Cut it out: The astounding story behind Barney Bubbles’ Hawkwind Galactic Tarot
In November 1971, design legend Barney Bubbles produced a typically audacious promotional item for Hawkwind’s recently released album X In Search Of Space.
Category: Vinyl
‘Nobody is going to beat me’: My sleevenotes for the reissue of I Am The Greatest by Cassius Clay
I was commissioned to write these sleeve-notes by Joe Foster for his label Rev-Ola’s 1998 reissue of I Am The Greatest, the Cassius Clay album pulled from the shelves by Columbia Records amid his championing of civil rights and name change to Muhammad Ali. To those of us who grew up with Ali, whatever our […]
Hipshaking vinyl – Early Pakistani Dance Music: 1967-1975
One of the most joyous releases of the year so far is the compilation Early Pakistani Dance Music from Germany’s Ovular. I found out about it via Instagram friend and DJ Martin “Soul Stew” Geise.
Zippo Records: 13th Floor Elevators mural, Cope’s Droolian LP, MC5’s motherfuckers tee + The Conqueroo Dog
Pete Flanagan, owner of the long-gone Zippo Records in Clapham, south London, has sent me this photograph of the shop interior. It sums up everything that was wonderful about this unique space, where Pete established a hub for like-minded souls. With staff including Edwin Pouncey (aka Savage Pencil), Pete also released otherwise hard-to-find records via […]
Sleevenotes: “Jumping Jesus, my old man was brilliant. It’s back for another scream in the closet” Ki-Longfellow Stanshall for the PoppyDisc reissue of Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead
“What’s to say, save that his contempt was not reserved solely for the music business? Or the art business. Or the business of being human. There were times when he saw with his own dead eyes. But he had the sight to see through them.” K-LS on the album’s opening track Afoju Ti Ole Riran […]
Unbelievable rarity: Undocumented Let It Rock clothing featured on 1972 budget LP + previously unpublished views of stock inside 430 King’s Road
It is relatively common knowledge among those interested in the careers of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood and their series of extraordinary shops that they supplied clothes to the 1973 album Golden Hour Of Rock & Roll; Let It Rock at 430 King’s Road was clearly credited on the back of the record sleeve. But […]
Feliz Navidad by El Vez + Christmas At The Airport by Nick Lowe
Here’s an old and new Christmas favourite; hope they spread holiday cheer. Feliz Navidad’s blending of the Mexican Christmas carol as popularised by José Feliciano with PiL’s Public Image never fails to please, bringing back happy memories of the UK leg of the Merry Mex-Mas dates in 2000 I helped organise for my dear friend Robert […]
Hawkwind + Barney Bubbles among influences in Le Gun’s exhibition Space is Deep
Tomorrow sees the opening of Space Is Deep, the latest exhibition from art collective Le Gun. The show, at London’s Daniel Blau gallery and featuring contributions from fellow travellers such as Wildcat Will Blanchard, Andrzej Klimowski and Will Sweeney, marks a departure for the group; for the first time work in colour is included alongside […]
Performa 13 celebrates Duck Rock’s 30th anniversary: Marclay presents McLaren Award + Vinyl Factory releases special white vinyl 7″
This year’s presentation of the Malcolm McLaren Award at the finale of performance arts biennale Performa will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconoclast’s game-changing LP Duck Rock. Hosted by eminent writer Glenn O’Brien and McLaren’s widow Young Kim, the event on Sunday will culminate in the presentation of the award by sound artist Christian Marclay […]
Graham Wood on the series of 24 posters inspired by a 1968 design for Oz magazine
Best known as one of the founders of British design collective Tomato, Graham Wood chose a 1968 poster for underground magazine Oz as the wellspring for a series of 24 poster prints. I corresponded with Wood about the ways in which the original artwork- made by Barney Bubbles and his 60s design partner David Wills […]