Swords artwork

[terrancestamp]

I hate to complain because that is not original on this board, but the artwork for "Swords" has to be the worst ever. Let's start with the cover?? Who would let someone even see a photo like that cover shot?? Morrissey looks like he is taking a crap in the woods. What was he thinking?? Then you have the blurry photo of the band in the middle?? What the hell, can't they get a decent photo of the band that is not so CRAP? It just looks completely unprofessional. What happen to Morrissey taking the time to make sure things were above board. I wish he cared about the artwork again in this age of the dying CD.

 

[Vauxhall Vixen]

You are right about the cover photo.It's a shame as there is a shot of him inside Swords (still in the woods) which is far better and would have made a nicer cover.
About the blurry shot of the band inside the leaflet...it IS unprofessional but that's because it was taken by Morrissey himself!! And no doubt he did the quality control himself too so that's why it's there!

 

[ganglord in ny]

Good compilation, shit cover

 

[maynardmorrissey]

Morrissey looks like he is taking a crap in the woods.

 

[mozz]

People here are always so harsh in their critisism around here - though I must agree it's not a well chosen cover shot, but it's not that bad either - some of the artwork in the late 80s/ early 90s wasn't that great either one must not forget (what about Southpaw?)...

I really liked the way the Ringleader album was done, got the cardboard version with the little poster and the vinyl-like cd, I really fancied that...

 

[roma/totti]

You are right about the cover photo.It's a shame as there is a shot of him inside Swords (still in the woods) which is far better and would have made a nicer cover.
About the blurry shot of the band inside the leaflet...it IS unprofessional but that's because it was taken by Morrissey himself!! And no doubt he did the quality control himself too so that's why it's there!

That would have been the cover for me as well, but compared to Kill Uncle, Southpaw, YOR this cover is an unfortunate step up.

 

[Kelley]

The Swords cover is, by far, the worst. I also detest the covers of Bona Drag and Kill Uncle.

 

[Stephane]

I'm always amazed that Southpaw comes up so often when discussing covers people don't like. Is it because it doesn't have Morrissey on the cover? I personally love it. It represents quite well the content, which I also love.

Stephane

 

[mikael]

Couldn't agree more, the original Southpaw cover suits the perfect record perfectly.

 

[mcrickson]

I'm always amazed that Southpaw comes up so often when discussing covers people don't like. Is it because it doesn't have Morrissey on the cover? I personally love it. It represents quite well the content, which I also love.

Stephane

Surprisingly enough, while I'm not a fan of the original SG cover, I would agree that it does better represent the material than the rerelease cover.

But I suppose my big gripe about it is that while every aspect of the sound on SG was carefully crafted, the sleeve is quite amateur. The image is very blatantly distortedly stretched to fit the size of a sleeve, and the 'Times New Roman' typeface is very uninspired. In this case I don't think it represents the material much at all. It's not the picture per se, as much as what was DONE with it.

 

[Born In 1975]

I also like the original Southpaw cover. Moz was obviously still fond of it several years after its release as he used the full image on a t-shirt that was sold on the Oye Esteban tour. Maybe I’m tired of seeing his old mug on every sleeve but part of me wishes he went back to using images of other people on his sleeves…especially if he’s going to keep churning out unimaginative covers like Swords. Personally, I didn’t like the cover of YOR either but I do like the ones for YATQ and ROTT which some on here didn’t like. I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder…although it’s pretty unanimous that sleeves for Swords, Earls Court and the new Southpaw and Maladjsuted are awful.

On the bright side, there have been some pretty good ones for the singles. I especially liked the ones for Skull, Paris, Killed Me, Redondo Beach and LMKY. However (more complaining), did not like the retro “young moz at the bathhouse" sleeves for AYNIM and THPGU.

 

[mcrickson]

I also like the original Southpaw cover. Moz was obviously still fond of it several years after its release as he used the full image on a t-shirt that was sold on the Oye Esteban tour.

But didn't he say he hated it like a week after the release of SG?

 

[wemissumoz]

You are right about the cover photo.It's a shame as there is a shot of him inside Swords (still in the woods) which is far better and would have made a nicer cover.

EXACTLY my thoughts. The inside photo is excellent. That "hide the 2nd watch" shot on the cover is so bad.

 

[Raphael Lambach]

Morrissey looks like he is taking a crap in the woods.

Why?
I don't think so!

 

[Miss Temple]

Well it's surely not the prettiest cover ever... But I love the pics inside.

I just wonder why he is wearing 2 watches on the picture on the back.

 

[marred]

I also like the original Southpaw cover. Moz was obviously still fond of it several years after its release as he used the full image on a t-shirt that was sold on the Oye Esteban tour. Maybe I’m tired of seeing his old mug on every sleeve but part of me wishes he went back to using images of other people on his sleeves…especially if he’s going to keep churning out unimaginative covers like Swords. Personally, I didn’t like the cover of YOR either but I do like the ones for YATQ and ROTT which some on here didn’t like. I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder…although it’s pretty unanimous that sleeves for Swords, Earls Court and the new Southpaw and Maladjsuted are awful.

On the bright side, there have been some pretty good ones for the singles. I especially liked the ones for Skull, Paris, Killed Me, Redondo Beach and LMKY. However (more complaining), did not like the retro “young moz at the bathhouse" sleeves for AYNIM and THPGU.

I agree with everything you just said and believe me that doesn't happen that often

I love the old Maladjusted and Southpaw sleeves too especially even though SG didn't have Moz on the cover it did have some great pics on the booklet inside the vinyl issue.