| As we continue our look at 'naked vinyl' | | | | art. Sexual innuendo on the form of an |
| album cover art, let's explore two other | | | | album cover was not lost with the disco |
| companies who capitalized on the fad and | | | | 'divas' "Silver Convention," whose cover |
| what has transpired since. | | | | for their album called "Save Me" created |
| In the last article, we discussed two | | | | waves. Their frontal nudity of |
| West Coast record labels that were | | | | "Discotheque Volume Two," not only |
| prolific and utilized 'naked vinyl' to | | | | features their big hit of the era "Get |
| sell their record albums. Not to be | | | | Up and Boogie," but a startling cover of |
| outdone by their counterparts, many East | | | | a handcuffed female. Blended in with a |
| Coast record labels followed suit. None | | | | list of steamy, seductive songs, the |
| were more successful than the Davis and | | | | cover grabbed audiences' attention as |
| Que record labels and both of them | | | | well as their eyes. |
| focused on saucy songs and risqué nude | | | | But as the disco era closed and the 70's |
| cover art. Davis, in particular, had a | | | | drew to a close, society seemed to tire |
| cavalcade of stars that would churn out | | | | of the market and album cover nudity was |
| 'double entendre' songs that had been | | | | no longer a mainstream wonder. Album |
| popularized on the Vaudeville stages. In | | | | cover artists and record companies all |
| fact, the owner of the label, Joe Davis, | | | | left sex to the imagination and returned |
| also wrote some of the songs and brought | | | | to the safe images and cover art that |
| talented entertainers to the genre as | | | | was G-rated. With the advent of the |
| well as a classic line of album cover | | | | compact disc, album cover art was led |
| art. The Que record label produced more | | | | into the annuls of music history and |
| of the same material, but the records | | | | pretty much became a non-issue. But, |
| were dubbed as "sexucational,' with | | | | there have been some historic naked |
| songs and stories to inform the | | | | album covers since then. Let's explore a |
| uninitiated. | | | | few. |
| In 1967, it seems that the attitudes | | | | Leave it to John Lennon to create a |
| about 'naked vinyl' had changed over the | | | | stir, he was a master at creating |
| years, being replaced by peace, love-ins | | | | controversy and knew how to draw media |
| and flower children. When Jimi Hendrix | | | | attention to whatever he was doing. In |
| released his album "Electric Ladyland," | | | | 1968, Lennon and Yoko Ono released their |
| that featured Jimi surrounded by naked | | | | album called "Two Virgins," with the |
| and buxom beauties, it created quite a | | | | front cover displaying a full-frontal |
| stir. The cover was replaced, but the | | | | nude image of them. The back cover |
| genre did not go away altogether, rather | | | | showed the same image, but from behind. |
| it was replaced by pop-art covers, | | | | They were forced to replace it (they |
| psychedelia and slender, beautiful | | | | sold it in a brown paper wrapper) and |
| European women who would grace various | | | | copies of the album were impounded as |
| covers from a multitude of musical | | | | obscenity in some jurisdictions. |
| genres. | | | | The rock band Blind Faith had a cover |
| Maybe the fad had run its course; the | | | | that pictured a topless pubescent girl |
| gimmick wasn't nearly as popular by the | | | | in 1969, and the U.S. record company had |
| end of the 60's. But, now instead of | | | | it reissued with an alternative cover |
| getting coarse comedy, stag party | | | | showing a photograph of the band. The |
| specials and often quality music to | | | | Scorpions actually had two "naughty" |
| accompany the 'naked vinyl', instead it | | | | covers that caused a stir, 1976's |
| became an avenue and a tool to release | | | | "Virgin Killer," also featured a topless |
| terrible music, by not so talented | | | | young girl and was replaced with a photo |
| musicians; all packaged in a sexy cover | | | | of the band. In 1979, the band released |
| and priced to sell. | | | | "Lovedrive," with a man and a woman in |
| Foreign music from Italy, France and | | | | the back seat of a car. The woman's |
| Germany and other countries flooded the | | | | chest is exposed and the man was pulling |
| market with substandard music, but they | | | | bubble gum off of her breast and the |
| all had one thing in common-'naked vinyl | | | | album was repackaged. |
| 'covers. Cover versions and greatest | | | | But the band Jane's Addiction got it |
| hits compilations were hastily recorded | | | | right when, anticipating trouble, |
| and rushed to press, all including that | | | | released the 1990 album called "Ritual |
| special feature that the record | | | | de lo Habitual" with two covers. One |
| companies knew the public would enjoy, | | | | cover, which featured singer Perry |
| never mind the music. In the 1970's, the | | | | Farrell's artwork (male and female |
| 'easy listening' music boon was in full | | | | nudity), was released along with a |
| swing, full of Hammond organ medleys, | | | | 'clean' version of the cover with the |
| smoochy-sax covers of pop hits and | | | | text of the First Amendment of the U.S. |
| ear-bending violins destroying popular | | | | Constitution, that promotes free speech. |
| classics. Artists such as Gil Ventura, | | | | All we can ask is where was the |
| Klaus Wunderlich and the 'Latin Lounge | | | | censorship in the heyday of 'naked |
| Lizard' covers of Robert Delgado were | | | | vinyl' album cover art? Now pop artists, |
| all cashing in on the fading fad. | | | | rappers and rock and rollers can sing |
| In addition the 70's saw an exotic | | | | and say anything they want on a record. |
| extravaganza of foreign music that the | | | | You can turn on the radio and hear the |
| public would probably have never have | | | | "Frankie Goes To Hollywood" sexual |
| gotten to hear, sans the 'naked vinyl' | | | | number "Relax,", but god forbid you show |
| album covers. Mysterious countries all | | | | any nudity on an album cover. |
| of a sudden were thrust into the music | | | | But all is not lost for the lovers of |
| spotlight, from Borneo to the shores of | | | | 'naked vinyl' cover art, as the 90's and |
| South America and Africa. No country or | | | | beyond have seen album cover art and |
| culture was excluded. From the erotica | | | | specifically 'naked vinyl' return as |
| landslides of misguided music of | | | | record companies and designers are not |
| traditional song, all merged with native | | | | afraid to use the human body to sell |
| naked women in exotic poses that were | | | | music. Vinyl is back, with the public |
| happily hawking the substandard music. | | | | demanding the format as well as the |
| In the late 70's, another phase of | | | | album cover art that accompanies it, no |
| 'naked vinyl' came in the "disco era." | | | | matter what the format, because as we |
| The Ohio Players released a wonderful | | | | have all learned; sex sells. |
| erotic series of 'almost' nude cover | | | | |