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