Show Notes
On 19 March 1990, Depeche Mode released what is still considered their finest album - 'Violator'. Anton Corbijn created its sleeve with assistance from graphic designer Richard Smith of Area. The two would go on to collaborate on dozens of sleeves for a wide range of artists, but to celebrate this seminal album's 35th birthday, I spoke to Richard about his creative involvement.
Richard has worked with dozens of artists and bands in his career, including Depeche Mode, ABC, OMD, Tears For Fears and many others. We talk about many of these commissions in this episode, and more recently, he's launched his own podcast - Destroy! about how the punk movement of 1976 spawned a revolution still being felt today. There's lots of information about this at the end of the podcast.
Sleeve art discussed in this episode:
So - Peter Gabriel (1986) Boomerang - The Creatures (1989) Violator - Depeche Mode (1990) Sugar Tax - OMD (1991) Abracadabra - ABC (1991) The Girl With The Loneliest Eyes - The House of Love (1991) Songs of Faith and Devotion - Depeche Mode (1993) Liberator - OMD (1993) Songs of Faith and Devotion Live - Depeche Mode (1993) Elemental - Tears For Fears (1993) This I Swear - Kim Wilde (1995) Universal - OMD (1996) Barrel of a Gun - Depeche Mode (1997) Ultra - Depeche Mode (1997)
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Graphic designer, painter and sleeve artist, Andie Airfix was born in Scotland but grew up in Warrington in the north west of England. After studying art and English literature at Chester teacher training college, he spent almost a year teaching art and English in Southampton. In 1970 he started travelling around the USA, Canada and Mexico, a trip funded by selling psychedelic paintings to poster companies in New York and San Francisco. On his return to the UK, he spent some time in Devon where he concentrated on painting and writing before heading off again to India for a few years.
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