Covering Album Covers

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Kory
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Covering Album Covers

Post by Kory »

Image

Since you didn't specify which KISS album you wanted to discuss, I went with self-titled.

So, this isn't a very good cover. I know they were probably still working on their image/branding, but none of the fellows is interesting to look at—this looks like it would have been a picture from the cutting room floor. The logo is a very weird size. It would have been much more effective if it were huge, and if the band's heads were slightly positioned over it. Not enough to make it hard to read the name of this exciting new band, but enough that it looks like they're in the room with it. This would have made the sparkles more striking, too.

The layout has a weird effect by drawing the eye into the ample negative space, when we should be looking at the band's faces. I keep hopping between the huge void on the left and the logo on the right, which is a sore thumb. If I'm compelled to look at the band's faces, I start with Paul and go in a straight line down to the logo and off the cover. Generally, you want enough interest to keep the eye circling around the layout, looking at all the neat stuff, but having that logo in the bottom right just draws you right out, and Ace doesn't even get considered by me (his vacant stare isn't helping either).

I can see they were trying to do some kind of off-balance Meet the Beatles kind of thing, but it could have used another week of work, I think.
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Dr. Medulla
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Is it just me or does the logo look kind of warped, making it look like it's also slightly receding into the distance?

How much of this cover reflects its period and genre? Do other glam or disco covers emphasize the same qualities?
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JoseUnidos
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by JoseUnidos »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 1:49pm
Is it just me or does the logo look kind of warped, making it look like it's also slightly receding into the distance?
The logo's also positioned in a weird place - above but not overlapping the top of Criss' head so it's either really big (like, Hollywood sign big) floating behind the band, or it's really small floating in front of the band. Either way it's a Graphic Design 101 no-no.
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Heston
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Heston »

This really is the second biggest KISS forum on the internet.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by JennyB »

Heston wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:10pm
This really is the second biggest KISS forum on the internet.
You speak the truth. Too funny. :mrgreen:
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Dr. Medulla »

JoseUnidos wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:02pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 1:49pm
Is it just me or does the logo look kind of warped, making it look like it's also slightly receding into the distance?
The logo's also positioned in a weird place - above but not overlapping the top of Criss' head so it's either really big (like, Hollywood sign big) floating behind the band, or it's really small floating in front of the band. Either way it's a Graphic Design 101 no-no.
Maybe that's what's doing it for me. The positioning is awkward and maybe that's why it seems warped.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

matedog
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by matedog »

I always liked this one. Perhaps we are overexposed to the KISS imagery, but this is the first time most people saw the four distinct figures. Gene stands out nicely too. With all that empty space, it really forces you to focus on these characters. This KISS logo is a bit small, but was probably less of an issue on a full size vinyl sleeve.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by matedog »

Hey Kory, review this fucking mess:
Image
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by JoseUnidos »

matedog wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:43pm
Hey Kory, review this fucking mess:
Image

Looks like a low-rent imitation of Tadanori Yokoo, with chest hair:

Image
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Of all the elements of that HTH cover—and, Jesus fucking Christ there's a ton of them—the two fingers with green thumbnails stand out for whatthefuckedness.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

Kory
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Kory »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:27pm
JoseUnidos wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:02pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 1:49pm
Is it just me or does the logo look kind of warped, making it look like it's also slightly receding into the distance?
The logo's also positioned in a weird place - above but not overlapping the top of Criss' head so it's either really big (like, Hollywood sign big) floating behind the band, or it's really small floating in front of the band. Either way it's a Graphic Design 101 no-no.
Maybe that's what's doing it for me. The positioning is awkward and maybe that's why it seems warped.
It's hard to tell because I don't have a hi-res version of it, but my guess would be that the logo was actually made of rhinestones and photographed from above, as they did everything physically back then. I see what you mean and would blame human error for the wobbliness.
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Kory
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Kory »

matedog wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 2:43pm
Hey Kory, review this fucking mess:
Image
Funnily enough, this does an infinitely better job of keeping my eye ON the cover, not that that's a good thing. It's basically just a mess. Too many ideas all being used at the same level of hierarchy (either through size, placement, or color) means that every single element in the space is just screaming at you.

It's effective at being pretty striking, but striking garbage is still garbage. What are those...lightning bolts? mountains?...coming out of Ace's shoulders? And yeah, it's super irritating that the thumbs are not in the same places on either corner, but hey, you gotta get in that super vibrating title card with the band name on it!
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Heston
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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Heston »

I'm thrilled with this thread. Where HTH is concerned, the back cover is the real story.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Heston wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 4:38pm
I'm thrilled with this thread. Where HTH is concerned, the back cover is the real story.
We will move on to something more substantial. KISS is, as always, low-hanging fruit, filled with worms and clearly rotting on the tree.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Covering Album Covers

Post by matedog »

Heston wrote:
04 Aug 2017, 4:38pm
I'm thrilled with this thread. Where HTH is concerned, the back cover is the real story.
Image
The colors are still awful, but otherwise, pretty cool.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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