Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Album Cover Art

We are moving right along with the Gigwise.com look at the most controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers as complied by their staff. Let's explore what they have at number 15:

Controversial


15. Jane's Addiction: ‘Ritual de lo Habitual’ – Jane's Addiction's second studio album, was released on August 21, 1990 on Warner Brothers. It was the band's final album before their first break up in 1991. Singles from the album include "Been Caught Stealing" and "Stop!".

Two versions of the disc packaging were created: one cover featured artwork by singer Perry Farrell, related to the song "Three Days" and including male and female nudity; the other cover has been called the "clean cover", and features only black text on a white background, listing the band name, album name, and the text of the First Amendment (the "freedom of speech" amendment) of the U.S. Constitution (although it's inaccurately titled "Article 1" which is the section of the Constitution creating the legislative branch). The back cover of the "clean cover" also contains the text "Hitler's syphilis-ridden dreams almost came true. How could it happen? By taking control of the media. An entire country was led by a lunatic... We must protect our First Amendment, before sick dreams become law. Nobody made fun of Hitler??!" The "clean cover" was created so the CD could be distributed in stores such as Wal-Mart who refused to stock items with nudity on the front cover.

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Weird


15. Marilyn Manson: 'Mechanical Animals' The controversial album cover has won critical acclaim and numerous awards. The infamous photo is the brainchild of long-time Manson photographer Joseph Cultice, of New York City. Contrary to popular internet rumours, the band leader, Manson, did not undergo any plastic surgery for this androgynous, alien look. The breasts are prosthetic, manufactured specially by George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. Interestingly, Manson has stated in interviews that Johnny Depp is the current owner of these prosthetic breasts, while Manson himself owns Johnny's strawberry-blonde wig worn in the film Blow. Manson is in reality, naked, and covered head to toe in latex paint, provided by the same movie make-up company. His genitalia are covered by a thin cup of plastic to create the androgynous appearance of the alien figure he calls Omega. I have a feeling we'll see more from this character and from Manson.

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Worst


15. Millie Jackson – ‘Back To The Shit’ We have seen this cover before on the Gigwise list. Why they chose to add it here I am not sure. But, I guess we all wanted to see a pop diva on the can trying to have a movement of sorts. Enough said.





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Best


15. The Rolling Stones: ‘Sticky Fingers’ I agree, this is a great cover. Sticky Fingers is an album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in April 1971. It is the band's first release on the band's newly-formed label, Rolling Stones Records, after having been contracted since 1963 with Decca Records in the UK and London Records in the US. It is also Mick Taylor's first full-length appearance on a Rolling Stones album.

The artwork for Sticky Fingers - which features a working zipper that opened to reveal a man in cotton briefs (rubber stamped "THIS PHOTOGRAPH MAY NOT BE-ETC.") - was conceived by American pop artist Andy Warhol, photographed by Billy Name and designed by John Pasche. The cover features the lower torso of either Warhol assistant Jed Johnson or Joe Dallesandro in a pair of tight jeans. After retailers complained that the zipper was causing damage to the vinyl (from stacked shipments of the record), the zipper was "unzipped" slightly to the middle of the record, where damage would be minimized. The album features the first usage of the "Tongue and Lip Design" designed by John Pasche.

In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Sticky Fingers the "No.1 Greatest Album Cover" of all time. In 2003, Sticky Fingers was listed as number 63 on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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