A record release is a world in itself. The artwork is very important. Some acts can even use music and images. A declaration of love for self-drawn covers by Linus Volkmann.
A record release is a world in itself. The artwork is very important. Some acts can even use music and images. A declaration of love for self-drawn covers by Linus Volkmann.
To create something that lasts in pop culture, you should stick to one rule above all else: the triad! Insistent, rhythmic, colorful. I spit on anything that isn’t a trilogy.
“Star Wars” once demonstrated this and of course you also think of “Lord of the Rings” by Peter Jackson. In all modesty, I can now consider my last three columns on Sauron’s favorite station Musikexpress.de to be in this tradition.
The three things I have listed are statements on the topic of “Art without emotions – the thing with AI images”, or to put it more bluntly for the big finale: “Please take the pens away from the damn robots!” Because there should be consensus that when producing a record, neither the music nor the artwork is outsourced to artificial intelligence. Certainly a few computer-generated records or an exhibition with AI drawings could be of interest every now and then – but the way artificial “aesthetics” are breaking into non-commercial music contexts today simply out of laziness and ignorance is an imposition. Luckily, someone says that! I. And here. It started with this column:
Two weeks later I recommend real, breathing graphic artists – and take up the issue again:
Now the big season finale. I’ve been thinking for a long time, how can you dissuade people from this interchangeable AI novelty look that’s just shitting itself everywhere?
If all the flyers, concert posters and even record covers soon look like this, then I’ll start collecting sticks and stones in the forest! Because it will probably take a while before the 3D printer thwarts my plans. But it doesn’t have to come to that. Just make sure to support vibrant artists.
Let me make it very clear: AI discrimination in art is completely okay. When in doubt, rely on me.
In any case, to demonstrate how great, strange and, above all, individual record covers can be, I have put together this small collection. The premise is to feature artists who not only make music, but have also painted or drawn their own artwork.
Thanks at this point to the infamous swarm intelligence that is here with me gave a lot of valuable tips.
International classics
The Sea And Cake THE BIZ (1995)
Bassist Eric Claridge is no longer part of the Chicago post-rock all-star ensemble The Sea And Cake, but during his tenure he added his own paintings to formative albums. Nice and easy to hang on the wall.
John Lennon WALLS AND BRIDGES (1974)
There is a picture of John Lennon himself on his fifth solo album. What’s special about it is what he himself points out: namely, the fact that he was only eleven years old when he painted it. Has a bit of prodigy framing. The reference to the age of the drawer appears again here in this list (with a completely different intention) with the Lemonheads. Scroll down if you can’t wait.
Joni Mitchell CLOUDS (1969)
When you start with self-painted album covers, it doesn’t take long before someone shouts “Bob Dylan SELF PORTRAIT.” Not without good reason, but here we would still prefer another classic. Joni Mitchel’s musical work is closely linked to her work as a painter. The starting point for this connection is their debut SONG TO A SEAGULL from 1968. The follow-up record CLOUDS was their first big success and also helped their talent with the brush to gain great attention. The cover shows a self-portrait of a Canadian woman.
Broken Social Scene BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE (2005)
Canada again. One of the most creative cells of contemporary indie is certainly the Broken Social Scene. They are currently releasing a new album after a long break of years – here their self-titled classic from over 20 years ago is highlighted, painted by Kevin Drew, one of the central members of the collective.
Nirvana INCESTICIDE (1992)
Nirvana sold everything in the early 1990s. No wonder the record company pushed for this rarities collection. Cobain only agreed to the project on the condition that he had freedom of design for the product. The cover is decorated with an oil painting by him. Ok, wow!
Daniel Johnston HI, HOW ARE YOU (1983)
For some subculture nerds (and by that I mean me and maybe you too) Daniel Johnston’s frog is at least as iconic as the stick figure from Eintrünende Neuhäusern.
Courtney Barnett SOMETIMES I SIT AND THINK (2015)
The lettering as well as the cover exude flirtatious lo-fi charm, which also has a back channel to the music of the Australian herself.
… And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead THE CENTURY OF SELF (2009)
At some point I was in Cologne at an exhibition by singer Conrad Keely. He is a visual artist who likes to work with small-scale, overwhelming aesthetics. He painted this branched work here using only a blue fountain pen.
German speaking
Voodoo Jürgens’S KLAANE GAMBLING (2020)
This is an alternative cover, the so-called Bummerl edition. I probably wouldn’t even be allowed to empty the ashtrays at the art magazine Monopol, but here at Musikexpress no one can stop me from attesting that this picture has a captivating style somewhere between Impressionism and South Park.
Knife THE INVISIBLES (2013)
Like Obelix, Hendrik Otremba fell into a magic potion as a child. The only question is what was in it… At least something that not only made him a book author or musician, but also made him a very accomplished painter. The covers of his band Messer bear witness to this.
Cat FROM BEHIND (2005)
Recently there was a lot of illustration fame for Klaus Cornfield (ex-Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan). His series “Musikatzen” is very popular on social media and has become a popular calendar motif. Unforgotten (certainly not just by me) that he painted the covers of his great band Katze himself in the noughties.
Erobique HOLIDAYS IN ITALY (2018)
Carsten Meyer aka Erobique is the starting point for a lot of things I have started in this trilogy. He not only draws his own covers but also posters and flyers for himself and others. The popular organ smash hit “Holiday in Italy” also talks about it.
Bear and The Milk Boys THE RETURN OF BOOM! (2024)
They are repeats of the original late 70s and early 80s German punk. For me it was also a musical discovery with her late work. Particularly beautiful in the homemade packaging – designed by singer Annette Simons.
Locas in Love SAURUS (2007)
The Cologne band Locas In Love has always made full use of their potential. Not just musically. The bass is shouldered by the visual artist Stefanie Schrank. Their desire to create shapes the band’s many large and small releases. In her most recent imprint as a solo artist, Schrank relied on photos for the artwork.
joker
The Lemonheads “Mrs. Robinson” (1992)
Do you still remember the reference to the Lennon record, several meters of text and advertising above this entry? Certainly. By stating his age, Lennon indicated how young he was when he could already draw coolly and deeply. Lemonheads singer Evan Dando replicates the principle on this maxi cover. This one looks like it was painted by a child. Flowery, naive. But the liner notes leave no doubt as to who we are dealing with here: “Cover: Evan Dando 25 ¼ years old”.
St. Thomas LET’S GROW TOGETHER (2004)
The album cover of the Norwegian singer-songwriter St. Thomas, who died in 2007, exudes similar kindergarten swag. He also painted the colorful children’s picture as a grown man.
Shonen Knife RIDING ON THE ROCKET (1992)
A cat flies through candy space. What looks like a copied, cutting-edge meme comes from 1992 and by the Japanese punk band Shonen Knife from Osaka. They were once allowed to accompany Nirvana on tour, have now existed for over 40 (!) years and enjoy a reasonable cult following. The cover is by drummer Atsuko Yamano.
Honey Bomber LIVE IN THE REICHSTAG (2011)
One of the many tips from the community (not everything is bad on social media). I was only vaguely familiar with the band, but the story of the cover, as told by Hank Strummer, got me. The picture was painted by the band themselves at a concert in Berlin – on the back of a poster from another band. It can be so beautifully done. At least you don’t necessarily need talent or special skills to create original artwork.
With this in mind, go to concerts more, buy records and merch – and visibly roll your eyes when your favorite acts simply have their covers thrown out by AI.
