Brian Cannon
Encyclopedia
Brian Cannon is a British
graphic designer
, art director
, photographer, band manager and music video director
. He is best known for his Microdot graphic design company and its work in the 1990s, which created the album cover
for Oasis
' record breaking debut album, Definitely Maybe
, in 1994.
Two of Cannon's record sleeve
designs—Definitely Maybe (#14) and "This Is Music
" (#79)—featured in Q
magazine's "The Hundred Best Record Covers Of All Time" list published in 2001. He is noted for "his grandiose, ridiculously time-consuming (photo) shoots", and has produced a number of record sleeves for UK number one albums, including Urban Hymns
(The Verve
) and 1977 (Ash
), along with two further Oasis albums—(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
and Be Here Now.
He has also designed record sleeves for Ruthless Rap Assassins
, Suede
and Super Furry Animals
, and is the former manager
of the now-defunct Scottish
experimental rock
group, The Beta Band
.
He is currently (2011) celebrating 21 years since the establishment of Microdot and alongside his work for the music industry & corporate sectors regularly lectures at British universities.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
graphic designer
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, photographer, band manager and music video director
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
. He is best known for his Microdot graphic design company and its work in the 1990s, which created the album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
for Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
' record breaking debut album, Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in August 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever"....
, in 1994.
Two of Cannon's record sleeve
Record sleeve
A record sleeve is the outer covering of a vinyl recording. The sleeve is technically the paper covering that is closest in contact to the surface of the recording, as in "dust sleeve", "liner" and "album liner". The term has come to be synonymous with "record jacket" and "album jacket", which is...
designs—Definitely Maybe (#14) and "This Is Music
This Is Music
"This Is Music" was the first single released from The Verve's second album, A Northern Soul. The aptly named song is full of varied lyrical images. The song charted at #35 in the United Kingdom...
" (#79)—featured in Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine's "The Hundred Best Record Covers Of All Time" list published in 2001. He is noted for "his grandiose, ridiculously time-consuming (photo) shoots", and has produced a number of record sleeves for UK number one albums, including Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band The Verve, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year...
(The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
) and 1977 (Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
), along with two further Oasis albums—(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 October 1995 through Creation Records. The album was Oasis' most enduring commercial success, charting at number one in the UK and number four in the U.S...
and Be Here Now.
He has also designed record sleeves for Ruthless Rap Assassins
Ruthless Rap Assassins
The Ruthless Rap Assassins were a British hip hop group from Hulme, Manchester, England. The group was formed by MC Kermit La Freak and brothers Dangerous Hinds and Dangerous C .-History:Kermit grew up in Moss Side, Manchester - where he learnt to play violin at the age of 6 - and was...
, Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
and Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
, and is the former manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
of the now-defunct Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
group, The Beta Band
The Beta Band
The Beta Band were a British musical group who received much critical acclaim and achieved cult status amongst avid followers of the underground and experimental music scene...
.
He is currently (2011) celebrating 21 years since the establishment of Microdot and alongside his work for the music industry & corporate sectors regularly lectures at British universities.