Lene has now confirmed that she was responsible for this artwork.

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P

Charlie Gillett (who worked with Lene a lot at this time) told me that BB didn’t do any of Lene’s sleeves; Stiff effectively licensed LL from CG’s label/production house Oval so the package would have been delivered as complete: masters, artwork, label copy, etc.

Of course, like many another British sleeve design for releases from 77 onwards, LL’s sleeves contained elements which were definitely in line with Barney’s (particular the dots, arrows, signals and quasi-geometric flourishes of second album The Flex). Such was his influence over the visual language of the new wave and post-punk scenes.

I’ll find out who did do this; have a feeling that Lene and her partner Les were very much in control of that side of things. After all they had both been at various art schools including Central.

Similarly, to clear up confusion: I did mean the single and corrected myself and was referring to the Snyder pic which I still had always assumed had been supplied by the Bomp crew.

It is in fact in keeping with the dark cast to BB’s mind in 78.

The back cover was also used for the UK music press ad for the single btw.

AL was moving lock stock and barrel out of the country and also otherwise occupied throughout the run-up to publication of the first edition though we talked and communicated via mail so he gave me direction, cleared up stuff and, as I understand it, is more than happy with the book.

There will be a new edition next year – we’ve all but sold out the first run which is very satisfying.

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Thanks for writing back! In response:

1. Let me clear up some confusion here. I wasn’t referring to the “Kill City” album (RAD 2); the British version has the same cover as the American original. Rather, I meant the single that Radar took from the album (ADA 4), which has the title track on the A side and “I Got Nothin’” on the B side. The front of the single sleeve features the famous photograph of 1920s murderer Ruth Snyder ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Snyder ) at the moment of her electrocution, while the back has a rather surreal photo of a chalk outline for a body–which has apparently been impaled on a streetlight! The artwork is grim by Bubbles’ standards, but it suits the nihilistic themes of Iggy Pop’s music very well.

2a. I’m glad to hear about the forthcoming interview with Andy Arthurs.

2b. I’m also glad to hear that you’ll be talking with Andrew Lauder; I wondered why he wasn’t interviewed in “Reasons to Be Cheerful”. Lauder is one of the few music executives that I have any respect for, and I’d love to interview him about the Radar years someday. If you do publish a second edition of “reasons”, I’ll be first in line to buy it!

Glad to be of service and thanks for tipping us the wink, as they say.

Re Kill City you know that never even occurred to me to study the flip (I thought the cover was supplied artwork from, I believe, Ben Edmonds and Greg Shaw). This is one of my all-time favourite albums and one I bought the week of issue. Was only playing it the other day. Will check your notion out but is is a definite possibility isn’t it?

I love Ugly Things and am very flattered you have reviewed the book at all so thanks for that – look forward to reading it. The book is out via DAP in the US from Sept 1 now.

I did mean Andy Arthurs but AL and I missed each others everal times for the book so he is in my sights for the blog/next edition (coming next year folks).

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Thanks for writing about the Andy Arthurs sleeve (and the recognition too!). I’m glad to see that you confirmed my hunch. I also have these comments:

1. Since I last wrote you, I’ve remembered another Radar single sleeve that look like Bubbles’ work: Iggy Pop and James Williamson’s “Kill City”/”I Got Nothin’” (ADA 4). The back cover of the sleeve has a “paint splatter” pattern that reminds me of the “Under Rage” moive poster in your book.

2. Speaking of your book: look for my (very positive) review in the next issue of “Ugly Things”, the acclaimed music magazine that focuses on garage rock, psychedelia, punk and related genres. (The official site is http://ugly-things.com .) I’ll be co-reviewing your book with “For the Love of Vinyl”, the recent Hipgnosis retrospective.

3. When you say “We will be featuring an interview with him shortly”, do you mean Arthurs or Andrew Lauder? I’d love to see you interview either of them.