Graphic design for imagined LPs – possibly the funniest project ever

Date
16 July 2015

While I’m undoubtedly an easily pleased woman, it’s a rare graphic design project that makes me laugh-out-loud, spit-out-my-tea chuckle. However, Bryan Mayes (not the one from Queen who’s into badgers, a graphic designer) got in touch lately with his Do Not Cover project that he’s created with his pal Will, and boy oh boy did I titter. Do Not Cover is a series that showcases album covers for a diverse range of musicians; rappers, techno acts, crooners and krautrock pioneers all make the cut, with album artwork utterly befitting of their sound and personalities. The thing is, they’re all totally fictional, but crafted with such a fine backstory detailed with word-perfect bios that you can almost hear the working mens’ club tones of “housewives of the Wirral favourite Bob Panini” or the sexy drive time tunes of “ worldwide sex symbol” and “silky smooth crooner” Gary Wonder.

Bryan’s eye for the graphic design tropes and photographic styles that have come to signify certain genres, eras and sounds is nigh-on perfect, be it with the 3D glasses typography of Benny & Hans’ In Das Kino or the chrome-like lettering and shades ’n hood stylings of Colombian rap artist Big Pepe. If you like weird old records and graphic design, put down your tea before you read the whole blog.. Let my besmirched white T-shirt be a lesson to us all.

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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Bryan Mayes: Do Not Cover

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About the Author

Emily Gosling

Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

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