OT: Best Album cover EVER

[spursfan101]

The first one that comes to mind, FOR ME anyways, is Van Halen's 1984.  A baby angel smoking a cigarette?  When I was a teen, that was pretty classic!

 

[spursfan101]

[jn]

I'm going to go with Charles Mingus "Mingus Dynasty" cover, with the king of jazz bassists decked out like a Chinese Emperor.  

Honorable mentions: Frank Zappa's "Were Only in it for the Money". It's a hilarious parody of the Beatle's Sgt. Pepper, including Jimi Hendrix.

Al Green's "Call Me".  Great pic of him working it at a show.

Neil Diamond "Hot August Night" in which the safe hero of Jewish Housewives everywhere appears to implying he has an enormous ****.  

 

[JoMal]

Abraxas, which is also one of my favorite albums.

[spursfan101]

YES! Totally forgot about Santanas Abraxas!

Earth Wind and Fire's Live Album was sweet!

Carol King's "Tapestry" is classic.

ANY Iron Maiden album!

Scorpion's Animal Magnetism and Blackout albums.

Judas Priest's Brittish Steel and Motley Crues Shout at the Devil also comes to mind.

Loverboy's Get Lucky, I know, is a favorite of Spursx3.  :blink:

 

[spursfan101]

alas, how could I forget a copy of my dad's:
Jimmy Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland.  Had all the "neked" ladies on it?
Also memorable were
Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA.
Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
Madonna's Like a Virgin.

[jn]

Public Image Ltd., "Metal Box".  Quite literal.  It was small metal box containing five or six 45's with two songs on each record.

The Who Sell Out.  This the one with the band endorsing fake products like Odorono deodorant.  

 

[ziggy]

I am not much of a cover art critic of cover art, but I would offer these at least for th best albums of all time.

Van Morrison  -  Into The Music
U2  -  Auctung Baby
Van Morrison  -  Astral Weeks
Van Morrison  -  St. Dominics Preview
Neil Young - Harvest
Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers
McKinley Morganfield aka Muddy Waters
The Police  -  Zenyatta Mondatta
John Lee Hooker  -  The Complete Chess Folk Blues Sessions


 

[Laker Fan]

Ahh Ziggy, I detect a blues affianado here, how very, very cool. I offer up:

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Couldn't Stand the Weather
BB King and Eric Clapton, Ridin' with the King (even if the VERY overrated Clapton is on it
Pink Floyd, Animals

[ziggy]

Yes I am a big Blues fan.  I don't know how many people have actually listened to Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers, but I would recommend it.  It is one of the most intense hard core blues albums ever.
I also like Blind Willie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Howling Wolf, Lighting Hopkins.  I had the opportunity to watch BB King and also John Lee Hooker live.  BB King is a much more polished entertainer, and he is a tremendous showman.  John Lee Hooker was less polished, but his show was intense.  Listening to him do Boom Boom was totally awesome.

I also think the 3 Van Morrison albums were incredible.  Side two of Into the Music, Listen to the Lion on St. Dominics Preview, and Astral Weeks are some of the best music ever recorded.
Couple other albums I failed to mention

Steely Dan  -  Can't Buy a Thrill
Rolling Stones  -  Their first 2 or 3 albums
Steve Winwood - Arc of the Diver

[spursfan101]

Van Morrison is cool. Not into blues though. I'm really into the Sounds of Philadelphia though!
Teddy Pendergrass.
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Chi Lites
Stylistics


ahhh, Stylistics Greatest Hits, I can hear that one all DAY!

[WayOutWest]

[jn]

ziggy,

Hadn't listened to Hound Dog Taylor in years.  That's great stuff.  Your post inspired me to some Blind Willie Johnson in to work .

My older brother was a big fan of the older blues so he got me into those guys, plus Blind Willie McTell, Skip James, the Rev. Gary Davis and Charlie Patton.  

A body of mine plays this type of stuff pretty well and has put out a few CD's in MN.  He's also exposed me to Tommy Johnson and Bukka White.  

Familiar with Koerner, Ray and Glover?  

[jn]

That's "bring in to work" and a "buddy" not  "body".  

I'm an idiot.    :blink:  

[ziggy]

JN, all I can say is wow!!!  I never run across anyone else who was really into the Mississippi/Memphis/Chicago/Delta blues.  I have never know anyone who actually had listened to or actually heard of Hound Dog Taylor.  I have that on record, and also on CD, listened to both hundreds of times.  I played Hound Dog Taylor and The Houserockers for my 17 year old niece when she was just a couple of months old.  She was acting like most babies, and as soon as I put in on she calmed right down, and started bouncing in her crib.  It was the coolest thing.

I have heard of Skip James and Charlie Patton just never actualy heard any of their recordings.  I am going to have to do some looking to see if I can find some of their works.  I have never heard of Blind Willie McTell, Rev. Gary Davis and Tommy Johnson and Bukka White.  Did a quick search and all of them sound just like the type of music I like.  I will be spending a few $ here real soon.
You ever listened to Blind Lemon Jefferson.  I have a CD that is of a very old 78, not high quality, but is some powerful music.

It is really unfortunate that so few people have actually heard of most of these old bluesmen.  It is a very rich part of American history, and they were very influential musically.

Got any other names for me to research?