Forgoing any blinged-out tropes, the former Wu-Tang member put a doctored version of his welfare ID card on the front cover of his solo debut, as both a reminder of where he came from and to destigmatize being on public assistance. Whenever hip-hop started to take itself too seriously, ODB was there to disrupt, agitate, and give the middle finger to convention. Listen here: 97: Ol’ Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (design by Alli Truch, photo by Danny Clinch)
Put the notorious bathroom cover together with the engraved invitation on the US replacement, and you’ve got the yin and the yang of The Rolling Stones at the time. Listen here: 98: The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (design by Barry Feinstein)īeggars Banquet is a rare case where an album’s two famous covers really complement each other. The red velvet cover, with gold embossed lettering, served notice that Odessa was going to be unique and beautiful, which it was. If The Beatles could do a double “ White Album,” the Bee Gees could do a fuzzy red one. On their 1969 debut, the cavorting characters were there to remind you how much fun rock’n’roll was supposed to be. Bandleader Cyril Jordan’s terrific comic art has turned up on numerous The Flamin’ Groovies covers and posters over the decades.
