cj herrera
21 Nov 2003, 01:28 PM
This is a decidedly non-musical comment, but the best album covers thread was reminding me of something I kind of really like: bands who aggressively package themselves.
There are bands like Radiohead and Super Furry Animals, who obviously think a lot about the graphics that accompany their music. And there are bands like the Rolling Stones and 98% of the Hip Hop Nation whose style and lifestyle are deeply reflected in their music.
But Im talking about bands who not only place high priority on their style like say Madonna or Kid Rock or P(lease Lord, give me some real talent) Diddy but bands who truly go the extra-mile to literally package themselves and thats not always a bad thing. So....
Here's my Hyper Style Top Ten:
Pizzicato 5 The true inspiration for this post. Their collateral images and fashion are incredible. From schoolgirl uniforms to secret agent suits to diva gowns. And their album and single covers are a virtual encyclopedia of co-opted and reconstructed cool images from the 50s to the 00s. The center of the fabulous universe.
The Ramones From the Chuck Connors to the jackets to the names brilliant artifice that rings strangely true. The full package.
The Small Faces Not just damn smart dressers who could rock like hell, but truly mod pioneers and devotees to fashion.
DEVO Performance art you can wear and dance to.
The Hives Making suits and hyperbole cool again.
Public Enemy Everyman Front Man + Meds-deprived Court Jester + Separatist Militia = Marketing genius.
The Beatles (63-65) By Revolver, they were each letting their hair go their own which way. But up until Rubber Soul, the lads were in lock step. And who else could make collarless suits look cool?
The Specials / Twin-Tone Inspiring more cool buttons than the entire previous history of mankind.
Dolly Parton Even though shes a great musician, her glitterized self-packaging could be seen as the death-knell of good country. But shes kept it up.
The Darkness Hilarious.
There are bands like Radiohead and Super Furry Animals, who obviously think a lot about the graphics that accompany their music. And there are bands like the Rolling Stones and 98% of the Hip Hop Nation whose style and lifestyle are deeply reflected in their music.
But Im talking about bands who not only place high priority on their style like say Madonna or Kid Rock or P(lease Lord, give me some real talent) Diddy but bands who truly go the extra-mile to literally package themselves and thats not always a bad thing. So....
Here's my Hyper Style Top Ten:
Pizzicato 5 The true inspiration for this post. Their collateral images and fashion are incredible. From schoolgirl uniforms to secret agent suits to diva gowns. And their album and single covers are a virtual encyclopedia of co-opted and reconstructed cool images from the 50s to the 00s. The center of the fabulous universe.
The Ramones From the Chuck Connors to the jackets to the names brilliant artifice that rings strangely true. The full package.
The Small Faces Not just damn smart dressers who could rock like hell, but truly mod pioneers and devotees to fashion.
DEVO Performance art you can wear and dance to.
The Hives Making suits and hyperbole cool again.
Public Enemy Everyman Front Man + Meds-deprived Court Jester + Separatist Militia = Marketing genius.
The Beatles (63-65) By Revolver, they were each letting their hair go their own which way. But up until Rubber Soul, the lads were in lock step. And who else could make collarless suits look cool?
The Specials / Twin-Tone Inspiring more cool buttons than the entire previous history of mankind.
Dolly Parton Even though shes a great musician, her glitterized self-packaging could be seen as the death-knell of good country. But shes kept it up.
The Darkness Hilarious.