What GL cover art is YOUR favorite ?

[Boomer]

Great post! I never gave much thought into theme based album cover art for Gords albums. I think I'm going to have to stand'em up against the wall and stare'em down and try to figure them out.

My favorite? Probably DQ or Sundown.

[Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin']

This is my 2nd favorite. The winking one. :D

[Jennifer]

Oh, thats easy! If you're a woman you'd have to be blind or dead to not see Gordon was looking pretty darn good when this was taken

[Jennifer]

oops, fast fingers.

that last post would be in response to MistyMoppens pick. I'm with you, Misty - Gords Gold all the way. Great cover.

[GJA]

Gords Gold, hands down. Sexy!!!!!!!!

[GJA]

Gords Gold, hands down. Sexy!!!!!!!!

[Jennifer]

Yes, he is very pleasing to the eye on the Gords Gold cover. I can't help but find myself admiring it from time to time myself

[RM]

Ladies, I certainly can't disagree with your choice of Gord's Gold 1. But speaking as a "manly man", I would side with Blackberry John and his choice of "Shadows". I always see a re-emergence in the picture which, to me, is reflected in the music.

RMD

[RM]

Why thank you Misty. I haven't been called "brilliant" since my mother's passing nearly 20 years ago.

Next album cover idea ? Why yes I do have one. The photo is already taken. I doubt that another album will ever surface. But if it does, the album cover will feature a red-eyed wolf blocking the passage through a desert wash. It will be titled "Give it Up", the gist of which is "change your ways".

I am hardly a man of mystery. I'm just a local yokel with the same problems as most.

I still vote for "Shadows".

RMD

[geodeticman]

Misty -
Thats a good point I think about Gord's albums always having pictures of him. Now I'm thinking about other music I like, and sure enough - lotd of favourite albums come to mind,
without the musician's picture.

I could picture an album cover for Gord building on the "Troubador" moniker spoken of him often in his career, particularly when he is being introduced. What if a cover showed a Rennaissance-era theme; just an imaginary setting like you'd see at a festival ?

Sort of Arthurian, A little Quixotic, Maybe even a picture of a Castle in the background, or drawn artwork of same ? Maidens with those "cone-hats" ! Cone heads in Troubador-land !

geo Steve

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by geodeticman:
Misty -
Thats a good point I think about Gord's albums always having pictures of him. Now I'm thinking about other music I like, and sure enough - lotd of favourite albums come to mind,
without the musician's picture.

IWhat if a cover showed a Rennaissance-era theme; just an imaginary setting like you'd see at a festival ?

Sort of Arthurian, A little Quixotic, Maybe even a picture of a Castle in the background, or drawn artwork of same ? Maidens with those "cone-hats" ! Cone heads in Troubador-land !

geo Steve

well now you come to mention it there is to my knowledge a singular case of a Lightfoot album being released that does not have a photograph of Gordon on the front cover but instead has one of Geo Steve's imaginary settings.
No not the (name only) Did she Mention My Name United Artists album
the one I am thinking of has a presumably masculine figure on it but whether it is of Gord and more importantly if he would have approved of using it is anyone's guess'
I refer to the 1977 release On the Trade Sevices Label of the switchboard recording of his appearance at the 1976 Montreux Switzerland Jazz Festival on june 26th that year

Front Cover
NOTE PLEASE THAT IN RESPONSE TO RECENT CRITICISMS ABOUT DISPLAYING PICTURES I HAVE CAREFULLY USED http://www.imageshack's invaluable facility to store the full sized image and a small quick loading thumbnail as a link.
NOTE imageshack very usefully warns you what physical size each full sized picture is and gives its full size in pixels.This cleverly allows you to make an informed decision on whether to bother to click the thumb to see the full sized version and if you do I strongly suggest you right click on the thumb then select "open in new window". this makes it extremely easy to resume reading this posting as simply closing the new window returns you here.
it's magic folks!!

(all except the last one below which in its original address at:-
http://artwork.easytree.org/artwork/...nd_booklet.jpg
is a whopping 2835 by 1416 pixels and is nearly 2MB.so I resized it to 800 wide then uploaded the far smaller jpg to imageshack

Back Cover
I have never seen the full sized vinyl album cover (if it were ever issued as an LP or just, as here, a modern day CD
NOTE that the back cover contains three glaring errors
1. the year should have been 1976 not 1977
2. track 8 was Don Quixote not Cobwebs And Dust
3. track 11 is not the GL "Jazz Band" performing "Garden rag" but is actually "The Auctioneer"!!
ALSO NOTE that there used to be an official page on line now only viewable on the Internet archive see:-
http://web.archive.org/web/200107271...e/1976/337.htm
pity they mispelt the number two singers surname**!!
I have read various criticisms of the that front cover's unnecesarily garish design a candidate for the worst ever album cover art for any artist in my book and at least one person obviously objected to it enough to make his own that I recently found:-

**In passing I was reading in either a recently showing corfid topic or was it a Newsgroup thread? various comments about the one time "backing singer"'s "effectiveness"
but nowhere hitherto had I read such a negative comment as this made by berinaidan at 2006-07-12 23:55:43 GMT
as one of 14 comments appended to the current "torrent" listing.
NOTE If anyone wishes to see the original or has no idea what a torrent is please PM me for details and a link or search here for "torrent" because one old posting told all about bit torrent.
Here is what berinaidan had the temerity to say
"Great sound. I really wish there was a way to bury the vocals of that annoying backup vocalist, though!"
John Fowles
Please NOTE:-
Regarding the three thumbnails above
this message has been paid for and brought to you by the CTAFOBDAJFRPD (Comittee To Avoid Further Opprobrium Being Directed At John Fowles Regarding Picture Displaying)

[ July 18, 2006, 14:30: Message edited by: johnfowles ]

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by geodeticman:
Misty -
Thats a good point I think about Gord's albums always having pictures of him. Now I'm thinking about other music I like, and sure enough - lotd of favourite albums come to mind,
without the musician's picture.

IWhat if a cover showed a Rennaissance-era theme; just an imaginary setting like you'd see at a festival ?

Sort of Arthurian, A little Quixotic, Maybe even a picture of a Castle in the background, or drawn artwork of same ? Maidens with those "cone-hats" ! Cone heads in Troubador-land !

geo Steve

well now you come to mention it there is to my knowledge a singular case of a Lightfoot album being released that does not have a photograph of Gordon on the front cover but instead has one of Geo Steve's imaginary settings.
No not the (name only) Did she Mention My Name United Artists album
the one I am thinking of has a presumably masculine figure on it but whether it is of Gord and more importantly if he would have approved of using it is anyone's guess'
I refer to the 1977 release On the Trade Sevices Label of the switchboard recording of his appearance at the 1976 Montreux Switzerland Jazz Festival on june 26th that year

Front Cover
NOTE PLEASE THAT IN RESPONSE TO RECENT CRITICISMS ABOUT DISPLAYING PICTURES I HAVE CAREFULLY USED http://www.imageshack's invaluable facility to store the full sized image and a small quick loading thumbnail as a link.
NOTE imageshack very usefully warns you what physical size each full sized picture is and gives its full size in pixels.This cleverly allows you to make an informed decision on whether to bother to click the thumb to see the full sized version and if you do I strongly suggest you right click on the thumb then select "open in new window". this makes it extremely easy to resume reading this posting as simply closing the new window returns you here.
it's magic folks!!

(all except the last one below which in its original address at:-
http://artwork.easytree.org/artwork/...nd_booklet.jpg
is a whopping 2835 by 1416 pixels and is nearly 2MB.so I resized it to 800 wide then uploaded the far smaller jpg to imageshack

Back Cover
I have never seen the full sized vinyl album cover (if it were ever issued as an LP or just, as here, a modern day CD
NOTE that the back cover contains three glaring errors
1. the year should have been 1976 not 1977
2. track 8 was Don Quixote not Cobwebs And Dust
3. track 11 is not the GL "Jazz Band" performing "Garden rag" but is actually "The Auctioneer"!!
ALSO NOTE that there used to be an official page on line now only viewable on the Internet archive see:-
http://web.archive.org/web/200107271...e/1976/337.htm
pity they mispelt the number two singers surname**!!
I have read various criticisms of the that front cover's unnecesarily garish design a candidate for the worst ever album cover art for any artist in my book and at least one person obviously objected to it enough to make his own that I recently found:-

**In passing I was reading in either a recently showing corfid topic or was it a Newsgroup thread? various comments about the one time "backing singer"'s "effectiveness"
but nowhere hitherto had I read such a negative comment as this made by berinaidan at 2006-07-12 23:55:43 GMT
as one of 14 comments appended to the current "torrent" listing.
NOTE If anyone wishes to see the original or has no idea what a torrent is please PM me for details and a link or search here for "torrent" because one old posting told all about bit torrent.
Here is what berinaidan had the temerity to say
"Great sound. I really wish there was a way to bury the vocals of that annoying backup vocalist, though!"
John Fowles
Please NOTE:-
Regarding the three thumbnails above
this message has been paid for and brought to you by the CTAFOBDAJFRPD (Comittee To Avoid Further Opprobrium Being Directed At John Fowles Regarding Picture Displaying)

[ July 18, 2006, 14:30: Message edited by: johnfowles ]

[charlene]

John -
A determination/explanation on the subject of pictures posting was made so there's really no need for you to explain/apologize/justify any of your picture postings.
thanks,
Char

[charlene]

John -
A determination/explanation on the subject of pictures posting was made so there's really no need for you to explain/apologize/justify any of your picture postings.
thanks,
Char

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by charlene:
John -
A determination/explanation on the subject of pictures posting was made so there's really no need for you to explain/apologize/justify any of your picture postings.
thanks,
Char

OK OK Thank you Char I just thought that the point about thumbnails was very pertinent to the way I presented this piece.Especially when one picture I wanted to display was so large
Meanwhile I have just found the topic where we discussed the question of Rick and Terry being miked up: it was the other "Montreaux" topic at
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...=003951#000006

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by charlene:
John -
A determination/explanation on the subject of pictures posting was made so there's really no need for you to explain/apologize/justify any of your picture postings.
thanks,
Char

OK OK Thank you Char I just thought that the point about thumbnails was very pertinent to the way I presented this piece.Especially when one picture I wanted to display was so large
Meanwhile I have just found the topic where we discussed the question of Rick and Terry being miked up: it was the other "Montreaux" topic at
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...=003951#000006

[funk-a-delic]

Try flippin' the cover photo on yer CD's.
example: HARMONY, 'steada elder on the couch-- young string hands.
Gotta new favorite now?

[L'Anse]

Try flippin' the cover photo on yer CD's.
example: HARMONY, 'steada elder on the couch-- young string hands.
Gotta new favorite now?

[brink-]

I would like to thank the CTAFOBDAJFRPD it has been an hono(u)r.

[ July 18, 2006, 16:54: Message edited by: brink- ]

[funk-a-delic]

Try flippin' the cover photo on yer CD's.
example: HARMONY, 'steada elder on the couch-- young string hands.
Gotta new favourite now?

[L'Anse]

Try flippin' the cover photo on yer CD's.
example: HARMONY, 'steada elder on the couch-- young string hands.
Gotta new favourite now?

[geodeticman]

John,
Thanks for showing me this case, bizarre though it may be, of one CD cover art case without Gord's picture. Moreover, you were kind enough to find one I think you pictured as meeting my imaginary case ! (arthurian, castles,etc)

Holy cow gotta say the thumbnail I blew up and looked at (very nice facility that imageshack) is one of the strangest cases of nightmarish artwork Ive seen.... reminds me of Escher in a way, the female form ( I presume..) coming sideways out of image "up" is rather strange.... not exactly arthurian or Quixotic imagery with castles, fair maidens (with cone hats !) and a troubadour theme.

Tall order. But, only an idle imaginary shot at how a cover might look that carried some of my thoughts that particularly eminate from DQ the song. Knights errant, jousting at windmills, Cervates..

well anyway John thanks for going to the trouble of finding this odd (and shameful) unauthorized artwork you so correctly criticized. I agree, if I understand you correctly, this was NOT an authorized release, and man that picture of the lady inside a Rennaisance-era building lacking proper gravity is indeed strange.

Thanks for the work John, allways thorough and helpful -
Steve

[ July 18, 2006, 12:31: Message edited by: geodeticman ]

[geodeticman]

L'Anse - I agree - some of the "flipside" photo/artwork on Gord's CD's have several times in my mind exceeded the aesthetic quality of the cover itself, or in any event added greatly. Thanks for the reminder !
geo Steve

[johnfowles]

QUOTE]Originally posted by geodeticman:
John,
Thanks for showing me this case, bizarre though it may be, of one CD cover art case without Gord's picture. Moreover, you were kind enough to find one I think you pictured as meeting my imaginary case ! (arthurian, castles,etc
Steve [/QUOTE]
It was no real trouble Steve
I have a keen interest in all GL cover artwork
Yes well I had wanted to hunt down the artwork for a while as part of a project I am working on largely for my own interest
since only a similar small thumbnail is shown by Wayne Francis on his site (in his bootleg section) at:-
http://www.lightfoot.ca/bootlegs.htm
there he just says it is
"Trade Service Rare Recording
Collection (RRC 034)"
and
"Unauthorized live recording from Europe (CD only?). Year is incorrect.
Lightfoot actually played Montreux in 1976."
Gord's sound engineer on duty at that concert'
Richard Harison

Richard's picture from the Gord's Gold gatefold
has said that he overmixed Terry & Rick's vocals and as I showed the set list was on the festival site for a while, I have often wondered just how unauthorised it was.
what was truly eerie Steve was that in your eloquent introduction you actually said
"What if a cover showed a Rennaissance-era theme; just an imaginary setting like you'd see at a festival ?
this to me indicated that you might be fully aware of this (Jazz) festival connection
I have just googled for "Trade Service Rare Recording Collection"
and lo and behold another canadian singer/songwriter got almost identical treatment
visit
http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/conc...1985-07-09.htm
where his 1985 Montreux concert has apparently been issued (as another):-
bootleg cd Heart Housed in Thorn-Bush (©1993 Trade Service, Rare Recording Collection, RRC 022
(strange that Leonard's later recording gets an earlier RRC number though!)
yet RRC 044
is per
http://www.aerosmithbootlegs.com/lis...?show=by_label
an aerosmith bootleg
"Get The Heavenly Lips Off ...
Trade Service Rare Recording Collection / RRC 044
Forest National Theatre - Brussels, Belgium, 10-31-93 Source: FM/TV Broadcast"

reduced from the far too large original i found at:-
http://www.aerosmithbootlegs.com/sca...lips%2520B.jpg
Note the same artist's work and layout to GL's Montreux back insert!!
I have also found the front of the Cohen issue but its no hat trick!!

I suspect the connection was that all three were pressings of rare European concerts that were broadcast on FM radio
as was another GL concert from Frankfurt in October 28, 1975 (somewhere I have a note from corfid poster Suzi where she quoted the exact venue,Ok I found it it was the Jahrhunderthalle) I actually heard and recorded about 4 tracks from the Frankfurt show sometime possibly in 1981 just before Gord's last ever UK concert in May when the Beeb Beeb Ceeb very kindly broadcast them on their Radio 2 FM station
I was so excited I phoned the BBC in London but all they would tell me was something like "it was from a special album for rdio staions only and not available for retail sale". dammit!
Wayne at
http://www.lightfoot.ca/radioapp.htm
says that the Frankfurt recording was on "GERMAN RADIO - Oct. 29, 1975"
and on the same page states that the BBC broadcast was on "BBC RADIO - London, UK - May 17, 1981"
but I do not know where he got that date from as I failed to note the date of my recording dammit again!!
I wonder if the BBC still have it or if other copies exist? anybvbody got connections at Broadcasting House
Finaly Steve you presumed that the artwork features "the female form"
Funny I have for a long times assumed that the half naked figure was male!!
John
Phew researching and composing that was literalluy a sweat it is over 92 degrees F outside and nearly as hot inside , but our above ground AND heat blanket covered pool is now up to a record 87 so very soon I wil be taking a cooling dip.
I did not help in any way that I could not find an earlier scan jpg of Mr Harrison so I redid it by rescanning to my other desktop as this one does notnhave the scanning software on but then found that this computer's floppy drive is playing very silly buggers so had to resort to saving it on my external USB hard drive (more rushing uop and down the stairs between the two computers)
talk aboot sweat!!
Anyroads very sorry to all of you sweltering in Toronto,New York and Nova Scotia!! And I believe in usually frigid and wet England
Actually my curiosity in this matter was well rewarded (as RMD so perspicaciously commented yesterday in a PM my curiosity keeps me going)

[ August 01, 2006, 10:54: Message edited by: johnfowles ]

[johnfowles]

QUOTE]Originally posted by geodeticman:
John,
Thanks for showing me this case, bizarre though it may be, of one CD cover art case without Gord's picture. Moreover, you were kind enough to find one I think you pictured as meeting my imaginary case ! (arthurian, castles,etc
Steve [/QUOTE]
It was no real trouble Steve
I have a keen interest in all GL cover artwork
Yes well I had wanted to hunt down the artwork for a while as part of a project I am working on largely for my own interest
since only a similar small thumbnail is shown by Wayne Francis on his site (in his bootleg section) at:-
http://www.lightfoot.ca/bootlegs.htm
there he just says it is
"Trade Service Rare Recording
Collection (RRC 034)"
and
"Unauthorized live recording from Europe (CD only?). Year is incorrect.
Lightfoot actually played Montreux in 1976."
Gord's sound engineer on duty at that concert'
Richard Harison

Richard's picture from the Gord's Gold gatefold
has said that he overmixed Terry & Rick's vocals and as I showed the set list was on the festival site for a while, I have often wondered just how unauthorised it was.
what was truly eerie Steve was that in your eloquent introduction you actually said
"What if a cover showed a Rennaissance-era theme; just an imaginary setting like you'd see at a festival ?
this to me indicated that you might be fully aware of this (Jazz) festival connection
I have just googled for "Trade Service Rare Recording Collection"
and lo and behold another canadian singer/songwriter got almost identical treatment
visit
http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/conc...1985-07-09.htm
where his 1985 Montreux concert has apparently been issued (as another):-
bootleg cd Heart Housed in Thorn-Bush (©1993 Trade Service, Rare Recording Collection, RRC 022
(strange that Leonard's later recording gets an earlier RRC number though!)
yet RRC 044
is per
http://www.aerosmithbootlegs.com/lis...?show=by_label
an aerosmith bootleg
"Get The Heavenly Lips Off ...
Trade Service Rare Recording Collection / RRC 044
Forest National Theatre - Brussels, Belgium, 10-31-93 Source: FM/TV Broadcast"

reduced from the far too large original i found at:-
http://www.aerosmithbootlegs.com/sca...lips%2520B.jpg
Note the same artist's work and layout to GL's Montreux back insert!!
I have also found the front of the Cohen issue but its no hat trick!!

I suspect the connection was that all three were pressings of rare European concerts that were broadcast on FM radio
as was another GL concert from Frankfurt in October 28, 1975 (somewhere I have a note from corfid poster Suzi where she quoted the exact venue,Ok I found it it was the Jahrhunderthalle) I actually heard and recorded about 4 tracks from the Frankfurt show sometime possibly in 1981 just before Gord's last ever UK concert in May when the Beeb Beeb Ceeb very kindly broadcast them on their Radio 2 FM station
I was so excited I phoned the BBC in London but all they would tell me was something like "it was from a special album for rdio staions only and not available for retail sale". dammit!
Wayne at
http://www.lightfoot.ca/radioapp.htm
says that the Frankfurt recording was on "GERMAN RADIO - Oct. 29, 1975"
and on the same page states that the BBC broadcast was on "BBC RADIO - London, UK - May 17, 1981"
but I do not know where he got that date from as I failed to note the date of my recording dammit again!!
I wonder if the BBC still have it or if other copies exist? anybvbody got connections at Broadcasting House
Finaly Steve you presumed that the artwork features "the female form"
Funny I have for a long times assumed that the half naked figure was male!!
John
Phew researching and composing that was literalluy a sweat it is over 92 degrees F outside and nearly as hot inside , but our above ground AND heat blanket covered pool is now up to a record 87 so very soon I wil be taking a cooling dip.
I did not help in any way that I could not find an earlier scan jpg of Mr Harrison so I redid it by rescanning to my other desktop as this one does notnhave the scanning software on but then found that this computer's floppy drive is playing very silly buggers so had to resort to saving it on my external USB hard drive (more rushing uop and down the stairs between the two computers)
talk aboot sweat!!
Anyroads very sorry to all of you sweltering in Toronto,New York and Nova Scotia!! And I believe in usually frigid and wet England
Actually my curiosity in this matter was well rewarded (as RMD so perspicaciously commented yesterday in a PM my curiosity keeps me going)

[ August 01, 2006, 10:54: Message edited by: johnfowles ]