album covers 11 by Articles Uncovered
Published Date: 07/03/08
Album Covers
As most baby boomers know, the art depicted on album covers of their favorite artists was just as important as the music inside. The visual presentation of an artist?s work first began with jazz albums. As time progressed, album cover art became more pervasive in the 1960s as rock n roll entered the picture, until the forced retirement of the vinyl LP in the mid 1980s brought an end to a dynamic era in rock art. One of my personal favorites is the brawny Nordic-type warriors, buxom enchantresses, and satanic monsters depicted on the album covers of music by the southern rock band Molly Hatchet. Artist Frank Frazetta is best known for being the grand master of fantastic art. His work is futuristic and dark, yet vividly colorful and all-encompassing. The music of Molly Hatchet and the art of Frazetta complemented each other very well, and left enthusiasts waiting with baited breath for the arrival of the next release.
Now, in the age of compact discs and iPods, the artistic interpretation of the music within is displayed in miniature, no less detailed but not quite the same as holding that brand new album still wrapped in the factory plastic in your hand. The inviting insidious package begging you to rip off the wrapper and put in on the turntable was just too much to take at times! You couldn?t wait to get it home from the record store and start blasting it on your stereo, while checking out every inch of your latest purchase. Even though those days are over, album cover art enthusiasts can still these collectors? items on the internet for very reasonable prices. Great deals on album covers can be found on www.ebay.com, and at other sites that specialize in framed album covers, collectible vinyl picture discs, and hard to find LPs. Popular websites like www.rockartpictureshow.com and www.superseventies.com will take fans back to a time when albums were $8 at the most, and you were treating your eyes as well as your ears with the purchase.
If you interested, a collection of some of the worst album covers ever released can be viewed at www.zonicweb.net. Many of these artists are very obscure, like the band Immortal, whose album cover shows these two guys who are trying to combine the looks of KISS and Slip Knot in a very disturbing display. And if you still want more, visit www.rateyourmusic.com to check out controversial album covers that were banned, removed, or altered because of their offensive, inappropriate, shocking content. Some of these are so awful, that they can?t even be described in an acceptable manner! So if you are interested, check out the best and the worst album covers from around the world, you will be quite entertained!
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