For the first project, I wanted to take a look at some of Neville Brody’s early work. I thought this might help provide further context to the information I learned in writing the biography. And provide a nice foundation by which to view his later work. Also, I was just curious to see how his work may have evolved over time. The project featured here is an album sleeve from Brody’s time with Fetish Records, an independent British record label. The sleeve was designed in 1982 to accompany an album titled Seven Songs by 23 Skidoo.The British band’s music was categorized as post-punk/funk. I picked this cover because I was initially drawn to the contrast of the bright yellow color and the dark, shadowy elements layered on top.
Brody worked as an art director with Fetish Records shortly after he finished at the London College of Printing. During his time at Fetish Records, Brody designed album covers for various artists signed to the label. In the Graphic Language of Neville Brody by Jon Wozencroft, Brody described the freedom and control the position allowed. He said, “the musicians on Fetish were also totally open to the idea of me working under my own steam; there has been such a shift in this respect—most groups now take a much bigger hand in design which does not necessarily make for a better cover” (“Neville Brody and Fetish Records”).
It is important to note that while Brody worked with Albums at Fetish Records, computers were not the main medium, or tool for design as they are now. Instead, the visuals Brody used were often the result of hand-craft. Brody quite typically combined photographed and scanned images of paintings, drawings and three-dimensional objects he made to create his designs. In this way, even the designs created with the latest technology on the time have a clear handmade quality to them. Since this particular album cover is one of Brody’s earlier works, I had a difficult time trying to find which specific method/techniques were used. The hands and trampoline-like object appear to be photos manipulated and combined with textured background images, photos and logo art.

References

http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2006/04/23/neville-brody-and-fetish-records/