[Music] Vintage album covers which perhaps might not now be so acceptable.

[marlowe]

This thread is perhaps best left without pictures in certain cases.

When you look at some of the album covers from the 60s, 70s and 80s it's astounding that they got past the censors for various reasons, in particular the use of child nudity by mainstream bands of the time, but also for reasons of sexism or even racism.

In some cases the album cover art is so "unbecoming", as Prince Andrew might describe it, to the extent that you might feel a little uncomfortable about having an otherwise really good or even classic album amongst your record collection.

I have always been surprised that the eponymously named Blind Faith album was deemed acceptable and still appears to be sold with its original cover art today. It was apparently banned in the US where a picture of the band was used instead.

Apart from the obvious use of children are there any other vintage album covers that have caused you to raise an eyebrow or have even stopped you buying it for that reason alone?

 

[Bodian]

This thread is perhaps best left without pictures in certain cases.

When you look at some of the album covers from the 60s, 70s and 80s it's astounding that they got past the censors for various reasons, in particular the use of child nudity by mainstream bands of the time, but also for reasons of sexism or even racism.

In some cases the album cover art is so "unbecoming", as Prince Andrew might describe it, to the extent that you might feel a little uncomfortable about having an otherwise really good or even classic album amongst your record collection.

I have always been surprised that the eponymously named Blind Faith album was deemed acceptable and still appears to be sold with its original cover art today. It was apparently banned in the US where a picture of the band was used instead.

Apart from the obvious use of children are there any other vintage album covers that have caused you to raise an eyebrow or have even stopped you buying it for that reason alone?

You could probably also extend the invite to those who bought the album for that reason alone!

 

[Icy Gull]

Blind Faith

Must say the album cover looked “wrong” to me even when it came out

I won’t post the sleeve but this is it if you haven’t already seen it


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...gjUAZJKYa-&ust=1576499395703184&ictx=3&uact=3

Edit I see this album has already been mentioned, it wasn’t great was it?

 

[studio150]

Unfinished Music No.1 Two Virgins - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Country Life - Roxy Music

Amorica - Black Crowes

 

[half time scores]

 

[carlzeiss]

This one was considered controversial at time of release .

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The Slits 'Cut' album sleeve might now be very mildly considered NSFW. Tho was highly applauded at the time by all us Slits fans

 

[marlowe]

Unfinished Music No.1 Two Virgins - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Country Life - Roxy Music

Amorica - Black Crowes

I also had the Country Life cover in mind when I posted the thread, although today it wouldn't just be the overt sexist nature of the image that might cause offence in some people's eyes but also the discernable presence of muff; which was the cause of all the controversy with the Black Crowes album cover you also mentioned. This "unacceptable" teasing hint of minge led it to being banned in Walmart in the US who subsequently only sold the album with this censored version....

 

[jakarta]

This one was considered controversial at time of release .

View attachment 118226

What's wrong with being Sexy?

 

[Razzoo]

Blind Faith

Must say the album cover looked “wrong” to me even when it came out

I won’t post the sleeve but this is it if you haven’t already seen it


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...gjUAZJKYa-&ust=1576499395703184&ictx=3&uact=3

Edit I see this album has already been mentioned, it wasn’t great was it?

Absolutely this one, sprang straight to mind. Just wrong.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I don't think the title or cover of Pink Floyd's 'A Nice Pair' was the height of subtlety. It was a double -release of 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' and 'Saucerful of Secrets'. I also think that Caravan might re-consider the title 'Cunning Stunts' these days as well.

 

[Icy Gull]

Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience would cause a furore today

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Scorpions 'Virgin Killer' is just wrong.

 

[marlowe]

Blind Faith

Must say the album cover looked “wrong” to me even when it came out

I won’t post the sleeve but this is it if you haven’t already seen it


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...gjUAZJKYa-&ust=1576499395703184&ictx=3&uact=3

Edit I see this album has already been mentioned, it wasn’t great was it?

Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy has also caused a bit of controversy for the same reason and led to it being banned as an image by Facebook for a brief period.

The cover art on Bow Wow Wow's first album caused some controversy at the time which was a recreation of Manet's painting "Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe" featuring their 14-year-old singer Annabella Lwin sitting naked on the grass although nothing was actually "on display". The idea for the cover was their manager's Malcolm McLaren.

Here's the original work of art by Manet...

 

[marlowe]

"Indelibly Stamped" the second album by Supertramp before they hit the big time with their third album would certainly appeal to aficionados of tattoo art.

 

[RossyG]

Another vote for Blind Faith here.

I’ve always found these two quite distasteful...

The Beatles’ Yesterday and Today.



And the Rage Against the Machine album, which I won’t post it here, that shows the horrifying photo of the Buddhist monk self immolating in protest against, I think, the Vietnam war. I remember being confronted with it in Wooldworth’s as a kid and finding it very disturbing.

 

[Swansman]

Unfinished Music No.1 Two Virgins - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Did I miss the return of Queen Victoria or why would this be non-acceptable 2019?

... well after reflecting about it for a minute she indeed seems to be back from the dead so kudos to you, good example!

 

[GT49er]

Houses of the Holy by Led Zep was, to say the least, a bit iffy,

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=h...AgQAw#imgrc=xaIV_W3S4IFcDM:&spf=1576424300520

 

[seaford]

Not sure that the "Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" would be allowed now?

https://www.amazon.fr/Pros-Cons-Hit...locphy=9056534&hvtargid=pla-77762750726&psc=1

 

[marlowe]