Roots Archives Forum

Lets have some fun: share any interesting, funny, unexpected insights, stories related to reggae cover art?

Here a few examples:

1. Pat Kelly's Cool Breezing LP uses exactly same photography as Paquita Sosa Con Joe Blanco's salsa LP....!!!

http://collectorsfrenzy.com/details/251 ... ECOMMENDED

http://www.roots-archives.com/display_artwork/1942.jpg

2. Gregory Isaacs's Victim LP is a painting/illustration of the Night Nurse cover photography...

3. Gladiators 1981 "by bus" album uses the pictures from the Vital Selection Virgin compilation

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3992

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3823

4.

...speaking of the Gladiators by Bus LP: it seems to be quoting BMW's Babylon by Bus 2LP, both in the title and cover Picture...

This is a really weird one, I find: The Jayes on a Studio One comeback Album: http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3199#rel2670

If you enlarge the picture, you will see that the arm at the back can never belong to the guy at the back. IMO It's a scissor and paste Job, to make him look a bit more exuberant to match the Rasta live wire who is waving his arms frantically in the foreground...

U Roy's "Version Galore" Treasure Isle LP wasn't only pressed with at least 5 different label colors, but the original press came out with a funny mistake, that many will be aware of:

I Roy instead of U Roy

This was corrected on the re-issue. I wonder how U Roy reacted to this, given the natural tension between I and U Roy.

One easy way to know if you own the original or the repress!

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3071

Weedbeat came up with a way to not have to think too much about the cover art and title, releasing (at least) 4 SUPERSTAR albums leveraging same artwork structure, changing just artist picture/name:

Dillinger:
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1503

Leroy Smart:
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1986

Johnny Clarke:
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/571

John Holt:
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/2852

There are some interesting ones out there!

[cover=5130]
Why is Vivian Jackson on this sleeve?

[cover=5408]
Cover art based on the movie Grizzly

[cover=8036]
Oh! An album with Sister Candy and Purpleman? Let's take a photo of Mellow Yellow and paint it purple.

[cover=5616]
What? Another Purpleman album? Let's put a painting of Yellowman instead and file it under Yellowman as well. Too confusing with all albinos.

[cover=1440]
Jah Thomas rocking the shoulder move in front of the Devon House. Home of the first black millionaire in JA, George Stiebel.

[cover=4702]
Logo blatantly stolen from the movie Earthquake (1974)

[cover=1363]
Once again a bit too blatantly based on a obscure film franchise. Apparently it was withdrawn after Lucas Entertainment put the pressure on them. And a damn shame because it's dub of the highest class!

Great thread! Keep the knowledge coming!

I love this thread!

Fascinating posts

While mostly everyone here knows the work of Wilfred Limonious and Tony McDermott, the lesser known Tony Wright did a lot of classic covers. You can view pics on his website, and most crucially, see two alternative covers for the Upsetter's Super Ape:

http://www.tonywright-art.com/Pages/Alb ... r_ape.html

(I found that out in the Arkology cd book. It's too bad RA doesn't list album art credits.)

For many years this mystical cover (of this great DJ album) inspired my imagination. But still ... a cover and artist story is missing. Who is/was Little Dread ? Backed bij the Aggrovators/Revolutionaries, produced by the Mighty Fatman, and Jah Berry was involved. That's all I know.

- freddie hubbard - hub cap
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hub_Cap_%28album%29

-life goes in circles
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/4607#rel5836

DestroyBabylon: Thanks for that link! I remember seeing the alternative art for the Rico album (still one of my absolute favourite sets). It seems he has some original art for sale. Probably expensive though. Interesting to see the Ijahman trinity fingers. One of the most iconic illustrations in reggae.