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When album covers were more than covers ...


beatleant

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I miss the acetate days when you'd sit and stare at the record cover for hours on end looking for meanings, hidden items, etc., while the disc spins at 33 1/3 rpm. Ah, the good 'ol days.

Anyway, it was on one of those nights that I happened to look at Boston's first album cover upside down. However, it all started when my Mom bought me "Sgt. Pepper." (The) covers can be so intriguing and yet to an extant, better than the music itself (although not in large numbers).

Sooooo, any other covers that you've happened to notice ??

Also for the 70's band "Angel", look at one of their albums upside down and look at the band name.

Here, look at this upside down ... now what does it say?

angsml.jpg

If you don't have the "Boston" album, just click this link and then look at it upside down --------> Boston Album Cover

:guitar:

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Sorry this is kind of small. I got it off their website.

album10.jpg

You can't really see it but every one of their earlier album covers is represented on the front and back of this album's jacket. I would just scan the front and back of the CD's liner notes but you can't attach images that way on these boards.

The original release of Led Zeppelin's "In through the out door" had an insert with a black and white drawing. Supposedly you could dab it with a wet sponge and colors would appear on the drawing. I didn't buy it until '82 or '83 so I missed out on the first release. Also, I've never seen this done and could be totally mistaken, but it sounds cool, doesn't it.

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The original release of Led Zeppelin's "In through the out door" had an insert with a black and white drawing. Supposedly you could dab it with a wet sponge and colors would appear on the drawing. I didn't buy it until '82 or '83 so I missed out on the first release. Also, I've never seen this done and could be totally mistaken, but it sounds cool, doesn't it.

Yeah, I heard about that. If not mistaken, I thought it was the album cover itself on a certain area. I'm pretty sure that Zep released '6' different covers for that album.

Here's another I just remembered ... it's not on the album cover but in Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", there's a pic of a cloth (red) in the air. If you look in it, you'll see part of a naked women. I have it downstairs (but too lazy to go down and tell you exactly where to look) but I have seen it.

Ant

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Yeah, I heard about that. If not mistaken, I thought it was the album cover itself on a certain area. I'm pretty sure that Zep released '6' different covers for that album.

Here's another I just remembered ... it's not on the album cover but in Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", there's a pic of a cloth (red) in the air. If you look in it, you'll see part of a naked women. I have it downstairs (but too lazy to go down and tell you exactly where to look) but I have seen it.

The picture on the back where the wizard-looking guy is standing on the mountain looking down on the city as the small guy climbs. That would make more sense than an insert. I've always wondered if it was true.

I pulled out the liner notes for "Wish you were here". There's two guys standing on a movie studio lot and one of them is on fire. On the back there is a guy with no face holding a record, and propping himself up on a suitcase. There is what looks like a red thing below the picture of the man. Inside by the lyrics is a black and white picture of a pond with trees and mountains in the distance. I'm not seeing it. It's still a cool cover.

I like the cover from "Momentary Lapse of Reason" with all the cots on the beach.

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There's an Alice Cooper album I have, it's pretty cool. It has these little miniature doors you can open. Sorry, can't think of the name of it right now.

"From the Inside" I think it is. I have that one.

If anyone has "No Code" by Pearl Jam on vinyl, you will be pleased to know that the days of great record covers are not lost. The LP cover folds out exactly the same as the CD with the four panels, but imagine it folding out to be 2 feet square with 12 inch postcards in the inner sleeve with lyrics on the back. Very cool stuff.

Not sure if you American guys had any releases on a label called Vertigo released in your country. I know you had the music, like Black Sabbath, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and really early 1970s prog rock stuff. But the labels on side 1 of the records pre-1974 was a full label sized blow-up of the record company logo with the full track list on a plain white label on side 2. I remember buying a second hand copy of Manfred Mann's Earth band's "Messin'" LP when I was 10 and Watching that label spin around on the turntable while listening to the music and having my head spin afterwards. Very cool!

Apparently (and my copy doesn't do this) but the original sleeve of "Stand Up" by Jethro Tull had a pop up fold-out sleeve. Recuts of the LP don't do that.

Although my copy of "Thick as a brick" (cost me a buck at the Salvation Army store!) is the full life size recreated newspaper. As beaten up as the record is (I have a CD to listen to the music on though) I am never parting with it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just remembered - well, it doesn't have to do with the cover but the actual record. I never owned it but an old friend had Styx's "Paradise Theatre."

When you held the record to an angle and against the light, you can see see the word 'Styx' and/or 'Paradise Theatre' in the groove.

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If you ... have the "Boston" album, .... look at it upside down

It turns from spaceships to guitars, which is a total classic.

boston1.jpg

My favorite unique album design in the past 10 years was Tool's Aenima album, which was a freaky 3D eye movement, it's the kind of originality that the art in music lately has failed to produce. Unfortunately I can't post a pic of it, because it requires it's cut grated cover for the effect.

:stars:

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My favorite unique album design in the past 10 years was Tool's Aenima album, which was a freaky 3D eye movement, it's the kind of originality that the art in music lately has failed to produce. Unfortunately I can't post a pic of it, because it requires it's cut grated cover for the effect.

:stars:

Years back, our local 'Blockbuster' store was selling off all their CDs for dirt cheap (they were not going to carry music anymore). I already owned 'Undertow' but never got around for 'Aenima' so here was a good chance. Lucky for me, they still had a couple available.

When I went up to the counter to purchase it, the guy (who was actually the manager) picked it up and kept staring, tilting, etc., you know gettin' the full effect. But he had no clue who 'Tool' was. One of the girls that also worked there heard and started to mock him for not knowing the band.

Anyway, you're right ... neat CD packaging. However, this is not the site to explain what you see in the inside ... you know, the band on the couch and that contortionist ... ::

:laughing:

Ant

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