Reckon you have caught one right there - well done!

Of course Barney directed the video for this single (rejected by A&M), designed another sleeve for the album (rejected by A&M) and this sleeve was only released in a limited edition.

They just didn’t get it did they?

Please provide me with an alternative address.

Best

P

Thanks for your questions - the first provides an opportunity to note the recent death of the brilliant Tom Wilkes (who designed the cover for the Groovies’ Shake Some Action among many other landmark sleeves).

See here: http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/poped/tom-wilkes-obituary-ten-classi/

Of course the BB/Groovies connections go every which way - they were on UA in the early 70s for example.

By coincidence I featured that particular album sleeve on THE LOOK blog a few months back: http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=127 so I’m checking your query with Cyril Jordan.

When they weren’t into front-loading their flash threads, The Groovies were into the very graphic/illustrative pop/trash aesthetic similar to strands of Barney’s work weren’t they?

This was manifested across their releases, such as Grease (by comics artist Vidal):
http://www.jungle-records.demon.co.uk/jungle/freudcd072.htm
and Feel A Whole Lot Better:
http://www.vinylexchange.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ArtistID=&GenreID=360&IID=2278383

Similarly designer Keanan Duffty posited that the inner of Wing’s Venus And Mars might be a BB:
http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=538563
KD pointed out that the outer is Hipgnosis/MPL but that there is no credit for the inner.

We’ve had it confirmed that the inner is not BB. To me it looks like enigmatic Hipgnosis regular George Hardie, as does your Groovies inner, come to think of it.

And Hipgnosis also designed for Dave Edmunds…

Re Q2, that’s a great suggestion and thanks for the offer but the US book launch is going to be in Los Angeles on September 10 at a very, er, groovy venue - we’ve got lots of exciting plans, including some appropriate live acts/DJs and heaps of great people coming along - will be announcing details and sending out invites soon.

If you can make it please come - mail me details of the bands and what you propose to: thelook@rockpopfashion.com.

Best

P

First of all, I love both your book and this blog. Thank you so much for making me aware of just how much great work one of my absolute favorite graphic artists has done.

Two questions:
1) Have you seen the inner sleeve for the Flamin’ Groovies album, ‘Jumpin’ in the Night’? Do you think it could be a Barney creation? It looks remarkably similar to the “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick” sleeve. Part of it can be seen here:
http://cgi.ebay.com.my/THE-FLAMIN-GROOVIES-Jumpin-In-Night-Vinyl-LP-shrink_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ120425351770
The two previous Groovies albums had been produced by Dave Edmunds, so there’s a precedent for a connection with Stiff artists.

2) Is there a book release/kickoff event planned for San Francisco? If you would be interested in having Hawkwind and/or Stiff Records tribute bands performing, please get in touch (I suspect both bands could be convinced to exclusively perform songs originally packaged in BB-designed sleeves).