Tag Archives: The art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve

on show in Northampton

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Well sadly, Luis won’t be there, but hundreds of equally strange and awful record covers will be as Steve Goldman’s archive of the Worst Record Sleeves has gone on show at Northampton art gallery and museum until June 22nd. It is open every day except Monday and not far off the M1 below Birmingham and Leicester. The tie-in book The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve will be on sale via the gift shop for the duration as well, and it’s great to see a few of our galleries taking on more popular culture themed shows (Northampton did a big Star Wars toy display a few years ago too).

As for El Bigote, Luis’ heavy Latin Funk LP, this came out in 1975. I did go looking for the cover online and the first page I went to said simply “something went wrong”. Well yes, the cover! We can only assume Luis was riffing on the stereotype of all Cuban’s growing Dali like moustaches (el bigote is Spanish for moustache), so at least he had a sense of humour. Dusty Grooves adds “Plenty of moustaches on the cover — and some pretty hairy grooves within.”

Inside the tent

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looking out? Nice to sit and chat with people about The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve at the Huddersfield Literary Festival tent on the 26th, and to meet vinyl fans after. Next time I will bring a torch as it was difficult at times to see my notes inside the tent despite the sunny day! Steve is now getting ready for a display of the sleeves at the Bearded Theory festival at Catton Hall, Derbyshire, 23 – 26 May 2024 [beardedtheory.co.uk] so we’re busy updating the flyers to get them ready in time, then back to work on the next book.

Rabbits

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While we are now cracking on with our next title (stay tuned!), The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve continues to create a buzz, and the results of a poll at the last exhibition as to the worst sleeves on display has now produced a top ten chart. Gathered from over 600 votes at The Williamson Gallery before Christmas, it looks set to be a benchmark for strange sleeves for some time to come!  Particularly amazing perhaps is the sleeve above; we still don’t know what prompted these Romanians to pose with nothing but a rabbit each for their comeback album back in 1995. We have made this and the rest of the ten worst covers into a special gallery at the vinyl sleeve art website run by Simon Robinson over at ST33, so – if you dare – go and take a peek!  If you’re wondering exactly what the book is all about check it out on the site.  

Last chance to see!

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If you are in the North West, Steve’s Bizarre Vinyl display at The Williamson in Birkenhead finishes on Saturday this week (27th). It then moves across to Alnwick in the North East in early February. More details on that soon. In the meantime you can now see the older Bizarre Vinyl Newsletters at our online archive site. Current newsletters are exclusive to subscribers.

And before we all collectively try and get on with the new year here’s one of the festive sleeves which didn’t make Steve’s book The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve… is uptrousering a thing? And if so should it be make illegal?

Stranger things

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Maybe Stranger Things is a running feature in the Yorkshire Post newspaper’s Saturday 16th Magazine? Not sure how else to explain the heading! It was my Mum’s favourite paper, so a shame she is no longer around to see this and it is a well written article about The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve book (see below) and Steve’s collection. Just a shame they showed the back of the book not the front…! As for the author photo… Anyway we have put up the full article on this site.

A Bizarre release

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Happy to announce that THE ART OF THE BIZARRE VINYL SLEEVE book is shipping NOW; indeed it will be landing this week for many people who placed a pre-order. Lots of folk picked up on it after a great discussion on Radio 4‘s arts programme Front Row this week – which you can listen to (or read the subtitles) on Steve Goldman’s Instagram feed https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0OrAKitAul/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

There is plenty of stock but If you are wanting to order in time for Christmas then the sooner the better so we can process your order in good time. Don’t forget there is a discount if you use our dedicated shop – the links are on the right. Thanks to everyone for their interest in this title.

We will be doing an update on our other upcoming books in the next couple of weeks.

the easy on the eye books office under pressure!