Kinks “Face To Face” Photo taken from a David Byrne essay on album cover art.

(20 votes, average: 3.65 out of 5)

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Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. “We’re Only In It For The Money” (1968). The original front cover below was ultimately released as the inside of the gatefold album by Verve. The packaging visually spoofed the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper” (including a insert with cut-outs), but the songs took aim at “flower power” (the song “Flower Punk”) and the superficial nature of sixties pop culture”. While “Sgt. Pepper” is considered the first concept rock album, Paul McCartney himself acknowledged the influence of Zappa’s first two lps (“Money” being his third).

(31 votes, average: 3.97 out of 5)

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The Velvet Underground by Andy Warhol.

“Hey man, said the monkey to the banana, gimme some skin!”

(44 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)

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Love Elektra Records (1966)

(16 votes, average: 3.44 out of 5)

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Neil Young’s first solo lp just after leaving Buffalo Springfield. (January 1969, Reprise 6317). Click here for the lyrics. I like the song “The Loner” on this record. I’m reading the Neil Young biography “Shakey” by Jimmy McDonough now. I recommend it.

Produced by:David Briggs and Neil Young, except

(*) produced and arranged by Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder and Neil Young

Primary Musicians:

Neil Young: Guitar, Vocals

Jim Messina: Bass

George Grantham: Drums

Secondary Musicians:

Vocal Background on “The Old Laughing Lady” and “I’ve Loved Her So Long”:

Patrice Holloway

Brenda Holloway

Merry Clayton

Sherlie Matthews

Gloria Richetta Jones

Gracia Nitzsche

(17 votes, average: 3.47 out of 5)

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“Bringing It All Back Home” Bob Dylan Cover photo by Daniel Kramer.

I went to Bard College and spent a semester living in a mansion-turned-dorm called Ward Manor. It was campus legend that Dylan had spent time hanging around Bard in the sixties and I was told this cover photo was taken at Ward Manor (but I think I read recently that it was actually shot at his manager Albert Grossman’s home. The woman on the cover is Grossman’s wife). Other rumors floating around Bard years after the facts were that the lines “Must bust in early May/Orders from the DA” in his song “Subterranean Homesick Blues” refered to the annual Bard drug raids by local cops. And that in the same song, the couplet “The pump don’t work/Cause the vandals stole the handles” refers to an incident at Bard. There was an old water pump just off campus, and true or not, it was somewhat magical. Steely Dan formed at Bard and so did the Beastie Boys (but those are stories for another post).

My friend Fred wrote in his blog about the recent passing of Bob Altshuler who was the head of publicity at Columbia   for many years (and who could probably clear up many of the Dylan rumors we all cling to).   For Fred’s personal remembrance check out www.frederatorblogs.com

(22 votes, average: 4.18 out of 5)

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The Band.   The “Brown” Album.   (1969)

(17 votes, average: 3.59 out of 5)

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The Rolling Stones Some Girls (1978)

The album cover for Some Girls was designed by Peter Corriston. An elaborate die-cut design, with colors varying on different sleeves, it featured The Rolling Stones and select female celebrities in garish drag, as well as a bunch of lingerie ads. The cover immediately ran into trouble when Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Raquel Welch and the estates of Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe threatened legal action. It was withdrawn and the offending pictures removed.

(33 votes, average: 3.55 out of 5)

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Above is The Beatles “butcher cover” perhaps the most famous, strangest, rarest and most controversial album cover ever released (if only briefly) and from the world’s biggest band. Below is the 1966 recall letter from the publicity dept. at Capitol.

(37 votes, average: 4.19 out of 5)

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Cream. Disraeli Gears. Cover art by Martin Sharp.

Jack Bruce: Vocals, harmonica, bass, piano

Eric Clapton: Guitars, vocals

Ginger Baker: Drums, vocals

Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Recorded 1967 at Atlantic Studios, New York. Engineered by Tom Dowd.

(62 votes, average: 4.58 out of 5)

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