‘Peckham Boys’ is the first single from the debut album ‘Into The Flophouse’ which will be with us on May 12th. The band will embark on a UK tour in March, no doubt increasing their deserved following with each show. We’ve asked the London boys to talk us through their debut 12″ sleeve and walk us through some of their favourite artwork from their vinyl collections…
Tangerines – Into The Flophouse
The idea with the art came to us pretty effortlessly. I had a rather well grounded image floating around my head for a certain scene, setting or environment in which us 4 as characters should be a part of a much larger picture and paint us within the confines of this hectic ‘day in the life’ street scene.
I’d figured keeping to an animated, simplistic approach would have the best impact and so with the help of Olya, who I’ve known for years, herself and I ran ideas back and forth; me feeding her certain images and styles and in turn she ended up getting the basis for the cover down pretty much from the first draft. From there the artwork seemed to grow and expand with various characters, both real and fictional, wacky and traditional, entering this madness we had began to forge. I feel that the art for ‘Into The Flophouse’ tells a story and conveys this insane picture in that we’ve all been through hell in getting this album to where it finally is today.I’d like to think that someone, somewhere will come across this LP whilst flicking through vinyl’s at a record fair, or some shit bargain bucket a few years down the line, edges all raggedy and torn as if it’s been dragged through wild nights, sex festivals and house parties around the world. That was all we ever wanted.
Haruomi Hosono – Philharmony
Hosono’s fingers have been in some great pies and this art just hits me in all the right ways. There’s something about this cover that seems to fit whatever mood I happen to be in whenever I come across it. All that sky up inside of the head, Hosono knows the mind is cosmic and boundless. – Gareth
The Soft Boys – Underwater Moonlight
This cover has such a warm tone and feel to it, the font, the colours, the setting and not to forget, the two old fossils romancing on the rocks. We’ve all been down on the rocks some time or the other and I’m pretty sure The Soft Boys broke up for a period(or eventually for good) after this album came out. Like the cover, the entire album is a heavy, yet light masterpiece. – Gareth
Miles Davis – Bitches Brew
I’ve never seen a blue sky like I did in South Africa, and this cover takes me there. The colours are intense and really capture the energy of the album – it’s a complete jumble of dark and light, with tonnes of rhythm. – Isaac
The Time – Ice Cream Castle
This is ridiculous. The crazy-paved tower, white-walled tyres, huge suits. It’s so exaggerated you don’t know what’s real anymore. – Isaac
Nico – Desertshore
There is something of the Arabian Nights in this cover. It also reminds me of Bertolucci’s “The Sheltering Sky”, when Debra Winger meets this mysterious rider in the desert. It is haunting and seductive in the same time, just like Nico’s voice and persona. She is like the ghost of Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra, fleeing to Persia after the battle of Emesa. – Miles
Tom Tom Club (eponymous)
I remember James Rizzi’s cover of Tom Tom Club first record in my dad’s record collection. The patterns of the cover could be from some Memphis Group design piece and the illustration is very fitting with the lyrics of Genius Of Love, something like “…the way he’d hold me in his warm arms we went insane when we took cocaine… who needs to think when your feet just go James Brown, James Brown…”. This cover has got everything about 80s nonchalance, natural fun, and concealed horrors”. – Miles
Selda Bagcan – Selda
Just look how simple and honest this scene is; no dress code, no nonsense, just a down-to-earth woman, getting ready to record some tunes probably conceived in her kitchen, in between jobs. The setup is so stripped back – she doesn’t even have a chair to sit on! Plus I really like the font they’ve used. – Ricky
Frank Zappa – Wazoo (live album)
I don’t like musicians who take themselves too seriously, hence why I love Zappa’s crass covers so much. This album, released posthumously, parodies Dali’s Slave Market…and although neither Zappa nor Schenkel had a hand in it, it seems like the perfect image to celebrate a dearly missed satirical genius. – Ricky
24 – Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton
25 – Joiners, Southampton
29 – Montague Arms, London
31 – Esquires, Bedford (w/ Vant)