Cover Story 2007 Year In Review

Cover Story for December 21, 2007

Subject: Cover Story 2007 Year-End Recap – 35 articles/interviews on the best in LP/CD cover artwork and photography

Looking back on the year’s archive of articles and interviews, a couple of things struck me right off the bat –

1) “Boy, there are a LOT of talented people who’ve worked on record covers!”
2) “How many other artists, designers and photographers have had literally MILLIONS of copies of their works bought and seen by fans around the world?”

If you think about it, there are only a handful of “traditional” graphic artists and photographers who’ve been able to get their works in front of such a mass audience – Picasso, DaVinci, Van Gogh, the person who designed the kinetic swirl on the Coke can, and just a few others. And yet, other than a few – Warhol, Roger Dean and Annie Leibovitz come to mind – the names of the people who’ve created these internationally-recognized images – and the stories behind their works - are mostly unknown to the public and the “serious” modern art collector.

What a shame!

It is through the ongoing efforts of creating these Cover Stories that I hope to do some small part in changing this situation, and the feedback I’ve received both from readers and the featured subjects themselves tells me that these stories will continually emerge and will need to be told.

As I dug through the list of subjects – 35 in all, with 15 on illustrations/illustrators and 20 on photographs/photographer – I found that I’ve covered some Grammy winners (Gail Marowitz & Aimee Mann’s The Forgotten Arm and Kosh’s Hotel California), covers that inspired music videos (Queen’s Queen II by Mick Rock and Mick Haggerty’s work for the Go-Go’s Vacation), spoofs of other covers (Zappa’s We’re Only In It For The Money by Jerry Schatzberg) and covers that have both entertained many and at the same time have drawn criticism from “moral authorities” (Maryanne Bilham’s God Bless the Go-Go’s, Stephen Stickler’s Korn and Winston Smith’s works for Green Day and the Dead Kennedys).

Some of the works reflected the emerging art/fashions and  of the 1960’s (The Hollies’ Evolution by Karl Ferris and Vic Singh’s shot for Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn) and 1970s (Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust by Terry Pastor, James Fortune’s image of Iggy Pop and George DuBose’s pictures of a leather-clad pack of Ramones), while others documented the rise and success of uniquely American talent (Drew Carolan’s picture of hip-hop stars Eric B. & Rakim, Bob Jones’ work with Elvis, Mr. DuBose’s images of a 19-year-old Notorious B.I.G. and Howie Green’s more-recent work on the same subject).

I’ve covered a wide variety of genres – from classic rock iconography (John Pasche’s Tongue and Lips for the Rolling Stones, Gerald Scarfe’s illustrations for Floyd’s The Wall, Richard E. Aaron’s Frampton Comes Alive, David Juniper’s Led Zeppelin II, Elliott Landy’s Nashville Skyline photo for Bob Dylan, Mike McInnerney’s Tommy for The Who and - the biggest seller of them all – Storm Thorgerson’s prismatic cover for Dark Side of the Moon) to “prog rock” (Paul Whitehead’s work for Genesis) and metal/”loud” rock  (AC/DC’s logo by Gerard Huerta, IOMMI’s Fused cover by Hugh Gilmour and Neil Zlozower’s Shot To Hell for BLS).

I have touched a bit on R&B/Jazz (Nina Simone Let It Be Me by Sherry Rayn Barnett), Southern Rock (Michael Cartellone’s work for Lynyrd Skynyrd), a “Guitar God” (with 2 stories on Stevie Ray Vaughan covers – one by W.A. Williams and the other by Robert M. Knight) and a Guitar God-turned-minstrel with Blackmore’s Night (photo by George Chin). I’ve even featured the back-story of artwork created by a minister inspired to create thousands of works to spread his message (Rev. Howard Finster’s covers for R.E.M. and the Talking Heads).

Anyway, with your support and the support of the people that create these works for a living, I’ll keep working hard to tell their stories, beginning in early January with two new Cover Stories. Also, if any of you have been involved in the making of a record cover or have a personal story about what this art has meant to you, please send me a note at [email protected] . If I can (i.e., if you promise not to include too much nasty language!), I’ll include it in an upcoming Cover Stories article.

Here’s hoping that all of you are enjoying what’s left of your Holiday season and that you and yours have a Happy and Prosperous 2008.
    
Mike Goldstein – RockPoP Gallery – Huntington, NY, USA

Links to previous articles - 2007 - in order from latest to Cover Story #1 -

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/12/cover-story---e.html
Eric B. & Rakim’s Follow the Leader by photographer Drew Carolan

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/11/cover-story---k.html
Korn’s Korn by photographer Stephen Stickler

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/11/cover-story---a.html
Aimee Mann’s The Forgotten Arm, artwork by Gail Marowitz & Aimee Mann

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/11/cover-story---t.html
The Go-Gos God Bless the Go-Gos by photographer Maryanne Bilham

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/11/cover-story---b.html
Blackmore’s Night Fires at Midnight by photographer George Chin

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/10/cover-story-a-t.html
SRV – A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan by photographer W.A. Williams

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/10/cover-story-nin.html
Nina Simone Let It Be Me by photographer Sherry Rayn Barnett

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/10/cover-story-fra.html
Frank Zappa We’re Only In It For The Money by photographer Jerry Schatzberg

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/09/cover-story-pin.html
Pink Floyd’s Piper at The Gates of Dawn by photographer Vic Singh

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/09/cover-story-rem.html
R.E.M.’s Reckoning & Talking Heads’ Little Creatures by artist the Rev. Howard Finster

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/09/cover-story-the.html
The Go-Gos Vacation, design by Mick Haggerty

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/09/cover-story-bla.html
Black Label Society’s Shot To Hell, photography by Neil Zlozower

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/08/cover-story-ste.html
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Real Deal: Greatest Hits Vol.1 by photographer Robert M. Knight

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/08/cover-story-que.html
Queen’s Queen II, cover by photographer Mick Rock

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/08/cover-story---e.html
Elvis Presley 50 Million Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong, artwork by Bob Jones

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/08/cover-story---t.html
The Eagles’ Hotel California, cover art & photography by Kosh

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/08/cover-story---p.html
Pink Floyd’s The Wall – Hammers, artwork by Gerald Scarfe

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/07/cover-story---1.html
IOMMI’s Fused, cover art by Hugh Gilmour

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/07/cover-story---t.html
The Ramones Too Tough To Die, cover photograph by George DuBose

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/07/cover-story---i.html
Iggy & The Stooges’ California Bleeding, cover photo by James Fortune

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/07/cover-story---a.html
AC/DC Classic Logo, design/artwork by Gerard Huerta

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/06/cover-story---r.html
Rolling Stones’ Tongue and Lips artwork by John Pasche

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/06/cover-story---n.html
Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, cover photo by Elliott Landy

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/06/cover_story_evo.html
The Hollies’ Evolution, photography by Karl Ferris

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/06/cover_story_fox.html
Genesis’ Foxtrot, cover artwork by Paul Whitehead

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/06/cover_story_tom.html
The Who’s Tommy, cover illustration by Mike McInnerney

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/05/cover_story_dar.html
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, cover design by Storm Thorgerson & Hipgnosis

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/05/cover_story_led.html
Led Zeppelin’s II, cover design by David Juniper

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/05/cover_story_lyn.html
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Road Series – Blue, cover artwork by Michael Cartellone

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/05/cover_story_gre.html
Green Day’s Insomniac, cover collage/illustration by Winston Smith

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/04/cover_story_unb.html
Mick Boogie/Notorious B.I.G.’s Unbelievable, cover art by Howie Green

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/04/cover_story_fra.html
Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive, cover photograph by Richard E. Aaron

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/04/cover_story_bob.html
Bob Dylan Infrared, photography by Elliott Landy

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/04/cover_story_bow.html
David Bowie’s  Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars, cover design by Terry Pastor

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/03/cover_stories_t.html
Notorious B.I.G. portfolio, photography by George Dubose

About the author, Mike Goldstein -

Mike G with Tony Iommi - 2005 

Mike Goldstein, RockPoP Gallery’s founder, has had the privilege of working with a number of fine artists and photographers on projects related to his previous roles as Vice President of Interactive development and production at FUSE, the NYC-based music video cable TV network and as V.P. of Interactive Production for Fuse’s parent company, Cablevision Systems.

Says Goldstein - “Over the years - as a life-long music fan and failed rock star drummer - I’ve slowly built a collection of music-centric works of art, and every visitor to my home or office would marvel at the variety and the artistry (‘Where did you GET all of these – they’re amazing!’). I loved being able to share the history of each piece and talking with them about the artist who produced the work, the musical artist who influenced the work, and even the ‘state of the world’ at the time each one was created.

Eventually, I figured out that there are a lot of people who have the same passion (or is it a sickness?) for this artwork as I have and therefore it just made sense that I’d open a business like this to invite everyone to visit and join as part of the RockPoP Gallery community.”

RockPoP Gallery has become the fine art community’s home on the Web when collectors want to see the latest work presented by the best artists in their respective fields; when they want to find out more about collecting these works and preserving their collections; and a place to share related experiences with others, including the artists who create them.

For more information on RockPoP Gallery, we invite you to visit our site at http://www.rockpopgallery.com