New Order – Classic Minimal Album Cover Design
As soon as the weather turns warm and summery every year, I always play all of my New Order albums. There is just something about the music that I equate with summer… and driving around, windows down, stereo cranked.
As I was playing ‘Substance 1987′ today, I had a chuckle recalling how minimal the album sleeve design was… and how sometimes New Order sleeve designs were so minimal, it made it difficult to figure out exactly what you were purchasing.
As you stood in the record shop, you had an idea that you were holding a New Order album… but not so sure what the songs titles were, or sometimes the album title, or even if it was New Order! Was it a album? a single? a 12″ remix?
Often it was just a design and no text – info was often only inside the shrink-wrapped vinyl… meaning you had to commit to the purchase to find out. And kiddies, this was the 80′s and well before the info-overload we now have about our favorite bands.
It was annoying at the time – trying to decide whether to part with my hard-earned cash – but now I really appreciate the utter simplicity and beauty of those cover designs.
Update 6.10.11 – There is a great piece in The Guardian U.K. on the New Order cover designer, Peter Saville. He describes the design/thought process behind 10 covers, from both New Order and Joy Division. Very cool: Peter Saville on his album cover artwork.
