TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I just realized that it was probably the original cover of L & L which got me into the tradition (along with the music of course).

For instance until I saw the photo of the Padstow Obby Oss on the cover, I'd never heard of it! And after I saw it I wasn't satisfied until I got to Padstow on May Day (managed it about 4 years later).

I know Ashley Hutchings once said there was a lot of magic in that cover, and I agree. Anybody else feel that way?

Cheers, Ed

(PS As I posted elsewhere, Bob Pegg did the drawings on the inside cover e.g. the Burry Man) 

Often with great albums, the cover has an integral role to play - it's a complete package. Like with Sgt Pepper. The cover of Liege and Lief fascinated me as a teenager, and I still get a buzz looking at it now.

I don't regret a lot about the demise of the LP - having to get up every 20 mins to turn the record over, scratches, etc - but I do regret the demise of the album cover.

I mean a good old gatefold cover had so much going for it.  A picture you could really see, information you could actually read.  A CD cover just isn't the same.  Can you imagine Pink Floyd or Yes (amongst others) album covers ever having been so inventive if they only had a CD size space to play with?

I wholeheartedly agree. I'm one of those who eagerly look for any tiny information about who plays what on each track and even though the information in the late 60´s wasn't as detailed as later, the LP cover could stretch the artistic value beyond the visual. If you understand what I mean.. :) :) :).
The L&L LP cover definitely has a magic to it. I've often wondered what made me pick up just that album when browsing through the "Recent arrivals" a cold December day in Gothenburgh....
Staffan

Does the Steeleye Span All Around  my hat CD cover do the same as the LP cover.  You know where you have to look at it from the side to see the band normally.  I loved that, but can you do it with the CD????

To a degree. The effect is nowhere near the same tho  :)

Totally agree. Let's face it, you'd never get an album cover like Sgt Pepper's or Disraeli Gears nowadays would you?

I agree wholeheartedly ...

There are so many classic album covers which just don't work on CD .... all of the Yes covers for starters, Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, Bowie's Aladdin Sane or Ziggy Stardust (front and back), Floyd's Dark Side, the Faces wonderful Ooh La La cover, the Stones Sticky Fingers all come to mind ... and was about to mention the Small Faces, Ogdens Nut Gone Flake as an example ... then saw the CD re-release at the weekend and it really is a tobaco tin!! (exception that maybe proves something)

And does the Beatles White Album work on CD!

Iron Maiden covers were never the same when they stopped being a square foot of artwork either...

Yeah Ogden's works a treat on CD.  I might even buy another copy of it to keep me tobacco in!

I loved all those novelty LP covers.  Other examples being The Wailer's Catch A Fire (a big zippo lighter), Led Zep III (with the rotating wheel), The Stones' Sticky Fingers (with the zip that put a dent in the back of my copy of Exile On Main Street filed next to it....hmmm...maybe I didn't like that one so much!)

There was an Alice Cooper LP with a free pair of paper panties!  There was a Durutti Column made of sandpaper - that was really hostile to the album filed next to it!

Loads of others.  Happy days!

Jules

   [;-)  Here is a good collection for anybody with time to browse:

    http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/cover_art_list.html

I've got one of those Durutti LPs - I keep it in a clear vinyl sleeve. And the 1st Faust LP in clear vinyl in a clear sleeve bearing an xray of a fist (faust). Never got the PIL Metal Box LP though; seen it in CD format, but apparently the bass (Mr Wobble) hasn't transferred from vinyl particularly well - pity, cos that was one of the major elements.

The Durutti Column sandpaper album 'The Return of the D..C..' has a book price of 35 quid without the flexi or 50 with...although they seem to go for more than that on eBay.  Great album and great design...

Another few album covers that looks rubbish on CD are ELP's Brain Salad Surgury and In The Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson.

What about the Stones Album cover that had a zip built in?

sticky fingers, it wrecked whatever was stacked next to it

In contrast to the clear sleeve and LP  of the first Faust Album cover Their second LP (SO Far) was totally black apart from a black LP shaped envelope which contained a series of prints of pictures - one for each track.

Then there was the Alice Cooper schools out LP with fold out desk and the paper knickers as an inner sleeve cover.  Wouldnt get thet with a CD

I must say I love the CD format of the latest Bellowhead with the intergrated booklet - high quality stuff.