The last instalment (for the time being) on ‘car’ themed album covers.
This one was inspired by Victim of the Fury‘s suggestion of the Minutemen album. Got me thinking, are there other sleeves with a view from inside the car? Here are the ones I found…
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THE ALBUMS
Béla Fleck – Drive [Rounder, 1987]
Mintuemen – Double Nickels on the Dime [SST, 1984]
Calexico – Carried to Dust [Quarterstick Records, 2008]
Pennywise – Straight Ahead [Epitaph, 1999]
Boyracer – More Songs about Frustration and Self-hate [A Turntable Friend, 1994]
The Mars Volta – Frances the Mute [Universal, 2005]
Fountains of Wayne – Stacey’s Mom [Single, 2003]
Donald Fagen – Kamakiriad [Reprise, 1993]
FEATURE IMAGE
The Cars – The Cars [Elektra, 1978]
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HISTORY
This little cover art project started when 1537 wondered if Vinyl Connection had as many album covers with cars on them as he did. This lead to a 50:50 post entitled 10 AWESOME AUTO ALBUM COVERS.
Now there are more than 10 LP sleeves with cars on them. In fact there are many more than a thousand. That being rather too much of a good thing, I opted to select a further 10 that I particularly enjoyed, the choices being enhanced by suggestions from readers and fellow bloggers.
So the trip meter was reset for 10 AUTO ALBUM COVERS – READER’S CHOICE, a not entirely accurate title for the second leg.
During the research for that post, I encountered such a magnificent range of automotive hardware that I felt compelled to assemble yet another clutch of covers sampling the many forms of vehicular transport musicians have chosen to display on their album sleeves. 10 MORE MOTORISED ALBUM COVERS received a green light.
Which brings us up to the present post and (audible sighs all round) an end to this journey.
But not to the 10 COVERS series.
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vinylconnection.com.au 
You forgot the album Autobahn from Kraftwerk!
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Cheers Chris.
Not forgotten, just left in the garage for this series.
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As always, love it! (Big fan of Donald Fagan, both alone and with Steely Dan). I’m curious as to how you find these covers within your vast collection. Do you rely on your memory? Or, as you’ve acquired each LP over the years, have you entered into into some sort of searchable database/spreadsheet?
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Normally with these series some images of albums from the collection have coalesced into a theme. Often ideas sit around for ages as notes in an exercise book (pretty low-tech, eh?). For instance, I have in a corner of my brain your idea for a medical theme but the count is still at a lowly 4 or so.
Posts 2-4 of this auto series were curated rather than extracted entirely from the collection. Which is cheating, I know, but it was such fun!
Sometimes when digging out a record I’ll browse a few shelves just enjoying the covers and I guess something sticks.
Next edition of 10 series we return to an entirely VC sourced post.
Very glad you enjoyed it, JDB.
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Hot N Spicy-Journey, Simon D-Back to the Limo, Bob Dylan-Together Through Life, Saint Etienne-Continental, Boy Racer-More songs about frustration and self hate, but my favourite is…………………..http://wimwords.com/2012/06/28/from-the-stacks-scorpions-lovedrive/
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The Boyracer cover is absolutely fantastic, fits perfectly and is about to be added to the post.
Thanks boppinsblog!
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Ha! The Scorpions is well known but did not fit with the, er, tone I was seeking here (despite being a Hipgnosis cover; also, these all have a driver/steering-wheel image). So Simon D would not have made the cut either I’m afraid. Though It certainly fits the theme, having a steering wheel in frame.
Isn’t St Etienne in a plane?!
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I didn’t clue into the steering wheel thing, but I still would have thrown in The Scorps because that album cover is so brilliant. I thought the Saint Etienne was inside of a bus, so I took even more liberties. I guess your next one will have to be about planes now. 🙂
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Fair enough about Scorps. I don’t think I’ve ever truly forgiven them for their most notorious cover.
Bus or plane? Could be either, couldn’t it?
And I”m afraid you’ve got me bang to rights. I have been wondering about an aeroplane theme, especially having been incarcerated in one for 24 hours last week… But the Beastie Boys sleeve made me feel quite wobbly, so I might wait until I’ve safely flown home!
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Virgin Killer I assume?
I got crap for using the Love at First Sting cover in a class presentation about censorship. But I think I made my point too!
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I’ve really enjoyed this wee series, Bruce. A fine bunch to bring the curtain down (for now!).
… planes, eh? Go on!
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I am so happy to see Drive by Bela Fleck on the list! I just adore this album. Loved the series and the album covers.
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Thank you very much, Ms C Owl. It was fun rolling with this theme!
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You’ve created a monster!
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With your help, mate.
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When you mentioned this a few blogs back, the only contender I could find in my collection was Sweet Revenge by John Prine (http://www.discogs.com/John-Prine-Sweet-Revenge/master/133500). Now I’m not sure the picture of a dude IN a car counts but it still got me thinking. Thanks!
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Of course you realise that I make up the rules to suit the set of covers. 😉
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As long as the 10 covers series continues!
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Rest easy, Geoff ol’ buddy. Next up is a series of album postcards from the UK!
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Crisis averted!
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[…] 2) I did want to promote an article written by Bruce Jenkins on his Vinyl Connection site regarding album covers featuring images taken inside automobiles. Looking to follow up a couple of earlier postings he did built around covers that used photos or drawings of cars on the cover – a very popular motif used throughout the modern rock era – Bruce sharpened his focus and brought us inside, letting us look out the windshields and side windows of records by Pennywise, Bela Fleck, Mars Volta and several others. Not sure if he’s done an article on covers featuring motorcycles and scooters (Meatloaf, Hendrix, The Who and others come to mind) but, if not, here’s your next assignment – https://vinylconnection.com.au/2015/08/18/7-car-covers-from-the-inside/ […]
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[…] Inside the car (from a suggestion by Victim of the Fury) […]
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Found another: jimmy Messina One More Mile.
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Yes indeed. Nice one. [Link]
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[…] 8 CAR COVERS – FROM THE INSIDE […]
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