Naked Vinyl - Bachelor Album Cover Art [Paperback]

Tim O'Brien (Author), Mike Savage (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 2003

Fun, contemporary and visually stunning, Naked Vinyl is guaranteed to act as a conversation piece, it lovingly brings together more than one hundred of the best album covers from that unique sub-genre of the music industry-the bachelor album. The collection focuses on the development of the "vinyl nude" from the adult-oriented eroticism of the fifties to the brash exhibitionism of the seventies. Listings of artists, musicians, producers, lyricists and photographers accompany the cover art to create a sexy, stylish and contemporary collection of beautiful, sometimes tawdry, vinyl nudes.

The genre of record cover art holds a visual interest all its own. It holds appeal for record collectors and music enthusiasts, design and photography enthusiasts, and anyone with an eye for color, style, or beauty. Naked Vinyl features classic album cover art that brings together music, art and eroticism, displaying their playful character shamelessly to the world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim O'Brien began compiling this book while working at "Prime Cuts Music Exchange," a successful second-hand record shop. It was here that the idea of the "vinyl nude" was born.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Universe (January 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789308622
• ISBN-13: 978-0789308627
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,247,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Naked but not naughty, March 25, 2003

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Naked Vinyl - Bachelor Album Cover Art (Paperback)

The back cover of this paperback has a line that says: 'A stunning collection of more than 100 nude album covers', if only that were true, well the 100 bit is true. Most of them are low budget stock shots bought by small record labels for their LP covers. Mainstream record companies were too conservative to use such blatant selling techniques. None of the covers are of any photographic or design interest (and most of the music on these LPs was produced by session musicians and is of no particular interest either).

The hundred plus covers are presented one to a page with some copy on the adjacent page, this is rather overgenerous for the text because there is really nothing to say about the covers so the author's repeat bits of the cliched copy from the back covers. I think the (mildly) most interesting covers are the ones produced for the American bachelor market during the fifties and sixties, these are now so ancient and of such awfulness that they take on a curiosity of their own.

I think it is only worth getting this book if you are interested in this very tiny corner of commercial art or maybe you'll want to own the only book that will ever be published about the subject. Worth checking out though is `Vixens of Vinyl' by Benjamin Darling, a nicely produced little book (six by six inches) of LP covers that feature females but not nudes. These covers are from major labels so at least you'll see some decent photography and design.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very nice representation of a lost art form, April 15, 2003

By 

Elwood Conway "elwoodc" (Frankfort, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Naked Vinyl - Bachelor Album Cover Art (Paperback)

Face it...in the 50s & 60s, record covers sold most LPs, NOT the music. The cooler the cover, the better chance you had of selling a schlock recording. Sexy models were always in vogue, yet NUDE models were usually reserved for third party labels, bargain basement recordings and risque comedy LPs. There are a BUNCH of covers reproduced here, most of them were limited released and single pressings. This is true manna for the record collector and a great conversation piece for the average reader. Not much text but tons of full color covers featuring REAL (not enhanced or anorectic) models. Lots of topless nudity, so you may want to keep this one on the top shelf.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great good fun & Grrrls gone groovy !, December 7, 2007

By 

Mr. Pleasant (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Naked Vinyl - Bachelor Album Cover Art (Paperback)

This is a huge amount of fun for everyone who likes to look at the fun and funky pinup girls of another era, and who likes the empowerment of women posing in nature's own. The records are incidental to the whole thing, of course; this was mainly an excuse to get some girlie-magazine stuff legitimately into the livingrooms of men around the nation. These were 'party records' or sometimes 'mood music' for the how-to-stage-a-seduction-scene right out of a 50s movie - the 'let's get you out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini' stuff that cracks up all liberated femmes fatales today. A sweet and sexy look back at another titillating time, before nudity became so mainstream as to spoil all the fun. This isn't Richard Avedon photography, folks - it is sometimes grey and grainy or down and dirty - but always with a sweet naivite that makes you smile. Not so much Annie Leibowitz - think more of the strip club in the seedy part of town like from the film 'Diner'. Nothing so naughty that you have to hide in the closet, this is a groovy coffee table book to get the conversation going at the next party or date-night at your own swinging bachelor pad. Great gift for the groovy-baby Austin Powers type in your life. Nostalgia cruise for the old guys, and vintage-style smirks for the just-over 21 set. And check those female forms ! No stick-girl supermodels there - those gals had curves. Real hips and bottoms and breasts, and, oh my ! Nice to see 'em well-fed and healthy from back in the day before anorexia had been invented and heroin-chic wasn't even dreamed of. This was more the girl next door - well, next door in your fondest dreams.