For those Rush fans that don't know tickets for Geddy, Alex and Neil's retirement fund go on sale this Saturday at 10am. Since I'm part of the Rush community, aging nerds with too much time on their hands, I signed up for the pre sale, basically trying to break the bank to get as close as possible. Me and the better half secured tickets in Section C row S. Not bad considering how much we paid (hint: not as much as I thought it would be).
Another reason I wrote this post is because of an article I saw on the website The Onion - AV Club. It lists the worse prog rock album cover art of all time. As soon as I saw the title I knew they were going to mention Rush, among other bands. They mentioned Emerson, Lake and Palmer's album Tarkus, Dream Theater's When Dream and Day Unite and Queensryche's Hear In The Now Frontier. The rest is here. I figured they would either mention Caress Of Steel or Hemispheres, they chose Hemispheres. And they are right, it is a shitacular album cover. When I first purchased the album back in 8th grade, about the time I came to grips with the fact that I would have a hard time getting laid due to my geekdom, I was confused with the album. I just thought they were two gay dudes on a brain with one of them naked, high and dancing while the other an uptight Englishmen. Then I read an interview with Hugh Syme, the man responsible for the artwork, and he stated that this was the first time Rush let him submit the artwork without them seeing it. I guess Neil didn't speak to him for weeks after seeing it after it was produced. It's still a sore subject to this day.
Anyhoo, I thought I would be positive for a change and list some of the best rock album covers of all time. At least the ones I like.
10) Ween - Chocolate and Cheese
Evertime I see this album cover, I get......erect.
9) Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
Cover that only shows a sharp pair of white dress shoes, pretty much the defining album cover of the late 70's early 80's.
8) New Order - Blue Monday single
The album is nothing more than a floppy disk which houses the 12" single. It put factory records out of business because for every dollar they made it cost two dollars to make the album. But you have to give it to Tony Wilson, it was bold.
7) Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Not only was it a good album name, it also was splendid artwork.
6) Primus - Sailing The Seas Of Cheese
Completly goofy album cover from a completly goofy band.
5) Suicide Machines - Suicide Machines
Complete recreation of a photo of the group The Who, complete with stances and wardrobe. I thought it was imaginative.
4) Van Halen - 1984
Nothing says badass like a young angel smoking a butt.
3. The Dwarves - The Dwarves Come Clean
Two naked chicks and a dwarf, need I say more?
2. Rush - Moving Pictures
Pretty much the defining Rush album cover.
1 b) Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd has always made imaginative covers, nothing says "lets get high as kites" then this album cover.
1 a) Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I
This album almost ruined Led Zeppelin, but in the end it made them. Nothing like putting a disaster on your cover. I also was going to list House of the Holy. But the naked little girls makes my very uneasy.
There are others I have certainly missed, but this was the best I could do. List some of your own.
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5 comments:
Rush isn't so bad. I enjoy the Movinga Pictures cover, and honestly, I don't know any others of theirs.
I would also like to add a couple of others:
1. Pink Floyd- Animals. C'mon Josh, you knew I would have one.
2. Live- Throwing Copper. I can appreciate a cover with creepy looking people and an obese girl holding a radio while standing near a church on a hill. I mean, who doesn't love that?
3. Any number of Beatles covers- Yes, I remember why you don't have them on your list.
Good list, Josh. I like it.
Golly, thank you.
I actually was going to but The White album on the list due to the fact it was so simple yet effective and has been recreated by so many bands, Primus - The Brown Album, Skakin Pickle - The Green Album, Metallica - The Black Album (I know, not actually named that), etc, etc. But like I said before, everyone puts the Beatles on their list. I try to make it a point to keep them off of it for that reason. I thought you would have a couple of Floyd albums, they have a ton of decent covers.
Rush... you and Mike gotta get out more, sheesh!
You get out more often. I like it indoors.
"Get out more"??? IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, LADY!!!!
DUDE! I HOWLED out loud at seeing this one from page 3 of your link: "Gentle Giant, Acquiring The Taste"
Hell, I'm still laughing as I type this!
Many of the other ones listed are just stupid to criticize. Even limiting oneself to just the prog genre, there are way worse samples than many of the ones shown.
Oooo... favorites... that's hard. So many...
I think I must blog on this one to include links all my pics. Both bad and good ones.
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