Friday, May 20, 2011

COVERING ALBUMS

Delicacy & Nourishment
Over the years I've been hired to illustrate a number of album & CD covers for various clients & friends. Now that illustrated CD covers, like illustrated record album covers before them, are disappearing from existence, here's a look at all my record/CD covers, as well as some other album related items.

Most of these CD's are still available via amazon or on ebay,  and a number of images are included in my books  "The Fun Never Stops!" & "Too Soon?" (both Fantagraphics).

Ernest Noyes Brookings (above) was a resident of the Duplex Nursing home. This is his third collection of his words, set to music by various musicians, produced by David Greenberger for ESD records.

Turban Renewal
A 2 disc album tribute to the 60's band Sam The Sham & the Pharaohs, from Norton Records.
The early eighties soundtrack album from something called "Hippo Records" to the cult classic "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and an example of me being ripped -off (my artwork used without permission). Now how did they EVER think this would come out and escape my notice? Ironically, this would happen a second time, again involving Plan 9 (see below). In both cases, I was finally, fully  compensated.
My artwork was even used (without permission) on the back cover!
Deja Vu! And yet a second Plan 9 soundtrack album, this one using my drawing of Tor Johnson's head without permission
Golden Throats volume 2/More Celebrity Rock Oddities
The second "Golden Throats" album from Rhino Records (the first was a cartoon parody cover of Sgt. Pepper), and my first cover for this popular album series of celebrities singing popular songs. The cover image was based on the cover for The Rolling Stones' "Their Satanic Majesties Request" and features, left to right: Cassius Clay, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy.

A limited 3-D edition of the cover art was also released.

THE WORST!
THE WORST! was a musical based on the life of Ed Wood, Jr., declared "The Worst Director of all Time", with words and music by Josh Alan Friedman, released by Black Cracker records. Ed Wood Jr. "pulls the strings" of Bela, Tor & Vampira.

from 1984, "SHEMP Records" logo

The first album from SHEMP records, produced by Hal Willner, cover art by Ralph Steadman (click to enlarge)
SHEMP Records, "A Dubious Concept"

TUBE TUNES, Volume One
TUBE TUNES (Volume One), was a collection of original TV theme songs, released by Rhino Records. Seated on the couch L to R:  Fonzie, Edith & Archie Bunker, J. J. Evans, Keith Partridge. Left foreground: Drooper

TUBE TUNES, Volume Two
TUBE TUNES, Volume Two. L to R, seated on the couch: Wonder Woman, Mr. Kotter, Thomas Magnum, Punky Brewster, Jill Munroe

TUBE TUNES, Volume Three
TUBE TUNES, Volume Three. L to R, seated on the couch: Jennifer Marlowe, Sam Malone, Captain Stubing, Sonny Crockett, Alexis Carrington

Golden Throats 3/Sweethearts of Rodeo Drive
"Golden Throats 3, Sweethearts of Rodeo Drive" was the third Golden Throats collection released by Rhino, this time featuring clueless celebrities warbling country songs. The cover image was based on the cover of the Byrd's country-rock album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo", and features Goldie Hawn sporting her Laugh-In tattoos.

Golden Throats 4/Celebrities Butcher songs of the Beatles
"Golden Throats 4, Celebrities Butcher Songs of the Beatles", from Rhino. Based on the notorious 1966 rejected Beatles butcher cover photo. L to R: Joe Pesci, Telly Savalas, George Burns, & William Shatner, grinding & decapitating Beatle dolls.

"Hot Cakes & Hot Mamas"
The Old Codger (Courtney T. Edison), legendary WFMU D.J.  Sings: Hotcakes & Hot Mamas! (a suppressed 2004 album), produced by Irwin Chuisid & R. Stevie Moore

Al Kooper/Mike Bloomfield/The Lost Concert Tapes
"Al Kooper/Mike Bloomfield, The Lost Concert Tapes", from Sony Classics, a concert by the 2 legendary musicians recorded in late 1968 at New York's Fillmore East (on 6th St & 2nd Ave). Al Kooper commissioned this cover from me, and the last time Al Kooper & the late Mike Bloomfield had been  painted together for an album cover was for "The Live Adventures of Michael Bloomfield & Al Kooper" by Norman Rockwell

Rays
"Rays", music written, produced, arranged & sung by former hat-wearing Monkee & musical genius Michael Nesmith, released by Videoranch. A large, fold-out poster of my comic strip cover art, co-written by K. Bidus, was included within the package.

Dark Dark Dark Tales and other Dark Tales
"Dark Dark Dark Tales and other Dark Tales", Radio "Drammers" by Judson Fountain, featuring Sandor Weisberger, produced by Irwin Chusid & Barbara Economon for Innova Records.

Judson Fountain has been called "The Ed Wood of Radio Dramas." He enthusiastically produced original, gothic-tinged dramas in the style of old-time radio theatre. That he lacked training, technology, staff and a budget never deterred him.

My Judson Fountain limited edition print can be ordered here:

The  second volume of "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" from Shanachie Entertainment. The first volume from 2006 featured cover art by R. Crumb

comedian Eddie Pepitone

4 comments:

  1. Who wrote liner notes for those GOLDEN THROATS albums? I remember they were vaguely humorous.

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  2. I'm amazed at how many of those CDs I own. I didn't realize you'd done so many covers until I saw them all in one place. Kudos!

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