The Velvet Underground & Nico - Andy Warhol (1967)
'The Velvet Underground & Nico' is one of my favourite albums, but a part of that appeal is in the artwork. The original cover had an interactive banana that invited people to "Peel off and see" what was under, which resulted in a flesh-coloured banana underneath. Such covers were unique and expensive in the 60's, but MGM considered it to be cheap in the long run given Warhol's huge popularity.
Warhol also collaborated with the band's live shows - creating a psychedelic stage show with lights and effects to make the music really come to life. The album was largely ignored on release, but its lasting influence is massive. Their early live shows paved the way for modern stage shows, and a large part was thanks to Warhol.
Back to the album cover, and even though it's very simple, it is that simplicity that I'm drawn to - a banana is a funny image and totally unrelated to the music, but it was an unique cover that showed the industry you didn't need to be overly serious with music.
Warhol also influenced a range of artists - one of whom was David Bowie, a huge hero of mine. Because of his connections with the 60's/70's music scene, he had a certain "cool" factor about his work that no other artist has yet to capture.
Warhol also collaborated with the band's live shows - creating a psychedelic stage show with lights and effects to make the music really come to life. The album was largely ignored on release, but its lasting influence is massive. Their early live shows paved the way for modern stage shows, and a large part was thanks to Warhol.
Back to the album cover, and even though it's very simple, it is that simplicity that I'm drawn to - a banana is a funny image and totally unrelated to the music, but it was an unique cover that showed the industry you didn't need to be overly serious with music.
Warhol also influenced a range of artists - one of whom was David Bowie, a huge hero of mine. Because of his connections with the 60's/70's music scene, he had a certain "cool" factor about his work that no other artist has yet to capture.
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