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Album (dating myself) artwork. Cool or not?


Narps
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This subject has probably been covered before, so again, some latitude please.

The younger folks out there may not get this but here goes.........

Setting the scene: Some record store in the Washington DC area around 1976........

 

There's a 16 year old pimple faced, no girl friend hav'in, baseball play'in loser rifling through the album bargain bins looking for something. Now he's going alphabetically A-Z and still looking. What is he looking for? New music that's what! He doesn't like what everyone else likes. Top 40. No way! The popular rock music. No! Corporate rock. Not a chance! He has already discovered Rush, Yes, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Scorpions, UFO etc. How can he find what he's looking for? The internet? Al Gore hasn't invented it yet, so that"s out. Fm radio? Not a chance. Rock magazines? Don't think so. They tell me the bands and music I love sucks. Rush are not good musicians. The singers voice is annoying. The drummer writes Sh***y lyrics. What's this kid to do?

Album covers. That"s what. If the cover looks cool, maybe the music will be good to. I can remember finding Budgie that way. Album cover is different. A 3 piece band. The bass player sings and kind of looks like Geddy. I'll give this a try. I liked it too. This music will never replace Rush as my favorite but I liked it. Did I buy some albums that collected dust. Plenty of them. I also found some good music that way also.

My question is this...... If you didn't already know Rush to be the greatest band in the world already, which album cover would turn you on or off? The bin is full of the entire discography (wet dream). Which would you pick and which would you not even look at twice?

 

You have 30 seconds. Good luck

 

Rush in Rio - Buy

Hold Your Fire - Drop like a hot potato

Edited by Narpet
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Test for Echo - Buy

 

Snakes & Arrows - drop down the chutes and ladders

 

Some others I'd buy would be 2112, Power Windows, Roll the Bones and Vapor Trails.

 

Some others I wouldn't touch with a poll would be Signals, Hold Your Fire and Presto.

 

That doesn't mean that I love all the covers I said I'd buy and hate the ones I wouldn't (I actually love the Signals cover now). But having the context of the album music already makes some of the covers much better (like Signals). And if I'm judging the artwork at first glance with no reference to the music, something that might look less then stellar now might look very attractive.

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I almost went with Roll The Bones too. I think I didn't follow my own rules and the music I knew to be inside influenced me.
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My brother got me in to Rush in 1980.

What got him into Rush? Well in the late 70's he was the pimply faced kid in the record store..and ended up finding 'All the World's a Stage' and bought it solely because it had a picture of a drum kit on the front!

 

Nice thread! To answer the question.. 2112 or ATWAS

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My brother got me in to Rush in 1980.

What got him into Rush? Well in the late 70's he was the pimply faced kid in the record store..and ended up finding 'All the World's a Stage' and bought it solely because it had a picture of a drum kit on the front!

 

Nice thread! To answer the question.. 2112 or ATWAS

You owe your brother big time. You started at the top!
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I think the biggest draw based on art would have been A Show of Hands, I love the line work in it. Also I would have gone for Signals, Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, Roll The Bones, and Clockwork Angels. Ones that would have scared me away would be Grace Under Pressure, Counterparts, and Snakes and Arrows
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Caress of Steel : Buy

 

Hold Your Fire : Pass

 

Unfortunately, being 15 like you said, after listening to COS I'd be so turned off I'd probably not buy anything else from them. I didn't like that album at all at first. Took me a very long time to get into but it does have the best album cover!

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/coverpics/COScov.jpg

 

2nd Being Grace Under Pressure.

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/coverpics/GUPcov.jpg

Edited by losingit2k
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My brother got me in to Rush in 1980.

What got him into Rush? Well in the late 70's he was the pimply faced kid in the record store..and ended up finding 'All the World's a Stage' and bought it solely because it had a picture of a drum kit on the front!

 

Nice thread! To answer the question.. 2112 or ATWAS

 

This was me, also. My brother got me into Rush in 1979-80 by way of Fly By Night, 2112, and A Farewell to Kings.

 

On the topic, then-

 

Buy: Caress of Steel, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Snakes and Arrows, Clockwork Angels

 

Drop: Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, Presto

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My brother got me in to Rush in 1980.

What got him into Rush? Well in the late 70's he was the pimply faced kid in the record store..and ended up finding 'All the World's a Stage' and bought it solely because it had a picture of a drum kit on the front!

 

Nice thread! To answer the question.. 2112 or ATWAS

 

This was me, also. My brother got me into Rush in 1979-80 by way of Fly By Night, 2112, and A Farewell to Kings.

 

On the topic, then-

 

Buy: Caress of Steel, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Snakes and Arrows, Clockwork Angels

 

Drop: Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, Presto

With one notable exception, you sure you didn't let the music you already know to be inside influence you choices? :huh: And for those of you out there who are really paying attention, what exception am I talking about? Edited by Narpet
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I'd probably buy Power Windows or Moving Pictures. I'd stay away from Hemispheres due to the fact that it only had four songs on it.

And the naked dude on the front :blush: . Just go's to add credence to the old adage about the book and it's cover. Great album despite the cover.
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30 seconds, 20 albums? I can do that.

 

Drop:

Hemispheres - Only 4 songs? What a ripoff. Cover looks nice though.

HyF - Arguably the most pathetic excuse for album art ever

Counterparts - Are they just rushing these album covers out as fast as possible to reduce costs?

Test for Echo (what is this Native American music doing here? I want ROCK)

 

If I could only get one I'd probably end up 2112 if it's the 5.1 remastered version. Otherwise I'd end up with Vapor Trails (or remixed, I find it to be slightly better). I LOVE that cover both front and back.

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The only time my friends or I bought albums based on covers was from unknown artists. I wouldn't buy rush albums based on this. I do remember buying the queensryche ep queen of the Reich based on the album cover only.
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My point exactly. I bought Budgie's In For The Kill, Triumph's first album that way and some others. Damn I bought some sh**ty music that way to.

The only time my friends or I bought albums based on covers was from unknown artists. I wouldn't buy rush albums based on this. I do remember buying the queensryche ep queen of the Reich based on the album cover only.

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Caress of Steel : Buy

 

Hold Your Fire : Pass

 

Unfortunately, being 15 like you said, after listening to COS I'd be so turned off I'd probably not buy anything else from them. I didn't like that album at all at first. Took me a very long time to get into but it does have the best album cover!

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/coverpics/COScov.jpg

 

2nd Being Grace Under Pressure.

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/coverpics/GUPcov.jpg

 

I just picked up Caress of Steel on vinyl today!

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Actually, I got me second Rush cassette somewhat that way, except it was the song listing instead of the album cover. I'd heard Show Don't Tell from Presto on MTV (they played music back then :o ) and had enough money for a second tape too. So I'm looking through the other Rush tapes and here's one with only 2 songs on Side 1, yet almost 17 minutes long, and one of them called "Xanadu" :wtf: . Decision made :LOL: .

 

As for your question... if I didn't know anything but the album covers/titles:

 

Grab: CA, Presto, Signals

 

Avoid: HYF :zzz:

Edited by Pause Rewind Replay
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