Unusually packaged LPs and CDs
A while ago I posted a subject in the music section of Hipforums regarding unusually packaged CDs and LPs. I made a nice list, and a lot of people contributed. So, here I’ll make a list and description of each album:
– Acqua Fragile: Acqua Fragile (1973)
Italian prog rock band related to PFM because PFM produced this album and their vocalist Bernardo Lanzetti joined PFM in 1975 after Acqua Fragile broke up. Anyway, the original Italian LP on the Numero Uno label folds in to a giant poster.
– Ash Ra Tempel: Ash Ra Tempel (1971)
The original German pressing on the Ohr label features a cover that folds in the middle.
– Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (1972)
Original Italian LP on the Dischi Ricordi label features a gimmick shaped cover in the shape of a piggy bank, which was the band’s trademark.
– Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: Io Sono Nato Libero (1973)
Their second album, Darwin! (1972) simply comes in a normal gatefold package like many other LPs you might own, but this third one comes in a gimmick shaped cover with a booklet that has lyrics to all of the songs.
– Barclay James Harvest: Gone to Earth (1977)
The LP comes with a die cut cover in which you can use the sleeve to alter the scene by flipping over the sleeve.
– Beggars Opera: Pathfinder (1972)
Another LP in which the cover folds in to a giant poster. You gotta love the sci-fi artwork to this cover!
– Cervello: Melos (1973)
Yet another long line of Italian prog rock bands, this band also recorded for Dischi Ricordi just like Museo Rosenbach and Banco. The original LP comes with a gimmick cover in which the can pops open to reveal a picture of the band members being smothered in plastic wrap and a Salvador Dali-like artwork. Si-Wan Records in Korea reissued this on CD with the same gimmick gatefold cover as the LP but shrinked to CD size.
– José Cid: 10.000 Anos Depois Entre Vénus e Marte (1978)
One of the very few prog rock albums to come out of Portugal (and this coming from a guy better known in his country for generic Portuguese pop than prog rock). Knowing the rarity of the LP, a small California-based prog label called Art Sublime reissued this on CD with LP-sized packaging with all the features (including full-color booklet) of the original LP.
– Eloy: Planets (1981)
– Eloy: Time to Turn (1982)
– Eloy: Performance (1983)
– Eloy: Metromania (1984)
The British versions of these albums were also available as picture discs. The British versions of Planets and Time to Turn both had different covers from the German versions (the British versions featured artwork by Rodney Matthews while the German versions were by Winifried Reinbacher). Both Performance and Metromania had same artwork (although the British version of Performance used a different “Eloy” logo than the better known logo used on most of their German albums). Picture discs have a reputation of being crap as far as actually playing them on your turntable, so if you want to listen to these albums, buy the standard LP versions of these (normal cover, normal vinyl).
– Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Brain Salad Surgery (1973)
The album’s cover folds in the middle to reveal what the skull is: a sort of alien/human hybrid. Cover artwork by H.R. Giger.
– Focus: Focus 3 (1972)
The American LP version on Sire Records features a die-cut cover with the rainbow “Focus 3” logo. The European version features a more standard cover with a picture of Thijs van Leer playing flute.
– Gabriel Bondage: Another Trip to Earth (1977)
In my opinion, this album, from this Chicago-based band, really sucks bad, only one decent prog rock song, “Take it on a Dare” and the rest consists of really horrible soft rock and even country-rock songs. Regardless, it was pressed on red vinyl, white vinyl, and blue vinyl.
– Gong: Live Etc. (1977)
This album is a real treat if you’re a fan of the Radio Gnome-era of Gong as most of this consists of live performances from 1973-1974, although the last side features the Shamal-era lineup (from Sept. 1975) performing material from You (which I didn’t think was as interesting, especially because Gilli Smyth, Tim Blake, and Daevid Allen weren’t there and it didn’t sound right without them). There was also a couple of crappy throwaway studio-numbers (basically Gong doing generic blues songs), but the rest is first rate live material. Anyway, the original LP comes with a die-cut cover.
– Hawkwind: Hawkwind (1970)
I’ve seen a picture disc version of this album. Of course, buy the normal LP if you want to play it on your turntable.
– Steve Hillage: Green (1978)
Original LPs are pressed on green vinyl, which I happen to own a copy.
– Steve Hillage: Rainbow Dome Musick (1979)
Some copies are pressed on clear vinyl, unfortunately my copy is on regular black vinyl.
– Iron Butterfly: In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968)
If I’m not mistakened, when Rhino reissued this on CD, they had versions with a 3-D gimmick cover not unlike Their Satanic Majesties Request.
– J.E.T.: Fede, Speranza, Carità (1972)
Another one of those little known Italian prog rock bands, recommended to those who enjoy such bands as Museo Rosenbach and Semiramis. Anyway, the original Italian LP on the Durium label comes with a die-cut cover.
– Jethro Tull: Stand Up (1969)
Tull’s second album features a gatefold with artwork of the band members that stand up, not unlike some of those little kids pop-up story books.
– Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick (1972)
Everyone knows all about the newspaper gimmick cover that folds like a real newspaper. Anyway, don’t believe the story that this kid named Gerald Bostock wrote Thick as a Brick, it’s pretty obvious to everyone that it was actually Ian Anderson who wrote that.
– Julian’s Treatment: A Time Before This (1970)
Little known British prog/psych album lead by sci-fi author Julian Jay Savarin with excellent female vocals from Cathy Pruden. Anyway, when Akarma Records in Italy reissued this on CD, they used miniaturized LP-sized packaging complete with gatefold. Smart idea, as the original LP on the Youngblood label isn’t exactly easy to come by.
– Kraftwerk: Ralf & Florian (1973)
The British LP version of this album released on the Vertigo label features a totally different cover from the German version on Philips. Anyway, the British cover features an embossed cover featuring a circuit board. This is one of their pre-Autobahn albums, and in my opinion, much more interesting than their electronic-pop albums they released after 1975.
– Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III (1970)
– Led Zeppelin: Physical Grafitti (1975)
These both are have die-cut covers, although be aware: I am not as big a Zep fan as many of you are, so I don’t own these on LP, so if there’s something more you can add on, just use the “Post comment” feature.
– Ozric Tentacles: Spice Doubt Streaming – A Gig in the Ether (1998)
I believe this was the very first album ever streamed live over the Internet. The original limited edition copy comes with strange packaging that comes with a liquid solution with little plastic fishes in them. The album had just been recently reissued although I can’t imagine it having the same gimmick cover. Too bad I didn’t get my copy of the the original when I had the chance. Oh well.
– Pink Floyd: Pulse (1995)
I remember very well being in record stores and seeing copies of this CD with the blinking light. I can’t imagine there’d be any battery juice left in those CDs for them to be still blinking to this day.
– Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
The original LP comes with a 3-D gimmick cover.
– Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (1971)
The infamous Andy Warhol-created cover with the zipper on the pants that reveal underwear.
– Small Faces: Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (1968)
The original LP came with a round cover, but unfortunately caused a lot of problems with record dealers because it often had the habit of rolling off the shelves.
– Soft Machine: The Soft Machine (1968)
The original LP on the ABC/Probe label features a moving gears cover that you can move around to see a naked lady.
– Starcastle: Citadel (1977)
Perhaps one of the most maligned prog rock bands ever because they were frequently criticized as being little else than Yes clone (although their music isn’t all that bad if you don’t mind the total lack of originality). This one was also made available as a picture disc. Of course, buy the standard LP if you actually want to play it.
– Tomita: The Bermuda Triangle (1979)
The album was pressed on normal black vinyl, orange (or maybe that was pink) vinyl, and blue vinyl. I own the blue vinyl copy, which seems most appropriate given the mostly blue cover.
– The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)