2 album covers in our archive
Elton John is featured in Behind the Covers' archive with 2 album covers from the 1970s. Released across DJM Records (UK) / MCA Records (US) and MCA Records (US/Canada) / DJM Records (rest of world) labels, the artwork sits in the rock tradition. Each cover is documented in our archive with design notes covering illustration, psychedelic, surreal, iconic, hand drawn, conceptual. Below you'll find the full story behind each Elton John cover — designers, photographers, label history, and the visual choices that defined the release.
Alan Aldridge's airbrush masterpiece drew inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. Created with Harry Willock, the psychedelic artwork surrounds Elton John with mythical creatures in vivid detail.
A man in platform heels steps off a cracked brick wall and into a torn poster of Oz. Ian Beck built the whole scene up in pencil before slowly adding color, signing it in the corner. The road he walks won him the job, and it started with an Irish folk singer's record sleeve.
