I began with the idea of redesigning the album covers of a bands back catalogue, with the aim of producing a limited edition box set containing a selection of records, a poster and a book. This would come in a specially designed box or package to house these items in an interesting way. The box itself would feature graphics on it that complement the overall design of its contents. The reason behind my choice is that through researching punk rock music it became apparent that records have always been and still are collectible items for the fans; “Maybe records meant so much to us because it was all we had. That seven-inch piece of plastic was our lives” Thompson (2002, p.75).
To choose which artist to use for this idea, I had two options in my mind. The first was to pick an artist whose releases had a visual style that was identifiable but in no way influenced by modernist design. The issue with this approach would be that a complete change in style might alienate potential buyers, as it would look out of place in the rest of their collection. A good example of an artist this would occur with is Iron Maiden. They have a long running collection of releases that their fans are passionate about. To design something that does not fit the collection would be in danger of not appealing to their tastes, however at the same time it could be something that sparks interest because of the originality of the new design.
My other option is to pick an artist that has a style that is not strictly modernist but obviously has links to the movement – possibly in the typefaces used for their logo or album art, or the layout used on the covers of their records.
My initial choice is to work on the collection of seven-inch records released by the influential American rock group Hüsker Dü. The band were highly influential in the punk/college rock movement in America, and are cited by successful acts such as Green Day as being strong influences on their song writing and playing styles, as discussed by Azerrad (2001).
These singles are rare items that have long been out of print. The majority of them were released on independent music labels some of which are now non-existent. The limited nature would mean that this collection of records would be well received by a wide range of punk and rock fans. It would be an attractive package for them to collect influential music that was previously expensive or unavailable.
Another possibility that I could explore would be to investigate the early Trojan records releases. This label is famous for it’s wide reaching distribution of Reggae Music, “The dramatic rise in the company’s fortunes since its humble beginnings just a year or so before were nothing short of phenomenal. While its incredible success could certainly be credited in some part to the British West Indian ex-patriot community, it was undoubtedly the buying power of the white and proudly working class youth movement, the skinheads, which had the most profound effect” Trojan Records (2011). These were singles of which many had nothing in the way of cover art. Only a label on the disc and a paper sleeve with the labels name and now famous logo on. Trojan Records now continue to release boxed sets of cd’s that chronicle their varied music styles, from dub, to reggae and ska. To provide art for singles that previously had none could be quite a challenge and might provide and outcome that would be quite attractive to fans of the genre and label. The starting point for my exploration would be the Trojan logo itself, along with the orange and white colour scheme of the original paper sleeves.
Factory Records were a British record label in the 1980’s that were behind the Hacienda night club and released music by The Happy Mondays and Joy Division to name but a few. The label itself is synonymous with the Madchester scene that grew from the Hacienda.
“And tonight something equally epoch-making is taking place. See? They’re applauding the DJ. Not the music, not the musician, not the creator, but the medium. This is it. The birth of rave culture. The beatification of the beat. The dance age. This is the moment when even the white man starts dancing. Welcome to Manchester” Winterbottom, (2002).
A third choice could be to collect together the first ten, or ten most popular factory releases. The package of records like these could prove to be very popular amongst Great Britain’s prevalent Indie pop culture. As Peter Saville designed most of the Factory releases in a modernist style, they would lend themselves quite easily to a modernist reinterpretation. To supplement this idea, I could conduct a survey about the relevant factory releases to determine which records should be in the box set. This could take place in an online setting in fan forums where the label in question is discussed regularly.
Through my research it has become clear that collecting records is something that dedicated music fans are passionate about, especially within the sub-culture genres of music.
The areas of musical interest I have discussed each have their own style. I can use their identifiable features to influence a modernist reinterpretation for the design of the appropriate packaging. These outcomes would also have a target audience to which I can aim to please with the design, the punk and rock sub culture; the skinheads and West Indian ex-patriots, as well fans of the Madchester scene and it’s subsequent Indie pop offshoots.
Another aspect I must consider in this project is the structure of the packaging I am designing. It must be something sturdy and have a long lifespan if it is something to be cherished by its owner. I also wish to attempt to create packaging that is environmentally friendly. To do this I will need to consider recycled materials and glue less packaging.
No comments:
Post a Comment