Black Sabbath Vol. 4 Vertigo Records UK   (Warner Bros. in US/Canada) 1972.   Features several Sabbath classics, such as “Tomorrow’s Dream,” “Snowblind,” “Supernaut” and “Changes.” Eminem uses “Changes” as the basis for his track “Going Through Changes” from his album Recovery.

Here’s a video of “Changes” from Ozzy’s “end of the road” last concert.

In June 1972, Black Sabbath reconvened in Los Angeles to begin work on their fourth album at the Record Plant Studios.   The recording process was plagued with problems, many due to drug issues. Despite the copious amounts of cocaine, the band produced another first-rate album that pushed the boundaries of heavy metal and would influence countless bands.       As Butler told Guitar World in 2001, “Yeah, the cocaine had set in. We went out to L.A. and got into a totally different lifestyle. Half the budget went on the coke and the other half went to seeing how long we could stay in the studio…We rented a house in Bel-Air and the debauchery up there was just unbelievable.”

The album cover features a monochrome photograph of Ozzy Osbourne with hands raised, taken during a Black Sabbath concert. The album’s original release features a gatefold sleeve.   Each band member is given their own photo page, with the band on-stage (and photographed from behind) in the center.   The album’s cover art has proved iconic and even Converse shoes released a limited edition of a pair of sneakers with the Vol. 4 cover.

Now , just for fun, check out this brief clip from evangelist Michael Mills’ album about Hidden and Satanic Messages in Rock Music:

(68 votes, average: 3.60 out of 5)

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“Songs and Stories About the Justice League of America” starring The Flash, Plastic Man, Metamorpho (The Element Man), Wonder Woman and Aquaman!   And the villians!   Fumo, The Fire Giant; The Plastic Men; Brunhilde; Mr. Big and, my favorite, The Dehydrator (naturally Aquaman hates him).   This is an LP from 1975 on POWER Records, a division of Peter Pan Records.

(50 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

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“A Visit With Uncle Al at His Happy Farm & Castle with Mike Tangi & Larry Smith     Jubilee Records

Check out Cracked.com and their recent posting of Unintentionally Terrifying Children’s Album Covers!

(35 votes, average: 3.03 out of 5)

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George Harrison   “All Things Must Pass” Apple Records   (1970)   (I got my copy that year.)   A triple album with the #1 hit “My Sweet Lord,”   “Isn’t It A Pity,” and many other beautiful songs.   Album design and photography:   Tom Wilkes.

Wilkes was partner in a Long Beach advertising firm when he became art director for the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival for which he created all of the graphics and print materials, including the festival’s psychedelic poster that was printed on foil stock.   Music producer Lou Adler, who produced the landmark music festival with singer John Phillips, said Wilkes “caught the spirit of the time” with his festival graphics.   The Monterey pop festival “catapulted” Wilkes’ career into the music industry, his daughter said, beginning as art director at A&M Records.

During his heyday, Wilkes designed or provided the art direction or graphic design for scores of album covers, including designing the covers for the Rolling Stones’ “Beggars Banquet,” Neil Young’s “Harvest,” Eric Clapton’s “Eric Clapton,” Joe Cocker’s “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” and George Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh” and “All things Must Pass.”

As he did with many of the albums, Wilkes also shot the cover photo of Joplin for her 1971 “Pearl” album, which shows the flamboyant singer lounging on a settee.   (Their photo session was the night she overdosed.)

In 1973, Wilkes won a Grammy Award for best recording package for the Who’s rock opera “Tommy,” as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir.

Wilkes passed away in 2009.   He was 69 years old.

(67 votes, average: 3.90 out of 5)

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