COVERS AND CULTURE:
THE ART OF CD’S, CASSETTES, RECORDS AND RARITIES
Photography: Jody Adams
The establishment of the vinyl phonograph record, along with the record labels that followed, changed how music was produced, marketed and consumed. Labels played a crucial role in the careers of countless artists and helped shape musical genres over the decades.
By the 1960s and 1970s, the creation of iconic labels like Motown and Island Records became synonymous with specific sounds and movements.
In 1984, analog cassettes overtook the record as the most popular music medium. By 1988, compact disc (CD) sales surpassed vinyl sales. In 1991, CD sales surpassed cassette sales.
I’m fascinated by the artistry that went into producing vintage forms of recording music. Iconic album covers don’t just define an album, they define an era, a generation and sometimes an entire musical genre. There’s nostalgia that comes with opening a punk rock vinyl at the record store and admiring the vibrant Pop Art within the printed sleeves. Physically touching and feeling the album art is a reminder of times before the internet. Looking through an LP collection is a great deal like looking through a family photo album. The unique labels, shiny discs and captivating cover art is true hand craftsmanship.
I obsess over dissecting the records and pulling apart the back covers from the front covers. I break a vinyl, shattering the PVC. I use boiling water to melt a 45. I unfold the inside art of a CD and organize the printed material by color. Adhesive spray binds the album art together, collaged with advertisements from older copies of Rolling Stone magazine. The texture pops with a billboard effect.
Pricing available upon request 
VINYL MATRIX, 2014
Mixed Media, Acrylic Paint and Spray Paint (60” x 81”)
In 2014 during my high school senior year, I first experimented with creating art from old school vinyl records. After a trip to Plan 9 in Carytown, Vinyl Matrix was born. I arranged record cover art in rows over two large wooden panels and decked out the imagery with graffiti strokes and a layer of spray paint. I decided to use all black paint to represent older times when Motown soul and disco toped the charts. Black is a powerful, dramatic color (or non-color) that brings a sense of darkness or madness to this piece. As the Rolling Stones sang, “Paint it Black”.
Unlike today’s digital technology for physical music releases, vinyl records are analog media… I included 45s in this piece. The 45 was introduced by RCA Victor in 1949. While not as common as 12-inch records, 7-inch presses feature one or two songs per side and run at 45 RPM, a higher rotation speed.
OLD SCHOOL APOCALYPSE, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (36” X 36”)
Video killed the radio. Digital killed video. What kills digital?
Old School Apocalypse is a portrayal of technology’s impact on the music industry. The mixed media layers and discerning orange and green camouflage colors of this piece portray a catastrophic view of the dying music industry and its’ forms of recording.
Back in the day a musical artist had to be picked up and depend on a record label in order to thrive. Now an artist has creative freedom to showcase and market their art through digital platforms. Creativity is pushed in new frontiers.
YELLOW BOX SET, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (24” X 24”)
TREMENDOUS SELECTION OLDIES, 45’S and CASSETTE SINGLES. Absolutely the best collection anywhere! Catalog $2. 20% off all box sets. Ella’s Supersounds. P.O. Box 045, Richmond, VA 23220. Call 800-62-MUSIC.
A music box set is a collection of special editions tracks, vinyl records, or CDs packaged together in a box and sold as a single unit. Once upon a time, the box set was the luxury item of the music-listening experience. Here I have KC and the Sunshine Band and Arcade Fire having a conversation with Tom Petty, Miles Davis and the Deadheads. I put Catherine Elizabeth Pierson from the B-52s in the center of this piece to recognize an iconic female musical artist.
PLAYING IT LOUD IN PINK HUES, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (24” X 24”)
Rolling Stone magazine has played a significant role in the marketing and promotion of record labels since its inception in 1967. Rolling Stone's influence on marketing record labels has been profound. By shaping public discourse around music and culture, it has helped labels connect with audiences, build artist brands, and ultimately drive sales. Its legacy continues to impact how music is marketed today.
PURPLE HAZE, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (20” X 20”)
"Purple Haze" is one of Hendrix's best-known songs. It is included on lists of the greatest guitar songs, including at number two by Rolling Stone. Listeners often interpret the song as referring to a psychedelic experience, although Hendrix described it as a love song.
SILENT GROVE GREEN, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (24” x 40”)
RECORD COLLECTORS: Unique new process eliminates skips, reduces surface noise, and improves the S/N radio. 33 R.P.M. L.P. only. Send records (UPS Preferred) w/ description of flaws to: G.W.B. Industries, 171 Elwood Ave., Hawthorne, NY 10532. Enclose address, telephone #, and $9 per L.P. - 2 record minimum.
The audible noise of the vinyl groove itself is called surface noise, it is a clean hiss that occurs due to the imperfections on the record’s surface. It’s part of the charm of analog sound.
BALLADS FOR SALAD, 2024
Mixed Media and Spray Paint (24” x 24”)
There at the beginning, there was the ballad. This one happens to be a love ballad. A love ballad is a romantic song that typically expresses deep feelings of love, longing, or heartbreak. These ballads often feature emotional lyrics and melodic melodies, making them poignant and memorable. Overall, love ballads have a timeless appeal, connecting with listeners on a deeply personal level.
THE FLAME FROM YOUR STAGE, 2024
Mixed Media Including Fire (30” x 40”)
Rolling Stone played a vital role in promoting the Grateful Dead as part of the broader psychedelic and jam band scene, celebrating their influence on music and culture. The magazine featured numerous articles and interviews with band members, particularly Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. In this mixed media piece I experimented with burning the edges of ripped up newspaper articles on the dead from 1991. The smoldering effect represents the lasting impact these superstars had on the music industry.
