If you ever held in your hands records such as Elvis Costello's Armed Forces, Ian Dury' New Boots and Panties, Hawkwind 'Space Ritual', Nick Lowe's Jesus of Cool, Kevin Coyne's Marjory Razorblade or The Damned 'Damned Damned Damned' you know Barney Bubbles even if you did not know the name of the guy behind these album covers.
He created 90 of them between 1969 and 1983 which you can see on Reasons to be Cheerful which documents Barney's life of 'Art, design and rock'n'roll'
The site was created by Paul Gorman who authored the book Reasons to be Cheerful, the life and work of Barney Bubbles (Adelita in the UK), second edition to be published October 7, 2010.
Prior to the book release, Chelsea Space will host Process: The working practices of Barney Bubbles, an exhibit curated by Paul Gorman.
"The show will contain many never-before-seen items drawn from private collections, including student notebooks, working sketches, original artwork, paintings, books and photography. These were the raw material for videos, record sleeves, t-shirts and posters created by Bubbles for such performers as Ian Dury, Hawkwind, Elvis Costello, The Damned and Billy Bragg (who is contributing a one-off rug with a rendition of the designer's Masereel-quoting cover for his album Brewing Up With).
Bubbles (b. Colin Fulcher, 1942-1983) is cited as a major influence by such contemporary practitioners as Neville Brody, Art Chantry, Malcolm Garrett, Kate Moross, Rob O'Connor and Peter Saville."
Reasons to be Cheerful opens on September 14 and runs until October 23, 2010 at Chelsea Space (Chelsea College of Art and Design) in London.
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 5pm Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Directions Here
(* 1983 Sketches above: Go! Discs record company logo; idents for The Box cable TV channels;
sleeve of Hawkwind's The Earth Ritual from exhibit program notes)