger Dean cover art - Osibisa, Jade Warrior, Budgie |
The first Santana because of the multiple images in the drawing. |
Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville... |
I haven't so much as bought an album for the art, but I have gone out and bought art books because of the album art: M.C.Escher (Mott The Hoople's first album) and Roger Dean (a lot of Yes' albums). |
Thomas Dolby's "Aliens Ate My Buick." A total hoot. Music isn't bad either, and the sound is phenomenal. |
More times that I want to admit. |
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Pulp Fiction sound track on LP is worth buying for the image of Uma Thurman.
Music is probably great too, if I could just quit staring at that image of Uma, pull out the LP and listen to it. |
The Roger Huyssen artwork is incredible. His jazz album covers have instruments in human poses and are incredibly fun. I have three of them framed. The vinly themselves are audiophile grade. He has a website where you can buy prints of his work. Take the time to look at his site. |
I used to purchase MANY albums by artists that i've never heard on the cover art / name of the songs. Then again, that was back when one could actually see the art on a full sized 12" LP. Trying to decipher what's on the cover of a CD is just about useless and doesn't grab nor hold my attention for long. Same goes for liner notes. It's just not the same anymore... Sean
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Instead of listing the many forgotten albums purchased for cover art I'll just give the first that I recall. King Crimson, In the Court of the Crimson King, it's the album with the large painted face that I couldn't pass up. Must've been 1970 or so. Wow these threads are great for the memories. |
Not that I exactly "got into" the artist but I recall buying David Bromberg Band - Reckless Abandon some 25+ years ago because of the LP cover. Enjoyed the album though I never bought anything else. |
