A while back we’d all got pretty blase about using imgur for our embedded piccies until the imgur folks took our toys away. Since then the number of illustrations in posts has somewhat dropped off.
It’s actually almost as easy to use flickr as the source for graphics, so let’s exercise our flickr Photostreams and share some snips from album covers to challenge the Afterword hive mind to identify the record cover from which they’ve been snipped.
I’ll start – can you tell me which LP the little cartoon in the first comment below comes from?
I know this…arrgh!
Scribbled on Fulton Street?
Inner gatefold: peanut butter and jam…
Still unidentified? I might have to add a wider snip of the same cover…
Please.
I have this probably completely incorrect very faint trace memory of what this may be. Is it Volunteers by the Jefferson Airplane?
Ta-Da!
@pencilsqueezer – well excavated from the dusty depths of your neurons.
At least on my copy it’s on the rear of the sleeve, in the lower left hand corner. I have the original RCA vinyl album with a gatefold sleeve so I suppose it’s entirely possible that re-issues have omitted it altogether. Well recalled!
My copy of it was like yours the RCA gatefold. My memories of artwork details on album sleeves is I believe almost entirely dependent upon how many times I skinned up on the cover.
Heh. Come to think of it, I might have a couple of LPs with sufficient dust in the gatefold crease to secure a conviction, now that forensic science has made such great leaps.
Here’s another one:
That be Backtrack 3. I had a few of the Backtrack imprints in days of yore.
Indeed it is. ‘oo and Jimi.
British and American covers for the same album.
An easy one – that’s Fairport Convention’s finest Unhalfbricking.
Had to put them on separately as when I tried the link for them both together it just put the link up and not the photos.
Let’s see if this works.
Update. Yes!
No one?
My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair… But Now They’re Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows
Good work.
This is fun.
Led Zep 4
Correct.
That’s the first one I’ve recognised. Yay me!
Can you do Flickr with signing-up?
One of the things I did quite like with imgur was the fact it was free on-line get link – appealed to my simple mind
Same here – I’d be keen to know this as well.
Edit: spotted below. Did you have to sign up, @Rigid-Digit? Or is like Imgur?
@fitterstoke yup, sold my soul and signed up
(it worked … copy link / paste … easy)
Is that Metallica or Smell The Glove?
or could it be The Damned?
Absolutely every single release from The Sisters of Mercy.
Back In Black, Shirley?
Prince’s Black Album?
That’s on the cover of my That’s Entertainment single, so I expect it’s on the cover of Sound Affects too..
Yup
This one’s easy.
Erm … Not that easy. Am I the only one who doesn’t know it?
Clue: it’s not the Groover from Vancouver..
Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
Spot on.
This one maybe less so.
Tom Petty “Long after dark”.
Damn, you’re good!
Big Tom Petty fan BITD.
Miles of Aisles
Yep.
Ghost Town?
Alas no.
Into the Labyrinth – Dead Can Dance
A Room for You – Viola Falb, Mark Holub, and Bernd Satzinger
Grip – Üther
See You in Paradise – Disco Lizard
No to all.
There is a link to the Velvet Underground and Gong if that helps.
Racking brains….
Daevid Allen? Robert Wyatt? Bloomdido? Ayers? but VU???? Really?
Nope, I give up.
Tangential link to be fair.
And a link to Woody Allen (as well as Daevid)
And Man.
And Musa sapientum
Gosh. Stumperama.
I’m familiar with the pics of Deke, Martin, Mickey and Pugwash scoffing ‘nanas, but this isn’t one of those that I recognise. More head scratching is required… … and I still can’t figure those US links – apart from the Cippolina connection I can’t think of any other such cross-fertilisations at the moment…
*scratching noises continue*
The artist said at the time “And it suddenly occurred to me that’s everyone’s dilemma: at the times we think we’re the coolest, what everyone else sees is a guy with his mouth full of banana.”
I’ve been dense, not twigging that the Man and VU link merely concerns the banana (song and cover art respectively). Can’t think what the Gong link would be in that respect. Still stumped.
Banana Moon, surely?
Correcto yes it was just the banana all along.
I’d be interested to see the whole of the cover – I did consider that album (banana chomping being involved) but my copy doesn’t match the snip you posted!
I am confuse – I had thought you’d said it was Banana Moon, the Daevid Allen/Gong album, but it was just the (mis)placing of your remark that made it sound as if you were confirming Sal’s question!
I’ve had that Cohen album since it came out and do you know, I don’t think I’d noted the presence of the banana at all until now!
@vulpes-vulpes I think because it was an extended thread I couldn’t reply directly to you. Interesting you’ve never noticed the banana. It’s like me with the Pulp one, I could have sworn the model faced the other way.
Rings a very vague bell, but I am stumped.
Front and centre of a very famous album cover. Your first word almost gives a clue to a key player in the music.
Sgt Pepper!
Ringo’s a much clearer bell!
Doh! It did Ringo a bell.
For some unfathomable reason Flickr is refusing to upload photos for me so much as I’d like to contribute I can’t.
Dagnabbit, and you’d have a lot of really wicked stuff to share too, Peter. Keep trying!
I’ve been trying on and off since yesterday. I get told it’s uploading the image but it never completes. Hopeless piece of dreck.
OK here are a few more teasers to keep you scratching your heads; some classics, some obscurities, one or two aimed at regulars here who will almost certainly know them.
I’ll load them one at a time to keep things simple.
*eyes distant hamper possibility*.
Let’s see how you do… here’s the first one:
Is it the KLF? That font is either them or James’ Wah-Wah.
Correctamundo – it’s from the JAMMS/KLF double called Shag Times. The sound of Mu(sic). Short Shelf Life Guaranteed.
And the next:
Yello. Stella?
Surprised no-one has had a pop at this one. These chaps were really big in the 80s, and still active into the 20s.
At risk of repeating myself, is it Stella by Yello?
Weird how you must have been typing your reply just as I was asking why no-one had hazarded a guess!
Yes, it’s the awesome Stella from Yello – well done that chap!
I’m currently in Southwold with Mrs F for the week, not “working” (i.e. dicking around on here all day), hence my tardy replies.
Then there’s this one:
Suitably apt for today as it’s shining down on me (for the very first time)
😉 You got it.
And this one:
Widening out slightly
(Of course not)
Arf.
@junior-wells might be familiar with this gem.
Erm … it’s not “Gwindingwi Rine Shumba” by Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited, is it?
It is!
Late to the party but yes nice work Duco.
or finally this one….
I have another half dozen snips ready to upload if folks find these amusing.
By the way, there’s no guarantee that the snips you see here are oriented exactly as they would be if you were vinyl-browsing in a shop, standing upright and sober.
That’s Tago Mago, isn’t it?
Standing on its head, yes!
Left this one out by mistake – here’s number 6 of this lot:
Blueprint?
That’s the fella. Rory in fine form.
Here’s a quick guide to flickr usage:
1) Go to http://www.flickr.com and sign up for a free account using your email address.
I haven’t seen any deluge of unwanted email since doing so, and have no reason to think that the free account – limiting you to a total of 1000 image uploads before they insist upon a paid account – is anything but a loss-leader I can live with. If I ever hit that limit I’ll just sign up again with a new, throw-away email address and start again.
2) Go to your flickr homepage once your free account is up and running. Click on the ‘upload’ icon at the top right to send an image file up to the flickr server.
3) When you see the option to ‘choose a file to upload’ you can either double-click on the file or drag & drop it onto the flickr window.
4) Now you will see a small version of the file you chose to upload, and you need to click on the ‘Upload 1 photo’ button in the top right corner.
5) Confirm the upload request and click on the ‘Continue to Flickr’ button:
6) You get taken back to a view of your ‘photostream’ (i.e. all of the images you’ve uploaded) and here you can click on the latest upload, which will open with clickable buttons to either Edit (including Rotate and Delete options) or to Share the image.
It’s this Share button you need to click – this will pop up a box containing the HTML code you need to cut & paste into your Afterword post.
Many thanks!
Edit / Share / Grab Link … missed that bit. I’m just right-clicking in the Photostream, select Copy Link, and then dropping in here
Velvet Underground and Nico?
Peel slowly and see, indeed!
I remember doing that, starting at the err head of the banana and as a teenager, going ooh err, but no it was a fucking banana.
Parallel Lines
Is the RH one Unknown Pleasures?
A valid insight. It’s the only candidate, isn’t it? The other one is an early 80s classic from Andy Burnham’s other city.
OMD – Architecture & Morality?
I’d say that’s there beginning and the end of it.
Two equally hot potatoes
Bryan Ferry – Bête Noire
Yes indeed.
I’ve got it playing nicely again. No idea what the issue has been.
Ruddy Heck.
First album, obviously.
Inner sleeve on the Hungarian pressing I believe.
Absolutely no idea old chum! Bung us a clue tomorrow?
First one is from a duo.
The second from a solo artist.
Is the second a breadfruit? Don’t know the artist though.
It’s a Swiss Cheese plant evidently. The artist in question is an American.
That narrows things down a bit.
I’ve made it too easy I know.
I don’t know why I said breadfruit I meant Swiss Cheese plant Monstera deliciosa.
Neither of these artists or albums could be considered obscure.
The first is by a British duo.
The second is from an American female artist.
There is obviously zero point in persisting in the face of such disinterest so…
The first is snipped from Seventh Tree by Goldfrapp.
The second is from the cover of My Echo by Laura Veirs.
Now you say it I recognise the Goldfrapp one.
I’ve never seen the second one.
Can’t speak for anyone else – but, in my case, it’s not so much disinterest as coming up a complete blank.
Whatever.
Turns out this isn’t a game to play on a phone screen. Was on holiday, now home (bugger).
Sir! Sir! That’s Foxtrot by Genesis, that is!
Yes, no, yes, it is Genesis
Foxtrot!
Slow slow quick quick slow
oooosneckst!
Relieving themselves on an obilisk in Temple Normanton
Rattus Norvegicus, The Stranglers. First one I knew instantly.
Aye
Let me know if you’d like a few more.
A Dirty Dozen
Hmmm … no.11 looks like “Lovesexy”
Glam Slam, thank you, ma’am!
No.1 is Chumbawamba’s “Anarchy”.
On being pushed, I say D’Oh!
No.4 looks a bit like “Surfer Rosa” by Pixies.
I’m amazed, indeed
Is that Bette Midler to the left of TAFKAP?
All Bettes are off. From a distance it might look that way, but she’s neither to his left or our left – the purple prodigy on this occasion is not stuck in the Midler.
Cindi Lauper, then?
*Racks brains for celeb Gingers*
Ed Sheeran? 😉
Foghorn Flo.
Is no.5 Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix?
Seconded. I just checked. Closely.
Yes
Number 3 is, I think, the statuesque young woman on the right of the front cover of Roxy’s 4th album, ‘Country Life’?
Constanze Karoli? You might be right…
Yes
Hmmm … let’s see now … No.12 must be Pulp’s “This is Hardcore”, surely?
I believe you’re right!
I’d thought that it was This is Hardcore but the mouth is in the wrong direction i looked it up and the only ones I can find are the left profile I was sure it was the right profile. Most odd.
I’ve just rechecked and I spot a nostril now. I was sure the model was the other side. Incorrect memory.
Yes
Hang on, No.6 isn’t that dodgy Blind Faith album with the “It wouldn’t be allowed today” cover of the girl holding the aeroplane thingy, is it?
Oh, good spot – it is you know.
Yes
So far, numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12 have been guessed correctly. No. 9, which you’re struggling with – the adult movie actress and the album have the same sweet name
Edit to above, it’s no. 10 you were struggling with, not no. 9. Sorry.
Apart from no. 1, there’s a naked truth to all the others, which may help you get 2, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Hasn’t no. 9 got a muddy face?
Is 9 The Slits Cut?
Yes.
Is 8 mothers milk by the red hot chili peppers?
Yes.
Thus far then, we are only missing the identity of snips 2 and 10.
No 7 is the young lady from The Scorpions album who stores her chewing gum in the most unlikely place.
Yes, now just 2 and 10 left.
For the sake of RSI avoidance then, here’s where we are with the fiendish @salwarpe dozen so far:
I think I have sussed number 10 – it’s from the Vargas cover of The Cars’ album ‘Candy-O’.
It is indeed. I’m quite amused that the last one to be guessed is no. 2, by someone from THE Afterword band.
Now, who is going to (brown) bag up this last one?
No 2 looks a bit like Bernard Sumner.
Wrong city. Head west.
It’s not an image from the Beatles “Revolver” is it?
That’s correct, it isn’t. And it wouldn’t really fit the theme of the puzzle.
But you’re on the verge of the right answer
erm … is it John and Yoko’s “Two Virgins”, possibly?
That’s the right answer!
Thanks, everyone, for playing. It’s been great, you’ve been great. I might try to think of another set over the weekend.
I thought I’d be good at this – but it turns out I’m rubbish…
@fitterstoke
Fear not, a further array of puzzling pictorial snippets from popular polyphonic publications will shortly arrive to stump or delight you.
Here’s a few Sunday morning head-scratchers, some pretty easy, some more puzzling, one or two downright obscure:
Number 2 Toto 4
Number 7 ELP Pictures at an Exhibition
Both correct!
9 is More Songs about Buildings and Food
I recognise 1 – just can’t get it, very annoying
Talking Heads in at number 9.
Number 1 remains a mystery.
6 Electronic
Rotating the image hasn’t foiled you – that’s correct.
4 down, 6 to go:
Number four is Randy Newman – Trouble in Paradise and number five is a Magazine album but it’s title escapes me.
No 1 is Pete Dello and Friends “Into Your Ears” I admit I had to search but I knew it was a Roger Dean cover.
@pencilsqueezer
Correctatastic – it’s from the back cover of ‘Trouble in Paradise’ (Randy coulda saved that title for a nowadays release), and the Magazine album is the superb compilation called ‘After The Fact’.
@hubert-rawlinson – indeed it is (though cunningly reversed). I confess I didn’t think anyone would get that one. I have the See for Miles reissue that adds the suffix ‘…plus’ to the original title, which was ‘Into Your Ears’ and credited to Pete Dello and friends.
Numbers 3, 8 and 10 remain unidentified.
I’d guess that number 3 is owned by a fair number of Afterworders.
I’d guess that the most famous track from number 8 is known by most of us here.
I’m not sure how many of us will be aware of the album at number 10, though I seem to recall that we fondly acknowledged the passing of the main man from this band only last year.
No.10 – Electric Head by The Grid.
One of my favourite albums. Every track is a classic. I have never consciously heard the follow-up, 456, but Evolver achieved the biggest success. I thought The Grid were awesome. SO many great tracks, so undervalued.
@salwarpe
Spot on! So glad someone else here likes this LP. I picked it up one day simply on the strength of the cover artwork and names of the tracks; I had no idea what it would sound like. It still give it a spin these days, and I’ve never heard any of their other releases. I wondered if it was too obscure to be spotted!
If you don’t know Swamp Thing, then where were you in 1994? It was everywhere and was almost as ubiquitous as Crazy Frog around that time. Rollercoaster as remixed by Global Communications should be obligatory listening for everyone.
When I said I hadn’t heard any of their other releases I had forgotten about the Music for Dancing compo, which has this track at the end.
Cluetastic time:
Number 3 has been rotated 90 degrees in a clockwise direction…
Number 8 might have been familiar to weekend viewers back in the day…
Hah! Number 8 is Nantucket Sleighride by Mountain. I’ve no idea about Number 3 though.
That’s the one – Gail’s work before she shot her hubby.
Tom Waits – Small Change
That’s it; I could have snipped the exotic dancer, but that would have given the game away immediately.
Is number 5 by 23 Skidoo?
‘fraid not – see above, it’s the curious beauty of Magazine.
Late entrant
T-Rex – Electric Warrior.
First prize to the man with the pencil.
Irritatingly familiar, but identification remaining elusive – a perfect puzzler.
@vulpes-vulpes very popular album if that helps (I’ve never heard it if that helps)
grrrr, still no divine inspiration here…
Is it Fulham Fallout by The Lurkers?
Close(ish) but no cigar.
A tangential link to the performer is a Sir John Everett Millais painting title. @vulpes-vulpes
Strewth, that’s a huge number of tangentially potential rabbit-holes. Raleigh’s childhood? The Bridesmaid? The two Princes? Cinderella or Ophelia (or countless other young girls)? Still stumped by the image’s smallness I’m afraid. Will dwell upon it.
Hmm…Natalie Merchant…er…Motherland? Possibly. Maybe. Perhaps.
The painting was used by Pears soap.
Another tangential clue the West Ham song.
Larger image
Is it a Michael Jackson album? 🤓
Ha ha – It’s Thriller, isn’t it!
Correcto, I just thought a clip of the best selling album would be a good wheeze.
I still haven’t heard it.
Well there you go. Good work!
The only MJ album I own is ‘Off The Wall’, side 1 of which is a monster, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard Thriller either, let alone know intimately what the cover looks like.
My favourite surnamed Jacksons are more ‘Jumping Jive’ Joe or ‘Conquering Lion’ Vivian to be honest.
Re: “My favourite surnamed Jacksons are more ‘Jumping Jive’ Joe or ‘Conquering Lion’ Vivian”
Also – let’s have a big thumbs-up for Al Jackson Jr, drummer of Booker T and the MGs, and brilliant session drummer at Stax Records.
Fucking hell, it’s the Cockney Rejects!
Right then, one final blast – this time with easier ones (mostly, heh heh heh):
5 is Business As Usual by Men At Work.
Head full of zombie, so it is!
Did you spot that it’s upside-down compared to its album sleeve appearance?
Well, it would be, wouldn’t it?
It might appear the right way up to BC et al.
Number two is Blues for Allah by the Dead and Number 3 is Sir John Alot of Merrie England etc by John Renbourn.
One of my favourite Dead albums that is, and the Renbourn is a Transatlantic classic – both correctly spotted.
I have a feeling that you will quite possibly be familiar with number 6 too…
I know the band, I’m trying to remember the name of the album…
Ok. The band is It’s a Beautiful Day but I’m buggered if I can remember the album title.
Marrying Maiden
That’s the one! Diolch it’s been driving me daft(er).
You got there in the end. I heard this album being played in a record shop only the other day, oddly enough.
Can’t recommend highly enough a visit to Wanted Records (30 yards north of Bristol Bridge) to anyone entering the kingdom of Briz.
No 4 – Crooked Mile by Microdisney.
Oh, I say, well played sir! I wasn’t sure if anyone would clock that one. Great band.
The Eyes Have It!
How is your 2020 vision? Though these are from a different ‘golden’ year.
So far
11 right – 1,3,4,8,10,12,15,16,17,19,20
12 not guessed – 2,5,6,7,9,11,13,14,18
6 not guessed – 2,5,6,7,13,18
4 not guessed – 5,6,7,18
I gave clues to 5 & 6.
To be fair, 7 & 18 – the details are quite small within the bigger picture. The two albums share a feature – a device that is hit with a hammer to make a sound.
Ooh – I think I’ve got no.7!
Is it “Camembert Electrique” by Gong?
Dynamite!
I Am (Indeed) Your Animal
Making 18 slightly more explicit
Just no 6 and 18 to guess now. Here’s a slightly expanded view of no. 6
Well, that makes it easier.
It’s “Dog of Two Head” by Status Quo.
I was originally looking for an album by a band that started with the letter Q, as you said. No wonder I couldn’t find it – Status Quo starts with an S! Unless you just refer to them as “Quo”, I suppose…
The Mighty Quo. Yeah, a bit fast and loose with the truth there.
Just no.18 then I can bow out. It’ll be over (and over).
I think it’s high time somebody gets this one.
I think you might have to give us more of a clue for no.18, salwarpe.
So – the artist is someone who plays the gong, or xylophone or glockenspiel or something – is that right? And the album is from 1971 – is that right?
I’ve asked my good friend, Mr A.I., and I’m afraid that after days of thinking, he’s not come up with a decent answer …
I asked ‘Artifical Idiocy’ who the chap was it said it was John Cale.
Then I went for a little lie down.
AI suggested Mick Jagger to me even I can see it ain’t.
Oh … hang on a minute …
It’s not “High Time” by the MC5, is it?
Well dur
‘Over and over’, ‘high time’
I was wondering how obvious my clues would have to be for this stone cold classic.
I think my ‘work’ here is done on this thread.
Well done and a round of applause to VV for initiating it. Great fun.
Album alphabetisation wars! Rally to the flag, oil those lamps and sharpen your pitchforks. Anyone sensible knows the band belong under V anyway.
‘ver Quo
Innit.
Convinced number 5 is the beady eye of Alice Cooper
And number 6 is Jaz from Killing Joke.
Unless he was recording at the age of 10 it’s unlikely.
For 5 and 6, please look elsewhere in the animal kingdom.
The two bands share a ‘q’ as first letter.
Quagga and Quetzal?
Slightly better known bands than that. The bands are not named after animals, there is a picture of an animal on the album cover.
5 is “Quicksilver” by Quicksilver Messenger Service
In like Flynn. Well, kind of.
At last!
Number one is What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye.
Number eight is Stormcock by Roy Harper.
Number twelve is Naturally by JJ Cale.
Number fifteen is Blue by Joni Mitchell.
Number seventeen is Bless the Weather by John Martyn.
yes to all.
5 done, 15 to go.
4 Hunky Dory: Bowie.
6 I want to say The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
20 American Pie possibly.
Yes and, er no (though I can see why you might think that).
@salwarpe I’ve stuck another on.
Plus 16 is Meddle
10 is David Crosby If I Could Only Remember My Name
11 Syd’s Madcap Laughs
20 yes
16 yes
10 yes
11 Interesting. no.
Number three is Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen.
It is indeed
19 The North Star Grassman and the Ravens: Sandy
Oh boy. Right again. Let X equal X
These are the last ones I can have a punt at. The remaining ones, not a clue.
Number nine is LA Woman – The Doors.
Number fourteen is Led Zep IV.
Number eleven is Bryter Later by Nick Drake.
And the final one is American Pie by Don McClean.
Yes to all. I guess both Syd and Nick have moody sunken eyes on their covers.
Oh. Who is Don McClean?
Don McClean toothpaste manufacturer.
He was a polished performer.
No American Pie left on these gnashers.
2 Dylan? First Album?
You do come up with interesting suggestions. All albums selected were from the same year.
There’s a regal and festive textile feel to this eye.
It must be Carole King’s “Tapestry”, then!
It just doesn’t look like it though
It must be, because it is.
Is no.13 “Journey in Satchidananda” by Alice Coltrane?
If anyone would get that one, it would be you, sir.
Applause
Last hurrah, or maybe last WTF:
No one has identified this one from my half dozen above. This is from a stone(d) classic. I was pretty sure @junior-wells would know this LP for a start.
Oh – of course! It’s U-Roy’s “Dread in a Babylon”. Should’ve got that before.
Hooray! It is indeed the classic U-Roy LP, featuring an explicit, full-colour Jamaican Government Health Warning all over the cover, back and front.
Wouldn’t have got that. My first reaction was last temptation of christ Scorsese/Gabriel
Deep spirituality/inhalation present and correct in both 🙂