Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9
Bowie  Manchester

Striking design owing an obvious debt to Soviet Constructivism
(El Lissitzky is acknowledged in the credits). The album features two of Kraftwerk's best known tracks - The Model and The Robots.

Scarce.

Rare original promotional poster - that has survived in excellent condition - for the great fourth album. This was the first Led Zeppelin album that Atlantic produced posters for.

The print of the stick gathering man was found in a shop in Reading by Robert Plant on one of Page and Plant's antique and junk shop expeditions. The artwork of the Hermit, suggested by Jimmy Page, was by Barrington Colby (not a Page pseudonym, as is sometime suggested), based on a design by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith for the 1909 Rider-Waite tarot deck.

Caribou lies dead centre in Elton John's 70's golden streak of classic recordings and transatlantic success. The album was number one in both America and the UK, and featured the single Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

This scarce poster, from the personal collection of a member of the original design team, is in excellent condition.

A very nice example of this now-classic design.

Fantastic original standee for Costello's classic second album, the first with the Attractions. Rolling Stone's Kit Rachlis made a perceptive comment in its original review: "Listening to Elvis Costello is like walking down a dark, empty street and hearing another set of heels. His music doesn't make you dance, it makes you jump."

Designer Barney Bubbles suggested that Costello be behind rather than in front of the camera.

Mapplethorpe's portrait of Patti Smith from her influential debut album 'Horses', one of the great moments in Rock photography. This example shows its age to some degree, but original posters with this image are not common.

Interesting (and scarce) poster advertising Rolling Stone's feature on Patti Smith, written by Dave Marsh: 'The Coal Stove visions of a factory girl'.

Peter Corriston also designed the superb covers for 'Some Girls' and Led Zeppelin's 'Physical Graffiti'. These are the superior card stock version.

Original Rolling Stones Records promo still, 10"x8".

This image is from a day-long video shoot in New York City to promote the 'Some Girls' album, this image specifically from the video to 'Miss You'.
The photograph is possibly by Michael Putland.

An elaborate DIY-themed campaign was conceived for the Blockhead's second album. This poster features the screw holes title lettering Barney designed, along with a micro-detailed 'Tommy The Talking Toolbox' at bottom left.

This wonderful poster (much nicer than photo suggests) was produced for only a handful of special theatrical engagements; the regular cinema poster, by contrast, is dreadful. The Fort Worth and Houston concert footage dates from the band's 1972
(Exile on Main St) North American tour.

John Pasche not only designed the band's classic tour posters of the early 70's , but also created the 'lips' logo in 1971 for the Stones' own label. His work is among the very best of the era.
Note: Repros are very common on this poster.

Extremely scarce poster for Elton John's landmark double album, that reached no.1 on both sides of the Atlantic (it topped the US charts for two months) with three U.S. hit singles.

Delightful early theatrical appearance poster, on card stock.
The American press accolade "The most sensational singer of our time" reflects Shirley Bassey's recording with influential Columbia producer Mitch Miller (of Frank Sinatra fame), which led to her Las Vegas debut later the same year.

Original promo poster, 36"x24"
Design by Chris Moreton.

The second Stiff tour started in the UK before crossing to America. Note Mikey Jupp's name crossed out - due to the singer's fear of flying. Chris Moreton was Stiff's original art director, prior to the arrival of Barney Bubbles six months in. Moreton designed under the pseudonym C-More-Tone (studios), his work including the snappy covers for The Beat.

On Barney's suggestion Stiff embarked on an extraordinary campaign on the do it yourself/DIY theme, producing 28 sleeve variations using 12"x12" Crown Wallpaper samples. This extended to posters, of which this is a rare example, printed (with not total clarity) on a heavily textured pattern.
Crown entered into the spirit of things with gusto, conducting guerilla wallapering raids on music press offices and newsrooms.

Scarce original poster for one of the real highpoints of Elton and Bernie Taupin's classic early period. The western theme of the lyrics carried over to the lp and poster designs.

Ex-Charisma Records Peter Jenner's new label Utility (eventually via Go!Discs) offered Barney Bubbles a fresh challenge with a commission to design for signing Billy Bragg. Bragg and Bubbles saw eye to eye, sharing an enthusiasm for Flemish woodcut artist Frans Masereel whose style directly influenced Barney's design. Barney's assistant Pauline Williams laid out the release's artwork after Barney's death.

One Man Show was the name both of Grace Jones' performances at London's Drury Lane Theatre and New York City's Savoy Theater in 1981, and of the video released the following year. This stunning and very scarce poster advertises the original theatrical perfomance.

The early Style Council releases featured notably stylish sleeves and posters in all areas - layout, typography and colour. The sensibility was Parisien, with nods to the French cinema of the late 50s and early 60s.
The posters are surprisingly scarce.

In their review of 1977 edition, the Investor's Review named the Sex Pistols as their "Young Businessmen of the Year" in honour of the "cash from chaos" they had generated. Virgin lost no time in reproducing the cover on this rare poster to promote 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'.

Sticky Fingers was the band's first release on their own Rolling Stones label, and the first with Mick Taylor fully on board. It's stellar reputation as one of the band's finest albums has grown securely in recent the years.

Original Stiff posters are not common, especially for the major releases. Announcing (on the various badges) the album's release and Stiff's address, it would be an early poster for the album.

The Walker Brothers had broken up in spring 1967, but the group reunited at the beginning of 1968 to embark on a short one-off tour of Japan.
Rare and very attractive small poster. Near mint condition.

This is a rare little poster for Costello's second single (pre-the Attractions; the backing band was visiting American country band Clover). Elvis was still holding on to his day job at this time. 'Alison' went on to be one of his all-time classic songs.

Very rare original poster for the Walker Brothers' most successful single, a cover of Frankie Valli's 1965 original. It became their second UK no.1 in six months and achieved their highest US chart position (13).

Great Soviet Constructivist-style design on this rare interesting little card stock in-store standee.

One of the most memorable covers of its era, with Dury and his son Baxter in front of Axford's lingerie shop on Vauxhall Bridge Road.
The album (perhaps not unsurprisingly) was not a success in the US, but a huge hit in the UK.

Scarce origial US poster for Dexy's landmark debut lp, featuring the famous cover shot of a young Anthony O'Shaughnessy in 1971, a refugee from the burning out of Catholic homes in Belfast.
See Irish TV's coverage of Anthony's story with Kevin Rowland and our 2006 exhibition CLICK HERE

Richard Keith Wolff: "I was asked by friend and freelance television reporter Hugh Currie to take photos on an assignment to interview John Lennon in early January 1969."

These photographs were taken at Twickenham Film Studios, during the filming of 'Let it Be'.

Richard Keith Wolff: "My stills camera at this time was a 35mm Zeiss Ikon with Carl Zeiss 50mm prime lens. Ektachrome transparency film for Tungsten & also Daylight."

Richard Keith Wolff: "We arrived at Twickenham Film Studios on a bright sunny day, passing two tall, slim, long haired, attractive girls in miniskirts hanging around John Lennon's Mercedes car."

Richard Keith Wolff: "The Beatles were sitting on some seats chatting and the film director Lindsay-Hogg had a cigar theatrically placed in his mouth. He instructed his camera operators to film the Beatles from the moment they arrived to the moment they left."

Richard Keith Wolff: "Hugh needed one more question! I suggested that he ask John "what kind of artist he was"? He answered: "I do not see any difference between doing different types of art. Do you!"

Richard Keith Wolff: "On Tuesday morning 7th January 1969 I found myself sitting in the back of a London Taxi cab pulling up to 23 Brook Street in Mayfair, Jimi Hendrix's London home.
On arrival Jimi was standing in front of the mantelpiece. I took this photo."

Richard Keith Wolff: "During the breaks in the interview Hugh, to relax would light up a herb cigarette take a few long meaningful puffs, then get up and take it over to Jimi who was on the bed, Jimi would repeat the process and then get up to bring it over to me. Jimi was playful and with his big smile and seemed amused at being photographed like he was in nirvana, which is kind of what it felt like. "

The famous image (the band's first album cover) was based on a 1950's American ad depicting the sorrowful pose of a man whose car had broken down. It was recreated for the sleeve by influential Coventry DJ Steve Eaton. This poster is for the original line up, as Holly and the Italians were to leave the tour, replaced by The Swinging Cats.

Very attractive original in-store promo standee (the upright on the back is missing) on thick card stock.

Scarce.

The famous photo was taken by Art Kane in New York City in 1968. Kane: "They made me think of.. Oliver Twist, Fagin's gang. Irreverent, lovable. I had the flag made from 2 Union Jacks. I was influenced by a Cartier-Bresson photograph of a vagrant asleep under a statue in Trafalgar Square." Legend has it that the four were truly asleep, having been kicked out of their hotel due to Keith's shenanigans.

© Rock Explosion and Movie Poster Art Gallery. Reproduction of and links to text and images for commercial and/or private selling purposes strictly forbidden.