# Greatest rock artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853 "2010-07-07T13:55:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/1 "2010-07-07T13:55:15Z")
This is a spin-off of\*\* Uncle Goat’s\*\* excellent thread, [the World’s Greatest Rock n Roll Album Covers](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569475). Since that thread is focused on individual albums, I thought it would be distracting to ask about the underlying artists. So, iconic works aside, who are the greatest graphic artists in music history? Here’s my short list:[ul] [li][Stanly Mouse](http://www.mousestudios.com/), responsible for much of the Grateful Dead’s imagery and beyond. Very influential in the general psychedelia scene; [/li][li][Hipgnosis](http://www.hipgnosiscovers.com/) (speaking of psychedelia), most closely associated with Pink Floyd, but absurdly prolific beyond them; [/li][li][Storm Thorgerson](http://www.stormthorgerson.com) deserves mention in his own right in addition to Hipgnosis; [/li][li][Pedro Bell](http://www.google.com/images?q=pedro%20bell&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi), the artist behind much of Parliament Funkadelic. His visual work bleeds into their stage presence and act; and [/li][li][Derek Riggs](http://www.derekriggs.com/), creator of one of the most famous mascots ([Eddie](http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=iron+maiden+eddie&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)) in rock history and a slew of album covers that can be stared at for hours on end. [/ul][/li] Clearly this is a paltry list … who’s missing? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/2 "2010-07-07T13:58:00Z")
[Roger Dean](http://www.rogerdean.com/) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/3 "2010-07-07T14:00:07Z")
Brian Schroeder aka [Pushead](http://rateyourmusic.com/list/monocle/the_album_art_of_pushead__brian_schroeder_) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/4 "2010-07-07T14:07:38Z")
When I think of the 60’s, I think of [Peter Max](http://www.petermax.com/) Trivia note: Crosby, Stills & Nash’s [C S N](http://www.freebase.com/view/wikipedia/images/en_id/5201281) logo was designed by the late Phil Hartman ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/5 "2010-07-07T14:52:12Z")
[Gerald Scarfe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Scarfe) immediately came to mind (the guy who did the [animation](http://www.google.com/images?q=%22Gerald+Scarfe%22+%22Pink+Floyd%22&btnG=Search&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=2) for Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_) ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/6 "2010-07-07T15:21:45Z")
H.R. Giger has done some notable album work, including ELP’s “Brain Salad Surgery” and an insert for Dead Kennedys’ “Frankenchrist” which resulted in an obscenity charge. Giger also created the design for the title character in _Alien_ among other movie work. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/7 "2010-07-07T15:47:59Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > [Gerald Scarfe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Scarfe) immediately came to mind (the guy who did the [animation](http://www.google.com/images?q=%22Gerald+Scarfe%22+%22Pink+Floyd%22&btnG=Search&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=2) for Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_) :smack: Can’t believe I forgot him! Knew it was a paltry list. > [@palindromemordnilap](#): > > H.R. Giger has done some notable album work, including ELP’s “Brain Salad Surgery” and an insert for Dead Kennedys’ “Frankenchrist” which resulted in an obscenity charge. > > Giger also created the design for the title character in _Alien_ among other movie work. In some respects Giger could almost go in the [Artists with a big volume of works who are only known for one or two](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=568804). ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/8 "2010-07-07T16:55:28Z")
Gotta add [Frank Frazetta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Frazetta) to the list, if only for his Molly Hatchet covers (although he did covers for several other acts). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/9 "2010-07-07T17:35:27Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Gotta add [Frank Frazetta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Frazetta) to the list, if only for his Molly Hatchet covers (although he did covers for several other acts). Did he ever actually “do” an album cover? I was under the impression that all the Frazetta LP covers used pre-existing works. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/10 "2010-07-07T18:44:00Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Gotta add [Frank Frazetta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Frazetta) to the list, if only for his Molly Hatchet covers (although he did covers for several other acts). Recent Frank Frazetta thread: [RIP Frank Frazetta](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=562669) ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/11 "2010-07-08T09:34:02Z")
My favourites are already listed, but [Rodney Matthews](http://www.rodneymatthews.com/recordcovers.htm#) has done loads, usually for prog-type bands like Barclay James Harvest, Asia, Rick Wakeman, Amon Duul II, etc. [Mark Wilkinson](http://www.the-masque.com/galleryindex.html) has done covers for Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Kylie Minogue, and others. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/12 "2010-07-08T10:41:15Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > [Mark Wilkinson](http://www.the-masque.com/galleryindex.html) has done covers for Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Kylie Minogue, and others. I just looked at his page, and he sure has done a lot of work that I know, especially the Priest work. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/13 "2010-07-08T17:47:27Z")
**Stylorouge** designed a lot of great covers for Britpop acts in the 1990s. My personal favorite, though, is Peter Saville, who designed all of the Joy Division and New Order records. Guy’s a badass. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/14 "2010-07-08T19:43:10Z")
Vaughan Oliver eg: covers for the Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, The Breeders, This Mortal Coil, Pale Saints, Pixies, and Throwing Muses. > **[23 Envelope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Envelope)** > > 23 Envelope was the name given to the graphic design partnership of graphic designer Vaughan Oliver and photographer/filmmaker Nigel Grierson from 1980–1988. During this time, they created a distinct visual identity for the British independent music label 4AD through their record sleeve designs for bands such as Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and This Mortal Coil. > As 23 Envelope, Oliver primarily designed, while Grierson primarily photographed (occasionally, however, duties would be exchanged an... ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/15 "2010-07-08T19:51:19Z")
British Pop Artist [Richard Hamilton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hamilton_(artist)) “designed” the embossed cover for The Beatles White Album - a kind of statement to counter the the previous visual extravagance of the Sgt Pepper album (by another Briitish Pop artist - Peter Blake) ---
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/16 "2010-07-08T23:12:25Z")
Definitely have to nominate **Hapshash And The Coloured Coat** (aka Nigel Weymouth and Michael English). The best of the British late 60’s concert poster designers! [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapshash\_and\_the\_Coloured\_Coat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapshash_and_the_Coloured_Coat) [http://www.whocollection.com/hapshash\_&\_osiris\_posters.htm](http://www.whocollection.com/hapshash_&_osiris_posters.htm) Also have to nominate Martin Sharp, most recognizable for his wonderful Cream album covers, for “Wheels Of File” & “Disraeli Gears” [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin\_Sharp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Sharp) ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-artists/545853/17 "2010-07-08T23:35:10Z")
Klaus Voorman