World of Pain

[Roland Stone]

The other day I was visiting the Beverly Hills home of a very wealthy art collector. His whole house is like a museum of modern art. Really high class expensive stuff. Every wall of his house is covered with the stuff. So I'm wandering around admiring when off in a secluded corner I see this piece, that's about 4 x 5 feet. And it looks just like the Day-Glo montage cover of "Disraeli Gears" only its not, its different and its bigger and totally trippy to see the original up close.

Its called "World of Pain" (like the Cream song) and its an original vintage 60's piece by Martin Sharp, the creator of the "Disraeli Gears" cover and also the co-writer of "Tales of Brave Ulysses" and other Cream songs!

So I get all excited and go to ask the owner about it, but he has no idea what "Disraeli Gears" is! Turns out his deceased wife was the collector and he knew nothing of its signifcance in the world of rock. Sheesh!

[MourningStar]

... And it looks just like the Day-Glo montage cover of "Disraeli Gears" only its not, its different and its bigger and totally trippy to see the original up close. ... Turns out his deceased wife was the collector and he knew nothing of its signifcance in the world of rock. Sheesh!interesting - so, if not the album cover then what is the connection with 'the world of rock'? can you post an image?

[Roland Stone]

The connection is that it incorporates the title of a Cream song ("World of Pain") in "Wheels of Fire" style lettering, and its very much in the same psychedelic day glo montage style of the "Disraeli Gears" cover, and its by the same artist, who not only was an artist but also a co-writer of several Cream songs. He's also the artist of the "Wheels of Fire" cover.

In retrospect I should have snapped a phone-camera pic of it. Somehow I expected I'd find a reproduction online somewhere, but I can't even find a mention of it anywhere.

.... and now with a little further Googling I find this Jimi poster is also by Martin Sharp! (Although its not quite in the same "Cream" style which apparently he reserved for Cream!) There's quite a bit of his artwork online, although I still haven't found "World of Pain" yet.

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/161959_120603498008889_3202448_n.jpg

[MourningStar]

Thnx, great info - I see the connection now. The artwork you saw was original (came first), and was the 'blueprint' for the Cream album, right?

[Roland Stone]

Thnx, great info - I see the connection now. The artwork you saw was original (came first), and was the 'blueprint' for the Cream album, right?

Hard to say which came first. Maybe they were thinking of calling the lp "World of Pain" before they settled on "Disraeli Gears"? The impressive thing about the "World of Pain" i saw was its size and the still vibrant colors in the original artwork. Also the "Wheels of Fire" style lettering and Rapidograph hatching. I never much cared for the black & silver lack of color on the "Wheels of Fire" lp. I wish they'd stuck to the Day-Glo!

[Blitzman]

Good info.
I love his covers.
Wheels of Fire is just awesome.