Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 35719 posts, RR: 88 Posted (9 years 1 month 22 hours ago) and read 5440 times:
Now that people are buying CDs and downloading music, album artwork is somehow lost. An album used to be more than just the music, but a listening experience. Some LPs came with posters, iron-ons for t-shirts and some time puzzles, action figures and spaceships to assemble.
Now music is pre-packaged into soulless plastic jewel cases or just downloaded via internet.
There is something special about opening up a gatefold LP and putting the record on the turntable and entering a world that the artist is sharing with the listener.
Can anyone here identify with what I am talking about?
This Electric Light Orchestra LP 'Out Of The Blue' (1977) came with a cardboard spaceship that you assemble along with a poster and ads.
Earth Wind & Fire always had very interesting artwork. This is from there 1977 LP 'All & All'
Jethro Tull's 'Thick As A Brick' LP (1972) came with a 20 page newspaper to go along with the story of the album.
One of my all time favorite LP cover is RUSH- 'Caress Of Steel' (1975)
Boston - 'Don't Look Back' (1978)
I have the picture disc of this LP.
NJTurnpike From United States of America, joined May 2000, 580 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 21 hours ago) and read 5428 times:
(and Mr Blue Sky's been in my head all morning...damn VW advertisements)
I agree, definitely. There was something to be said for gatefold LPs, and your post reminded me of digging through my parents' record collection. Not sure whether I share your taste in album art, but it can still be appreciated For me, the glory days are the late 70s to the mid 80s, just before the real explosion of CDs and jewel cases which effectively consigned artwork to the dustbin. Peter Saville and Ben Kelly remain my favourites.
JetService From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 4798 posts, RR: 15 Reply 3, posted (9 years 1 month 20 hours ago) and read 5411 times:
My daughter found out I had ELO and "Mr. Blue Sky" on CD and now she won't stop listening to it. I agree..."damn, VW commercials." A recently released movie is also using it; I can't recall which one.
Mbmbos From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2448 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (9 years 1 month 19 hours ago) and read 5391 times:
I totally agree. Liner notes are getting lost in the shuffle too.
This is a bit off of the subject, but:
I've always thought that tissue manufacturers could support starving artists by doing limited prints on their boxes. Kleenex, after all, puts decorative posies or stamps or old world maps on their boxes. Why not do limited runs of interesting art pieces? I know it would increase the cost, but heck, I'd pay a bit more for my tissues if I knew I had something interesting to look at and that a few cents went to help out a struggling artist.
Sleekjet From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 2043 posts, RR: 29 Reply 6, posted (9 years 1 month 19 hours ago) and read 5391 times:
I was a child in the '50's and '60's and my father would bring home Guy Lombardo and Sammy Kaye albums. Somehow I became a fan of those bands. I would study the album cover while listening, trying to figure out the personalities of the guys in the band whose pictures were on the cover.
EGGD From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 12405 posts, RR: 47 Reply 7, posted (9 years 1 month 19 hours ago) and read 5401 times:
I agree to a point, but isn't it the same with everything? What about flying in the 60's/70's, that was nearly an artform, now you can be shipped across europe (or the US) via. the cheapest most customer-unfriendly way possible (aka Ryanair).
anyways, we still have underground music that still has the related artwork:
Seb146 From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 8298 posts, RR: 20 Reply 8, posted (9 years 1 month 16 hours ago) and read 5400 times:
My favorite album cover has to be Breakfast in America by Supertramp. I picked that up when I was in college. The broadcasting department was being shut down and they were getting rid of all of their albums. I have seen BIA on CD in the stores but the cover is just not the same.
Wheel of morality turn, turn, turn. Tell us the lesson that we should learn
EGGD From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 12405 posts, RR: 47 Reply 13, posted (9 years 1 month 12 hours ago) and read 5359 times:
Superfly - Lol no, Iced Earth is a power metal band from the good ole US of A. The album was released 3 years ago and Iced Earth always have the related Artwork with their albums (which is always stunning). The most impressive artwork i've seen was on the Demon's & Wizards CD (Iced Earth and Blind Guardian), almost looked real it was so good...
There are loads of bands with really cool artwork, I love em to bits .
777YYC From Canada, joined May 2000, 744 posts, RR: 10 Reply 14, posted (9 years 1 month 11 hours ago) and read 5356 times:
I bought my favourite album of all time, Van Halen - Fair Warning on vinyl just for the artwork. It was well worth the $5.50 I paid at the used record store even though I already had the album on CD.
Extreme II: Pornograffiti is also one that has an amazing art concept that would look great on vinyl.
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16022 posts, RR: 57 Reply 16, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 5333 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD MODERATOR
What sucks about CDs is that the covers don't translate well onto the LP covers (you can blow a picture up only so much), and vice versa (nothing like a classic album cover being shrunk so small you can't even read the album title). With more and more CD covers being done on the computer, the artistic quality has been replaced. Someone with a little bit of artistic talent can do a cover these days. Back in the heyday of the LP, album covers were for the most part, a listener's link to the band, there wasn't an MTV showing the band's latest video, and this was how one connected to the band. It seems like nowadays, the amount of time that goes into a cover these days seems like about 10 minutes. Some great album covers from the old days:
Hello Airplanes? Yeah, it's Blimps. You win, bye....
777YYC From Canada, joined May 2000, 744 posts, RR: 10 Reply 18, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 5316 times:
It came out in 1990, so I'm sure it's around on LP somewhere, athough it would take two records to hold the whole thing. There's a whole bunch more concept artwork in the CD booklet as well that would look great in the LP format.
Andreas From Germany, joined Oct 2001, 6104 posts, RR: 41 Reply 19, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 5304 times:
btw: I fully agree with you on Tool..though I don't like the music. When I watch their videos, it's like forgetting I don't really like that sound but instead get caught in the pics. I guess Tool is what you could describe as a real multimedia-band!
Superfly: Take a look:
http://www.europamusic.co.uk/Vinyls/Rockmetal%20ef.htm
..and it's not even expensive!!
...and another great cover: Led Zep: Physical graffitti..and a superbrilliant album, too!
Greg From United Kingdom, joined May 2005, 0 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (9 years 4 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 5311 times:
I agree with Superfly..it's a lost art.
There have been a couple 'retrospectives' at various Modern Art Museums that incorporated album covers in the collection...
It's a shame to see the generic photographs and line art on todays CD's. I guess all the creativity is spent (lost) on the videos....
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 35719 posts, RR: 88 Reply 21, posted (9 years 4 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 5312 times:
Andreas: How could I forget Led Zep.?!?!
They have awesome covers!
I have all of there LPs. 'III' and In 'Through The Outdoor' are pretty interesting covers but my favorite cover is 'Physical Graffitti'.
I like the artwork on the Tool CDs but there music is so, so.
Oh and thanks for the links.
Greg:
I'll try to check out some of those museums.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 35719 posts, RR: 88 Reply 22, posted (9 years 4 weeks ago) and read 5293 times:
747-451:
Do you think that members of 'The Cars' are Mopar fans?
That 1971 Duster 340 is kind of a unique muscle car and isn't as ordinary as Mustangs and Cameros.
I think that a Duster was used in the 'You Might Think' video.
Avt007 From Canada, joined Jul 2000, 2130 posts, RR: 6 Reply 24, posted (9 years 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 5282 times:
Roger Dean did the art for Yes, Uriah Heep, and others. Years ago I saw a coffee table book of his work-impressive!
25 Superfly: Avt007: I've seen a Roger Dean calender once. He is a genius. I can tell he does shrooms.
26 747-451: Artful covers can include tasteful photography.. http://www.superseventies.com/heart2.html Heart's "Little Queen" was a cool take on the middle ages..
27 Superfly: 747-451: Oh man I totally agree! Last year I spend 2 hours on the net trying to find a large version of that cover. I should take my 'Little Queen' LP
28 EIPremier: Santana had some very striking album covers. Of the ones I have, Santana 3 is my favorite, with Abraxas a close second. And of course, there's Blind F
29 GDB: I once had a rare edition of The Strangles 'Raven' album, with 3D artwork. But I've never seen the original 3D photo of the Rolling Stones ill-fated S
30 GDB: Their Satanic Majesties Request; http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003BEV.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg Let The Freak Flag Fly; http://images.amazon.com/images/
31 Superfly: EIPremier: My favorite Santana cover is 'Moonflower' (1977). GBD: He man, thanks for the links. That's some neat stuff.
32 Superfly: Can you believe this website is taking used LP covers, putting them in to frames and selling them for $50.00 (US)? http://elteaonline.com/images/Santa
34 NoUFO: Btw: I remember the 'good ol' days' when concert tickets didn't look all the same. Nowadays it's only a scrap of paper coming out of a thermo printer
35 Superfly: NoUFO: Some of the local bands have some artistic tickets. Some use hologram designs.
38 XFSUgimpLB41X: Check out Snapcase's Progression Through Unlearning.. always liked that artwork, as well as their other cd's ..cant remember who does it, but works ve
Sponsor Message: 
From Thailand, joined May 2000, 35719 posts, 
From United States of America, joined May 2000, 580 posts, 
For me, the glory days are the late 70s to the mid 80s, just before the real explosion of CDs and jewel cases which effectively consigned artwork to the dustbin. Peter Saville and Ben Kelly remain my favourites.
From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 12405 posts, 
From Canada, joined May 2000, 744 posts, 
From Germany, joined Oct 2001, 6104 posts, 
How could I forget Led Zep.?!?!
Printer friendly format 
