Wigged-out sleeves remix Barney’s Hawkwind artwork
Barney's letterhead during his time designing for Hawkwind, early 70s. (c) Reasons 2009.
Hailed in some quarters as the “psych-rock single of last year”, Sonic Attack (Psychedelic Warlords), the Acid Mother’s Temple/White Hills split 7″ is one of three special limited edition releases by Irish record label Trensmat celebrating Hawkwind’s heyday with cover versions by contemporary bands.
Front cover, Sonic Attack (Psychedelic Warlords), Trensmat 2008.
The wonderful Acid Mothers Temple (with oft time collaborators Cosmic Inferno) give it plenty on their version of Brainstorm from 1972’s Doremi Fasol Latido, and White Hills “put the wig-out horse before the cart” on their reshaping of album track Be Yourself from the band’s eponymously titled debut album.
Back cover, Sonic Attack (Psychedelic Warlords), Trensmat 2008.
Sonic Attack (Lords Of Light) features Bardo Pond and Seattle’s Kinski covering Lord Of Light and Master Of The Universe respectively, and, on Sonic Attack (Motorheads), Mark Arm’s pioneering grungers Mudhoney get to grips with Urban Guerilla as Liverpool’s Mugstar sound like they were born to do Born To Go.
Labels, Sonic Attack (Psychedelic Warlords), Trensmat 2008.
The single sleeves by Johnny O pay homage to Barney by remaking and remodelling many of the elements of his design work for Hawkwind; each sleeve appears in a different set of acidic colours.
Left: Sonic Attack (Motorheads). Right: Sonic Attack (Lords Of Light).
Some of Barney’s work for Hawkwind was produced under the aegis of design company Hawk Graphics in London’s Westbourne Park.
Left: Front X In Search Of Space, UA, 1971. Right: Record bag, Space Ritual, UA, 1973.
At the top of this post you’ll find the letterhead derived from his double-headed Hawkwind logo. Due to space considerations, the letterhead did not appear in the first edition of Reasons; this is the first time it has been published.
Gatefold, X In Search Of Space, UA 1971.
Many of the elements will be familiar to Barney heads, having appeared first on the cover, gatefold and Hawkwind log insert of X In Search Of Space.
Outer gatefold, Space Ritual, UA, 1973.
There are graphics, symbols and decorations from both sides of the six-panel Space Ritual fold-out as well as the tessallated design of the album’s record bags.
Inner gatefold, Space Ritual, UA, 1973.
And there are images and graphics from both sides of Doremi Fasol Latido, including the chrome Hawkwind “gateway”, as well as from the programme for the tour which accompanied that album’s release
Back + front cover, Doremi Fasol Latido, UA, 1972.
Left: Space Ritual tour programme 1972. Right: Logo 1972.
To play us out here’s Kinski’s version of Master Of The Universe:
Tags: 1970, 1972, Acid Mothers temple, Bardo pond, Be Yourself, Born To Go, Doremi Fasol latido, Hawkwind, Kinski, logo, Lord Of light, Master Of The Universe, Mugstar, Psychedelic Warlords, sleeve design, Sonic Attack, Space Ritual, tour programme, Trensmat, United Artists, Urban Guerilla, White Hills, X In Search Of Space
April 21st, 2009 at 9:49 am
Glad you liked what I did with the remix of the artwork. BB was a huge influence on my work & I will always be indebted to his work, thanks for publishing the book & the above article. Hope you don’t mind but I have used part of it & linked your piece to our blog.
Thanks
Johnny
April 21st, 2009 at 11:50 am
Nice one Johnny. Particularly liked the use of colour.
What did the bands think, do you know?
April 26th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Everyone involved loved the work that Johnny did on these sleeves & labels, they added greatly to the releases in our view. Thanks a lot for the piece.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I love these records, they sound amazing particularly Bardo Pond and Kinski, which i thought was a great pairing.
A fantastic series of split 7″ singles… brilliant music, packaged creatively and coupling great bands together