Category ART AND ABOUT
ERUPTION DOWNUNDER
As has been related elsewhere, I met Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep and assorted seventies noise-makers in Rod Amberton’s bedroom. I also encountered a band less well-known outside these sunburned shores: the hard riffing Sydney band, Buffalo. Buffalo’s first two albums were popular amongst teenage boys of a certain age, and although I managed to find […]
VERTICAL PURPLE
The quest to unearth further 60s vertical gatefold album covers produced many nominations of 70s covers that do indeed open up in ‘portrait’ format, but only one addition from Sixties-land. The LP was the third Deep Purple release, their self-titled record from 1969. Many thanks to Arterrorist for the reminder. I say that because the CD […]
VERTICAL HOLD
There are plenty of books on album cover art on the Vinyl Connection bookshelves, but none of them could tell me which record had the glory of being the first gatefold pop/rock album. Everyone knows Sgt Pepper was the first LP to have the song lyrics on the cover—the back, incidentally, not inside in the […]
ANOTHER DAYBREAK (ART ON YOUR SLEEVE #4.1)
In a recent post, blog friend JDB of Augenblick introduced the famous Maxfield Parrish painting ‘Daybreak’ and we looked at a 1984 record by Dali’s Car that borrowed it for the cover. Here are two further eighties album covers inspired by Parrish’s iconic painting. BOBBY WOMACK — SO MANY RIVERS [1985] Bobby Womack was a […]
ART ON YOUR SLEEVE #4 − “DAYBREAK”
Some time back (2015, actually), Vinyl Connection was delighted to have fellow blogger JDB of Augenblick contribute to a series about fine art on album covers called Art On Your Sleeve. After something of a hiatus, we’re back with edition #4 and the world’s most famous poster. (No, not the one of the girl tennis […]
8 AUSSIE ALBUM COVERS — PART 2
SMOKE AND MIRRORS Ariel — Rock ’n’ Roll Scars [1975] The Saints — (I’m) Stranded [1977] Carson — On the Air [1973] Skyhooks — Ego Is Not A Dirty Word [1975] Coloured Balls — Ball Power [1973] INXS — The Swing [1984] Kush — Snow White and the Eight Straights [1974] Dave Warner — Mug’s […]
8 AUSSIE ALBUM COVERS — PART 1
A SENSE OF PLACE 1. Ayers Rock — Big Red Rock 2. Goanna — Spirit of Place 3. Yothu Yindi — Tribal Voice 4. Andrew Richardson — Expanse 5. Cold Chisel — Circus Animals 6. Midnight Oil — Diesel and Dust 7. Australian Crawl – The Boys Light Up 8. John Sangster — Lord of […]
MARS NEEDS GUITARS
It has been quite a while since there’s been an album cover post. So here is a six-pack of six-string instruments from the VC holding, each gee-tar dominating its sleeve. Few humans (or Martians) in sight (other than Robby’s disturbingly disembodied hands and the mortal remains of Mr Be-Bop). THE ALBUMS Chuck Berry – Rockit […]
INNER RADIANCE
Edward Larry Gordon was a part-time actor and occasional zither player who supplemented his thespian income by busking in New York. In possibly one of the finest synchronicities in popular music, Brian Eno—in the Big Apple to work with avant-garde trumpeter Jon Hassell—placed a note in the busking Larry’s hat that read, ‘Would you like […]
WORLD RECORD AUSSIE CHRISTMAS
Friends of Vinyl Connection will know of the interest we have in the Australian World Record Club for its marvellous album cover designs of the sixties and early seventies. I want to share with you one of my favourites, acquired recently from Mrs Helen Cameron of Keilor Park (via my local Op Shop). Picking up […]
ARE YOU THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE?
It opens with a delicate piano piece, an ambient overture. “The struggle of the magicians, part three”. Credited to composer Thomas De Hartmann and mystic cum guru Gurdjieff (1866 – 1949), this is a lovely neo-classical piece that seduces with a gently pastoral beauty suggesting the magicians aren’t straining too hard. Next is a wispy […]
VARIOUS ARTISTS GO DECADE DIVING
1957 Folk, Pops ‘n Jazz Sampler [Elektra SMP-3] Country tunes rub shoulders with calypso jazz in this time capsule from the early days of long-playing records, when tracks were known as ‘Bands’ and the previous volume was available for $2 from your dealer. At $17.50 in today’s money, that seems quite expensive. Love the album […]
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