Favorite Album artwork and packaging

Notorious

I've always thought Rage Against the Machine's first album, which is just called after the bands name, has a pretty striking cover. Its the famous photo of the Buddhist monk burning himself alive while sitting on the ground cross-legged.



Steve Vai's "Passion and Warfare", has a pretty cool cover. You've really got to look at it properly just to take it all in.

DublinWriter

Beanstalk wrote: »

Cool topic for a thesis, if your not focusing specifically on cd's then check out the old vinyl cover for Led Zeppeln III. It has a wheel inside that moves and changes the album cover slightly each time, it's a fantastic and very original idea!

Yes, if you were on acid somewhere circa 1972.

I hate all those Hipgnosis/Roger Dean designed LP covers.

stovelid

Dudess

Wow stovelid, that's HUGE!! I've never seen one that size before...!
Edit: Oh it's gone, thus rendering my "hilarious" double entendre useless...

stovelid

Dudess wrote: »

Wow stovelid, that's HUGE!! I've never seen one that size before...!
Edit: Oh it's gone, thus rendering my "hilarious" double entendre useless...

grumpytrousers

noby wrote: »

For more novelty value, Spiritualized's 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space' came in a medicine box, like an Asprin box, and the cd inside was in a blister pack, with dosage instructions included.

Actually that came in two versions - the one you describe which was a single CD in a blister pack, but there was also one that came as a bigger box 2 3x2 blister packs and similar dosage instructions.

Hermy

Some covers I like:

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King ©1969


Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch ©1964


Frank Zappa - Grand Wazoo ©1972

IanCurtis

For artwork, I love this one - The Beastie Boys, Licensed to ill:



For packaging, Oasis singles was quite clever, if a little childish :

Exit

Dudess wrote: »

Wow stovelid, that's HUGE!! I've never seen one that size before...!
Edit: Oh it's gone, thus rendering my "hilarious" double entendre useless...

It looks like you're talking about the banana!

I loved that Oasis box set. Great idea.

I really, really like the packaging for Damien Rice's O. It's made to look like a book with a fabric type cover. It's probably my favourite packaging ever.

Never Mind The Bollocks... is great too, as was the cover of the God Save The Queen single.

Kaiser_Sma

'Slow riot for new zero kanada' and 'Yanqui U.X.O.' by Godspeed you black emperor. Alot of their other albums (silver mount zion's too) had nice inventive album work, definently adds a bit of a visual que to the music.

I can't find a picture of all the sides anymore.

popetony

thanks for all the comments guys.....just to clarify...im writing my thesis now and this thread has really helped me out greatly...keep all your opinions coming.....some of the artwork shown is wonderful so far...thanks alot people!!!:)

'Ol Jack Chance

A few of mine: Bringing It All Back Home



Small Change, sums up the mood of the album perfectly



Exile on Main Street



Rum Sodomy and the Lash



Neon Bible, the whole packaging of this album is really cool

AdMMM

Predator - Easy Prey

Nailz

Nothing as cool as the Great Southern Trendkill....



Whoracle, very detailed...


Another kickass Eddie with Caught Somewhere In Time...


And I'll finish this batch off with Christ Illusion by Slayer, which so happens to be banned in Ireland. (I may aswell show you the crappy Irish version too)

Malice

Nailz wrote: »

Christ Illusion by Slayer, which so happens to be banned in Ireland.

Apologies for going off-topic but I'm curious as to why it's banned here. Any ideas?

Nailz

malice_ wrote: »

Apologies for going off-topic but I'm curious as to why it's banned here. Any ideas?

Because the people who ban them are a bunch of oversencitive morons who'd get offened if a man wore a hat to mass!! I'm Catholic (not a good one), but ffs some people should cop on and stop having the idea that everything should be made out of flowers and puppies!! In the time and age that we live in now people should let go of their staunch way of going on and fùcking loosin' their belt, it isn't 1980's Ireland anymore ladies and gentlemen! Why should they seriously give a fùck if a popular metal band decide to have Jesus (and a few other things ) on their album cover!?!

It could be worse... they could have had L. Ron Hubbard on it!

sparkzter

Hi there,

This album has some very interesting artwork- and is definetly worth a look the next time you are in HMV or Virgin. I think that if you really look into the story and concept behind the album it could very well be what you are looking for! Here is what Wiki has to say about it to start....

The booklet artwork loosely tells the album's story through a series of plates featuring medieval-style paintings and text presented in a printing press font created by Vasily Kafanov. The heavily symbolic artwork references the subjects of alchemy, chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, spiritualism, and art. "I of the Mourning" is the only release from the album that did not include cover art by Vasily Kafanov. The album was nominated for a 2001 Grammy for Best Recording Package. On page 20 of the booklet in the pictograph labelled: "Plate XII-IN ALL THINGS THE SYMBOLS REIGN SUPREME", there is a small circled number '5' with a '2' and '3' on either side, which correspondes to the date (May 23rd) of the annocement by Billy Corgan of the bands break up. This is significant because the album had already been released for months prior to the annoncement which may be a sign that the date had already been chosen for that specific purpose and may have been a clue to more observant fans.

Also, here is a link to a website that has the pictures from the album sleeve and some very detailed info! Let me know if this is the kind of thing that you are looking for if there is anything else I can help you with!

http://www.nachtkabarett.com/SmashingPumpkins/Machina

Good luck with your thesis!