Run For the Covers

Published Tuesday, May 06, 2008 by Jeremy Barker | E-mail this post

Sleevefacing: You can't do this with an MP3. First, dig up an old vinyl record (it's what music used to be recorded on and is made of... never mind, look it up or go ask your parents). Then pick out a piece of cool cover art (or sleeve, if you will) and start extend the scene.

I just heard about this yesterday and have already poured over 1,000 versions so far. That's not an exaggeration — check out the sleeveface page on Flickr, Sleevface.com and this how-to video on YouTube. Until you start posting your own, here are my 10 favourites:

Oh Billy, you were always a little glam. From Soulkombinat.

Sticky Fingers indeed. If the zipper had been down on that Stones album, I might be wondering where this was going. From Mateo329.

This one is so close that you can barely tell that there is an album in the picture. And who knew Iggy Pop could look so nice? From Tsjeu.

Love the Yo-Yo. Do you think Yusuf Islam still plays with Yo-Yos? That third hand is a little disconcerting. From Lynnifer.

You just know the hole in the ozone came from Babs using cans and cans of this stuff in the '70s. From delainey.

I really think Robert Palmer should keep his clothes on. It's just not the same without the suit. From rensenbrink78.

Nothing much to add here — just impressed with the integration of two people into the sleeveface. From carla_mabel.

No, Mr. Kristofferson, not the beard! Another from Soulkombinat.

The Man in Black has a gigantic noggin. A syringe too, but we knew that. From Professional Recreationalist.

Ah, Tina Turner's legs. Good enough. From See Gee.

Bonus sleeveface with Johnny Paycheck. I couldn't resist, he's drinking a 50! From Matt Wagner.

Labels: albums, mashups, music, pop art, sleevefacing

9 Comments:

At May 06, 2008, cuzzy added...: I have never heard of this and I have to say it is great. So creative!

thanks for pointing this artform out Jeremy.
At May 06, 2008, Mercurie added...: Wow. I had never heard of that. Certainly an interesting artform. You know, I can't see one doing it with CD cases either.
At May 06, 2008, waywardwestoby added...: Pure genius, man.
At May 06, 2008, waywardwestoby added...: Pure genius, man.
At May 06, 2008, waywardwestoby added...: And apparently I stutter...
At May 07, 2008, Jeremy Barker added...: Make me wish I had some old vinyl around. Almost. I did see a couple of versions done with CDs, but they had to be held a long way from the subject.

I tried it with the iPod and a a mirror but it wasn't quite right...
At May 08, 2008, RC added...: wow...that's soooo incredible.

i love that eurythmics one they pulled it off great!!
At May 08, 2008, RC added...: wow...that's soooo incredible.

i love that eurythmics one they pulled it off great!!
At July 14, 2008, dalia added...: those are great! the one with the legs and the eurythmics one were my faves.