ART IN THE AGE OF MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION

ADVENTURES IN ALBUM ART: The Groundbreaking Work of Barney Bubbles

The artwork of English graphic designer Colin Fulcher aka Barney Bubbles is often described with words such as daring, bold and experimental. However, for me, his often geometric-styled images and cryptic, puzzle-like concepts transcend and even destroy those words. His portfolio contains iconic ’70s punk/new wave and space rock album covers from some of the most seminal bands in history:

Hawkwind – Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music (1976)

Elvis Costello & the Attractions – Armed Forces (1979)

Clover – Unavailable (1977)

Rare, sealed collector’s edition of The Damned – Damned Damned Damned (1977)

Ian Dury & the Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (1978)

Elvis Costello & the Attractions – This Year’s Model (1978)

“I found the off-registered version of Elvis Costello’s This Year’s Model in the import bin and it blew me away.  In America, they released the cover which eliminated the joke. Apparently, the captains of the music industry didn’t get it, and thought it was a real mistake or something. You could only find the original design in the import section – along with most American punk, which had to imported before it could be sold in an American record store.  Strange times. This Year’s Model completely flabbergasted me. It actually took me a long time to figure out it wasn’t a misprint. And, when I realised it was a joke, I never looked at graphic design in the same way again.” — Art Chantry

The Damned – Music For Pleasure (1977)

Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Do It Yourself (1979)

It’s also worth mentioning that, in 1978, Barney redesigned the weekly music paper NME, along with a new logo design. A contemporary re-worked version of the logo is still in use. Sadly this amazing designer’s life was cut short when his bipolar disorder led him to committ suicide in 1983.

Images via and via.

For more, visit the Barney Bubbles blog.