Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist
I was really surprised when I first saw the cover design (by Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant fame). It was not what I had expected and I couldn’t decide if I loved it or hated it. It instantly reminded me of the Geoff Mcfetridge designed cover for Billy Corgan’s post Pumpkins band Zwan. Yet it wasn’t the design that was familiar but the fact that Billy seemed surprisingly in touch with contemporary design.
There are 4 other colour variations of the cover made exclusively for retail giants Target, HMV, iTunes and Best Buy. It’s hard to imagine why they did this. Did they think true fans would run around town picking up all of the different versions! Sounds more like a decision by the record label than the band.
Although I’m still unsure how much I like the cover art, I do really like the inside photography. Shot by Billy Corgan himself! Apparently he knows Paris Hilton personally and asked her to be in the shoot. I bet she is furious she didn’t make the cover!
Update: Todd Russell tipped us to the fact that the inside was designed by Matt Taylor who’s worked on everyone from Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Michael Bublé. He even designed the infamous Paris Hilton CD cover. This might explain the Paris photos a little more.
Ash:
haha Billy’s friends with Paris, Nazi kids, a wrestler and death. So lets that be a lesson to never mess with Billy.
The colour variations are a little lame. Could have done something different for each one.
# 19 Jul 07 at 9:49 am
Robbie Powell:
The clouds in the artwork are just embarrassing! Im a big Shep fan, and normally everything is perfect in his prints. But those clouds are just shamefull!
# 26 Aug 07 at 10:20 pm
Todd Russell:
The designer for the interior of the package is Matt Taylor. His website is mattvarnish.com. He just won an art direction/design grammy for the Chili Peppers last album.
# 16 Nov 07 at 1:01 am
Ash:
Hey Todd, thanks for the info we’ve revised the post. Matt also did the Pris Hilton CD cover. haha poor guy.
# 18 Nov 07 at 9:16 am
Todd Russell:
Fortunately for him he got a signed copy of the banksy-fied version. That seems like it was worth the process of going through Paris Hilton art, to me.
# 20 Nov 07 at 2:43 am
T-Bone:
I was expecting so much more for this cover. Usually when i listen to a pumpkins record i can kind of ‘see’ the cover while i’m listening… this one didn’t make it into my subconscious.
Also it doesn’t seem to relate aesthetically to the inside photography at all. weird. i guess it ties in to how random the album is.
# 07 Mar 08 at 7:43 am
Anna:
RE: Matt designing the Paris cover. You should see what Banksy did to it. Made it all worth while.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharl/sets/72157594266743665/
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqQYVKSmugc
# 21 May 08 at 10:54 am
Anna:
Todd already said that. WOOOPS! Enjoy the links anyhow.
# 21 May 08 at 10:58 am
Mac:
I get it from all the posts in this page that nobody has the slightest idea about the political message in the art of zeitgeist… ignorance is bliss.
# 20 Aug 08 at 9:10 am
PumpkinsNoMore:
I can no longer think of Billy Corgan or the Smashing Pumpins in the same way since they have allowed a person, Shepard Fairey, who has built a career on stealing the art of others design their cover.
See for yourself.
http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm
# 01 Sep 08 at 3:58 am
ped:
why is paris there? :| :|
# 04 Jul 09 at 6:21 am