Taken by Storm: The Album Art of Storm Thorgerson

by Storm Thorgerson, Peter Curzon

Storm Thorgerson is perhaps known best as the designer of Pink Floyd album covers. However this fabulous book shows that Storm together with Aubrey Powell was at the center of the Seventies music world translating the music of the best and biggest bands of the time into inspired and hypnotic visual images. So often these stunning images seemed to encapsulate the very essence of the music and for that reason became just as memorable as the music itself. Complete with preface and introduction this lavish edition has nearly 200 pages of full-color indexed images. Each image has an enlightening commentary from Storm on the creative process and sometimes practical impediments behind the finished article.

Genres: Art, Music

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2007

Reviews

[straypoint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great overview of Thorgerson's work, good photos showcasing the album artwork. Works well as an inspirational browse through and nice coffee table book.

[Blog on Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it coves to the (dying) art of the album cover, there are designers and there is Storm Thorgerson. As the mainman behind England's legendary art production house Hipgnosis, Thorgerson led the way with many of the most famous album covers of the 70's and 80's. Led Zeppelin, 10cc and most notably Pink Floyd all used Thorgerson to conjure up images that were both surreal and cerebral and lent an enormous aire of importance to both the artist and the music inside. From Ummagumma to Houses of the Holy to the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway to Dark Side of the Moon (!), Thorgerson's work put these albums on the highest of pedestal's, and deservedly so. (Even his recent work with Muse, Mars Volta and Audioslave bears his completely unique imprint to this day.) In this, his latest collection, the artist recalls the tales that went into each piece of work with insight and absolute candor. And some of the stories of how these remarkable images were created are quite revealing and downright legendary! (Did you know, for example, that Led Zeppelin had another name for the `Prescence' album until they saw Storm's work with `the object', that wasn't an object at all, but rather a hole - something not `present' at all!) We had the occasion to meet up with Thorgerson the other night at a gallery opening in Hollywood and suffice it to say that we were blown away by the assembled images that when combined together represent one man's remarkable achievement. For those who will miss the touring show (this time, it's the complete artworks of Pink Floyd) if you have any interest in what was once a most important field - album cover art - do not miss `Taken by Storm.' We surely were. Tim Devine

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised by how many covers I recognized. Only read a few blurbs here and there.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art is absolutely amazing