Category Archives: Album Art

Storm Thorgerson Joins The Great Gig In The Sky

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I was very saddened to learn that genius music graphic designer Storm Thorgerson had passed away. He joins that well deserved  Great Gig In The Sky.

We first met in our early teens. We would gather at Sheep’s Green, a spot by the river in Cambridge and Storm would always be there holding forth, making the most noise, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Nothing has ever really changed.

He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend.

The artworks that he created for Pink Floyd from 1968 to the present day have been an inseparable part of our work.

I will miss him.

David Gilmour

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Blue Oyster Cult – The Complete Columbia Albums Collection

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I was introduced to BOC, Blue Oyster Cult on July 3, 1969. They were the opening act of the only Fillmore East Show I ever attended. It was a triple bill early show at the Fillmore in the East Village. I was 17 years old and this was my first rock concert. I’ve been to 400 concerts since that historical evening!

The 8 p.m. show featured:

Headliner: Jeff Beck Group

Middle Act: Jethro Tull

Opener: Soft White Underbelly

So where is Blue Oyster Cult on the program you may be asking. They performed as Soft White Underbelly (1967-1971) that night ;)

Soft White Underbelly

Albert Bouchard – drums, percussion
Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitars, vocals
Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
Andrew Winters – bass guitar, vocals
Eric Bloom – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards

L to R: Allen Lanier, Joe Bouchard, Buck Dharma, Albert Bouchard, Eric Bloom

So one thing I realize after all these decades that I don’t own a single BOC recording. This box set solves that problem for me. I just need to listen to their discography in depth to see if that is a music collection I’d like to have ;)

 

Pink Floyd 40th Anniversary, Unite to Darken the Moon

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Wow has it been 40 years already since the release of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon? I remember well March 17, 1973 when that recording debuted (US release date according to Capitol Records). The FM radio station I listened to out of New York City, WNEW-FM 102.7 leaned on it strongly. I bought my vinyl LP copy on  the Saturday afternoon it was released here in the States.  On the following day, Sunday the 18th of March 1973 I was fortunate to witness Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon 1973 Tour. They performed at The Palace in Waterbury, Ct. I wrote about that experience in the blog post hyper-linked below.

Pink Floyd In Concert 1973 – The Dark Side of the Moon Tour

Pink Floyd and EMI Music will mark the 40th Anniversary of the original UK release of The Dark Side of The Moon on 24 March 2013, as fans around the globe unite to turn a specially designed moon dark. Centred around a global playback of the album on PinkFloyd.com, each memory, thought and photo tweeted as fans rediscover the album will count towards the creation of a dark side of the moon.

Starting at 00:01am GMT on 24 March 2013, for the entire day fans all over the world will be able to share thoughts and comments via twitter using #DarkSide40 and witness the impact as the volume of messages combine to turn the moon dark.

DSOTM

Storm Thorgerson

When it comes to branding and logo there may not be a more discernible icon than the Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon “Prism”.  (Well perhaps the Rolling Stones Lips might top it…) It was designed by Storm Thorgerson when he was with Hipignosis. I have been a major fan of Storm Thorgerson for decades.

I wish I could afford the deluxe edition of his collectible book, Taken By Storm, The Album Art of Storm Thorgerson by the high-end music book publishing house Genesis Publications.

Keep watching the Pink Floyd Web page, http://darkside40.pinkfloyd.com/ for the variants of the Dark Side of the Moon prism. Each day another square in the diagram gets filled in and I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon ;)

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R. Crumb Articulates The Blues

Posted on by Musicofourheart

R. Crumb‘s influence on my art and blues music tastes started in 1968 with Cheap Thrills the second album from Big Brother and the Holding Company.

Crumb had originally intended his art for the LP back cover, with a portrait of Janis Joplin to grace the front. But Joplin who was an avid fan of underground comics, especially the work of Crumb, so loved the Cheap Thrills illustration that she demanded Columbia Records place it on the front cover. It is number nine on Rolling Stone’s list of one hundred greatest album covers.

I value R. Crumb’s insightful articulation of the blues.  He has created various collectibles which uniquely educate and tell us about the blues. One such collectible is the Heroes of the Blues Trading Cards.

The trading cards complement the book, R. Crumb Draws The Blues, in which his homage to the life of Delta bluesmen Charley Patton, is beautifully rendered. Almost of comparable quality is the story of jazzman Jelly Roll Morton‘s struggle with a career-damaging voodoo curse. Crumb’s fondness for pre-war (WWII) country and blues records predominates this title.

If this type of content peaks your interest in R. Crumb as an album art graphics designer, may I also suggest, R. Crumb: The Complete Record Cover Collection. For music/album cover fans (like myself) this is one of Robert Crumb’s finest books.

I also discovered that R. Crumb is very good friends with Eden & John’s East River String Band. He has illustrated three of their covers and plays mandolin on their latest album, Be Kind to A Man When He’s Down.

ALL ARTWORK IS COPYRIGHT ROBERT CRUMB UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Record Store Day Black Friday – Shopping Etc.

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I have bought records since 1962 when I was 10. My first record purchase was a 45 r.pm. single, “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers. I bought that single at the record department at the 5&10 downtown Norwalk, Ct. The H.L. Green 5&10 record department was a mixture of 45 r.p.m. and vinyl records.

I have built a large music collection since then…

Roll ahead now 50 years to Record Store Day, Black Friday 2012. My son and I headed out together as we love to support the record stores and Record Store Day. Today’s shopping excursion consisted of two participating stores.

1) Exile on Main Street, 267 E. Main Street, Branford, Ct.

The pickings were slim there. I picked up the 7″ split single, “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley on the Legacy label.

I also bought The Lumineers, Winter EP, a 10″ vinyl recording. We love The Lumineers since we saw them in concert this past April :)

Lumineers BF Front

2) Redscroll Records, 24 North Colony Street, Wallingford, Ct.

The Record Store Day choice here was only slightly better. That was probably because the store opened at 6 a.m. and we arrived at Noon…. But I did manage to buy three Record Store Day items.

a) “Hotel Yorba” by The White Stripes on 7″ Red Vinyl

b) The Shins, “No Way Down/Fall of 82 (Swift Sessions) – 7″ Vinyl

c) John Mayer, The Complete 2012 Performances Collection -12″ Vinyl

I miss Cutler’s in New Haven. No store we visited today came close to offering a dedicated wall to Record Store Day as Cutler’s did…sigh.

But I admit my son and I did have fun together. We had the Redscroll Jester take our picture at the back entrance to the store. Thanks for joining me today Matt. It was a blast!

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Record Store Day – Black Friday 2012

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Record Store Day Reveals Complete List of Black Friday ReleasesFriday November 23, 2012 will be the third annual Record Store Day Black Friday edition. The Record Store Day Black Friday event has increased in value, focus and record label/artist participation every year. It’s a smart way to anchor and highlight music buying for the holiday shopping season.

The list of unique and limited numbered record vinyl is available on the Record Store Day Web site. The list document is a downloadable/printable PDF or Web page listing. I find having the hard copy list with me in the store adds to the fun of finding the vinyl treasures you seek.

Record Store Day Black Friday is a tough day for me. My favorite record store in New Haven closed this past year, Cutler’s Record Shop. Phil Cutler always had an extensive vinyl inventory for Record Store Day. I will have to find another Connecticut record store who supports this Record Store Day event in abundance and choice. Otherwise I will make a trip to New York City and the Greenwich Village/West Village record stores. I like to spend the day with my son record shopping that day so that may end up being the plan ;)

Here are a few vinyl highlights that have caught my interest so far, lots to study and check out, cool! I expect more specialty vinyl to be announced as we get closer to the event day.

1) Beach Boys Surfin’ Safari, 10″ 180 gram vinyl in gatefold sleeve with their first ever single, and their latest single

2) Eric Burdon and The Greenhornes, Apolinere Enameled

3) David Bowie, The Jean Genie, 40th Anniversary, 7″ Picture Disc

4) Grateful Dead, Live at Winterland (5/30/1971)

5) Velvet Underground, VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO – SCEPTER STUDIOS ACETATE

6) Frank Zappa, Why Don’cha Do Me Right, Big Leg Emma

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The Latest About Roger Dean

Posted on by Musicofourheart
Roger Dean logo

Roger Dean logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roger Dean has been art designer for the progressive rock bands, Yes and Asia for decades.  He designs worlds that immerse us in compelling art illustrations.

The last time I saw Yes in concert was 2004 at Mohegan Sun Casino Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. It was their 35 anniversary Songs From Tsongas Tour. Roger Dean designed a full stage experience that engulfed members of Yes. The event has been preserved on DVD. Here is song from that historic tour, “Going For The One”,

Yes - Songs from Tsongas - 35th Anniversary Concert, 2005

Roger Dean has two unique world events coming up, the first one will take place in England next month in November. The Roger Dean Art Exhibition will include Roger Dean and Rick Wakeman in person together. They will appear on November 3rd, 2012 at Trading Boundaries, Sheffield Green, Sussex, England.

An informal evening of conversation between Rick Wakeman and Roger Dean.

The other event is the science fiction convention called Arisia which takes place in Boston, Massachusetts  January 18-23, 2013. Roger Dean will be on several panels during the convention, and will also be giving a talk about his own work. The image posted below is his T shirt design for this event.

Mott The Hoople Album Art

Posted on by Musicofourheart

 

I love album cover art especially the Mott The Hoople 1969 debut album cover on Atlantic Records.

It is a color reproduction of M.C. Escher’s Reptiles lithograph from 1943.

File:Escher's Reptiles.jpg

 

Famous Album Covers Created With My Socks

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I think this is novel and speaks to the creativity within someone’s psyche. Thanks Matt for putting me on to this artistic Tumblr site.

Famous Album Covers Created With My Socks

 

This is my favorite album cover thus far.