Charles Manson - "LIE" (Awareness Records, 1974)

Wings - "Back To The Egg" (Columbia, 1979)

Jack Van Impe - "The Coming War With Russia" (Jack Van Impe Ministries, 1973)

Dr. Jack makes such convincing arguments on this record. I can’t believe this war never happened. Does that mean he’s wrong about homosexuality, abortion, and the pending return of J.C. too? ...cause that would really shatter my world.

Turbonegro - "Ass Cobra" (Bitzcore Records, 1996)

For side one we have a shitty Xerox copy of the label from an old Zambian rock record and how bout a Tom of Finland-esque well endowed hitch-hiker drawing for side two? Why not, huh?

Dead Moon - Strange Pray Tell (Music Maniac Records, 1992)

Dead Moon just might get my vote for the coolest, rawest, realest band of all time. Led by a couple, Fred and Toody Cole, who’ve been married since ’67 and playing in bands together since Toody took up the bass in 1980, they’re a true inspiration for all couples, artists, or anyone else trying to make their way doing their own thing. They record their own records in their house and cut them right there on the spot using the very same mono record lathe that cut the beyond classic grooves of Louis Louis. They built their home and the building that houses the guitar shop they run from the ground up with their own hands. I suggest watching the doc about them called ‘Unknown Passage.’ When it’s over you’ll be inspired to get off your ass, make your art, and do your thing.

Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend (Billingsgate Records, 1970)

Dig that awesome logo. This label is from the fist album by the German proto-metal prog band Lucifer’s Friend. I’m guessing that English was not the native language of the author of Billingsgate Records’ ass-kicking slogan.

Yellowman & Fathead, Purpleman, Sister Nancy - The Yellow, The Purple, & The Nancy (Greensleeves, 1983)

Archers Of Loaf - "Speed Of Cattle" (Alias Records, 1996)

Fugazi - "Red Medicine" (Dischord Records, 1995)

Melvins - "Lysol" (Boner Records, 1992)

Purdy, ain't it?

I love everything about this record. Sonically it’s the granddaddy of all that sludgy metal stuff the kids are eating up these days. The minimalist and pretty much info-less layout is just lovely and fits the sparse, creepy sounds perfectly. No tracklisting anywhere. I only know the names of the two covers on the record. Buzzo and co. lay down amazing versions of Alice Cooper’s Ballad of Dwight Fry and Flipper’s Sacrifice. The album cover features that famous painting of an Indian atop a horse with his arms spread out and head to the sky that you record nerds will no doubt recognize from the Beach Boys’ Brother Records label logo. The painting is flanked on both sides by black bars with ‘Melvins’ to the left, and until they found out it was trademarked and were forced to cover it with a piece of black tape, ‘Lysol’ down the right side. The back cover simply lists the band members, King Buzzo, Joe, and Dale in pink letters on a black background, and the inner sleeve features the same roses from the label I posted.

fIREHOSE - "If'n" (SST, 1987)

Words of encouragement from John Fogerty to Mike Watt.

Public Image Ltd - "First Edition" (Virgin Records, 1978)

This iconic P.I.L. logo was designed by British photographer/artist/musician Dennis Morris. Johnny Lydon and Dennis Morris had been working together since Morris was a teenager and Lydon was Rotten. The Sex Pistols hired Morris on as there official photographer in 1977 after Johnny saw his portraits of Bob Marley. Johnny and Dennis became good friends and after the Pistols called it quits Dennis ended up being Johnny’s go-to-guy for design work with his new band Public Image Ltd. Morris designed several of their album covers including First Edition and the amazing Metal Box.

Johnny paid his friend well giving him a huge chunk of the band’s recording budget for First Edition before the record was even finished. P.I.L. ended up running out of money halfway through the recording process and had to move from the classy Wessex Studios into a series of cheap-o demo studios to complete the album.

Dennis Morris went on to be the art director of Island Records, signing The Slits to their record deal and designing album covers for Bob Marley, Marianne Faithfull, and Linton Kwesi Johnson among others.

Roger Miller - "Oh, Guitars Etc..." (Forced Exposure, 1988)

Who doesn’t love the ole center hole right between the eyes trick? I found a bunch of these mugshot-esque portrait labels while I was digging through my records looking for good stuff to post. Love ‘em! I actually had to whittle a few off of my list in the interest of variety. I’m also a bigtime sucker for children’s doodles so I figured this Roger Miller record would be the perfect way to kick things off.

These examples are from the 5^th solo record by Roger Miller of Mission of Burma, not the ‘dang me, dang me, they oughta take a rope and hang me’ country novelty singer Roger Miller. Oh, Guitars Etc.. is a very personal record and supposedly one of Roger’s favorite examples of his own work. It’s d.i.y. all the way from the 4-track recording to the custom spray painted back cover. Is side one the portrait of a 6 year old Roger? Is side two 6 year old Roger’s artwork? That’s my guess.