Why was the Boomtown Rats artwork so poor?

ArrGee1991 · Dave

Why was the Boomtown Rats artwork so poor?

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'm sure we all know that the answer is that they (well Bob) was too tight to pay for anything more professional. smile

ArrGee1991 · Dave

Jules wrote:
I'm sure we all know that the answer is that they (well Bob) was too tight to pay for anything more professional.

This must have taken an age to come up with....

Suppose it could have been worse, this cost £400,000 ....

Whereas, let's be honest this does rock.....

If only that had said THE BOOMTOWN RATS - THE SINGLES with that RATS arband logo.....

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

Well I use the background of 'tonic for' ie. the white with just the blue dripping down as my computer desktop (the boys aren't on it). So many people comment on it and know what it is, its held an impact some thirty years later for people who wouldn't be particularly big fans. This graphic 'design' is pretty up there in my opinion. Who would turn their nose up on a design which has survived 30 years.
The first album cover taken in garys attic, I think, has a lot of impact. It said a statement, of its time, about the band.
Garys dad Rex was a big photographer in Ireland at the time (he still is i think). Google him. I'm sure a lot rubbed off on Gary, plus he would have had a lot of professional equipment at his disposal.
Also one or two of the others went to art college studying the graphic design or draughtsman thing, if i'm not mistaken?
I would guess the idea was 'experiment'. They definitely got it right on the first two albums.
By the way, the Clash didn't work for me when they used the M*A*S*H font on that (singles) album cover!
Not that I have anything against MASH, but aligning yourself to Hawkeye, Radar and Corporal Clinger (in a subliminal way) is not very clever, if your the Clash....
nick

-- Edited by TheTopHat at 23:00, 2007-06-07

Mark Boyle · House on Fire

Sorry, but I have to say that apart from the garish "Tonic For The Troops" cover, I liked most of the piccy art - although the cover for "Drag Me Down" should have been used as the cover for "In The Long Grass" instead.

And the man responsible for the cover for "Never In A Million Years" that played no small part in its flop should have been shot.

"V Deep" and "Fine Art Of Surfacing" were my two favourites.

Hmmm, perhaps we could have a competition for "alternative covers"...

The original Boomtown rats logo with the rats head peeping out of the guitar hole came from the original cover of James Herbert's The Rats, The Stranglers logo was stolen from Wrangler jeans (even if they did "make it bigger, Rickenbacker!" wink

), the Sex Pistols ransom note one came c/o Jamie Reid's "Sniffin' Glue" fanzine, whilst the Clash's was in line with their Toytown Revolutionary pretensions

-- Edited by Mark Boyle at 21:25, 2007-06-08

ArrGee1991 · Dave

Mark Boyle wrote:

Sorry, but I have to say that apart from the garish "Tonic For The Troops" cover, I liked most of the piccy art - although the cover for "Drag Me Down" should have been used as the cover for "In The Long Grass" instead.

And the man responsible for the cover for "Never In A Million Years" that played no small part in its flop should have been shot.

"V Deep" and "Fine Art Of Surfacing" were my two favourites.

Hmmm, perhaps we could have a competition for "alternative covers"...

The original Boomtown rats logo with the rats head peeping out of the guitar hole came from the original cover of James Herbert's The Rats, The Stranglers logo was stolen from Wrangler jeans (even if they did "make it bigger, Rickenbacker!" ), the Sex Pistols ransom note one came c/o Jamie Reid's "Sniffin' Glue" fanzine, whilst the Clash's was in line with their Toytown Revolutionary pretensions

-- Edited by Mark Boyle at 21:25, 2007-06-08

For the debut album? (ideally Rats would be dripping a little red!)

apeing

or

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

So heres Tori Amos's Artwork on her cover of mondays, looks like shes dressed up as 'The Lone deRanger', which is presumably her twist on Brenda Spencer.

http://www.thedent.com/elleslg.html

For the Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays," for example, Amos re-created herself as a Charlie's Angels-esque Texas ranger, replete with big hair, frosted lipstick, and an ironic BABE pendant

You'll find the photo of Tori Amos here

http://www.thedent.com/strangelittlegirls.html

Heres another story... Rookie graphics artists story of designing Rats Artwork..??

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2930&purchase_type=ITM&item_id=0286-13451540

nick

-- Edited by TheTopHat at 10:43, 2007-06-12

ArrGee1991 · Dave

TheTopHat wrote:
They definitely got it right on the first two albums.

Tonic for the Troops was very good, the front and back cover, expecially the dripping paint, and the black and white pictures inside, though I never really liked the scrapbook effect with the lyrics on the other side. Never really liked the Clockwork/Modern covers, but Rat Trap was fine.

As for the first album, I think it lacked impact. I prefer the Looking After No. 1 cover, but that said it isn't too bad in comparison with Surfacing.

V Deep has the best artwork by far, shame the album didn't match up to it.

I agree with the comment on the Million Years cover. If there are to be holes on a sleeve then they should be over the label not the recorded surface. Though personally I think it was such a bad single, the cover made precious little difference.

Tsarina · Lookin' After Number 1

I think it may have been intentionally bad...they were a *punk* band, and according to the standards of the day....just an opinion. And I agree V Deep had the best album art of all. Does anyone have an mp3 of The Little Death?
I have been looking for that for nearly 5 years. confused

-- Edited by Tsarina at 19:01, 2007-06-14

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

'The little death' can be downloaded from itunes....
also Mary Coughlan, an Irish singer/songwriter, did a cover of it, its on an album called 'Uncertain Pleasures'
http://www.marycoughlanmusic.com/shop.php?id=48

As regards artwork and V Deep......
"(Ben) Kelley's other work has a simimilar sculptural feel for materials - his best effort being The Boomtown Rats' V Deep (1982) which is a definitive statement in micro detail fine design."
whole article here....www.philipbrophy.com/projects/rstff/PostPunkGraphics_M.html

My favourite teeshirt is the closeup of Bobs face with the sunflowers in his eyes..although this isn't BTR material. I get a lotta laughs wearing it.
Also the pic which comes to mind is the heads on the broom handle with their tongues hanging out 'Tonic tour' (turkey stuff).

-- Edited by TheTopHat at 21:57, 2007-06-14

-- Edited by TheTopHat at 22:51, 2007-06-14

-- Edited by TheTopHat at 23:03, 2007-06-14

ArrGee1991 · Dave

Tsarina wrote:

I think it may have been intentionally bad...they were a *punk* band, and according to the standards of the day....just an opinion. And I agree V Deep had the best album art of all. Does anyone have an mp3 of The Little Death?
I have been looking for that for nearly 5 years.

-- Edited by Tsarina at 19:01, 2007-06-14

The standards of the day were higher than the Boomtown Rats. Blondie, The Stranglers , The Pistols, The Jam , Sham 69, Elvis Costello and The Clash all had an image and a style which by and large they stuck by and made some iconic images of that era. The only band I remember with worse covers were The Undertones

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

whether right or wrong, there were several members of the Rats who were 'savee' to graphics. Let us cast ourselves back to 1978. So yeah, some bands robbed the sex pistols artwork, ie. sham 69, boring album cover. However there was some great stuff put out by bands as well, at the time....agreed!

Arrgee wrote,
Blondie, The Stranglers , The Pistols, The Jam , Sham 69, Elvis Costello and The Clash all had an image and a style
So we're in 1978..... who are the biggest selling band? yep. Who can play live better than all their contempories? yep.
So what can the rest do to score points? sultry album covers?
It makes sense from their producers point of view.
I would assume the lack of 'interest' in graphical output, by the Rats was noted (But this point is debatable). In hindsight who knows!
There was a lot more interest in iconology by these other bands...
But the lyrics, the riffs..the rapport with Rats fans wich is probably what its all about, was second to none. It wasn't a punk thing. There was a definite interest in the fans.
Not that some of the other bands wern't good musically, ie. stranglers, Elvis Costello. But 'The Sex Pistols' GREAT! but eh who made the decision on Sid, (can't play but you look good) take a hike, fashion accessory! boring
Blondie, The band were great, but eh, what the..... is she singing about? Sunday girl n' telephones...hello! The Jam were always hooked into the MOD thing anyway, so thats seperate.
Its a bigger picture, are you really interested in their image.....
Kids maybe at the time .... But 30 years later....
Yeah, The Boomtown Rats will never be remembered for their 'ICONIC' graphics but you can't keep a good tune down!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

TheTopHat wrote:
So we're in 1978..... who are the biggest selling band? yep.

Boney M or Abba smile

In terms of album sales, I suspect Blondie, the Sex Pistols and the Stranglers all fared better in 1978.

http://www.backdate.co.uk/1978_charts.htm
www.everyhit.com

TheTopHat wrote:

Yeah, The Boomtown Rats will never be remembered for their 'ICONIC' graphics but you can't keep a good tune down!

My point wasn't about the music, but why the artwork was so poor. Was it because they got crap designers, didn't care, or because no one dared take the paints and crayons off Geldof?

-- Edited by ArrGee at 15:38, 2007-06-17

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

The best selling band comment was about 'New Wave' specifically.... sorry I didn't make that clear. And I think your right about Blondie, http://www.backdate.co.uk/1978_acts.htm

Although some say Elvis Costello.

My memory was based on an NME poll which evaluated total album/single sales - chart position, guess I was wrong, but it was quite close.

The artwork.. as i've said already, its an overall image thing. Whether its good or bad is subjective, I think other bands were very image orientated, which can date easily, ...or can last as 'iconic'.

I couldn't speak for the Rats as to what their thinking was, my observation would be that they were interested in their artwork but were also aware of the 'package' that other bands were wrapping themselves in. ie. Blondie's (cool as ice, 'chic')... and The Clash's (militant) image.

I could only speculate. The Rats had (as a consistantly running image) a happy go lucky style. Does this translate through the artwork, not for me it doesn't.

I think a clue to this non engaged attitude is Bob wearing badges with his name spelt wrong.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

TheTopHat wrote:
The best selling band comment was about 'New Wave' specifically.... sorry I didn't make that clear.

That's OK, I did get it, hence the smile

.

If record sales had been measured from October 1978 - November 1979, then it is likely that The Boomtown Rats would have outsold everyone in that period with two number ones and two top ten albums.

What I find interesting i sthat the biggest selling groups weren't as many would have you believe The Clash & The Jam, but Blondie, The Stranglers and The Boomtown Rats. Neither The Jam nor the Clash sold much until the dawn of the eighties; for The Clash it may well have been the nineties when they were discovered through the Levi ads.

I think one of the things the Rats didn't do well was image. They sounded great, they were photogenic, yet when it came down to the artwork it never gelled, apart from Tonic for the Troops which did work, and is probably the most enduring image.

TheTopHat · The BoomTown Kid

I would be interested in finding out who designed all this artwork, what was the brief they were given, and how they came up with the final artwork.
Was there an art director working for the rats?
I wonder who these peoples' clients are these days?
The designer of 'tonic' could definitely pitch for my next run of letter heads/business cards!

I'll give him a brief.....

nick.

oshora · CRAZY

Bob's last CD had his girlfriend on it. Do you think she got paid? Any bets? smile

You can't take it with you, Bob! biggrin

O'Shora

Scottie · Loudmouth

I used to think that too, Oshora, until Ian put a post here, saying it was an american girl on the cover. She still keeps in contact now and then, I think.

Martin Foyle · Lookin' After Number 1

What edition of Tonic is this? http://www.flickr.com/photos/samandjo/5514843760/

The stars are not on any other edition.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

The reply underneath the photo, from frost-ie says his/her copy also has two stars on the cover. Tried various Google searches but didn't come up with anything. It would be interesting to hear from Frost-ie why he/ she purchased the album.

Maybe they were some sort of promo, or radio station or test copies. Maybe the stars go with the military aspect ie with troops and its some sort of in joke. It may be just a Photoshop conspiracy.

Does anyone else have any onomalies on Rats cover art? Generally as regards covers I think the first album is brilliant- one of my favourite album covers of all time. The greatest hits does what is says on the tin- with a pretty decent photo.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Sunday 24th of July 2011 01:07:50 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Sunday 24th of July 2011 01:10:16 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Maybe they were some sort of promo, or radio station or test copies.

It's the most likely explanation. Another is that when record companies used to get returns they'd stamp the cover or punch a hole in it, sometimes through the label, to devalue the record before passing it onto wholesalers who would sell it via newsagents. Jukebox 7" were often sold this way as well.

Not sure there is anything special about the stars.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

The artwork in general may have been a bit of a mish mash but it never bothered me, going on the old maxim never judge a book by its cover. The only truly bad cover for me was the Never In A Million Years Cover- why the holes, and why no name or band identity. I love it as a song but the artwork was more than careless- but I don't think that had anything to do with the song not charting- the band was just doing something a bit less predictable.

I think the V Deep cover is possibly the worst album cover- but again its the contents that are most important. In their favour the Rats didn't, unwittingly or not, have a studied, cool look in their graphics. It all came on a take it or leave it basic. Of course this was the era before graphic design became a cool career choice and there was a lot of just plain art naivete around. Punk covers came with a diy feel, steering away from the professional hand. What input the band themselves had in choosing covers is open to debate- most likely they had little or none. I doubt if Bob Geldof was fretting over what pic should go on what cover, equally in the early days surely the covers envisaged would concern the band to some extend.

Sometimes trying too hard be cool does not work, in art as in life.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
I'm sure we all know that the answer is that they (well Bob) was too tight to pay for anything more professional.

Hence the stock image!

Mark L · Loudmouth

Not seen this thread before. Interesting and will have a fuller look after work.