Favorite and least favorite album art and pics

[Sweepie]

I know I should post this on the thread about the guy who made them but that would be rude because of what I'm going to say. I should also post this in EYKIW but it's more about the looks of the band than the design in general but that goes along with it too. What I'm going to say is



I don't really like any of the album cover designs, inside or out!



Okay don't hurt me!! Here's the way I see them then tell me yours!

Boy- the one I have is only lame pencil drawings. Boo. Boring.

October- even though I know they were cute then that is an awful pic of all of them except maybe Larry. Ouch.

War- Not much of a picture and Bono's mouth looks like a duck.

UF- Good idea with the castle but they're out of focus and it doesn't look like Bono.

JT- Again good idea but not the best view of the boys. They look bedraggled and homeless and sweaty, not to mention out of focus.

AB- Cool idea, but some of the imagery, what's up with that? Some of the pics are good but some, ehh.

Zooropa- What, no band members? Looks like some 3 year old drew it with dull crayons. Boo.

POP- honestly this one scares me. It's like a bad LSD trip. The ones inside are even creepier, Bono looking like Lenin, all mean and snarly. Adam really freaks me out. What's up with Edge?

ATYCLB- again, out of focus. Don't these guys want to be seen as they really are? The pics inside are worthless, so big, but smeared and blurry and black and white!

What I'm saying about the covers has nothing to do with the music inside, or the way the band members really look. It's the way it was done and the way it was presented. I don't know why, but I don't like it. Will anyone else confess to not liking one or more of the cover arts?

If I had to choose a fave it would probably be Rattle and Hum because the thing with Bono shining the light on Edge is very cool, but you can't really see them.

 

[souLnation2002]

I'm going to have to disagree with what you said. IMO, I think that each U2 album cover has cleverly reflected the band's theme at the time.

 

[adamswildhoney]

I have that poster but I need to get a new one bc my poster has tears in it from people messing with it!!

 

[a-mole]

I always loved the Zoroopa cover
very cool I think
POP and ATYCLB covers I muchos like too

 

[U2girl02]

I like all the covers, too. Gotta love how Larry's right eye is the same shape as the Playboy bunny on the Pop cover

 

[Liesje]

Boy- the one I have is only lame pencil drawings. Boo. Boring.

Aren't some of those Bono's? Didn't he draw for a single at least? I dunno, I don't have the album art, maybe I'm wrong.....

 

[Edgette]

You should have heard Steve Averill and Shaughn McGrath's presentation about the album covers at the HOF this past Saturday. It really shone some light on how the album covers get made and how much work actually gets put into them.

As Steve said, you really can't picture the albums having any other cover than what they have.

I never liked the War cover myself, but I will never look at it or any of the covers the same way after this weekend. I highly recommend Four5One's book that Steve and Shaughn put together. It has a lot of stories about every sleeve design, new interviews with Adam and Bono and also some alternate covers that weren't used.



~J

 

[Edgette]

Re: Re: Favorite and least favorite album art and pics

Aren't some of those Bono's? Didn't he draw for a single at least? I dunno, I don't have the album art, maybe I'm wrong.....

Bono drew the original artwork for the "Another Time, Another Place" single - the one with the balloons. But, Steve Averill re-worked it for the actual release.



~J

 

[senrab]

I'm a graphic design student and I don't think the Zooropa cover works very well. But Steve Averill is a design professional and I am not, so who knows. lol

My favorite is the entire design for the cover, sleeve, single covers, etc. etc. for JT.

 

[Sweepie]

Ah well, I just don't like his work But I love U2's music so it doesn't matter! I keep my CDs in one of those carrying sleeve case things anyhow. I just thought maybe some of you might admit to not liking some so I wouldn't feel bad. Guess not. Forget it, sorry.

 

[flaming june]

I like the original cover of Boy... the other version is kind of boring. And I'm not crazy about the October cover either. It's a bad picture and there doesn't seem to be very much "designing" going on in there.

I like all the others, especially Joshua Tree. The black and gold thing... those pics in the desert. It totally suits the mood of the album and it epithomizes that era of U2's career. And in a way, it's sort of the "classic" U2 image in my mind.

 

[Jack In The Box]

my favorite cover is the one of Achtung Baby

only that...

 

[Jack In The Box]

I'm going to have to disagree with what you said. IMO, I think that each U2 album cover has cleverly reflected the band's theme at the time.

oh! yes, I have this poster too

 

[Bonochick]

I have that poster as well. John bought it for me.

War- Not much of a picture and Bono's mouth looks like a duck.

Bono isn't on the cover of War.

 

[souLnation2002]

Re: Re: Favorite and least favorite album art and pics

I have that poster as well. John bought it for me.




Bono isn't on the cover of War.

Isnt it Guggi's brother(?)

 

[Bonochick]

I know it's Peter Rowan...I can't remember if he's Guggi's brother or not though.

Surely one of the other gals here knows!

 

[Sweepie]

Re: Re: Favorite and least favorite album art and pics

Bono isn't on the cover of War.

It's not the cover it's the inside of the paper and the vinyl record. I don't have one but I have seen them at somebody's house and the store. I'm a new fan and all I have of my own is ATYCLB and the 2 best ofs. I'm still collecting tho!

I want to say that I do think the guys are good looking but there are better pics they could have used. Like JT U2 is really hot but the pics they chose don't show them at their best. I've just seen so many hot pics here on PLEBA I don't know why better ones weren't picked

 

[Bonochick]

Thanks for clearing that up, Sweepie! I was confused.

 

[Bono's shades]

I love the cover art for The Joshua Tree as it appeared on the vinyl and cassette versions, but I hate the CD cover. It's all blurry and distorted. I'm glad I saved my old JT cassette after it finally wore out so I still have the original cover art.

 

[bayernfc]

Re: Re: Re: Favorite and least favorite album art and pics

Isnt it Guggi's brother(?)

it is. My choice of favourites has got be btw AB and ATYCLB....oh ya btw i have that poster too!

 

[senrab]

I love the cover art for The Joshua Tree as it appeared on the vinyl and cassette versions, but I hate the CD cover. It's all blurry and distorted. I'm glad I saved my old JT cassette after it finally wore out so I still have the original cover art.

Yes, I hate the CD cover for JT too. Maybe if they remaster the album or something they will use the original picture.

 

[Ana]

I hate the CD cover. It's all blurry and distorted. I'm glad I saved my old JT cassette after it finally wore out so I still have the original cover art.

The JT tree cover on the CD's sold in Mexico have the same picture but not blurry and the guys more distant from the camera. I have both american and mexican CD's and the I love them both. I think it's great design. I even love the blurry pic! And I got the cassette too. I love the combination of black and gold, it's completely ad oc (spelling?) with the feeling of the music.

And I also love the war cover.

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

*true story*


Back in the day, I had to create a cd cover in my media class so I recreated Rattle and Hum. My partner and I posed as Bono and Edge and used special lighting, etc. to recreate it. It rocked!
[/end geeky story]

 

[a-mole]

*true story*


Back in the day, I had to create a cd cover in my media class so I recreated Rattle and Hum. My partner and I posed as Bono and Edge and used special lighting, etc. to recreate it. It rocked!
[/end geeky story]

well well

wher is it then??

SHOW US! I'd looove to see it
pretty pleeeaaase!

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

I could scan it...couldn't I?

 

[souLnation2002]

yes you could

 

[elevation_u2]

The boy on the cover of War (and The Best of 1980-1990 and the uncensored Boy) is Peter Rowan, who lived down the street from Bono when they were kids. I don't know if he's any relation to Guggi or not.

 

[U2Kitten]

It IS Guggi's little brother, no question. Guggi's name is Derek Rowan. Guggi is Bono's oldest childhood friend, he played with him even before Gavin. There were 11 kids in the Rowan family and Peter was a little kid at the time they put out their first albums so he became the U2 Boy!

 

[Tizer]

Believe me, back in 1984 the vinyl cover of Unforgettable Fire was a different class than the rest and it still is my favourite. the cardboard was thicker and more textured than the norm and then with the Sort of Homecoming lyrics added..masterpiece. And they were only in their early 20's.

 

[dedogsbolix]

You are dead right Tizer , you have to keep that in mind.

October is just sloppy , nothing else.

As for Peter Rowan , you can catch him in The Commitments as the kid with the skateboard looking to audition ( Andrea Corr is in it too ) and then later in The Snapper as one of Sharons brothers, he is of Guggi s little brother.