Thanks for your interest in this title, a quick round up of the latest news ahead of the website. Journalists have started to get publicity material on our latest title (our first since the pandemic put everything on hold) and already some very nice comments are coming back:
"It’s brilliantly researched, compiled, designed and presented – although nobody should be surprised by that!"
Russell Newmark / Journalist / THE BEAT Magazine
"After the first few pages you feel like you’re rubber-necking a motorway accident; you know you shouldn’t look, but that inner voice urges you to keep turning the page and reveal ever more inept, peculiar or tasteless imagery. The reproductions are top quality, the text is informative and at times hilarious, and it’s a fascinating read for those of us who worship vinyl." RECORD COLLECTOR Magazine / John Tucker
FOREWORD • When starting to get the book together, we sat down with Steve and his PR guru Richard to discuss a foreword for the book and who we might ask. Our shortlist of three names was Dolly Parton, King Size Dick and Stewart Lee.
Dolly - as she has a good sense of humour and one of her sleeves is in the book; however our contact let us down so we don't even know if she got our request!
King Size - a German singer, who also features in the book (you probably don't need to ask why) didn't even bother to reply.
Stewart Lee - our favourite comedian. He agreed right away. Aside from his day job, he is a keen vinyl collector and we felt he would get the project.
Which he did, writing a lengthy piece which had us all howling with laughter. Even better, when we asked Stewart if he had a suggestion for a sleeve for the book, he came up with a mad record by the 7th Marquess of Bath which we were able to track down and include.
Once this was all wrapped up we could finish the opening six pages, add numbers to the contents page and at last get the title to the printers. Proof checking is now done and the book is due to hit the presses later this month.
PRE-ORDERS & LINKS • The Art of The Vinyl Sleeve is designed and printed in the UK and we do our bit to support public services (rather than building rockets in the back garden). In turn we appreciate people supporting us by buying direct, and to say thanks you can take advantage of our early-bird discount, only available through our official on-line Easy On The Eye Books store.
https://easyontheeyeshop.co.uk/
At the same time we are offering Covered!, one of our older vinyl art books, at a special price if you order both, so do check that out if sleeve art if your thing. If you are lucky enough to have a favourite indie book shops you like to support, place your order with them using the ISB Number on this newsletter and tell them it will be available through CBS and Star Books.
EXHIBITION • For anyone wanting to see Steve's Bizarre Sleeves exhibition, new dates continue to be added. The display will be at the Williamson Gallery, Birkenhead on Merseyside over Christmas, 15 Nov 2023 to 27 Jan 2024. There may be a special evening talk with Steve and the book's designer, if so we will let you know. The display moves on to the Bailiffgate, Alnwick Castle from 5 Feb-21 Apr 2024; Warrington Museum and Art Gallery from mid September to Xmas 2024 (exact dates to be finalised) and Northampton Museum and Art Gallery 4 May - 22 Jun 2025.
So if you live within hailing distance of any of those venues, make a note. It is worth mentioning that Steve swops his displays around a lot so even if you have caught it before, there is always plenty of new material.
But before we go, a word of warning. The images in this book are hard to forget. So do heed the parental advisory notice on the back - once seen, cannot be unseen!
Thanks. Simon & Ann
Easy On The Eye Books
