In the meantime don’t forget the Worst Record Covers In The World exhibition is still up at Mansfield Museum and will be on there until the very end of August, so if you’re looking to entertain people during the summer holidays, this is totally recommended! Children seem to love it, especially any risque covers, and Mansfield have removed the Andrew and Fergie Royal Wedding sleeve from display so they will be spared that (no, we don't know why!).
Above, Steve being quizzed by The Guardian reporter
Simon went down in July to present the illustrated talk, and had a great time. “It is the biggest room in the building, and rammed with sleeves. We had our usual half hour checking out the new additions, always a highlight of a visit to Steve’s shows, and were not disappointed! It’s an interesting museum anyway, and the staff were all very helpful. It was also good to see plenty of people turn out for the talk in the evening despite it clashing with an important England match (though as somebody explained, 'we’re here to get away from the footie!'). We managed to keep from over-running by too much and beyond the laughter there were lots of interesting questions. We’re hoping to take a couple more friends over next week.”
But if you can’t reach Mansfield, or live (much) further up North then a second Worst Record Covers show is booked for Edinburgh running alongside the 2026 fringe festival there. Obviously a huge date on the comedy calendar, the sleeves should fit right in and entertain plenty of visitors across the month. The display is being hosted in the Assembly’s George Square Studios bar during the Fringe, which runs from Aug 7th to 31st and has already attracted attention from some of the comedy websites!
Lastly a couple of recent finds to wrap up with!
This cover certainly made me gasp at Mansfield, a gem from Gem; Introducing The Pecker. You can imagine the MC: "Ladies and genmtlemen, I'd like you welcome on stage..." etc. Apart from the title itself, there is the astonishingly unflattering cover portrait of the artist to try and take in, snapped from just below a world beating beer gut.
Then there’s this curious cover from Brazil (like the many eyed geek in the last newsletter), by local singer Pim, aka Paulo Goncalves. It turns up online quite a lot amongst fans of terrible covers but Pim, one of 14 children, passed away last year. Which sadly means we can never get to ask him exactly what he's cradling on the cover of this 1985 record (or why). Experts are fairly certain it's not a snake but we hesitate to speculate further as children might be reading. Pim's recording career seems to have ended not long after, was he just taken into custody?!
Do remember most of the older newsletters are archived on the Easy Books site in PDF form, quite a few more made sleeves to look at there; link below.
