so,,funny!!! the first music i ever acquired was that Black Sabbath 8-track given to me by my uncle at the ripe age of 8.. that cover used to freak me out too!!!!
NEW WAVE BUFF?? Bert, that cover art for The Joy Division album was designed by Peter Saville--this f'kin ' guy is a visionary! Captured that gloomy/industrial feel of J Divisions sound. At some point, he had this concept of mixing contemporary images with neo-classical images as seen in New Order's "Technique" and "Power, Corruption and Lies" albums. Aside from JD's cover album arts, Saville was also responsible for all the New Order album cover art.
Indeed, one of the design geniuses to come out of OG punk/postpunk/New Wave to go on to international recognition as one of the most influential graphic designers in the world. Does anyone remember the original 12" single of New Order's "Blue Monday?" It was designed to mock an old floppy disc. Brilliant design of the sort that I was thinking of earlier when I said that some album art just doesn't translate to other formats. The original Joy Division covers were similar in that they used beautifully textured cover stock and high quality printing that didn't survive translation to CD cover. In a way, there was sometimes an excess of good design in the 80s. I'm thinking especially of the very fine work by people like Vaughn Oliver, associated mostly with the 4AD label. Much of the music on that label came with exceptionally beautiful covers, but mediocre music inside. Exceptions were bands like Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and the This Mortal Coil project, for whom that beautiful style was perfect. I guess it served Pixies and Bauhaus well too.
...on the other hand, I really loved do-it-yourself pre-lowbrow proto-punk album covers like these back in the day. Perfect for the music, anti-slick in aesthetic. Anyone remember Hipgnosis? As I recall Peter Christopherson of Throbbing Gristle and Coil was a member of that team, and was the concept artist and photographer for the unforgettable Pink Floyd "Animals" cover.
for some reason, google image search isn't working for me but anyway i have a stack: leeway - born to expire. joy division - unknown pleasures. bad brains - s/t. jesu - lifeline. gza - liquid swords. this will destroy you - young mountain. the geto boys - s/t. jawbreaker - unfun. menomena - friend and foe. shook ones - sixteen. my bloody valentine - loveless. m83 - dead cities, red seas and lost ghosts. belle & sebastian - if you're feeling sinister. ai otsuka - love piece. supertouch - the earth is flat. american nightmare - we're down till we're underground.
I don't know how to post pics cause I'm a little lazy..but DEVO takes my vote too... But for their 2nd album...Duty Now for the Future... amazing album cover. a close second would have to be Beefheart's Troutmaskreplica.
