To celebrate the summer, for this Vinyl Monday we selected 4 artworks that will literally take you to the beach!
1. 10cc – Deceptive Bends
10cc had already come up with a title for the new album. “Deceptive Bends” was something they had seen on road signs near the studio in Dorking. When they briefed the people of Hipgnosis they had already composed the songs “Good Morning Judge” and “The Things We Do For Love.” Another instruction Hipgnosis had to work with was that Eric and Graham had decided on their image being “romantic and positive.”With these instructions in mind, Hipgnosis came up with the idea of a diver. Bends in the road were regarded as too obvious. So was trying to deceive the viewer with things that were bent but looked straight. The idea is that the bends are deceiving the diver who starts fantasizing.
This is where the romantic and positive image of the new 10cc comes in: the visualisation of the diver rescuing the one he loves. I hadn’t thought of it before but when I read this I suddenly realized it was a bit like what happens in “I’m Mandy, Fly Me” (which they probably knew as they had also made that particular sleeve). The book doesn’t say that this earlier song influenced them though. When they had a rough idea of what they wanted to do they took it back to the band. 10cc would either like the idea or dismiss it so for people of Hipgnosis this was a very important meeting. Fortunately, Eric and Graham liked the concept although Eric wanted to replace the jetty by a road. As we all know now he was persuaded by Hipgnosis not to have that changed. Although there was pressure from the US to have Eric’s and Graham’s faces on the front cover, this idea was dismissed by Hipgnosis and the band themselves as they had just lost half the band. It would be inappropriate and that’s how they the girl long enough during the lengthy photo sessions. They also took pictures of other girls with other dresses. The sky, the jetty and the divers in the background were added later. The jetty by the way was situated on the Thames in Hammersmith. On this day they also shot some 35 mm film just in case material would be need for a TV commercial. I guess thended up on the back cover. Now that the band agreed with the whole idea, the time came to actually visualise the whole picture. And as with a lot of great ideas, it was easier said than done. Apart from technicalities like the lighting, it proved physically difficult for the diver in the already heavy suit, to holdat is the footage that we can see on the video of Live And Let Live (1977).
Year: 1977
Label: Mercury Records
Art Direction: George Hardie / Colin Elgie
Artwork: Hipgnosis
Photography: Richard Manning
2. Wham! – Club Tropicana SINGLE EP
“Club Tropicana” is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1983 on Innervision Records. It was written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. The song was a mild departure from Wham!’s previous singles, which had all been motivated by social or political issues. “Club Tropicana”, however, was a satire of the boom for cheap package holidays for younger, single people of a hedonistic nature. It was specifically seen in the UK as a swipe at the very popular Club 18-30 scheme.
Year: 1983
Label: Inner Vision Records
Artwork: N/A
3. Metronomy – The English Riviera
Released on influential french label Because Music, the artwork on The English Riviera pays homage to the late John Gorham who created the iconic palm tree motif to promote the South Devon coastline. Mount was quoted as saying the concept of the record was set around “reimagining the place where he grew up”
Year: 2011
Label: Because Music
Art Direction: Joseph Mount
Artwork: John Gorham
4. Neil Young – On The Beach
Designed by Gary Burden, photographed by Bob Seideman, and graphic lettering by Rick Griffin, the cover is quite enigmatic with a Cadillac car fin jutting from the sand like a crashed rocket being buried by time. A shoeless Neil stares out into the ocean near a forlorn potted palm. A jaunty yellow beach umbrella matches Neil’s jacket. The yellow theme is even continued with a Coors beer can on the table. Inside the album, things become even more crpytic with the album’s liner notes. Fans have poured over Rusty Kershaw’s strange handwritten note for clues and meaning often to no avail. Apparently, the recording sessions’ heavy use of Honey Slides took a toll … possibly to the creative sides’ benefit? But probably the most significant item on the cover is the newspaper’s headline “Senator Buckley Calls for Nixon to Resign”. (Young and Nixon have had a bitter and strange relationship over the years. From “Ohio” ‘s lyrics “Tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming” to “Campaigner’s” lines “Even Richard Nixon has got soul”, Neil has never made a secret of his feelings towards U.S. President Richard Nixon.)
Year: 1974
Label: Reprise Records
Art Direction: Neil Young
Artwork: Gary Burden
Photography: Bob Seideman
This selection is brought to you by Arara: a creative & production studio run by Malu Barretto, Rodrigo Peirão and Pedro Igor Alcantara located in Rio de Janeiro, follow them on instagram @ararainc.
