Taschen : Sexy Record Covers

Eric Godtland has worked in the record industry for over 35 years, and collected records since turning 12 in 1977. As manager of the American band Third Eye Blind from 1995 he traveled the world, exploring record stores in every country, adding to his collection. Sexy covers were not a priority, but always welcome.

When Godtland switched to managing, and touring with, Village People in the 2010s he encountered such eccentric, comical and erotic covers in far-flung countries he concentrated on acquiring every sexy record cover ever produced. And he succeeded. The hundreds of covers in this book come from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Most are from small labels with limited production that were never seen outside their countries of origin. They range in age from Music Out of the Moon, the first electronic album, 1947, to punk band Dwarves Concept Album, 2023. Genres go from mainstream pop to Japanese jazz, German schlager, raunchy comedy and uncensored sex talk. The artists are well-known: Rolling Stones, James Brown, Charlie Mingus, 2 Live Crew and Queen; cult favorites: Chicks on Speed and comic Blowfly; and frankly profane: Sex Organs, V8 Wankers and The Pleasure Fuckers. All used sex to sell their music, as we’re using their wise decision to sell this sexy, surprising, entirely hilarious book.

Hardcover, 11.5 x 11.5 in., 8.59 lb, 528 pages