Album Art Exploration – Green and Black Music

The Not Man: A History of the Anthrax Mascot

March 6, 2020March 8, 2020 Green and Black Music1 Comment

Anthrax has the most unique mascot in heavy metal. Instead of a demonic beast or undead specter, the band adopted a grinning, balding, goofball as their official representative. Meet the Not Man! The Not Man first appeared on t-shirts while touring behind Spreading the Disease. Vinyl copies of Among the Living immortalized the newly minted mascot with an insert. By consciously shunning the skull-centric imagery that haunted the heavy metal landscape, Anthrax used art as an extension of their legendary sense of humor. By 1988’s State of Euphoria, the Not…

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Vintage Metal Shirts

June 29, 2019July 11, 2019 Green and Black Music0 comment

The eighties were the golden age of heavy metal! Even if you weren’t able to attend concerts, ample opportunities existed to collect metal shirts. From kiosks in the mall to adverts in magazines, affordable t-shirts were widely available. Album covers always translated into a killer t-shirt. Exclusive artwork created for merchandise were even cooler. These rare designs are the t-shirts that we will revisit. IRON MAIDEN Iron Maiden were the undisputed kings of the metal shirt. Eddie was a merchandizers dream. Each album brought a new permutation to the mascot…

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Allister Fiend: Motley Crue Mascot

May 3, 2019May 4, 2019 Green and Black Music0 comment

Allister Fiend is an under-represented mascot. Unlike Dio, Quiet Riot, and Iron Maiden, Motley Crue did not feature their alter ego on album covers. Instead, the cartoonish mascot found life in an endless succession of t-shirts. Whether supporting Theatre of Pain or Girls, Girls, Girls, Allister Fiend ensured the band was always shouting at the devil. Pentagrams remained a consistent theme in Motley Crue artwork. Allister Fiend was the star of other merchandise. The sleezy rocker adorned countless bedroom walls in a series of poster designs. Denim jackets were a…

Album Art Exploration Articles Observations and Musings

AC/DC: The Australian Albums

June 30, 2018July 12, 2018 Green and Black Musicac/dc dirty deeds done dirt cheap, ac/dc high voltage, ac/dc t.n.t., rare ac/dc1 Comment

AC/DC released several albums in their home country before breaking worldwide. These Australian pressings contain different art and exclusive music. For American and European fans, the Australian records provide a fascinating glimpse into the early years of AC/DC. HIGH VOLTAGE AC/DC released their debut album on February 17, 1975. The original High Voltage was released in Australia only and bears little resemblance to the international version. Legions of fans accustomed to seeing Angus grace High Voltage immediately notice the different artwork. The true shocker is the track list. “She’s Got Balls”…

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Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Banned ‘Electric Ladyland’ Cover

February 27, 2018March 3, 2018 Green and Black Musicelectric ladyland original uk cover0 comment

Rock and roll has a long history of controversial album covers. These abominations are often conceived by record labels and forced upon musicians. One famous example of art gone wrong is the British pressing of Electric Ladyland. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was signed to Track Records in the UK. Attempting to build a buzz through controversy, the label photographed nineteen naked women and spread the photo across the outer gatefold. The band was not consulted and Electric Ladyland was shipped to retailers with the nude photograph. A handful of shops…

Album Art Exploration Articles Observations and Musings

Rush: Satanic Prog Rock?

December 19, 2017February 5, 2018 Green and Black Musicrush 2112, rush pentagram1 Comment

Rush are rock’s perennial nice guys. While other bands were snorting coke and gallivanting with groupies, Rush garnered a reputation for resting quietly in hotel rooms. Soft-spoken and intelligent, Canada’s finest power trio are true gentlemen. Imagine my surprise to learn that Rush are allegedly disciples of Satan! It was rumored that Rush is an acronym for “Ruled Under Satan’s Hand.” People literally believed that Rush were practitioners of the black arts! Rumors of Satanism first began to circulate with the release of 2112. Much of the confusion centered around…

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Vic Rattlehead: A History of the Megadeth Mascot

September 28, 2017September 29, 2017 Green and Black Music1 Comment

Vic Rattlehead has been the face of Megadeth since day one. Even before scoring a record deal, Dave Mustaine had a clear vision for his mascot. The 1984 demo Last Rites proudly displayed a crude rendering of Vic on the cassette insert. Combat records quickly inked a deal with Megadeth and released Killing is my Business…and Business is Good! Unfortunately Vic’s entry into the national spotlight did not go as planned. Fans may love the inaugural Vic Rattlehead but the band was far from happy. Dave Mustaine claims he has…

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Sonic Youth – Goo and the Moors Murders

July 7, 2017August 10, 2019 Green and Black Musicsonic youth raymond pettibon0 comment

Sonic Youth made their major label debut with Goo. An indie past was preserved with the inclusion of cover art by SST artist, Raymond Pettibon. The simple black and white drawing looked more like a demo tape than a corporate release. Pettibon’s past work typically used graphic imagery. Goo was comparatively tame. Violence was still present, yet purely textual. Three sentences spun a compelling narrative for two nameless black and white figures. Pettibon’s text added a cerebral component to the mystery couple. Adventures of the road were purposely open-ended. Overactive minds…

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Alice Cooper – From the Inside: Revisiting the Asylum

June 2, 2017June 7, 2017 Green and Black Musicalice cooper the quiet room, bernie taupin, jackknife johnny, the strange case of alice cooper2 Comments

Alice Cooper soared to incredible heights in the seventies. As his solo career eclipsed the original Alice Cooper band, the shock rocker became a bona fide star. Alice appeared on talk shows, hung out with celebrities and even hosted The Muppet Show. Alice Cooper had transcended the role of rock star to infiltrate American popular culture. Behind the scenes Alice was unraveling. Nearly a decade of alcohol abuse had taken its toll. Rumored to drink a case per day, Alice coughed up blood each morning before cracking open his first…

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Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention: The Freak Out Gatefold

May 2, 2017July 20, 2017 Green and Black Musicfrank zappa freak out, freak out gatefold, freak out hot spots map, freak out liner notes, freak out list0 comment

The Mothers of Invention released the double LP, Freak Out in 1966. Frank Zappa and his band of misfits took full advantage of having four album sides at their disposal. A mix of psychedelic rock, doo-wop, kazoo solos, and avant-garde soundscapes, Freak Out is not an easy album to process. A carefully designed gatefold helps listeners grasp the eclectic debut. Extensive liner notes provide a mix of humor, social commentary and biography. As a package, Freak Out is a veritable crash-course in all things Zappa. Freak Out introduced the Mothers of Invention…