Reggae LP Covers - Round One

By John Skomdahl Land ~ Sea Discovery Group Staff Writer

Ahhhhhh, the good ole' days………when LP artwork was large and colorful…and you didn't have to squint your eyeballs to death just to see the details of your favorite album cover.

For some of us record maniacs, eye-catching LP covers used to be atempting reason why we bought certain albums - sometimes taking the risk that the music might just stink. If it did, at least we had a cool LP cover. As a rule, CD artwork, nearly 2/3 the size of an LP, just didn't cut it - even when the covers were done well.

Sure there are lots of killer album covers in all genres of music (especially American LPs from the 1950' & 1960's), but when it comes to Reggae album covers - especially pre computer days - it is hard to beat some of the crude, colorful, and expressive works of art that made some LPs virtually impossible to pass-up.

For all you Reggae fans that love the kinda covers I'm talking about, I've picked some of my favorites to share. Here are a few to start with and I'll post some more at a later date.

Nuff respect to King "Computer" Jimbo for taken the photos of the LP covers.

Looks like everyone's having a good time. I like the little kid on the right who's ready to touch- up the Red Stripe.	Compare, or should I say contrast, the next two LPcovers - Gregory Isaac's "In Person and "Talk Don't Bother Me." What a difference a decade can make.	Gregory really jumped into the fast lane by the mid 1980's. No more Capri for Isaacs.
What's skinner - the tires on Coco Tea's bike or Coco Tea's legs?	Here's a happy crew of guys….sitting riverside and ready to enjoy the day.	All time 'meditation' photo on this one. Rastaman wood carvers do some beautiful works in Jamacia.
Sugar Minott and crew doing things "yard stylee" on this cover. Rootsman yard fe sure.	Leroy "The Don" Smart passing a few bills. Usually "The Don" is sporting a crisp suit so it's rare to see him in such a dressed down look. How 'bout those tie-dyed jeans he's sporting. Go deh, Mr. Smart.	Cultural icon Yami Bolo with the likkle youths. This LP cover is just as good the album.
Is this dread listening to thefishing report or just jamming some sweet Reggae music?	The Jamaica/Africa /Reggae connection is in full force on this Hugh Mundell LP Cover.	Here's beautiful cover from Aisha's 1993 LP. Again, the African theme shows that certain Reggae artists have not forgotten the culture.