Favourite "Prog" Cover Art

This is a link to Citizen Cain's Art work page from their albums

http://www.xcain.freeserve.co.uk/artwork.htm

http://www.xcain.freeserve.co.uk

It's a toss up between Yes' Relayer or Tales, then Floyd's The Division Bell or Saucerful of Secrets.

I also like the Wake of Poseiden and I always had a soft spot for Mr Parson's Pyramid.

Gaston 

Look at my logo

 

Though not quite there with many of those listed previously, take a look at the frontispiece (is that the right term?) of Holdsworth's "16 Men Of Tain". Drawn by the multi-talented Mark Gleed (aka Mark Lauren, leader/keyboardist/vocalist of one the great forgotten US prog bands of the 80's, Soma), he has not done the obvious, in avoiding the cliche image the 16 men are normally associated with, i.e. a great Scotch single malt. Mark, as the albums "Art Director"  puts the whole of the artwork together in a sophisticated way , so there is a feel of the whole coming together as the insert is folded out - although I'm disappointed by the liner notes. You should see the insert for the cassette version.

The Glatonbury Fayre triple vinyl set has to be among the ultimate; it had a clear plastic, printed cover, a DIY pyramid and loads of other goodies - and it unfolded into a 3ft x 2ft wonder!

Ogden's Nut Gone also came in a plastic sleeve with central press-stud to help keep the four round parts of the sleeve together - they were only held together by a 2inch hinge!

Also worthy of note is Hawkwind's "In Search Of Space" (zigzag opening and log book) and "Warrior on the Edge of Time" (opens into a giant shield), the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" (with real working zipper) and "Satanic Majesties Request" with 3d cover and maze. The Stranglers' "Raven" also had an amazing 3d cover. Andy Warhol designed some amazing covers apart from "Sticky Fingers" - the Velvet Underground's "Nico" LP had a cover featuring a peelable banana.

Led Zep III had a revolving wheel embedded in the cover, Focus' "At the Rainbow" is just odd (opening theatre doors), as is Gentle Giant's "Octopus" (kinda jar-shaped). Black Sabbath's "Master of Reality" came in a wierd box that got crushed as soon as look at it, and Status Quo's "From the Makers Of" came in a round metal tin - like PiL's "Metal Box". Motorhead's "No Remorse" was issued in a leather sleeve, and the Who's Live at Leeds came in a kind of brown paper bag, with all manner of letters and invoices included. Led Zep went OTT with "In Through the Out Door", which was made available in 6 slightly different covers (and brown paper bags), with identifying letters A-F and an inner sleeve that changed colour when it came into contact with water.

Even the Beatles had one amazing cover - the American only release "Yesterday and Today". The cover was censored immediately, and another pasted over the top of it, as it depicted the fab four dressed as butchers and covered in blood whilst manhandling baby parts (dolls! - it was supposed to be funny!).

You don't get this with CDs, although I did get a copy of "Steam" by Peter Gabriel in a very very odd container (kinda church steeple-shaped, with hinged doors and protective cardboard sleeve), and the singles that were released from Metallica's "Metallica" album had a box which would contain the full set - which was nice, if you could find it!

Even cassettes had the treatment - Motorhead's "No Remorse" was issued in a leather cigarette packet - an idea stolen by Oasis for "Cigarettes and Alcohol".

But my fave, from a purely illustration art point of view, is the cover to the "Am I Evil" album, by Diamond Head

...there are so many!

/useless trivia dump

Edited by Certif1ed

"Bark" - cheers!

Soft Machine first studio LP had a gatefold cover with a revolving disc to represent moving cogs  - as ripped off by Led Zeppelin 3(?).

And wasn't one of the Edgar Broughton Band  album covers made up of a lattice work of cardboard - tore and fell apart quite easily.

And then there is the UK issue, gatefold sleeve for Hendrix's "Electricladyland" - a non-erotic group picture of some nude women. Not as risque as the sleeves for  Flash's first two albums.

And I'm still try to figure out why the album sleeve of my first Led Zeppelin album cover has turquoise print rather than the lubsequent long term artwork in  orange - but pleased to see somebody is willing to pay 200 quid for such a thing - but can't play the cover.

In passing is there any market for sleeves alone - I have America's first prog band Touch's sleeve for their UK version LP (different type of gatefold  than that for the original American) with the giveaway poster. And a group signed cover by 10 Years After.........................

And the most boring covers?  I suggest the very first Yes album cover - both the original UK or American versions.

After considerable consideration and contemplation of your offer : no (4 seconds actually).

There is some berk with money to waste out there ....... I can get something like 25 CD copies of Led Zeppelin 1 for what is on offer, but that would be right daft. It is a bit strange because my 4 year old  secondhand  record catalogue quotes no more than 10 quid too.

OK, my all time fav album cover art was the Hipgnosis cover from the British acid rock/proto-prog group COCHISE.

I really shouldn't post the artwork here so I'll just toss in a link.

http://www.sound.jp/hipgnosis/yapoohtml/hip/COCHISE_1970_227 .html

Yet another vote for Peter Cross' artwork: Anthony Phillips' albums are real eye candy, especially 'Wise After the Event'.   Ever noticed how some of these images (or parts of them) show up on different Phillips albums? Great stuff!