Secret 7

Live brief;
For this brief we had to design a vinyl cover for on of secrets 7's choices of songs. The first thing I did was, go on the website and listened to each of the songs to choose which single I should design. I found the songs on these websites below, which also gave some information about the competition.

http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-public-enemy-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-nas-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-elton-john-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-jessie-ware-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-haim-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-nick-drake-secret-7#details
http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-laura-marling-secret-7#details

I liked a few of the songs, and found that a lot of people were doing the same songs, therefore I decided to pull the one I was going to do out of a hat. It came out as Public Enemy's Harder than you think, therefore started looking into the lyrics of the song, past covers for their albums and singles and other people's vinyl covers that I like.

Lyrics;
[verse 1]
What goes on?
Rollin stones of the rap game not braggin
Lips bigger than jagger , not saggin
Spell it backwards
Im a leave it at that..

That aint got nothin to do with rap
Check the facts expose those cats
Who pose as heros and take advantage of blacks
Your governments gangster so cut the crap
A war goin on so where you at?

Fight the power comes great responsiblity
F the police but whos stoppin you from killin me?
Disasters , fiascos over a loop by pe
If its an i instead of we
Believin tv
Spittin riches , bitches, and this new thing about snitches
Watch them asses move the masses switches
System dissed them but barely missed her
My soul intention to save my brothers and sisters

Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that

[verse 2]
Screamin gangsta 20 years later
Of course endorsed while consciousness faded
New generations believing them fables
Gangster boogie on two turntables

Show no love so its easy to hate it
Desecrated while the coroner waited
Any given sunday so where yall rate it?
Wit slavery, lynching , and them drugs infiltrated

Im like that doll chuckie , baby
Keep comin back to live love life like i'm crazy
Keep it movin risin to the top
Doug fresh clean livin you dont stop

Revolution means change
Dont look at me strange
So i cant repeat what other rappers be sayin
You dont stand for something
You fall for anything
Harder than you think
Its a beautiful thing

Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that

[verse 3]
So its time to leave you a preview
So you too can review what we do
20 years in this business
How you sell sell soul, g wiz
People bear witness
Thank you for lettin us be ourself
So dont mind me if i repeat myself
These simple lines be good for your health
To keep them crime rhymes on the shelf
Live life love like you just dont care
5000 leaders never scared
Bring the noise its the moment they fear
Get up still a beautiful idea

Get up
Throw yo hands in the air
Get up show no fear
Get up if yall really care
Pe 20 years
Now get up

Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that
Get up
Hard...just like that

I found some opinions of the Public Enemy song, and found that everyone who commented on this, agreed with the statement. (http://livinginstereo.com/?p=364)
“Harder Than You Think” is the kind of epic statement that few have ever done better than Public Enemy, a blast of sound and lyric that links the chains of tradition into an unstoppably powerful force.  The track also consciously asserts P.E.’s continuing, though changing, importance in the larger conversation: That “Harder Than You Think” opens with Flav’s reprise of his signature introduction to the group’s early single “Public Enemy #1” is only the most obvious moment of recall.  The guitars which guide this spare beginning gives way to the deep swell of a full R&B horn section, whose triumphant herald provides perfect support for one of Chuck D’s most intense recent performances. Unlike many of his “conscious” contemporaries and followers, Chuck’s always understood that the most intellectually or politically aware lyrics will mean nothing if they’re not accompanied by an accordingly memorable backing track, and—while he hasn’t always succeeded in this regard—“Harder Than You Think”, sounds like it can move mountains.
"it can move mountains" this is a very strong statement to make, but as it is the song for the Paralympics, it is very emotional for some people. Songs have an amazing way of bringing back memories which link to it, therefore this song brings back a lot of good memories from the Olympics 2012.

Past album covers;

http://991.com/eilcom/gallery/gallery.asp?artistname=public-enemy

Looking at all the past album covers, I found that in terms of design and taste, it is not to my taste and I don't like the designs that they have had in the past, they look really cluttered and busy. Although there was one design on this website which shows the plain black cover with different coloured logos on it, this worked a lot better then the others, therefore I want to keep it more simple.

http://www.last.fm/music/Public+Enemy/How+You+Sell+Soul+To+A+Soulless+People+Who+Sold+Their+Soul

I found that a lot of their covers used black, white and red for their colours, this is something that I want to continue, and colours that would remind you of camouflage, so I decided not to use bright in your face colours. On this there are lyrics of the song, which looks really effective, although this is something I can't do, as we can't use lyrics.

http://www.sohh.com/2012/10/flavor_flav_arrested_w_deadly_weapon.html

http://www.finehomeslv.com/blog/public-enemy-group-hosts-worship-thursday-at-tao-las-vegas-nightclub/

I found that Public Enemy have a certain image to them, they seem to have clocks with them, and hanging around there neck, therefore I found some examples of the clocks that they carry. I have found that they are quite plain and simple, not too much detail or colour to them.

2012 Olympics and Paralympics;
Public Enemy's song, Harder than you think, was initially the song from the Paralympics but then soon became the anthem for the entire 2012 Olympics. Therefore I started to look into the Olympics, the colours they used and what people think when they see the Olympics.When looking at the Olympics I thought that I could use some similar colours to the Olympics, but when seeing the colours I found that it wouldn't suit the artist, and wouldn't work very well, so decide to go with the idea of showing the artist and meaning behind the song on the cover.

http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/sports/

Other Vinyl Covers;

http://www.non-format.com/showcase/circus/1/

What I like about this vinyl cover is that it is black and white, I like the fact that it looks shattered, like shattered pieces of triangles. Although I don't like the leg and part of body, I don't see where the relevance is to it. 

http://designcollector.net/vinyl-animation-by-michael-hansen/

This has been paper cut and has a black background to it, and is also quite geometric which I think makes it more effective, this is the kind of vinyl cover which attracts my attention, it is simple yet creative.

http://www.designanddesign.com/gallery.php

Having a vinyl cover that has an optical illusion works well. As it is in black and white it looks more like it is suppose to be an illusion, if it were coloured photos I think it would lose some of the effect it has got.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/news/news-in-pictures/

So simple, showing in just black an white what looks to be something connecting and disconnecting, which could be the record on a turn table.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LTYsb3Yxgg4k70EbP3iT9Qx9iINldurvZ0q65t_y2hRPuT-ovI_4DfuZbD90eXp48Qqz98nKk7os6QSsEGue9HQe5IEEP-UARo3jq_VATqzDV32sB4Nvj4mP5Q0FOnZrYVtrzj3YDjJC/s1600/xx_coexist1.jpg

This has also been cut out, but has assotaite behind it. This could work really well, and it could be a really good use of material, with a different design on the cover, also maybe play with the colours, or swap the black and white, this could change the effect and make it look better.

http://archdezart.com/2012/02/24/sleeveface-photos-using-vinyl-covers/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/retro1970/2542782629/in/photostream/

This is a seasonal cover, obviously as it is about Christmas. What I like about this is this is they shapes used, as the records are a circle, the cover can resemble this shape.

http://pinterest.com/daisysunshine1/vinyl/

I found this on pinterest, and although I couldn't find the original source that it came from, or who designed it, I found that I like this as the colours work really well together also, even though there is a lot of detail, the limited colours makes it simple and works better.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/en_remolinos/2998455993/sizes/z/in/photostream/

This looks as if it is in space, but also has type in it, the limited colours makes it so effective. This is one of my favourite vinyl covers that I have found, it is as if the words are shattering, and there is an opacity to them, this is why the use of type is so creative.

http://pinterest.com/daisysunshine1/vinyl/

The simple repeated shapes allows there to be a lot of detail with not much effort. What I like most about this is the negative space that the shapes are making, as there are some squares, stars and many different shapes.

Through my research I have found that I am mostly attracted to limited colour or black and white vinyl covers, this will give me some guide lines when creating my cover. As Public Enemy also have a lot of black white and red, these are the colours I am going to stick with.