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Spin/3

I’ve posted about design studio Spin’s occasional self-named publication before, and with the release of issue 3 it’s worth a mention again. This latest edition reproduces a collection of Punk seven-inch record sleeves, striking an extreme discord with todays world of abstract digital downloads. Here are the objects – concrete, printed items – that introduced my generation (including Spin creative principal Tony Brook) to music, rebellion and (sub-consciously) design.

If you think you know your Punk 45 sleeves, think again. This is not a collection of clichéd Jamie Reid blackmail lettering. Yes, The Clash have an entry, along with The Stranglers and several from Buzzcocks (how has Malcolm Garrett avoided more credit for these sleeves all these years? They have aged well and deserve more recognition alongside Peter Saville’s Joy Division work, as the ‘Love You More’ example below shows), but otherwise it’s a big welcome back from oblivion to: The Molesters, Wire, Fad Gadget, Generation X et al. These are random examples designed to reflect a real record collection of the time rather than the definitive set of great designs. There are some really poor pieces here, but that’s the point – it’s a general overview of a particular time.

The issue is titled Action Time Vision after an early Alternative TV track, and includes an essay by Malcolm Garrett about his work for Buzzcocks and an in-depth examination of the form by London College of Communication design course leader Russ Bestley. To buy a copy email: made@spin.co.uk

A couple of other examples; above, an early Saville sleeve for Electricity, the debut single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. I was publishing a music fanzine at the time and the arrival of this record and sleeve had a big impact on me. It was the first time electronic music sounded emotional, and the sleeve was typically enigmatic.

And lastly, one sleeve that had to be included; what better name for a band than Magazine?