Secrets Behind Iconic ‘70s Rock Album Covers

In a new documentary 'Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis),' viewers get a look the London based studio and how they created some of the most iconic 70s album covers. 

Renowned rock photographer Anton Corbijn said, “The importance of an album sleeve will never be the same as in the ’70s, and to make a documentary about the most prominent album covers of the era that are all done by one design team is really important for people who have missed that period. “Even though vinyl sales have surged again, it’s like a period that’s gone.”

See below what he and co-founder Aubrey 'Po' Powell have dished about some key album covers:

Pink Floyd, “The Dark Side of the Moon”

The concept for this album boasts the most iconic image, a cow famously featured on 1970's 'Atom Heart Mother.'

The band wanted "something more graphic or simple," to which inspiration can from physics.

“I happened to be looking through a book about the refraction of light and suddenly Storm said, ‘I’ve got it! We need to do a pyramid with a refraction of light.’” 

Pink Floyd, “Wish You Were Here”

For the cover of Pink Floyd's 1975 album, the band wanted a literal depiction of artists getting "burned" in the business.

They used a stuntman who was actually set on fire for multiple takes.

“When I was younger, I didn’t realize the context of the fire. You could create the same effect now with digital easily. But it makes it better that he’s really on fire.”

Led Zeppelin, “Houses of the Holy”

For this one, the team were tasked with coming up with an album cover for the band's 1973 classic.

“I got a phone call from Jimmy Page asking to do an album cover for them. I said, ‘Of course, but can we hear some music? Is there a title?’ ‘No, no — just come up with some ideas.’ And one of the ideas was taken directly from Arthur C. Clarke’s book ‘Childhood’s End.’” 

However, it was noted the images of the two naked children wouldn't fly today.

“Of course you could not do that cover now. It would be problematic.”

Wings, “Band on the Run”

With Paul McCartney constantly fleeing from the Beatles, he wanted to drive home the departure with his third album with Wings.

“Symbolically, it’s him escaping from the Beatles. And from that moment onwards, our relationship with Paul McCartney went on for 15 years, and we did nearly everything for him in terms of album covers, etc. And it was a joy. It was a bit like working with an arts-school student, because he was always tearing up bits of paper and scribbling notes.”

Peter Gabriel, “Peter Gabriel (Scratch)”

This was one of the first times an artist was features on a Hipgnosis album cover.

“He was looking for an idea, and he’d go rummaging around the studio looking for old ideas that had been discarded for other acts. He said, ‘Oh, I love the idea of scratching myself out of the picture. Can you do that for me?’ ”