Category: Artwork

Artwork

The Story Behind The Sleeve #14: Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Having conceived the artwork for debut album On Avery Island himself, Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum called in a previous offer of help from R.E.M. and Green Day sleeve designer Chris Bilheimer for this 1998 follow-up. Remaining heavily involved, Mangum wanted “turn-of-the-century, penny arcade kind of imagery”, had a postcard he wanted to use, and had already commissioned some illustrations, which ended up inside the … Continue reading The Story Behind The Sleeve #14: Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

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Artwork

The Story Behind The Sleeve #12: Parliament – Motor Booty Affair

Parliament’s 1978 concept album about raising Atlantis through the power of funk deserved a cover to match the inspired lunacy of its content; and it was up to Detroit’s Overton Loyd to duly oblige. This was the artist’s first album cover for the band, although he had illustrated a comic book included with its 1977 predecessor, Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome, which introduced the funky … Continue reading The Story Behind The Sleeve #12: Parliament – Motor Booty Affair

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Artwork, Reviews

Six Of The Best: Vinyl Art

Long Live Vinyl presents a selection of vinyl-related artwork to hang on the walls of your listening room, your kitchen, your living room, your bathroom… 1. FRED BIRCHAL DESIGN/ART Price from £80 fredbirchal.com     Brazilian artist Fred Birchal’s Music Costumes series depicts famous musical legends, minus, well, the famous musical legends… the focus is on their outfits. Birchal’s range includes illustrations of Prince, Bob … Continue reading Six Of The Best: Vinyl Art

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Artwork

The Story Behind The Sleeve #5: The Who – The Who Sell Out

The cover of this 1967 concept album was designed by David King and Roger Law and shot by New York photographer David Montgomery. Divided into panels, its front features Pete Townshend applying a giant stick of imaginary deodorant brand Odorono and Roger Daltrey sitting back to enjoy a bath filled with baked beans, referencing the track Heinz Baked Beans. The reverse of the sleeve depicts Keith Moon … Continue reading The Story Behind The Sleeve #5: The Who – The Who Sell Out

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The Velvet Underground & Nico
Artwork

Classic Covers: Craig Braun

He created The Velvet Underground’s iconic banana sleeve and co-created The Rolling Stones’ infamous logo, but that’s just the start of Craig Braun’s catalogue of iconic album sleeve designs. Here are seven of his most famous designs Sticky Fingers The Rolling Stones (1971) “I realised the vinyl needed an additional panel to fold under the front, to protect the vinyl from the back of the … Continue reading Classic Covers: Craig Braun

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Craig Braun
Artwork

The Braun Legacy: Craig Braun

He worked with Andy Warhol, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, created the famous Velvet Underground banana sleeve and co-designed The Rolling Stones’ tongue and lips logo. Long Live Vinyl meets Craig Braun in New York to discuss a seismic career… Craig Braun is a singular artist, who helped transform the album sleeve from humble vinyl vessel to an interactive experience. Neither purely a graphic designer … Continue reading The Braun Legacy: Craig Braun

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Artwork

Alice Cooper’s School’s Out – The Story Behind The Sleeve

The cover of Alice Cooper’s fifth studio album, released in 1972, was a work of inspiration by Craig Braun, also the creator of The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers zipper sleeve. The sleeve opens out like the wooden school desk depicted in its main image, which was shot by New York photographer Robert Otter. Inside the original version, the record was wrapped in a pair of … Continue reading Alice Cooper’s School’s Out – The Story Behind The Sleeve

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Artwork

Björk’s Post – The Story Behind The Sleeve

Both the title and the sleeve art for Björk’s second post-Sugarcubes album, released in 1995 on One Little Indian, are a love letter to the singer’s homeland. While Debut was written in Iceland, Post refers to her move to England and sense of longing for her family and friends. The name is also a reference to the daily letters Björk sent home, and there are … Continue reading Björk’s Post – The Story Behind The Sleeve

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Artwork

Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal – The Essential Covers

To complement our interview with the legendary Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal we take a look at 8 essential covers from his back catalogue… Guess Who – BB King 1972 O’Neal brought the blues legend to ground zero, flat on his back. You can’t get more salt-of-the-earth than this shot: “We rented a car and picked him up at the Aladdin Hotel in Vegas,” remembers O’Neal. “He was a Southern gentleman. … Continue reading Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal – The Essential Covers

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Artwork

The Mothers Of Invention’s …Money – The Story Behind The Sleeve

Shot by Blonde On Blonde photographer Jerry Schatzberg, the cover for this 1968 album by Frank Zappa – the godfather of experimental psychedelic rock – was an obvious parody of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sleeve from the previous year. With Jimi Hendrix appearing on the right of the sleeve, near to Zappa wearing a miniskirt, it mocked the Flower Power generation, … Continue reading The Mothers Of Invention’s …Money – The Story Behind The Sleeve

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