Storm Thorgerson, the English graphic designer responsible for Pink Floyd's iconic Dark Side of the Moon album cover, died Thursday at the age of 69. In addition to his solo work, Thorgerson was also a major part of the design team Hipgnosis, which later included Peter Christopherson from Throbbing Gristle, and produced surrealist designs for bands like Led Zeppelin, Electric Light Orchestra, The Hollies, and many more. His designs could be witty (10cc) or cryptic (Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here), and often invited the viewer to personal interpretation, not unlike rock music itself. Thorgerson believed in producing his surrealist images through elaborately staged photography, rather than photo effects or digital techniques. More recently, you may have seen his work on covers for Muse and The Mars Volta.
We've collected a gallery of his design work (above) and his video work (below).
Watch an interview with Storm Thorgerson about the influence of Magritte on his work.
Robert Plant - "Big Log"
Pink Floyd - "Learning to Fly"
We crudely divide Record Store Day releases into half-a-dozen camps—carefully preserved reissues which celebrate original album art on the 12" format (Cold Fact by Rodriguez), 7" packages that opt for the throwback graphic treatment (loads of them), wholely unique packages for any of the above (Malkmus and Friend's Can cover album, Dan Deacon's Konono No 1 cover, numerous picture discs or the Lemonheads/Misfits "Skulls" record) and lastly, the over-the-top box set treatment (Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Bonobo 10" box set for the North Borders and the Flaming Lips' Zaireeka). Those four categories pop up in our survey of visually exciting RSD offerings for 2013. A fifth category might be just flat-out great non-official RSD offerings from folks like the Numero Group (Hüsker Dü, Codeine, etc.) who pull out their big (graphic) guns for the occasion. And a sixth might be for non-record visuals such as Jack White's recording booth or the Ryan Duggan tote bag that Chicago's Saki is stocking for the first lucky RSDers. We're not taking any chances—we're hitting the ATM and setting the alarm tonight.
Record Store Day is April 20, 2013.
Numero Group Record has a pop-up shop in Chicago's Logan Square for RSD.
Busy designing for Louis Vuitton, his own Marc by Marc Jacobs and Marc Jacobs lines, as well as serving in his new role as the creative director of Diet Coke, who’d have thought the next step for Marc Jacobs would be acting? Jacobs makes his debut in the new dramatic thriller Disconnect, which follows the lives of individuals in trouble due to shady internet situations. Jacobs, surprisingly, plays the role of the ring leader behind a child pornography site. As strange as this may seem, as far as acting goes it appears as though Jacobs has found yet another thing he's tremendously talented at.
Disconnect is now playing in select theaters; however, you can catch a preview of Jacobs' acting ability in the trailer now.
The promotional push for Daft Punk's new Random Access Memories LP has been one of the strongest in recent memory. Between the surprise Coachella commercial, the SNL spots, and the excellent Creators Project "Collaborators" series, it's impossible to not know a new Daft Punk album is on its way. While the commercials were a complete surprise, the duo's latest appearance as part of Saint Laurent's Music Project, is not. Previously, the fashion house commissioned the duo to create a new mix of bluesman Junior Kimbrough's music for a runway show in October. The shiny new black threads, also designed by photographer Hedi Slimane, will serve as the band's new stage wear.
You probably already know that the band's new single "Get Lucky" premieres tonight at midnight.
Eric Lebofsky's new show Cosmos explores the multiverse, ancient aliens, cosmology, and chaos in drawings that sorted themselves into three groupings: the primeval, the chorus, and the totemic ghost-gods. It might sound like the stuff of late night History Channel viewing or pulp novels, but in Lebofsky's hands, the spiritual and the alien mix in a sci-fi universe that the artist has spent some time in. In fact, the exhibit takes its name from a Witold Gombrowicz book, which like Lebofsky's work, uses elements of sci-fi, humor, and eroticism in dense narratives.
Independent curator Eyeball Mansion culled Lebofsky's material (approximately 20 new ink drawings on paper as well as a signed and numbered artist book) for an exhibition which opens Saturday night at Rational Park (2557 W North Ave) in Chicago. The opening is Saturday, April 20th 7-10pm and the show runs through May 11 by appointment.
An artist book with process and finished drawings, as well as a short sci-fi story will be on display and for sale.
American baseball gear is back in a big way this spring—throwbacks and reissues abound, and you've likely noticed baseball-inspired essentials on the runways of international designers for several seasons now. There's so much worthy stuff out there connected with the great American pastime that we figured even the monochrome-obsessed rocker can get in on the action. Although, we can't guarantee that going all-black with your baseball collection won't create a mini Black Sox Scandal, it is an interesting look. Here are a few of our favorite (almost) all-black baseball items for spring.
Black Baseball by Goody Grams, $29
It's illegality (on the mound) makes it all the more enticing as an art object.
Nokona Bloodline 1200 Black Baseball Glove, $389
Nokona makes leather gloves by hand in Texas. These take a lot of breaking in, but pro players swear by them.
Warstic Whiskeyville Maple Baseball Bat, $129
The pro series bat won't settle for a ground rule double, and comes with your name engraved on it—kind of a must for your secret fantasy b-ball room.
Shades of Grey Zebra Head Baseball Jacket, $268
It's not entirely black and won't fly on the field, of course, and the zebras are pretty out there, but this spring jacket brings a sophisticated touch to your Field of Dreams even if that's just the name of your local sports bar.
Nothing Belongs to Ebbets: Nº 1 Thing Five Panel in black, $49
We looked around at black ball caps online until we realized our favorite was sitting right here in the Nothing Major shop. The five panel Nº 1 Thing comes in a wool blend flannel worn in the late '60s and has a soft and sturdy black leather strap, too. They're also more rare than a lead-off homer by a National League pitcher in the bottom of the ninth.
We're evangelists for anything Outlier, their action-ready chinos can turn a chino-hater into a true believer in less than a day, so when we started feeling a hankering for a good summer jacket, we had to see what they were currently offering up. Note that Outlier doesn't issue clothing on a season-by-season schedule, rather it comes up with one new, and usually great, item at a time. Like many guys we know, we like to buy not just for this season, but for next year's, so we're on the same page. The two-button, breathable Ultralight Blazer, "a classic sportcoat with a 21st Century twist," has all the makings of a perennial winner in our eyes—and is made in NYC to boot.
Combine the blazer with the Ultralight Summer Trousers for $696 until April 19 at outlier.cc
Brooklyn-based artist Cody Hoyt has primarily worked as a painter, but has recently expanded his studio practice into ceramics. He describes his work as process-based and materials-focused, and his ceramic pieces showcase his passion for both. Each piece is obsessively drawn in studio many times before he begins the process of hand marbling the clay and building the forms. The results are beautifully patterned and highly individual ceramic pieces that are both functional and sculptural.
Perhaps the statement you want to make this spring is "I'd rather be hanging with a '70s hippie cult." We won't judge. For you Jess Rotter has just reissued her Ya Ho Wah T-shirts from 2009 for the theatrical release of The Source Family documentary film. "The image is based on this song/video depicting Father Yod amongst a mandala of pregnant ladies," says Rotter, who adds that the T-shirts are approved by former Source member Isis Aquarian herself.
In short, Gerald is a paper dog, originally concepted in 2008 for the rebranding of UK design studio Lazerian. After much trial and error, Lazerian's Liam Hopkins and 3D designer Richard Sweeney came up with a pattern that could be easily reproduced, handcut, folded, and glued into a free standing dog. Anyone can make Gerald with the blueprint, sharp knife, glue, and "a healthy degree of patience." Eventually, a small dog version was developed with just nine panels, while the studio created an 88-component larger version for itself. Gerald is based on the look of an Italian gun dog, which is perhaps why he looks so eager, loyal, and a bit hungry.
After a quick sell out of the flatpack at design events, the designers played with customizing their own Geralds, then launched the Gerald Project in 2011, shipping out flat dogs to their fave artists, designers, and creative folk.