Deviations from Select Albums 1: album cover design

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

9. The Clash - London Calling

On this image, the original album cover design was toned to sepia, processed with the extrude filter and posterized. The processed image is pasted at right. It was also stretched in order to plant the feet farther apart and thus make the destructive intent appear more resolute and forceful. The original was also toned to sepia, then reduced and pasted at the left over three rectangles joined together;

one of solid dark brown that outlines the horizon and two two-toned vertical rectangles of equal sizes with their lighter sides facing each other. I placed the smaller image a little bit

off centre in order to give an illusion of distance from, and emphasis to, the larger image. The reflections or shadows are left to the imagination of the viewer.

The processing with the extrude filter was really intended to make the image look shattered, influenced by, or as a result of, the guitar smashing.

To my delight, the guitar appears to be disintegrating; its pieces falling to the floor. The sepia tone also blends well with the pink and green.

Here's the original album cover art design.

No. 5, Entertainment Weekly, 100 Greatest Albums Ever; No. 8, Rolling Stone The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time; No. 9, Rate Your Music, The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time.

No. 4, Music Radar, The 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time; No. 39, Rolling Stone, The 100 Greatest Album Covers.

Design by Ray Lowry, photo by Pennie Smith. Album produced by Guy Stevens and Mick Jones. CBS 1979 (UK), Epic 1979 (US), Legacy 2005 (25th Anniversary).

The photo shows bassist Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision bass against the stage at The Palladium in New York City on September 21 1979. Pennie Smith,
who photographed the band for the album originally did not want the photo to be used. She thought that it was too out of focus, but (band member)
Joe Strummer and graphic designer Ray Lowry thought it would make a good album cover. In 2002, Strummer's photo was named the best
rock and roll photo of all time by Q magazine, commenting that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control." More

(A) London Calling - Brand New Cadillac - Jimmy Jazz - Hateful - Rudie Can't Fail

(B) Spanish Bombs - The Right Profile - Lost in the Supermarket - Clampdown - The Guns of Brixton

(D) Lover's Rock - Four Horsemen - I'm Not Down - Revolution Rock - Train in Vain

"London Calling" live from MadFranko008 on YouTube.

www.theclash.com

Previous: Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Angel Station

Next: The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street

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Sunday, April 5, 2015

8. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Angel Station

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Batman has been unmasked and gone topless. This - is the subject of the ongoing investigation.

The original album cover art design was doubled and one was positioned higher above the other so that the inspector may not find his way to our superhero who has taken the place of his briefs on the clothesline, and the butler, having tried, and failed, is now hesitating to even provide a clue. Just stand there, mister butler, and be ready to switch off the lights as soon as the winged mammal and the man start struggling with each other. You'll know it when you hear the echo of the sound of his cane bouncing down the stairs. And inspector, had you studied enough science before you planned to retire, you would have known that bats are blind but echoes work to their advantage. Stand ready, sir butler!

Here's the original album cover art design before the lights go out.

Photo by John Shaw, design by Martin Poole. Album produced by Anthony Moore and Manfred Mann. Bronze (UK), Warner Brothers (US), 1979.

Angel Station features a six-note descending theme in most of the songs on the album, woven into the context of each song in a different way. "Hollywood Town" and "You Are, I Am"
share a common tune and basic arrangement. They occupied almost identical positions on either side of the LP. The album has the air of an emotional and musical
crossword puzzle, or has affinities with the work of M. C. Escher, whose art is alluded to on the cover illustration. More

Relativity, lithograph by M. C. Escher, 1953.

(A) Don't Kill It Carol - You Angel You - Hollywood Town - "Belle" of the Earth - Platform End

(B) Angels at My Gate - You Are, I Am - Waiting for the Rain - Resurrection

"Don't Kill It Carol" live from fritz51349 on YouTube.