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Ah, the lost art of album covers
... Blame the wife Yes, if you're under 30 and count yourself as a member of the CD, mini disc, or MP-3 generation, I'm talking about those 12" x 12" pieces of cardboard that helped protect record that your parents or older siblings played on the family turntable (remember that piece of equipment?). To anyone under 30 an LP is probably as obsolete as a push lawnmower, or leaded gas. Still, no matter what your feelings on analog (LP) versus digital sound quality, you have to admit there's something magical about holding an album cover in your hands. Not only were album covers a great marketing tool (anyone out there ever buy an album just for the cover?), but they were large enough to use as a fan. Album covers could occasionally be informative (witness there's a Grammy award for liner notes). Album covers could be thought provoking; even daring, risque and provocative. Besides, want to talk about practical uses? Gawd only knows how many folks decorated dorms and apartments with album covers. It was also nice being able to read liner notes and enjoy the cover art without using a magnifying glass. (I've always wondered if optometrists had something to do with selecting the microdot font used on most CDs.) Enough, I'm starting to ramble. So what makes for a "cool" album cover? Anytime you ask people for an opinion you run into the old adage: "Opinions are like a**holes. Everyone has one and they think their's is great." That's certainly the case with regard to "cool" album covers. While I'm far from the world's most avid researcher, I know of at least a half dozen books already exist on the subject - see there are people out there who are as anal, if not more so than I am ! To see some of these readily available references, click on the attached link: So what do I have to offer to this vital area of research? Actually, if you look at it with a critical eye, probably not much. I don't have an art degree; I'm not particularly creative or artistic (though I have been called autistic) and I'm not in the music business. On the other hand, I have a long standing love of music and I have a garage cluttered with scores of music-oriented books and references, as well as some 35,000 albums. Add to that my wife made the mistake of showing me how to use a digital camera and imaging software. Bottom line, my picks in terms of "cool" album covers are probably as good as anyone else's. Besides, I set up the site, so I get to make the picks ! Of course criticism, comments and suggestions are always welcome. So how are these images arranged? Their sorted in a somewhat haphazard alphabetical listing by artist (A's, AC/DC, Ace's Combo, etc.). I know the order isn't perfect, but so what. One last comment. Remember there's absolutely no relationship between a cool cover and a great record. I'm sure each of you can think of dozens of examples that underscore the point !!! Regardless, here's are a pair of examples ...
So is there a lesson here? Clearly never judge a record by it's cover. Enough commentary, on with the 50 or so covers I've selected (to this point).
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for
my sudden interest in the subject.
She gave me a turntable for Christmas and that
got me thinking about how much I miss the covers that adorned those old
LPs. (She's also been willing to put up with my bizarre desire
to collect old vinyl.)
