Cover Story Interviews - 2008 Year in Review

Posted December 29, 2008

 

Our Cover Story 2008 Year-End Recap – articles/interviews on the best in LP/CD cover artwork and photography

2008 has come to an end and, first off, I have to chastise myself for having become a bit lazy about the number of interviews I conducted this year. I can blame it on the fact that I moved myself, my wife and our businesses 3000 miles across the country to our new home in Portland, OR and so I was a bit pre-occupied with that effort, or I can just tell you the truth and say that I let the semi-bad vibes that we’re all feeling these days get me down to the point that I lacked the motivation to do more of these articles. Quite honestly, with all of the bad news around, and the downturn in the economy looming heavily on peoples’ minds, I just didn’t want to pester people or distract them from earning a living (yes, these interviews take time, and most of the people I’m featuring are still working every day in their respective areas of expertise).

However, with the hope of a turn-around and the folks looking to kick-start the “changes” that everyone’s hoping for moving into place next month, I know that it is going to be important for me – and all of us – to start focusing our energies on pushing things forward, and so I promise to get back to work and bring you more of the profiles of the artists, designers and photographers who’ve created your favorite LP/CD/DVD cover images.

When I look back now on the year’s archive of articles and interviews, I am very happy to have been able to write articles on a wide range of very talented individuals who’ve created memorable covers for many classic performers, including The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Moody Blues, Santana, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne and, not one, but two examples featuring Bob Dylan. And, in my effort to include the works of those working a bit outside the mainstream – but still creating memorable images – two of the features focused on covers done to promote the latest recordings by 60’s girl-group icon Mary Weiss and Swedish death-metal stalwarts Grave.

It is through the ongoing efforts of creating these Cover Stories that I hope to continue to provide a larger audience for the works of these great talents, and the feedback I’ve received both from readers and the subjects themselves tells me that many more stories will continue to emerge and will be read by fans who really want to know more about both the musical acts that inspired these images and the individuals who’ve collaborated with those acts to bring them to life.

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. I want to thank all of the people who agreed to work with me on these interviews as well as all of the folks who have been so kind as to reproduce the articles on their own sites and in their respective publications.

And, once again, 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.

Finally, I want to say that I hope that all of you are enjoying what’s left of your Holiday season and that you and yours start focusing your efforts to make sure that you – and the rest of your fellow music and art fans - have a Happy and Prosperous 2009.

Cheers - Mike Goldstein – RockPoP Gallery – Portland, OR, USA

Click on any/all of the links below to read these stories in the Cover Stories archives:

The Grateful Dead's "Dick's Picks Vol. 25-30", with design/photography by Bob Minkin

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/01/cover-story---t.html

Ozzy Osbourne's "Down To Earth", with photography by Nitin Vadukul

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/02/cover-story---o.html

Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Are You Experienced?", with photography by Karl Ferris

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/02/cover-story---j.html

Santana's "Santana", with illustration by Lee Conklin

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/03/cover-story---s.html

The Moody Blues' "In Search of the Lost Chord", with artwork by Philip Travers

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/03/cover-story---t.html

Bob Dylan's "Slow Train Coming", with artwork by Catherine Kanner

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/04/cover-story---b.html

The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street", with artwork by John Van Hamersveld

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/04/cover-story---t.html

David Bowie's "Reality", with artwork by Rex Ray

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/05/cover-story-int.html

Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks", with photography by Paul Till

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/06/cover-story-interview---bob-dylans-blood-on-the-tracks-with-photography-by-paul-till.html

Mary Weiss’s "Stop And Think It Over", with photography by Theresa Kereakes

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/07/cover-story-interview---stop-and-think-it-over-by-mary-weiss-with-photography-by-theresa-kereakes.html

Grave’s "Exhumed", with design & artwork by Mike Hrubovcak

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/10/cover-story-interview---exhumed-by-grave-with-design-artwork-by-mike-hrubovcak.html

The making of The Beatles’ "Yellow Submarine" sericel, with new designs & artwork by Jon Blosdale

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2008/11/cover-story-interview-the-making-of-the-yellow-submarine-sericel-with-new-designs-artwork-by-jon-blo.html

All images featured in this Cover Story are copyrighted by their respective owners and are used with their expressed permission - All rights reserved. Except as noted, all other text Copyright 2008 - Mike Goldstein & RockPoP Gallery (www.rockpopgallery.com) - All rights reserved.