I have written about Dave Haslam’s little monograph “A Life in Thirty-Five Boxes–How I Survived Selling My Record Collection” (Contingo Publishing, 2019) in a previous post. In it, Haslam classifies collectors into either completists or surveyors (that’s my term not his.) I’m a completist–If I collect record covers by a particular artist, I HAVE to have EVERY cover by that artist, whereas those whom I call “surveyors” can collect odd items that represent their subject without the encumbrance of having to get every single item in the field.

As everyone who reads my blog knows, my particular obsessions are collecting record cover art by (in alphabetical order–obsessive again?) Banksy, Peter Blake, Damien Hirst, Klaus Voormann and Andy Warhol. I have almost complete collections of these artists. I have to stress the word “almost”. I have many times boasted that I have complete collections of Banksy’s, Peter Blake’s and Damien Hirst’s record cover art and, as near as dammit, complete collections of Klaus Voormann’s and Warhol’s record covers. When it comes to my Warhol collection, I have been able to fill the gaps by making my own reproductions of the rarest items, however, I’m missing one Voormann cover which I probably will never find…

But, back to Sir Peter Blake and my “complete” collection. Obviously I cannot have a cover of a record that has not yet been released (I refer to the forthcoming album by The Who discussed in my last post) but I reckoned I had ALL the other Peter Blake covers. WRONG! So it’s time for a revised list.

1. The Beatles — Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – June 1967
2. Pentangle – Sweet Child – 1968
3. Chris Jagger – The Adventures of Valentine Vox the Ventriloquist – 1974
4. Roger McGough – Summer With Monika – 1978
5. The Who – Face Dances – 1981
6. English Chamber Orchestra / Steuart Bedford / Daniel Blumethal – Rhapsody in Blue / Piano Concerto in F / An American in Paris – 1983
7. Ian Dury – Apples (LP) – 1989
8. Ian Dury – Apples (7”) – 1989
9. Eric Clapton – 24 Nights  (gatefold LP)– 1981
10. Eric Clapton – 24 Nights (promotional box set of 7″ singles) – 1981
11. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (7”) – 1991
12. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (collectors CD) – 1991
13. Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas – 1984
14. Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas (reissue) – 1985
15. Paul Weller – Stanley Road LP – 1995
16. Paul Weller – Stanley Road (7” Box) – 1995
17. A Stranger Shadow – Colours (CD only) – 1995
18. David Sylvian – A Little Girl Dreams of Taking the Veil (12”) – 1986
19. David Sylvian – A Little Girl Dreams of Taking the Veil (picture disc) – 1986
20. Various Artists – Brand New Boots and Panties—Tribute to Ian Dury –2001
21. Brian Wilson – Gettin’ in Over My Head (orange vinyl double LP)–2004
22. Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Classic Records 200g LP) – 2004
23. Oasis – Stop the Clocks (3LP) – 2006
24. Oasis – Stop the Clocks (numbered 7”) – 2006
25. Oasis – Stop the Clocks (CD in card cover) – 2006
26. Oasis — Champagne Supernova (promotional, single-sided 12″) — 2006
27. Various Artists – John Peel–Right Time, Wrong Speed (CD only) – 2006
28. The Blockheads – Staring Down the Barrel (CD only) – 2009
29. Ben Waters – Boogie for Stu: A Tribute to Ian Stewart (gatefold double LP) – 2011
30. Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (re-issue LP in gatefold sleeve) – 2011
31. Madness – Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da (double LP) – 2012
32. Paul Weller – Dragonfly (numbered 12”) – 2012
33. Eric Clapton – I Still Do (Double 45 rpm LP) – 2016
34. Eric Clapton – I Still Do (CD in card sleeve) – 2016
35. Paul Weller – Stanley Road (Reissue LP in gatefold sleeve) — 2017
36. John Cooper Clarke — The Luckiest Guy Alive (CD) — 2018
37. The Who – WHO (triple LP) – 2019
38. The Who – WHO (double LP) – 2019
39. The Who – WHO (cassette) – 2019
40. The Who – WHO (deluxe CD) – 2019

Please note that this list is heavily weighted towards vinyl releases but I have had to include a few CDs and a cassette for completeness. I had not previously known about the David Sylvian’s “A Little Girl Dreams of Taking the Veil” single or Oasis’s “Champagne Supernova” promotional 12″. So how many other Blake covers do I not know about?

While Peter Blake is consistantly producing new works in a variety of formats, paintings, prints and collages, he has only produced 27 individual record cover designs (increased to the 38 listed in various formats) in fifty-seven years. I look forward to the arrival of The Who’s latest album and hope that the 87-year-old will continue to design even more.