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Top Banned Album Art


05/20/2008
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(antiMusic) Our friends over at Gibson have another interesting article up, this one deals with some of the most notorious banned album covers in rock history. What follows is their intro and a couple of our favorite selections: Banned record sleeves are a rock and roll tradition. Even heavyweights (especially?) like the Beatles and Stones are not immune to critical scrutiny. Some of these sleeves were withdrawn for not meeting some standard of decency, some for unlicensed images, and some just crossed a line of serious bad taste.

Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland � Following up the iconic Axis: Bold As Love album cover would be no small feat. But Hendrix managed to top himself with this image. Though he originally requested to use a photo by Linda Eastman (the soon-to-be Mrs. McCartney) what he got was a harem of naked women just, well, hangin' out. The original U.K. release carried this beautiful gatefold but later issues including the domestic pressing got a blurred yellow and orange headshot of Jimi.

Blind Faith Blind Faith � Iconic rock image or pornography? The self-titled 1969 record from this U.K. supergroup didn't even include the band's name yet it is instantly recognizable even today. The photo, by Clapton's former roommate Bob Seidermann is still at the center of controversy among rock historians. Seidermann claims that the model was used with the full consent of her parents while some claim the band kept the girl for more devious purposes. Whatever the case may be, the sleeve was withdrawn and replaced with, big surprise, a black and white shot of the band.

- There are more, see the above mentioned covers and also the others spotlighted in the Gibson special.

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