Album covers

As we all know the music industry has changed quite a bit. From the way music is promoted to how we buy our music to the format its on.

I have never been a big fan of MP3 and as much is CD is great sound each time we choose to switch the music quality is dropping. I will not bore you on the technical details as I have blogged on this before.

The album cover is also something that suffered. One thing you got in the old LP days was a 12" square piece of artwork. A piece at times you could hang on a wall it was that good. And people did, take the above album cover from Iron Maiden. Released in 1981 the band changed metal music forever with there artwork. Many bands have emulated it but this album is just had that little bit extra. Eddie is the star of many and just about all Iron Maidens covers. but this one was that bit more important. The cover sums up the early 80s. As the victim is none other that Lady Thatcher. Not a nice cover and not even the best album but the impact is so strong. As a kid picking it up it really looks amazing, better than any other cover that was out at the time. This was not boring, nor was it looking back. If anything it looked forward and the "killing " of Thatcher is why.

 I have always loved this album cover, and again more so than the music. Simple photo here but the timing is spot on.
You have no idea where the photo was taken, or why the dog has a chain attached to it, even the dogs expression is cast in mystery. Simply amazing, so many stories in one photo. The colour has been changed as well, could be to help printing but I feel it was done like this for a reason.

Man with head in bin? Is it or is it a woman? of is it a human like creature. Painted up in something and holding onto the bin for dear life. As if trying to get in it like its a portal to somewhere else. Notice how much clutching of the handle to the point it has been moved upwards. Love it again simple but effective. I would buy this on cover alone. Add in its one of the best rock album ever made and you have a cover for life.

Another painting and by a band I love, Swans made many a great cover and this was one of a line featuring the rabbit. (check out Love of Life as well).
Notice the rabbit is standing on a red heart and has more human features than rabbit? A nice day is depicted and on a nice green bit of land. i wish I could own this LP but as prices are over £100 at times this one sadly will stay on E bay. I love the yellow bow tie and shoes.

Again I show my geeky photography love here. A street again somewhere, and number 96 is shown. A blurry band member walking by what looks to be a beggar. Ir is it? Could be about to take drugs, or looking closer about to make a call. it is 98 and cellphones were about. Why is the door handle so fecking low?! and I am sure i can see a light on.

As a Cad tech (I do technical drawings on a computer) I love this. We all know what blue prints are right? this is a black print ha ha. Well it is black and shows design of something. Could be electrical or even pneumatic but what ever it is it's great. City has a great album cover and the contents of the CD help change me forever as well. For some reason the reissue was changed to a different style cover. This to me is best and does actually relate to the music,.... somehow.

Metal bound again! Yes I love some metal as do many people. got this album simply because of the cover. The wicked punch from the classic seaside Punch and Judy puppet show. Oh but look he has a truncheon with nails on it. The addition of the light bulb is simply amazing and the fact the other two have blowen (with one just doing so). The character was called Edison and was only used here on this album. Add in the fact the cover was also changed for some countries as it was considered too gruesome. i have the UK Ltd edition with a poster, the puppet is coming out of a man that is looking on in horror. Ha ha great stuff.

What else to say... Done by Alec Galloway http://www.alecgalloway.co.uk/index.php
Love the iconic cranes and near full moon. There is a lot of the singer songwriter here, you need to be a fan to get it. The artwork is amazing but I also love the typeface for the wording, bot seem so diffrent, could be the size. Love how the light of the city is made with a yellow paint splatter and to the right looks a bit like a dragon (Could be me). One of my all time favorite covers.

Love, love LOVE this album cover. Jason Ringenberg is the lead singer of a Cowpunk band Jason and the Scorchers. From the south and proud he wears his cowboy hat wherever he goes and quite right too. Negative reactions to his attire seem to follow him when in Europe. This album was born. People think the southern cowboys are all racist and want to make people slaves.... but are we not worse in Europe? Take a look at a history book and only a few years ago people were killing each other on the fringes of Europe because who they may be. How dare people treat Jason differently I mean it is not as if he is waving the confederate flag in people faces. Jason sees the ignorance and utter simplicity in people and instead of reacting wrote this album and the album is great but the cover says it all. From my travels the people on the cover are German (no UK football shirt on) and the city could have been any number of ones in Germany after the second world war. Camcorder out filing it all as if it just happened. The identity of the people is kept to a minimum with the sunglasses. The typeface is classic LP days and listing the songs on the front as if its a country album from 1972. Fucking love this cover. If I ever get a tattoo it be this, showing peoples utter stupidity and suborn inbred prejudices. How dare anyone react negatively to someone wearing cowboy clothes. Well done Jason.

This cover misses out the bands name in the top corner, it was the best picture I could find. but does it need it? The band is Stampin Ground UKHC (United Kingdom Hardcore) band from the late 90s.
The cover says it all and says it well. Album is called An Expression of Repressed Violence. The figure is human with wings, some religious undertones perhaps? The tools could be used as torture devices or simply to get the car going. The figure seems to be framed with a window/doorway, why? So much going on here I love it.

Well thats it, ten covers I like and I have many more, I may add to this if I get board again.

If any band/artist want the image taken down simply ask and it will be done.