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A Summary of Record Cover Art by the Artist Known as Banksy.

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I would advise anyone who wants to start collection any designer’s, illustrator’s or photographer’s record cover for simpliccity’s sake choose one with a maximum of, say, 200 covers to collect. That would rule out the likes of Alex Steinweiss (who has been estimated to have produced over 2,500 covers) or Anton Corbijn or even Rob Jones (I started collecting his covers but gave up), who designs many covers for Jack White’s Third Man Records.

I started collecting record covers by the artist known as Banksy–whoever he may be–in around 2005 not thinking there would be too many to find. So far my collection includes 180 items, admittedly with a few doubles, but I’m getting dangerously near the 200 cover limit!

  • Here’s my list as of May 2025. I make no claim that it is complwete. One can always find covers with minor details with Banksy art.
  •   Artist–Title–Format–Label–Cat No. –Year Released
  • 1.        Mother Samosa[1]— The Fairground of Fear — Printers proof of cassette inlay — Mother Samosa  — 1993
  • 2.        Mother Samosa* — Oh My God It’s Cheeky Clown — Printers proof of cassette inlay — Mother Samosa –1994
  • 3.        Revolucion X--Canciones electorales–Cassette — Not on label — 1997 (?)
  • 4.        One Cut — Cut Commander — 12” — Hombre Records — MEX 006 1998
  • 5.        Capoeira Twins — 4 x 3 / Truth Will Out — 12” promo — Blowpop Records — BLOWP 001 1999
  • 6.        One Cut — Hombre Mix — CD — Hombre Records — 666017004020 (CDX002) — 1999
  • 7.        Various Artists compilation — The Next XI — Sleazenation No 2, Sept 1999 — Wall of Sound — IMPRESS SN 01 — 1999
  • 8.        One Cut — Grand Theft Audio — Double LP — Hombre Records MEX 024 — 2000
  • 9.       One Cut — Grand Theft Audio Sampler — 12” promo — Hombre Records — MEX 025 — 2000
  • 10.      One Cut — Mr X / Rhythm Geometry — 12”  — Hombre Records — MEX 029 — 2000
  • 11.      One Cut — Underground Terror Tactics — 12” — Hombre Records — MEX 016 — 2000
  • 12.      One Cut — Armour Plated, X-Rated — CD promo — Hombré Records — MEX 024cd — 2000
  • 13.      Monk & Canatella — Do Community Service — CD — Telstar Records — TDC 3112 — 2000
  • 14.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us — LP — Wall of Sound AMOUR 1 — LP 2000
  • 15.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us — CD — Wall of Sound — 72438491421 (AMOUR1CD) — 2000
  • 16.      Dynamic Duo / Nasty P — Skateboards — CD promo — Turntable Masochists — 2000
  • 17.      Dynamic Duo — Styles by the Dozen — 12” — Complex Broad — CB001 — 2000
  • 18.      Various Artists — Monkeys With Car Keys — CD — Natural Born Productions — 2000?
  • 19.      The Promise — Believer — Red vinyl LP — Deathwish — DW124 2022-07-15.
  • 20. The Promise — Believer — Clear vinyl LP — Deathwish — DW124 2022-07-15
  • 21.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us Too — CD — Wall of Sound — AMOUR 4 — CD — 2001
  • 22.      Various Artists–We Love You… So Love Us Too –12” promo–Wall of Sound — WLY 4 — 2001
  • 23.      Roots Manuva — Yellow Submarine — Single sided 12” — Ultimate Dilemma — UDR 050 — 2001
  • 24.      Various Artists — Peace Not War CD promo — The Big Issue   2001
  • 25.      The Promise — Believer — CD (US) — Indecision — IND53 — 2002
    26.      Skitz — Badmeaningood, Vol  1 — Gatefold double LP — Ultimate Dilemma — UDR LP 018 — 2002
  • 27. Roots Manuva — Badmeaningood, Vol 2 — Gatefold  double LP — Ultimate Dilemma — UDR LP 019 — 2002
  • 28.      DJ Frenzic & DJ Fearless — ATM Magazine — Magazine + CD — ATM ATM 54 — 2002
  • 29.      Blak Twang — Kik Off — Double LP — Bad Magic — MAGICLP5 — 2002
  • 30.      Blak Twang — Kik Off — 12” EP — Bad Magic — MAGICT023 — 2002
  • 31.      Blak Twang — Trixstar — 12” EP — Bad Magic — MAGICT024 — 2002
  • 32.      Blak Twang–Trixstar (Remix) – Feat Estelle (Joni Rewind Remix) –12” EP — Bad Magic — MAGICT024X — 2002
  • 33.      Blak Twang — So Rotton — 12” EP — Bad Magic — MAGICT25 2002
  • 34.      Röyksopp — Melody A.M. — Double LP promo -(dark green print – Wall of Sound — WALLLP027 Ltd 2002
  • 35.      Röyksopp — Melody A.M. — Double LP promo (light green print Wall of Sound — WALLLP027 Ltd — 2002
  • 36.      Various Artists — Seven Magazine presents the Soundtrack to the Sizzler Parties — Promo CD — Rizla / Wall of Sound — SEVENMAG004 2002
  • 37.      Blur — Think Tank — Gatefold double LP — Parlophone — 5829971 — 2003
  • 38.      Cave, Nick — Complete Lyrics 1978-2001 — Paperback book Penguin — 9,78014E+12 — 2003
  • 39.      Cave, Nick — Tutte le canzone 1978-2001 — Paperback book — Monalani 9,78014E+12 2003
  • 40.      Blur — Think Tank — CD promo + Petrolhead stamp – -Parlophone THINK 1 — 2003
  • 41.      Blur — Think Tank — Limited edition CD book — Parlophone.     
  • 43. Blur — Think Tank — CD promo + Petrolhead stamp — Parlophone — THINK 1 — 2003
  • 44.      Blur — Think Tank — CD promo – Petrolhead stamp Parlophone THINK 1 2003
  • 45.      Blur — Think Tank — CD promo — handprint stamp Parlophone THINK 1 –2003
  • 46.      Blur — Think Tank — CD promo – no Petrolhead stamp — Parlophone — THINK 1 —-2003
  • 47.      Blur — Out of Time — 7” single — Parlophone — 2003
  • 48.      Blur — Out of Time — DVD single– Parlophone DVDR6606 2003
    49.      Blur — Crazy Beat — 7” single — Parlophone — R6610 — 2003
  • 50.      Blur — Crazy Beat — CD — single — Parlophone — CDRS 6610 — 2003
  • 51.      Blur — Crazy Beat — DVD single — Parlophone DVDR 6610 — 2003 52.      Blur–The Observer — CD promo — Observer — 2003
  • 53.      Blur–Crazy Bea– CD single promo–Parlophone–CDRJ 6610–2003
  • 54.      Blur–Good Song–7” single–Parlophone–R6619–2003
  • 55.      Various Artists–Off the Wall–10 Years of Wall of Sound–CD promo–Wall of Sound–7,24359E+11–2003
  • 56.      Various Artists — Off the Wall–10 Years of Wall of Sound — Gatefold triple LP — Wall of Sound — WALLP033 — 2003
  • 57.      Peanut Butter Wolf — Badmeaningood, Vol 3 — Gatefold double LP — Ultimate Dilemma — UDRLP 020 — 2003
  • 58.      Scratch Perverts — Badmeaningood, Vol 4 — Gatefold double LP — Ultimate Dilemma — 5,05047E+12 —  2003
  • 59.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us Three — CD — Wall of Sound — AMOUR8CD — 2004
  • 60.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us Three — CD — Wall of Sound  — 2004
  • 61.      Various Artists — We Love You… So Love Us Three — Promo 12” — Wall of Sound — AMOUR171X — 2004
  • 62.      Fallout — What Is Past Is Prologue — CD — Longshot — LSCD30 — 2004 —
  • 63.      Product.01 — The Loud EP — 12” EP — Bow Wow — BOWWOW 0 –2004
  • 64.      Buckfunk 3000 — 2 Much Booty — 12” — Bow Wow — BOW WOW 2004
  • 65.      Girl Nobody — The Future Isn’t What It Used to Be — CD — Girl Nobody Music — HTA 16331 — 2004
  • 66. Kefran & Guigoo–Kisde… Forme–12″–Kisde Recorrds–KISDE01–2004
  • 67. Kefran & Guigoo–Kisde… Branche–12″–Kisde Recorrds–KISDE06–2004
  • 68. Kefran & Guigoo–Kisse… Compose–12″–Kisde Recorrds–KISDE02–2004
  • 70. Kefran & Guigoo–Kisde…Chire!–12″–Kisde Recorrds–KISDE CHIRE–2004
  • 71. Kefran & Guigoo–Kisde… Fonce–12″–Kisde Recorrds–KISDE01–2004
  • 72.      Benjamin Zephaniah — Naked CD promo — One Little Indian –TPLP403CDP –2005
  • 73.      Bass Kittens — Rise of the Machines — 12”  — Bow Wow — BOWWOW 0 — 2005
  • 74.      Speed Baby — Taken / Lurker — 12” — Bow Wow — BOWWOW — 2005
  • 75.      Frog Stupid — Love and Ambition Won’t Get You a Payrise — CD — Not on label — none — 2005
  • 76.      Kein Signal — Mit diesem Land ist Irgendetwas nicht in Ordnung… — CD — Not on label — none —2 005
  • 77.      Linchpin — Jesus Had Long Hair — CD — Sleeper — Sleeper CD2 — 2005
  • 78.      Antibazz vs. Deep Melange —  Wonderful Life — CD — Double Dance Records —  DD221130 — 2005
  • 79.      Citizen Keyne--Ungreat Britain –CD–DRB Records–DRB001–2005
  • 80      Mother Samosa* –The Fairground of Fear –CD Digipak–Not on label–2006
  • 81.      Mother Samosa*–Oh My God It’s Cheeky Clown–CD Digipak–Not on label–2006
  • 82.      Dirty Funker–Let’s Get Dirty–Printer’s proof cover–irst pressing –Spirit Records–DF006–2006
  • 83.      Dirty Funker–Let’s Get Dirty–12” single-–First pressing–Spirit Records–DF006–2006
  • 84.      Dirty Funker–Let’s Get Dirty–12” single–Second pressing–Spirit Records–DF006–2006
  • 85.      Hoxton Whores–Im Not Your Friend–12”–Not on Label–None–2006
  • 86.      Banksy / DJ Danger Mouse–Paris–CD-rom–First pressing–Not on label–9362-44138–2006
  • 87. Mr. Bird–Know Your Rodents–CD–FreqyentSoundz–FZCD04–2007
  • 88. Final Prayer–Right Here, Right Now–LP & CD–IC Records–2006
  • 89.      Banksy / DJ Danger Mouse–Paris CD–Second pressing–Not on label–BANKSY 001–2006
  • 90.      DJ /Rupture vs. Filastine–Shotgun Wedding–Volume Six–CD–Violent Turd–turd 19–2007
  • 91.      Trent (UK Vineyard Worship)–Unfailing Love–CD Vineyard Records–VRUKCD05–2006
  • 92.      SL-27–SL-27–7” EP–Mashnote Records–Ma005–2007
  • 93.      Talib Kweli & Madlip–Liberation–Orange vinyl–12” LP–Blacksmith–90266316018–2007
  • 94.      Me&You–Floating Heavy Edits–12” EP–Not on label–REBTUZ 027–2007
  • 95.      One Bad Son–Orange City–CD–Versailles Records–6,8924E+11–2007
  • 96.      The Well Wishers–How I Won The War–CD–Not On Label – –None–2007
  • 97.      DJ Danger Mouse–From Man to Mouse–Double LP–DMZ–DMZ-002–2007
  • 98.      Dirty Funker–Future (white/pink)–12”–Spirit Records–DF007–2008
  • 99.      Dirty Funker –Future (white/red)–12” Spirit Records–DF007–2008
  • 100.      Dirty Funker–Future (white/orange)–12”–Spirit Records–DF007–2008
  • 101.      Dirty Funker–Future (brown)–12”–Spirit Records–DF007–2008
  • 102. Dirty Funker–Future (grey)–12”–Spirit Records–DF007–200
  • 103.      Dirty Funker–Future –CD promo–Spirit Records–DF007–2008
  • 104.      Banksy–The Banksy Years–12” LP–Not on label–BANKSY001–2008
  • 105.    Queen & Cuntry–Don’t Stop Me Now–12”–Not on label–QAC 1–2008
  • 106.    Kate Bush / Ashley Beedle–Running up That Hill (Remix)–12”–Not on label–RUTH 001–2008
  • 107.    Miami Vices–Sin Da Da Da / Anarchy 2008–12”–Not on label–MVEP2–2008
  • 108.    Henchman / Majistate & Nicol –Street Art–12”–Bow Wow –BOW WOW–2008
  • 109   Warrior Soul--Destroy the War Machine–CD–Acetate Records–ATE7038–2008
  • 110.    Various Artists--Songs Across Walls Of Separation–CD–Kyrkelig Kulturverksted–FXCD336–2008
  • 111.    Le Pakkt–Vestige d’un art–CD/Digital–Not on label–None–2008 112.    Citizen Keyne–Ungreat Britain–CD–DRB Records–DRB 001–2008
  • 113.    Sky Architects–Sky Architects–CD–Not On Label–skycd001–2008
  • 114.    Stylus Rex–Cops on Coke–12” single–Bow Wow –BOW WOW–2008
  • 115.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–7” (cover only)–Spirit Records–PC1 2008
  • 116.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–12”–(Gold)–Spirit Records–PC2–2008
  • 117.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–12” (Silver)–Spirit Records–PC2–2008
  • 118.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–12” (Green) –pirit Records–PC2 –2008
  • 119.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–12” (Brown)–Spirit Records PC2 2008
  • 120.    Danger Mouse–Keep It Real / Laugh Now–12” Test pressing–Spirit Records–PC2–2008
  • 121.    Dirty Funker–Flat Beat–12”–Spirit Records-DF 08 2009
  • 122.    Rosie Thomas--All the Way from Michigan Not Mars–Ltd white vinyl LP & DVD–Factory 25–FTF-006–2009
  • 123.    Carsten Daerr Trio--Wide Angle–CD–Traumton Records–TRAUMTON4537–2010
  • 124. Cat and Sock–Cat and Sock–CD–Powertool Records–PT096–2010
  • 125.    The Lonely Kids Club–When the Time Comes–CD & Digital–Not on label–none–2011
  • 126.    Timothy Carroll–For Bread & Circuses–Digipak CD–Not on label–TLC6291–2011
  • 127.    Kid Barbados–Sundays –Promo CD–Not on label None 2011
  • 128.    Kid Barbados–Sundays–Digipak CD–Not on label–None –2011
  • 129.    Anathema–The Feeding Of The 5 Knuckles Shuffle–CD–Love of Life–L.O.L.1–2011
  • 130.    Young Haitti–Graffiti CD-r–Mixtapes–211499–2011
  • 131.    Recliner–Fake Love Songs–CD–Not olabel–7,00261E+11–2011
  • 132.    Desy Balmer–Beyond Belfast Digital– None None 2012
  • 133.    Rayko & Get Down Edits–Old Skool–Promo–12” EP–Glenview–GVR1201–2012
  • 134..    Blur–Think Tank (remasttered)–2LP–Parlophone–THINKLPX1–2012
  • 135.    Blur–Think Tank–2CD box set–Parlophone THINKX1 2012
  • 136.    Mitch Benn And the Distractions–Breaking Strings–CD–Laughing Stock–LSM01–2012
  • 137. Dexzy Balmer–Beyond Belfast–Digital–Nice & Nasty–NONO100–2012
  • 138.    Embalming Theatre / Tersanjung 13–Mommy Died – Mummified / Hellnose–7” split EP test pressing–Rotten to the Core–RTTC–2013
  • 139    Saverria Margiola–Stellae Minima–7” single–HR.002–2013
  • 140.    Monique DiMattina –In New Orleans:–Nola’s Ark CD –azzhead –HEAD170–2013
  • 141.    Machine Gun Kelly–Black Flag–CD–Bad Boy Entertainment–EST19xx–2013
  • 142.    Blanco And The Jacka–Misfits–CD–Guerrilla Entertainment–none–2013
  • 143.    Angry Brigade–Ten Years Of Anger–CD Emergency Records None–2013
  • 144.    Junichi Masuda–Pokémon–12” test pressing–Moonshake Records–Moonshake 005–2015
  • 145.    Boys in Blue–Funk tha Police–12”–Not on Label–BIB001–2015
  • 146.   Agathocles / Haggus–Don’t Forget to Eat Your Lunch and Make Some Trouble /Minecore Provocateur–Split 7-inch–Fuck Your Life Records–FYL #22–2015
  • 147.    Minraud–Vox Populi–CD–Hidden Stone Records–None–2016
  • 148.    Warrior Soul –Destroy the War Machine–Ltd edn 12” LP–Night of the Vinyl Dead–NVD229–2016
  • 149.    Hot 8 Brass Band–The Life and Times of–CD–True Thoughts–TRUCD262–2016
  • 150.    Destrellados–La lucha continùa–CD–Rock CD–RCDR1116–2016
  • 151.    TV-Age–The Player EP–12” EP–Not on label–2016
  • 152.    Saga & Thelonious Martin–Molotov–12” LP–Coalmine–CM066–2016
  • 153.    Pogoverdächtig & Kopfkran— Deutschpunk Sampler Vol. 2–CD –Puko Musik–None–2016
  • 154.    Pogoverdächtig & Kopfkrank–Deutschpunk Sampler Vol. 5 CD Puko Musik None 2017
  • 155.    Downers–Uptown–CD–The Temptation Department–Te.mpt 011–2017
  • 156.    Диагноз-27–Беспредельный террор –CD–Discomfort–DSCMFRT 01–2016
  • 157.    Barney McAll /TQX–Global Intimacy–Digipak CD–Not on Label — 2018
  • 158.    The Climate Change Project–Season’s Greetings–CD–Not on Label–RFD80M–2020
  • 158a.    The Climate Change Project–Season’s Greetings–Autographed CD–Not on Label–RFD80M–2020
  • 159.    Stormzy–Heavy Is the Head–Ltd 2LP picture discs–Merky Records–1,90295E–2020
  • 160.    Stormzy–Heavy Is the Head–2LP (black vinyl)–Merky Records–1,90295E+11–2020
  • 161.    Boys in Blue–Strawberry Donut /Thick as Thieves–12-inch single–Not on Label–None–2020
  • 162.    Black Note Graffiti--Fall & Rise Volume III–12” LP & CD–BNG–V1274689B–2020
  • 163.    Scenius–Enough Fears–CD–Self released–None–2020
  • 164.    The Promise–Believer–Purple vinyl LP–Deathwish DW124 2022
  • 165.    The Promise–Believer–CD (Europe)–GSR Music–GSR035 –022
  • 166.    The Promise–Believer–green/blue vinyl LP–Deathwish–DW124–2022
  • 167.   Talib Kweli & Madlip–Liberation–White vinyl 12” LP–Blacksmith 90266316018–2022
  • 168.    Flat Earth–High on Lies–Ltd edn LP –SE002–2022
  • 169.    Ekrement Beton / Assel Terror–Rattendisco–Ltd yellow vinyl LP+CD–Anarchy of Sound Records–AoS 007b 2022
  • 170.    Ekrement Beton / Assel Terror–Rattendisco Ltd purple vinyl LP+CD–Anarchy of Sound Records–AoS 007b–2022
  • 171.    Ekrement Beton / Assel Terror–Rattendisco–Ltd yellow splatter vinyl LP+CD–Anarchy of Sound Records–AoS 007b–2022
  • 172.    Danger Mouse –From Man to Mouse–2LP– 2022
  • 173.    Hans Otto Thomashoff –Versuchung des Bösen–CD–cc-live–SE002–2022
  • 174.    Paddelnohekanu –20 Years–Cassette–Entre Anonicos–KP-016-M6–2023
  • 175.    Blur–Think Tank–Reissue–2LP–Parlophone–THINKLPX1 (5099962484817)–2023
  • 176.    The New York Folk Music Hall of Fame–Eternal Bridges: Songs of Peace, Hope & Freedom–CD–NYFMHoF–8,88296E–2023
  • 177.    Fist2Fist–Hold the Gun–CD EP–Not on label–none–year?

I know you would like to see pictures of each release but there just isn’t time to add them. If I have missed any important releases, please feel free to cotact me in the Comments and I’ll try to add them.

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From Warhol to Banksy — A Trip Through Record Covers.

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Try to imagine a shy twenry-year-old, who is conviced he is ugly (his nose is bulbous and his hair is already thinning) who leaves art college in his home town of Pittsburgh and, in the summer of 1949, moves to New York to seek his fortune. Andy Warhola is determined to find work and hawks his portfolio to the offices of glossy magazines and record companies.

He goes to the offices of Columbia Rrecords, who the previous August, had begun reieasng long playing records and was in the process of reissuing many of their best selling classical albums previously available as 78 rpm sets in the new medium that allowed a whole symphony to fit on one side of a twelve-inch LP.

In 1938, the company hired a 21-year-old Alex Steinweiss as its art director. Steinweiss felt that the company’s record albums with their plain covers were dull and suggested adding pictures to the covers. His superiors were sceptical, but allowed him to make a few trial cover. These were successful, increasing sales. Steinweiss first cover was for an album of Smash Hits by Rodgers and Hart.

The young Warhol was commissioned to illustrate two covers.

Andy Warhol’s first cover for Columbia Records, 1949.

In 1951, Warhol was commissioned to illustrate a newspaper advertisement for radio programmes called The Nation’s Nightmare and Crime on the Waterfront to be broadcast by CBS Radio that autumn. CBS decied to release the programmes the following year on an LP.

Warhol won his first design award for the designs.

In the fifties, Warhol cooperated with Reid Miles, the legendary art director at Blue Note and Prestige Records, producing a numner of classic jazz covers. He also continued to get commissions from Columbia Records subsidiaries and designed several classical covers.

Other Pop artists would later design record covers: Robert Rauchenberg designed the limited edition cover for Talking Heads’ Speaking in Tongues (1983), Robert Indiana’s LOVE image appeared on a recording of Messiaen’s Turangalila Symphony and Ed Ruscha, who has become Paul McCartney’s buddy, has designed several covers for the ex-Beatle as well as the cover for the Beatles’ last single Now and Then.

And England’s Pop artists were also designing record covers. Peter Blake together with his wife at the time, Jann Haworth came up with the famous cover for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album and Blake has continued to design record covers — now over forty! Richard Hamilton was invited to design the Beatles next full album The Beatles (the white album) and chose a minimalitic cover to contrast with the Sgt. Pepper design.

Other British artists who have designed record covers include Damien Hirst, David Shrigley, Tracy Emin as well as design groups such as Hipgnosis.

Andy Warhol, announced in 1965 that he was giving up painting to concentrated on his other projects — film and the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, featuring the Velvet Underground and performances and dancers including Gerard Malanga, who would assist Warhol in his printmaking. He took the Velvet Underground to Norman Dolph’s Scepter Studio in New York to record the band’s first album. Warhol insisting that Nico, a German singer, sing on three songs. Warhol offered the record to Columbia Records, who turned it down, suggesting it needed beter production and Warhol let Tom Wilson re-record the album, which Warhol then offered to Verve Records who released it in March 1967. Warhol designed the Banana cover and the front cover just had the banana (with ‘peel me and see’ beside the neck) and Andy Warhol’s name at the bottom.

Warhol was a “mover and shaker” in 60s and 70s New York travelling to parties and discos always with an entourage of beautiful people. He loved being with celbrities. He met Mick Jagger who asjed him to design the cover for the forst Rolling Stones album to be released on the Stones’ own label. Warhol came up with the zip cover for Sticky Fingers (released April 1971).

My signed “Sticky Fingers” LP.

There has been a debate about whose jeans Warhol photographed for the Stocky Fingers cover. It wasn’t Joe d’Allesandro, as many have suggesteds. It may have been Warhol’s parrtner Jed Johnson’s twin brother Jay who was the model.

Warhol was also asked to design the cover for the Stones’ Love You Live album. He had invited the band to hs Long Island home at Montauk wherer he photographed them biting themselves or each other. He selected a picture of Mick Jagger biting his daughter Jade’s hand for the cover. Warhol dis not want any writing on the cover but Mick Jagger added the band name and the record title, which annoyed Warhol. He would normally sign anything he was asked to sign but refused to sign the front cover of the Love You Live album, usually choosing instead to sign the inner spread.

The Front cover of “Love You Live” showing Mick biting a child’s hand (Jade Jagger). .

Later Warhol began a cooperation with Jean-Michel Basquiat, a New York street artist turned fine artist. Basquiat would only outlive Warhol by little over a year, dying in 1968 of a drug overdose, but nor before he had managed to produce a few record covers.

That brings me to other street artists, including the enigmatic artist who calls himself Banksy. Banksy started as a street artist in his native Bristol in the late 90s and produced designs for record covers from then. His first major albel design was for Blur’s Think Tank album in 2003.

Bansky’s art has appeared on over two hundred records and CDs, the majority unofficially.

Other street artists have designed record covers. Mr. Brainwash designed Madonna’s Celebration compilation from 2009.

Hellstrom, a Swedish street artitst, designed a limited edition cover (40 copies) for his namesake Håkan Hellström’s Illusioner album (2019) with a silkscreened portrait of the artist.

Other Swedish designers and artists have designed interesting ecord covers. Martin Kann has designed the covers for bob hund’s records and CDs and — as far as I know — produced on the second cover to give the cover designer’s name on the front of a release: Omslag Martin Kann by bob hund.

The Swedish designer who has sold the most ercords in Swedden is probably Helen Sköld, who has desgne dthe covers for kent, Sweden’s biggest band since ABBA.

Karin Mamma Andersson is a Swedish artist who has made an international career. She has designed covers for the alternative poet and songwriterr Mattias Alkberg as well as providing paintings for three of Beck’s releases.

Cundy Sherman is another worrld renowned photographer who has used her photos on record covers. The latest is for her friend Jenni Muldaur’s (daughter of singer Maria Muldaur) and Teddy Thompson’s (son of Richard Thompson) Teddy & Jenni do George & Tammy EP.

Teddy & Jenni Do George & Tammy

There are other ways of collecting record cover art. Anyone remember bubble gum packaged in small copies of record covers? They are quite collectable. As we are at Spritmuseum, hoem of the Absolut Art Collection, I wold also mention the Absolut Cover adverts that use Bowie’s Aladin Sane image, Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew cover image and others in adverts.

Just recently, I discovered an invitation to an exhibition of the Absolut Vodka record cover adverts in New York in the form of a seven-inch single.

This article is a somewhat expanded version of a lecture given in Swedish on Sunday January 26th 2025 at Spritmuseum, Stockholm, as part of the Money on the Wall– Andy Warhol Exhibition that runs until September 14th 2025.

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Blur’s Think Tank — UK Editions and Promos

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I lost my original copy of Blur’s Think Tank poster in 2010 when it got lost after an exhibition of Banksy’s record covers in Stockholm. At last I’ve found a replacement — though it was considerably more expensive than the one I lost. This new acquisition made me review my collection of Think Tank albums, promos and such.

I saw Blur at Hultsfreds Festival in Sweden in 1996 and got a couple of album covers signed. So it was quite logical that I also bought Think Tank on vinyl when it first came out, and I suppose this was the first Banksy designed cover in my collection. I also bought the Observer five-track promo soon after. I soon found the large Think Tank poster to add to the collection.

My collection of Banksy covers started in 2005-6 after I missed seeing a streeet art exhibiiton at which several Banksy prints were on sale. I found most early covers at standard issue prices with only a couple costing more than that — the Laugh Now / Keep It Real twelve-inchers cost £6.99 each back then! My next buys were the Think Tank promo CD with the petrolhead stamp and the promo twelve-inch white label.

Think Tank promo CD and 12-inch vinyl.

In addition to the double vinyl, I bought the ‘limited edition’ CD in the red book cover so I didn’t buy a standard Think Tank CD until the reissue box set with bonus CD and the four prints when it came out in 2012.

ThinkTank 2012 box set.

I had seen that a number of the Think Tank promo CDs had been found without the Petrolhead stamp and a good friend sold me a second copy of the CD with the stamp and one without. I had also read about a version with a pink baby’s hand stamped instead of the Petrolhead figure and when one came up on Ebay I nabbed it! So my collection of promo CDs has grown.

Three promotional CDs for Blur’s Think Tank album.

I wondered why no one had come up with one of these promos with a foot instead of the baby’s hand. So I went to Photoshop and created my own, though I haven’t printed it yet.

I ‘m a sucker and gave in to temptation and bought the reissue Think Tank double LP in 2023.

More recently, I read about the Blur stencil that appeared on adverts for the Think Tank album when it was released and found a nice mint stencil as well as a magazine ad for the album showing the stencil.

I know there are interesting versions of Think Tank available from other countries but I’m limiting my collection to U.K./Europe issues. I wonder what other additions may turn up in future.

Banksy's art on record, Uncategorized

Some New Thoughts about Collecting Banksy’s Record Cover Art.

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It seems that this blog has become a reference work for information on record and CD covers with cover art by the artist known as Banksy. And I find it very flattering. My aim, way back in the 00s, was to catalogue all record and CD covers with Banksy’s art, irrespective of whether or not the release used an authorised Banksy image. To date I have catalogued about 100 releases.

Banksy’s art has been sold as paintings, stencilled prints or silkscreen prints, the latter being the most commonly available. The prints are commonly limited editions, often in editions of 100 or 250 which may be signed or unsigned. Both are becoming scarce and command very high prices; witness the recent sale of Banksy’s painting Love is in the Bin for GBP 18 million. Signed prints of his more iconic works are currently (October 2021) on offer for GBP 100,000 to 200,000.

I bought Blur’s Think Tank LP when it was released in 2003 and the promotional Parlophone and Observer CDs around the same time. However, I didn’t start seriously collecting Banksy’s record cover art until around 2005. Back then I could buy the records as they were released and they cost no more that other 12″ records, so my set of Dirty Funker’s Future 12″-ers cost GBP 6.99 each; likewise my set of Dirty Funker’s Laugh Now / Keep It Real 12″-ers (there’s a set for sale on Ebay just now for GBP 10,000). The most expensive release I bought was Dirty Funker’s Let’s Get Dirty (the first press without the Dymo strips across Kate Moss’s eyes) from a fellow collector for GBP 100. I added more and more records and CDs as time went on.

Once upon a time, the most expensive Banksy covers were the two he had purportedly stencilled himself: the Capoeira Twins’ promotional 12″ 4 x 3 / Truth Will Out and Röyksopp’s promotional Melody A.M. double LP; each produced in editions of 100 copies, comparable to Banksy’s limited edition prints. However, the records have been selling for about a tenth of what an equivalent print would cost.

So, when I started collecting, the covers were affordable and remained so until about 2015 when prices began to rise. Now, however, many collectors are competing to find Banksy’s record covers and prices have skyrocketed. I am amazed (and shocked) to see someone trying to sell copies of Dirty Funker’s Flat Beat 12″ for between EUR 815 (about GBP 700) and AUD 6,500 (about GBP 3,500), and copies of Queen & Cuntry’s Don’t Stop Me Now are for sale on Ebay for about GBP 4,000! These prices are stimulating the production of forgeries. I am not sure all the copies offered for sale nowadays are 100% genuine.

Apart from the question of forgeries, there are other ways unscrupulous producers are cashing in on the willingness of collectors to fork out large sums for limited edition covers. These seem to be on the increase. Take TV-Age’s beautiful The Player EP (an apparently hand screened cover in an unnumbered edition, said to be 100 copies) or Boys in Blue’s two 12″ singles Funk da Police (unnumbered edition, said to be 100 copies) and Strawberry Doughnut / Thick as Thieves (numbered edition of 250 copies). In my view these have been produced exclusively to lure collectors of Banksy covers to pay large sums for worthless music.

Another group that is cashing in on the widespread interest in collecting record cover art are the Israeli producers of picture discs with art by a variety of artists ranging from Banksy (like this one) to Warhol. They sell via Ebay and generally cost around USD 300 for a single-sided, generally unplayable, 12″ single. I made the mistake of buying a couple of these to test. I hope nobody else will fall for the con.

Thus I have now decided in future to concentrate only on official releases with Banksy’s art. Several CDs and cassettes have recently surfaced that are unoffical and I will not join in the bidding for these, nor will I go for the latest Boys in Blue 12″. Let’s all agree to boycott the speculative releases and just concentrate on the legitimate ones.

3D, Art books, Record cover art, Robert del Naja

“3D and the Art of Massive Attack”–A New Book on Rock Art.

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Robert del Naja, a.k.a 3D, is a musician, artist and composer probably best known as being a founder member of the trip hop group Massive Attack. He has also other musical projects. del Naja was born in Bristol in 1965 and has been credited as the the city’s first graffiti artist and Banksy has named him as a major influence–it can be noted that suggestions have been made that del Naja IS Banksy! A real fact about him is that he is colour blind. Something that caused him problems in his early works–painting a self-portrait with green hair and brown Christmas trees.

I really liked the deceptively simple cover art for Massive Attack’s “Mezzanine” album, with its stag beetle image. Otherwise I had not paid particular attention to the group’s cover art. I was completely unaware that del Naja had a separate career as a record cover artist. He admits to have been designing covers for Mo’ Wax records for eight years–I once owned the 1994 Mo Wax vinyl samplers “Headz 1” and “Headz 2” with cover paintings by del Naja, though I then had no idea who he was.

Mo Wax 1996 compilation Headz 2A, with cover art by Robert del Naja.
Mo Wax 1996 compilation Headz 2, with cover art by Robert del Naja.

Just recently, The Vinyl Factory published “3D & the Art of Massive Attack” by Robert del Naja and Sean Bidder–a 400 page book of Robert del Naja’s art. There are two versions, a popular edition selling for £50 or a limited edition of 350 signed copies selling for £350. I have the popular edition, which came sealed in cellophane with the Vinyl Factory sticker with bar cove on the outside. The book only contains pictures of del Naja’s artworks with no text apart from a three page interview in a separate 12-page booklet included in the package. Reviews of the book state that Banksy has written the book’s introduction, but I couldn’t find it in my copy–perhaps that’s only included in the limited edition…

Art of 3D-fr
The cover of Robert del Naja’s new book.

I was fascinated to find out that Robert del Naja has cooperated with photographer Nick Knight to produce record cover art. The “Mezzanine” cover is one example.

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The “Mezzanine” front cover. Photo by Nick Knight.

Del Naja again approached Nick Knight for the cover photo for Massive Attack’s “best of” compilation “Collected”.

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Nick Knight’s photograph on the cover of “Collected”.

Nick Knight’s most famous cover photographs are probably David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane” cover, Björk’s  1997 “Homogenic” or Nick Cave & The Bad Seed’s “The Boatman’s Call” covers, but he has also photographed Miguel Bosé (see a previous recordart post for another Miguel Bosé album) for the cover of his 1987 album “XXX” among many others.

I was disappointed with the book at first, but it lead me to start looking for more examples of Robert del Naja’s record covers and that has proved to be an interesting journey. I will have to try to contain my interest and NOT start collecting his covers.

Banksy's art on record, Bootlegs, Exploitation, Picture discs, Singles

Banksy Picture Discs – All That Glitters Is Not Gold!

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Readers of this blog may already have suspected that I have a serious case of OCD or just plain collectors’ mania. I aim to keep my collections of record cover art by artists/themes I collect as complete as possible. Therefore, I have compiled lists of each of these which I try to remember to update when I find or acquire new items.

So, a couple of weeks ago, picture discs with Banksy cover art began to appear on Ebay posted by a seller from Israel. The looked really cool and I could imagine hanging a selection on my wall.
Think TankPulp FIctionKeep It real-1

The prices were high–but genuine records with Banksy covers are fetching quite amazing prices nowadays, so I didn’t reflect too much. I made an offer on one disc which was promptly accepted and I was happy. The seller informed me that he had “a couple of other Banksy picture discs” and was prepared to offer me an even “better” price if I bought those, too. He even offered free shipping, so I agreed.

Less than a week later, the package arrived.

These turned out to be single-sided singles. The “Keep It Real” is a version by Jamal, called “Keep It Real“. As shown, it came in a die-cut, black card sleeve. The other two are shaped picture discs. The Blak Twang record is the “Kik Off” single and the One Cut has the track “Mr. X“.

Examination revealed that the records are 2 mm thick pieces of perspex with a sort of  thick flexidisc with the image and sound track affixed. The image is slightly blurred as if it has been copied from a picture sourced on the Internet.The sound quality is poor, probably lifted from an MP3 file.

The seller informed me that he had “bought” the discs and the person who had sold them to him said they were made in Japan and only twenty or so copies existed. He had about twenty-five different discs with Banksy cover art for sale and was prepared to let me have them for the “bargain” price of $139 each.

Further research on Ebay gave more surprises. The same seller is selling picture discs by other artists, such as Björk, Aphex Twin, Led Zeppelin and others at the same sort of inflated prices.

These records are not proper pressings. They are produced to appeal to collectors and sold at wildly inflated prices. They cannot really be called bootlegs as they are not really records at all. And the quality of the artwork, not to mention the sound, is really poor.

I decided not to “invest” in the 25-or-so Banksy picture discs the seller had on offer. I prefer “proper” records, not pieces of perspex with a flexidisc attached. And I would like to issue a warning to other collectors not to support this type of exploitation solely aimed at fleecing collectors.

 

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Icon Worship – Kate Moss on Record Covers

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My blog is usually about record design and some of my favourite cover designers. This post is about an icon who appears on record covers.

According to a dictionary an icon is either: a devotional painting of Christ or another holy figure, typically executed on wood and used ceremonially in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches, OR
a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration.

I don’t suppose anyone would argue that supermodel Kate Moss is a 21st Century icon. Her face is on the covers of fashion magazines and there are coffee table books of photographs of her. She has even appeared on record sleeves. The first one that I have been able to identify is Dirty Funker‘s “Let’s Get Dirty” which used Banksy‘s Kate Moss portrait from 2005

Banksy's Warhol style Kate Moss portraits (2005)
Banksy’s Warhol style Kate Moss portraits (2005)

Apparently Kate Moss bought one but it was stolen in 2010 together with other Banksy works that she had bought.

Dirty Funker‘s use of Banksy‘s Kate Moss’ portrait on his record sleeve was not authorised by Banksy. But hey ho, who cares? A first pressing showed only Moss‘ face with no title or other text, while a second (more common) had a black Dymo tape with the record’s title across Moss‘ eyes on the front and across her mouth on the rear.

LetsGetDirty_1st_150

First and second pressings of Dirty Funker's "Let's Get Dirty" 12-inch single.
First and second pressings of Dirty Funker’s “Let’s Get Dirty” 12-inch single.

The February 2008 number of TAR Magazine contained a photographic essay of Kate Moss. And the magazine’s cover was adorned with Damien Hirst‘s portrait of Kate, with the right side of her face dissected down to the muscles.

TAR Magazine cover and the record sleeve.
TAR Magazine cover and the record sleeve.

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The following Year Hirst released a single-sided 12-inch single in an edition of 666 copies pressed on white vinyl that used the TAR Magazine picture on its cover.

Bryan Ferry released his thirteenth album “Olympia” on 25th October 2010. The album was released as a CD, CD with DVD, a collectors’ edition with extra tracks as well as a limited edition LP. He seems to have been besotted with Kate as the album and five singles’ covers taken from it all bear Kate‘s portrait. There is a video of the photo shoot for the cover photo

The Olympia cover.
The Olympia cover.

The Vinyl Factory in London released five limited edition 12-inch singles from the album in 2010 and 2011. All with cover photographs of Moss. These are “You Can Dance” (2010), “Shameless Remixes” (2010), “Alphaville” (2011), “Heartache by Numbers” (2011) and “BF Bass (Ode to Olympia) (Remixes)” (2011). The portraits of Kate Moss on these covers are by british photographer Adam Whitehead (born 1973).

You Can Dance cover.
You Can Dance cover.

Shameless Remixes cover.
Shameless Remixes cover.

Alphaville cover.
Alphaville cover.

The limited edition version of Alphaville.
The limited edition version of Alphaville.

Heartache By Numbers cover.
Heartache By Numbers cover.

BF Bass (Ode to Olympia) Remixes cover.
BF Bass (Ode to Olympia) Remixes cover.

Thus I have been able to find ten covers with portraits of Kate Moss released in less than 10 years. I think this fulfills the second definition of an icon. Perhaps I have missed a cover or two. Readers are very welcome to let me know of any I have missed.

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A review of 2014 – my collections grow

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Readers of this blog will by now know that it deals with collecting record cover art by five designers

  1.     Andy Warhol
    2. Peter Blake
    3. Klaus Voormann
    4. Damien Hirst
    5. Banksy

When I sat down to put my thoughts together on the past year’s collecting I could not immediately recall any real high points. Then I started to look through my list of acquisitions and soon saw that 2014 had been another successful year. Let’s take things in order.

Andy Warhol
Well, I’ve managed to add twenty-one covers to my collection of Andy Warhol sleeves – surprisingly, the majority by The Rolling Stones. I have added three variations of the “Emotional Tattoo” bootleg cover. Frank Edwards very kindly sent me his extra copy of the 1983 version on orange vinyl in exchange for a set of “Giant Size $1.57 Each” covers and I bought the two variations of the 2014 numbered reissues of the album, one on black and the other on green vinyl.

Early in the year I had decided to go for the Rolling Stones singles with variations on the “Sticky Fingers” cover art. I had previously not been interested in singles or EPs but the wonderful RCA and RCA Camden covers with Warhol art have changed my mind. Anyway, fellow Warhol Cover Collectors Club member Guy Minnebach had tipped me off about the Mexican “Brown Sugar” singles (entitled “Azucar Morena” in Spanish). One was a two-track single and the other a three-track EP that happened to pop up on Ebay soon after he had told me about them.

The Rolling Stones “Azucar Morena” single in a fold out cover.

Rolling Stones “Azucar Morena” EP.

Then I had to add the original “Brown Sugar / Bitch / Let It Rock” single and a German pressing of the single, both of which used the “Sticky Fingers” rear cover photo on their rear covers. I also found a copy of the “Brown Sugar” shaped picture disc single to complete the set.

“Brown Sugar / Bitch” picture disc single.

When it comes to “classic” Warhol covers, I – like most collectors of Warhol’s cover art – had been looking for a cheap copy of the Lew White “Melodic Magic” EP. Well, I found the single on Discogs for $3.86 plus $12 shipping. Unfortunately, the record had no cover, but I bought another RCA Camden EP with the same rear cover list of other artists on the Camden label and peeled off the cover slick and stuck a Lew White cover slick in its place and – wonder of wonders – I have the Lew White EP, indistinguishable from the real thing – as it IS the real thing (almost) and all for about $40!

The next “classic” cover I managed to get hold of was the “Alexander Nevsky” re-issue sleeve with the green colour blocks. I already had both the original “blue” and the re-issue “orange” covers. Now all I need to find is the “pink” cover variation.

My three “Alexander Nevsky” covers.

When I first started to seriously collect Andy Warhol’s record cover art I saw Wilhelm Loibner’s “Ballet From Vienna” listed as a Warhol cover. The cover is a solarised photo credited to William Hughes. The rear cover has no image. Guy Minnebach informed me that the original copies of this LP had an inner sleeve with Warhol’s drawing of part of an orchestra, the same image as used o the cover of “4 Divertimenti”. The “Ballet From Vienna” cover appears on Ebay with monotonous regularity, but almost NEVER with the inner sleeve. However, one did turn up advertised from Spain in mint condition so I added it to my collection.

“Ballet From Vienna” Front of inner sleeve and front cover.

The other Warhol covers I managed to find included Diana Ross’ “Muscles” and “So Close” seven-inch singles and Billy Squier’s “Everybody Wants You” single.

And then there was an unusual CD that came up on Ebay in August. It was a Japanese promotional double CD with a line drawing of an ear and some arrows with the sole word “ear” beside the drawing. The handwriting was so like Andy Warhol’s that I took a chance and bought the set. Guy Minnebach immediately recognised the drawing as one of a series in a Warhol portfolio entitled “Playbook of you S Bruce 2:30-4:00”.

The other covers with Warhol art were two Velvet Underground bootlegs; “NYC” and “Orange Disaster” which both had pictures from Warhol’s Deaths and Disaster prints.

Peter Blake

There were no new record sleeve designs by Sir Peter Blake in 2014 but one old one did surface – the rejected cover for the group Landscape’s 1982 album “Manhattan Boogie-Woogie”. I saw an art gallery advert for a 2009 silkscreen of the cover image. I managed to find a high-resolution copy of the image and could resize it to LP-format and get several slicks printed. I stuck one slick of the front cover to one of the rear cover from the issued album and there was (my version of) the original cover restored.

Klaus Voormann

2014 saw many additions to my Voormann collection. The first cover I found was the last cover needed to complete my set of all twenty “Pioneers of Jazz” EPs. I had managed to find nineteen previously and been searching the Internet for Volume 18, the only one I lacked. In February I finally found it.

The next cover I found was George Harrison’s “When We Was Fab” promo box with the seven inch single. I already had the twelve-inch version and this was a nice addition. I felt I had just about completed my Voormann collection when I found some purely German releases: “Stinker” LP and seven inch single “von Drüben” by Marius Müller-Westernhagen.

Klaus Voormann’s first official cover was for a band called The Typhoons about which I have failed to find any information. Klaus has informed me that he never met the band and could only say that it was a German combo active in the early sixties. Heliodor records had released their cover of “Walk… Don’t Run”, the old Ventures hit. I had made a copy of the cover from an image on Klaus Voormann’s portfolio and I have seen a cover in poor condition sell on Ebay for over €100 but never seen the record until one turned up without the cover. So, true to form I bought the single to live in the cover I had made. I’m still looking for a proper cover…

I had already bought Klaus Voormann’s album “A Sideman’s Journey” on LP with a limited edition poster and eyed the limited edition box set, which included the album on CD, a DVD of the making of the album, a book of drawings and the poster – signed by Klaus. The box was expensive and I felt I did not really need it until a second-hand copy came up for half the normal price.

My friend, gallery-owner Daniel Brant found two copies of Voormann’s poster of John Lennon and Paul McCartney eating breakfast in the Abbey Road canteen during the “Revolver” sessions and he let me have a copy.

 

The last item needed to complete my Voormann collection was the CD of covers entitled “A Guide to Modern Country Living” by The Twang. There is, however, one cover that has only been released as a digital download and that is “Picasso’s Party” by a band called The Dogs of Bali. I have the download.

So, with the exception of a proper cover for the “Walk… Don’t Run” single, my Klaus Voormann Collection seems complete – at least until Klaus produces more cover designs.

Damien Hirst

This has probably been the year when I have obtained the largest number of Damien Hirst covers. There were three covers for Babyshambles, including the LP “Prequel to the Sequel” and the two singles from the album, “Nothing Comes From Nothing” and “Fall From Grace”.

Next was The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ LP “I’m With You” with the cover picture of a fly on a medicine capsule. Then Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros promo CD “Tony Adams (The Morning Sun)” and the very rare twelve inch EP “Yalla Yalla”. Somehow, Thirty Seconds to Mars had been allowed to use one of Damien Hirst’s spot paintings for the cover of their CD “Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams”. I got hold of the limited edition box set of the album thinking the box and LP cover were also designed by Damien Hirst – but they aren’t! However, the box set did include a book with the spot painting on the cover. I had to get the CD as well for completeness. A seller in Germany advertised a twelve-inch EP of Dave Stewart’s “Heart of Stone (The Dance Mixes)” which I had never heard of. I could not find a copy elsewhere so I bought his expensive copy. Then I found out there was another remix EP of “Heart of Stone (The Sure Is Pure Remixes)”. That one was easy to find and did not cost an arm and a leg.

My final Damien Hirst find for the year was the USB promotional version of The Hours’ “See the Light” album. A nice little skull-shaped USB stick.

Banksy

I have not been able to find any new records with Banksy images in 2014. My collection of Bansky records has been touring Sweden throughout the year and I sincerely hope that they will return home in 2015.

Meanwhile, I wish all my readers a Happy and Prosperous New Year – and wish you all success with your collecting in 2015.