COVER STORIES 21 SUPER-RARE SLEEVES
Motown’s founder, Berry Gordy Jr, said, “It’s what’s in the groove that counts.†But that’s not entirely true. Ian Shirley uncovers 21 rare albums that are wanted for the thing that’s intended to protect the plastic and market the music: the sleeve
When it comes to record collecting, the visual aspect can be every bit as important as the music in the grooves. How many of you have bought an album at a fair or record shop because the artwork compelled you to do so? Sometimes sleeve variation from The Beatles to Bowie is even more important, especially when it comes to value and scarcity. What follows is a cross section of some of the rarest album sleeves in the world as well as some that frankly contain fascinating or interesting artwork.
Thus we range from what is considered the rarest sleeve in the world – the “Capitol executives” cover of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album – to the sandpaper cover of The Durutti Column’s first album which is an example of Factory’s flair for design. Between are all manner of sleeve exotica ranging from early Warhol cover art to the wonderful DIY cut-and-paste job of the Grannie album sleeve from 1971. No doubt, readers will have their own views about the rarest album sleeves… but here are 21 to start the argument.
by Ian Shirley
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