Wow. I think we can safely agree that the above is stunning, a fabulous poetic evocation of what New York City felt like at that precise moment in time, and a perfect visual equivalent to the music on the album in question. I should add that I have never been able to find out who's the photagrapher/art director responsible for it, but whoever they are, my hat's off to them.
The lingering nagging question, of course, is why wasn't that used for the album cover? And I say that as somebody who's a big fan of Brit artist Tom Adams, who did the painting...
...that actually was used on the cover.
Incidentally, if Adams' style looks familiar, that's because he had just done all the book jackets for Ballantine's then-contemporary series of paperback reissues of the complete works of Raymond Chandler...
...and apparently Lou was quite taken with them; in fact, if I remember correctly, it was actually Lou's idea to secure Adams' services for the album art.
Personally, I really dug the cover at the time, and I still think it has a certain surrealist/art-nouveau decadent vibe that's on the money in terms of Lou's aesthetic. That said, having stumbled on that black-and-white ad above for the first time in decades, it now strikes me it would have been a much better choice for the LP.
What do you guys think?
6 comments:
It's a great photo, for sure.
Mighta been a better cover for Transformer, which to me had a much grittier New York feel than the first album, which was recorded way too 'clean'.
I never cared for the cover and was let down by the album. I like Adams' work on the Chandler covers better. Lou got off to a shaky start with the wrong producer. Using the Yes and Elton John guys probably didn't help either. The arrangements kinda suck. The graffiti ad would have made a better cover. Still, the music inside doesn't make it for me.
Bowie and Ronson sure got things right six months later. Mick Rock and Karl Stoecker nailed the cover too. That second one saved Lou's ass. He had a nice run from Transformer-Berlin-Rock-N-Roll Animal-Lou Reed Live. Some of my faves.
VR
Don't forget 'Coney Island Baby.'
I love that first album.
And yes, that photo is a killer. Just needs the straw C train seats.
I'm not saying the songs on the 1st LP are bad, just that they're improperly prepared leftovers. The quality of the songs became apparent when, over the years, we were given the pleasure of the superior VU orignals.
VR
Stones' Beggars Banquet toilet cover?
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