Storm Thorgerson: Rock & Roll & ART By Sam Ahsan

Background Storm Elvin Thorgerson February April 2013 Hometown in Potters Bar, Middx

Education Summerhill Free School ( ) Brunswick Primary ( ) Leicester University ( ) Royal College of Art ( ) Completed BA Hons (English/Philosophy) MA in film and TV

Early Career Asked by childhood friend Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) for album cover art,1968 Focus shifted from film to design: completed first cover, Ummagumma (below) Interpretation: Mirror reflections represent the musical layers of Pink Floyd

Techniques Used a variety of techniques to achieve his characteristic surreality: –airbrushing –multiple exposures –Krimsography (smearing an undeveloped Polaroid) Krimsography used by Thorgerson for Peter Gabriel’s album Melt

Pink Floyd After Ummagumma, Storm was inspired to create more album covers, most notably for Pink Floyd – given the latter’s fame, he too was soon sought afterAfter Ummagumma, Storm was inspired to create more album covers, most notably for Pink Floyd – given the latter’s fame, he too was soon sought after Dark Side of the Moon,1973 The Division Bell,1994 Animals,1977 Wish You Were Here,1975

Hipgnosis Created in 1968 by Storm Thorgerson and Audrey Powell (fellow art student) Based in South Kensington, London Started with a make-shift darkroom in Thorgerson’s bathroom Specializing in photography and (what would later be called) Photoshop Worked with many well-known rock musicians, such as follows:

Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets,1968 Atom Heart Mother,1970 Delicate Sound of Thunder,1988 Meddle,1971 More,1969 Live at Pompeii,2003

Black Sabbath Technical Ecstasy,1976 Never Say Die,1978

Led Zeppelin In Through The Out Door,1979 Houses of the Holy,1973 Presence,1976

Deep Purple Hush,1969 Nobody's Perfect,1988

The Cranberries Roses,2012 Wake Up and Smell the Coffee,2001

Later Life After many of Thorgerson’s clients disbanded, he continued creating art Opened a studio to showcase his works Died from cancer, aged 69 (April 2013)

A Personal Note Storm Thorgerson represents an inspiration to try new things Played a huge part in both the history of art and of Rock & Roll – my two favourite things Storm took a totally new approach to art & design and worked with the things he loved; he showed how rewarding it is to think outside the box