Great albums in bad or inappropriate cover art

[Sunlight Caller]

I heard Storm Thirgeson give a lecture about his covers, he was pretty whacked out at the time, a very strange chap! The obelisk I had always envisaged in Presence was explained as just a black void, thus nothing was there, they were holes cut into the photos, so it was all a lame pun. Still a crappy cover I agree. I love Hoses Of The Holy though.

The Blind Faith cover came from a different time, when our national bogeyman was not that every other person was deviant. Viewed through today's eyes it is seen as inappropriate. I read an interview with the model last year, she is proud of it still.

I hated the original cartoon Appetite For Destruction cover, really inappropriate, but then metal covers can be pretty awful and mysogenistic.

[Oreb]

All I'm saying is that it is not considered inappropriate in all parts of the world.

True enough - it's no doubt pretty popular in whatever part of the world Roman Polanski happens to find himself.

[Oreb]

PFM - Chocolate Kings

Which one? The choclate bar in the US flag wrapper or the one with the obese Marilyn Monroe?

[Mr Class & Quality?]

I heard Storm Thirgeson give a lecture about his covers, he was pretty whacked out at the time, a very strange chap! The obelisk I had always envisaged in Presence was explained as just a black void, thus nothing was there, they were holes cut into the photos, so it was all a lame pun. Still a crappy cover I agree. I love Hoses Of The Holy though.

I love Hoses of the Holy too.

[Vic2012]

I'm not so sure about that. Not all countries are as hung up about nudity as the US.

I'm afraid I have to agree with this. It's our puritanical heritage. Today you can't have naked children running around on beaches (here in the US) because so many perverts, and sickos are going around taking pictures randomly with there smartphones. This wasn't the case 50 years ago, obviously. But, I'd rather be over cautious and hung up about it than have the opposite extreme. I've seen European tourists on Miami Beach going topless and their kids are running around nekkid. Who am I to judge them? Who the fuck are we (Americans) to judge them. Anyway ...

The first time I saw the cover of the Blind Faith album I ust've been 10-12 years old. I wasn't shocked by the fact that a 12 year old girl was naked on the cover, I was just surprised that they actually displayed the album cover in full view at the store (Woolworth's). And being the inquisitive sort at that age, I kept wondering why this girl was holding a jet, an airplane, or whatever that thing is.

[jkelman]

Today you can't have naked children running around on beaches (here in the US) because so many perverts, and sickos are going around taking pictures randomly with there smartphones.

True, but they were around...just not technologically enabled. Pedophilia is, sadly, nothing new...it's just more visible.

As open as I am, I always felt that BF cover to be just a little creepy. Yes, there are nude beaches around the world (I've been to one...a strange, surreal experience for someone not used to it), and yes'm there should be nothing creepy about it....but, sadly, that's the world we live in...and while I get the point of the cover, I just don't think it trumps the creep factor. Sorry!

[Jymbot]

Uriah Heep - Salisbury( though it's arguable great)

Which cover, UK orig or North American?

[Musitron]

Genesis - Duke

Drawn by a five year old attempting Zippy the Pinhead.

So the cover art is appropriate to the content

[Trane]

I think it's pretty inappropriate to use a young, nude girl to sell an album - no matter what country you're from.


And I'm far from a prude.

Hey, it was the 70's and not everyone thought about paedophilia back then (though I'm sure it occured as mucgh as today)

While I don't think Virgin Killer was really apropriate (even back then), I have no problem with Blind Faith or HotH (nudity =/= sexual exploitation, unless you're predisposed to it or hung up)

And I've got no problems with Electric Ladyland (though I still don't find most attractive at all) and that Boxer album (with the qstrategically-placed glove) either...

Nobody has mentioned those trashy-exploitation Flash albums or Montrose's Jump On It...I find those much less apropriate than BF or HotH... because they induce a sexual intention in the first case, while I don't see any in the latter two

[Trane]

I'm afraid I have to agree with this. It's our puritanical heritage. Today you can't have naked children running around on beaches (here in the US) because so many perverts, and sickos are going around taking pictures randomly with there smartphones. This wasn't the case 50 years ago, obviously. But, I'd rather be over cautious and hung up about it than have the opposite extreme. I've seen European tourists on Miami Beach going topless and their kids are running around nekkid. Who am I to judge them? Who the fuck are we (Americans) to judge them. Anyway ...

The first time I saw the cover of the Blind Faith album I ust've been 10-12 years old. I wasn't shocked by the fact that a 12 year old girl was naked on the cover, I was just surprised that they actually displayed the album cover in full view at the store (Woolworth's). And being the inquisitive sort at that age, I kept wondering why this girl was holding a jet, an airplane, or whatever that thing is.

although I'm not really comfortable with my own nudity in public, I've got no hang-ups if others openly display theirs (unless it's really hideous).

But in the case of Europeans on Florida beaches, it's a bit about respecting the general customs of the place you're visiting >> Although i'm not for imposing puritan rules, just to protect some tight-assed prude either, there is a fine line not to cross... and respecting the laws if there are any re: beach nudity... >> look at Rio De J's beaches

True, but they were around...just not technologically enabled. Pedophilia is, sadly, nothing new...it's just more visible.

Well the rise of intenet certainly helped it out a lot, and those ever-present phone/cameras are a bloody pain in the butt... Ok, it can be useful in case of emergency, but most of all it's about the loss of your own right to your image...

But we're digressing...

[Scott Bails]

I have no problem with Blind Faith (nudity =/= sexual exploitation, unless you're predisposed or hung up)

Totally agree, except that I draw the line with children.

[bRETT]

True, 'cept the original Blind Faith cover showed a (very) underage girl.

Youth, innocence, possibility (the airplane) = Blind faith. Seemed pretty appropriate.

Here she is at age 50:
http://alicevioleta.blogspot.com/201...a-goschen.html

[gregory]

Black Sabbath - Sabotage

Attachment 316

Yeah? I like this cover a lot. Funny. Magrittian mirror trick is not bad idea.

[Musitron]

White Album?

[Dave (in MA)]

Yeah? I like this cover a lot. Funny. Magrittian mirror trick is not bad idea.

I think the main problem is the Ward and Osbourne outfits.

[Musitron]

In Québec, that album by Plume was very popular in 70's. Can you beleive a cover like that?

6712043.jpg

[bRETT]

My least favorite prog-related cover is Alan Parsons Project's Eve-- Really ugly and misogynistic, but so are a lot of the lyrics on that album. Definitely a strange one.

[mellotron storm]

Guru Guru's Hinten album cover is disturbing and funny. Maybe Krautrock's answer to Yes' Going For The One cover.

[JeffCarney]

/thread

[gregory]

Which one? The choclate bar in the US flag wrapper or the one with the obese Marilyn Monroe?

Both covers are pretty ugly, IMO.

[gregory]

Which cover, UK orig or North American?

The one with tank. Never liked it. And the album itself is rather weak.

[gregory]

I think the main problem is the Ward and Osbourne outfits.

I see no problem with their gear. They both look very cool. I don't care for Ward's wife's red tights - looks good, and it doesn't frustrate me absolutely

[gregory]

Youth, innocence, possibility (the airplane) = Blind faith. Seemed pretty appropriate.

Nothing wrong with this, sure, but I'm indifferent to this cover. Just one of many covers. The album is great, I adore it.

[JKL2000]

Not a great album, and not inappropriate cover art, but really bad cover art - I was just looking at this in my collection: Pink Floyd's "Is There Anybody Out There?" Who the heck came up with that concept?

[Zeuhlmate]

I dont know if this is a GREAT album, but its o.k., and this is just the back of the cover, but it is rather up front seen in the light of the present times immidiate associations. Muck Grohbian Muckefuck - the title of the album is probably also disturbing.
Muckback1.jpg