Joe Petagno
Encyclopedia
Joe Petagno is an artist
known principally for creating images used on rock
album
covers, for bands such as Pink Floyd
, Led Zeppelin
, Nazareth
, Motörhead, Roy Harper
, Marduk
, Nightshade, and Illdisposed
.
Petagno was born in Portland, Maine
and left the United States
in 1972. He worked with Hipgnosis
before meeting Motörhead's Lemmy in 1975, he designed "War-Pig" (aka Snaggletooth, The Iron Boar, The Bastard or The Little Bastard) for the band's Motörhead
album and has continued to design the majority of the album and single
sleeve covers for the band. Petagno refers to Motörhead's mascot as The Bastard (or The Little Bastard). Joe Pentagno came with the concept after studying skulls of wild boars, gorillas and dogs.
He is also known for his science fiction book covers, notably for the Corgi SF Collector's Library edition of Ray Bradbury
's The Silver Locusts aka The Martian Chronicles
. He also did non-heavy metal album covers. When Graeme Edge
left The Moody Blues
he teamed up with Adrian Gurvitz
to form The Graeme Edge Band. Their two releases Kick Off Your Muddy Boots released on the Decca
subsidiary label Threshold
released in 1975 as a gatefold depicted a rider on horseback in a desert coming across a dead man in American Western-style garb and even included a rendition of the Threshold swooshing face icon. Paradise Ballroom issued in 1977 was also illustrated by Petagno, this time depicting a dancing woman using mainly blues.
When Adrian Gurvitz
joined forces with Ginger Baker
to form The Baker Gurvitz Army Petagno illustrated their first two vinyl releases, the self titled The Baker Gurvitz Army
in 1975 on the legendary Vertigo
label which depicted the three members of the group on horseback; and Elysian Encounter
, 1975 on the Mountain label depicted almost certainly as "spacemen" or possibly religious figures in the typical early Petagno style, fabulously exotic outfits and suits or armour.
In 1979, Petagno went with a travelling exhibition, sponsored by the Shah of Iran
, visiting France
and meeting his partner, Sanne, in Denmark
, where he has lived ever since.
He has produced illustrations for a deck of playing card
s, commercially available as "The Deck of Death".
Petagno appeared in a rare interview on the bonus DVD when Motörhead re-issued their Inferno album as a 30th Anniversary Birthday Edition.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
known principally for creating images used on rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
album
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
covers, for bands such as Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Nazareth
Nazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
, Motörhead, Roy Harper
Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
, Marduk
Marduk (band)
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
, Nightshade, and Illdisposed
Illdisposed
Illdisposed is a death metal band from Aarhus, Denmark that was formed in 1991 by vocalist Bo Summer. As of 2011, the band consists of vocalist Bo Summer, guitarists Jakob "Batten" Hansen, guitarist Ken Holst, bassist Jonas "Kloge" Mikkelsen, and drummer Thomas "Muskelbux" Jensen.Since their...
.
Petagno was born in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
and left the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1972. He worked with Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis was a British art design group that specialized in creating cover art for the albums of rock musicians and bands, most notably Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Pretty Things, UFO, 10cc, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Scorpions, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO and XTC...
before meeting Motörhead's Lemmy in 1975, he designed "War-Pig" (aka Snaggletooth, The Iron Boar, The Bastard or The Little Bastard) for the band's Motörhead
Motörhead (album)
Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1977.-History:On April 1, 1977, after nearly two years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to perform their last show at the Marquee Club in London. They asked Ted Carroll, head of...
album and has continued to design the majority of the album and single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
sleeve covers for the band. Petagno refers to Motörhead's mascot as The Bastard (or The Little Bastard). Joe Pentagno came with the concept after studying skulls of wild boars, gorillas and dogs.
He is also known for his science fiction book covers, notably for the Corgi SF Collector's Library edition of Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's The Silver Locusts aka The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles is a 1950 science fiction short story collection by Ray Bradbury that chronicles the colonization of Mars by humans fleeing from a troubled and eventually atomically devastated Earth, and the conflict between aboriginal Martians and the new colonists...
. He also did non-heavy metal album covers. When Graeme Edge
Graeme Edge
Graeme Charles Edge is best known as the drummer and a songwriter for the Moody Blues, but has also led his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band.-Biography:...
left The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
he teamed up with Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz is an English singer, musician and songwriter.-Career:...
to form The Graeme Edge Band. Their two releases Kick Off Your Muddy Boots released on the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
subsidiary label Threshold
Threshold Records
Threshold Records was a record label created by The Moody Blues, after their 1969 album On the Threshold of a Dream.It was a UK subsidiary of Decca Records and a U.S. subsidiary of London Records...
released in 1975 as a gatefold depicted a rider on horseback in a desert coming across a dead man in American Western-style garb and even included a rendition of the Threshold swooshing face icon. Paradise Ballroom issued in 1977 was also illustrated by Petagno, this time depicting a dancing woman using mainly blues.
When Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz is an English singer, musician and songwriter.-Career:...
joined forces with Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
to form The Baker Gurvitz Army Petagno illustrated their first two vinyl releases, the self titled The Baker Gurvitz Army
Baker Gurvitz Army (album)
Baker Gurvitz Army is Baker Gurvitz Army's first studio album.-Track listing:#"Help Me" 4:34#"Love Is" 2:47#"Memory Lane" 4:46#"Inside Of Me" 5:33#"I Wanna Live Again" 4:22...
in 1975 on the legendary Vertigo
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
label which depicted the three members of the group on horseback; and Elysian Encounter
Elysian Encounter
-Track listing:#"People" 4:17#"The Key" 6:24#"Time" 4:04#"The Gambler" 4:23#"The Dreamer" 3:41#"Remember" 5:24#"The Artists" 5:12...
, 1975 on the Mountain label depicted almost certainly as "spacemen" or possibly religious figures in the typical early Petagno style, fabulously exotic outfits and suits or armour.
In 1979, Petagno went with a travelling exhibition, sponsored by the Shah of Iran
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
, visiting France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and meeting his partner, Sanne, in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where he has lived ever since.
He has produced illustrations for a deck of playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
s, commercially available as "The Deck of Death".
Petagno appeared in a rare interview on the bonus DVD when Motörhead re-issued their Inferno album as a 30th Anniversary Birthday Edition.
Artwork
- Marduk - Infernal EternalInfernal EternalInfernal Eternal is the second live album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded in France during the World Panzer Battle tour and released on November 14, 2000 by Regain Records.-Track listing:-Trivia:...
- Motörhead - MotörheadMotörhead (album)Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1977.-History:On April 1, 1977, after nearly two years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to perform their last show at the Marquee Club in London. They asked Ted Carroll, head of...
- 1977 - Motörhead - OverkillOverkill (song)"Overkill" is a song by the band Motörhead. It was released in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings in 1979. It is backed with B-side "Too Late Too Late" which appears on the CD re-issues of the Overkill album. Early copies came with a free "Overkill" badge...
- 1979 - Motörhead - Another Perfect DayAnother Perfect Day- Deluxe Edition :In 2006, the album was re-issued with a bonus CD, featuring a live performance, recorded in Manchester on June 10, 1983. The writing credits for the songs on the deluxe edition differed from those on the original, credited all the original songs to Robertson, Lemmy, and...
- 1983 - Motörhead - OrgasmatronOrgasmatron (album)Orgasmatron is the seventh album by the British band Motörhead, released in 1986. It is the only full Motörhead album to feature Pete Gill on the drums, although he also played on the four new tracks recorded for the 1984 No Remorse compilation album....
- 1986 - Motörhead - Rock 'n' RollRock 'n' Roll (Motörhead album)Rock 'N' Roll is the eighth album by the British band Motörhead and the first appearance of their four-piece line up of Lemmy, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, Würzel and Philip Campbell, which lasted from 1987 until 1992...
- 1987 - Motörhead - Eat the RichEat the Rich (Motörhead song)"Eat the Rich" is a song by the heavy metal band Motörhead. It was released as a single in 1987, in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings. Both formats featured the b-side "Cradle to the Grave", and the 12" also included "Just 'Cos You Got the Power"....
- 1987 - Motörhead - SacrificeSacrifice (Motörhead album)Sacrifice is the twelfth studio album by British band Motörhead. Released in 1995, it is the second, and last album, to feature the four man line up of Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Würzel, and Mikkey Dee, as Würzel left the band at the end of recording this album....
- 1995 - Motörhead - We Are MotörheadWe Are MotörheadWe Are Motörhead is the fifteenth album by the British band Motörhead. It was released in 2000, and features a cover of the punk band The Sex Pistols' song "God Save the Queen", for which the band recorded a promo video atop an open-top London bus....
- 2000 - Motörhead - 25 & Alive Boneshaker25 & Alive Boneshaker25 & Alive Boneshaker is a live DVD featuring Motörhead's 25th anniversary concert at Brixton Academy, on October 22, 2000. The concert has also been released as a CD entitled Live At Brixton Academy....
- 2000 - Motörhead - Hammered - 2002
- Motörhead - Inferno - 2004
- Pretty MaidsPretty MaidsPretty Maids are a Danish heavy metal band from Horsens, Denmark. Formed in 1981 by Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer. Their sound and music can be described as classic guitar-laden heavy rock with a strong emphasis on melodic elements like vocals and keyboards....
- Pretty Maids EP - Pretty MaidsPretty MaidsPretty Maids are a Danish heavy metal band from Horsens, Denmark. Formed in 1981 by Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer. Their sound and music can be described as classic guitar-laden heavy rock with a strong emphasis on melodic elements like vocals and keyboards....
- Future WorldFuture World (Pretty Maids Album)Future World is the second album of the Danish hard rock/heavy metal band Pretty Maids, produced by Eddie Kramer and released in 1987.-Track listing:All music and lyrics written by Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer# "Future World" - 5:24... - Pretty MaidsPretty MaidsPretty Maids are a Danish heavy metal band from Horsens, Denmark. Formed in 1981 by Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer. Their sound and music can be described as classic guitar-laden heavy rock with a strong emphasis on melodic elements like vocals and keyboards....
- Jump The GunJump the Gun (Pretty Maids album)Jump The Gun is the third album of the Danish hard rock/heavy metal band Pretty Maids produced by Roger Glover and released in 1990.The title was changed to "Lethal Heroes" for its US release.-Track listing:# "Lethal Heroes" - 3:54... - SweetSweet (band)Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
- Strung Up - SweetSweet (band)Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
- Give Us a WinkGive Us a WinkGive Us a Wink is an album released in March 1976 by the British rock band Sweet. It was their first album to be fully written and produced by the band themselves... - Vital RemainsVital RemainsVital Remains is an American death metal band from Providence, Rhode Island formed in 1988.- History :Created in 1988 by guitarist Paul Flynn, Vital Remains' first line-up consisted of guitarist Butch Machado, vocalist Mike Flynn, bassist Tom Supkow, and drummer Chris Dupont. Searching for better...
- Dawn of the ApocalypseDawn of the ApocalypseDawn of the Apocalypse is the 4th full length album by the American death metal band Vital Remains.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Thorn - vocals*Tony Lazaro - rhythm guitar*Joe Lewis - bass... - West, Bruce and LaingWest, Bruce and LaingWest, Bruce and Laing were a blues-rock power trio super-group consisting of Leslie West , Jack Bruce and Corky Laing . In 2009 West and Laing teamed up with Jack Bruce's son, Malcolm, and began touring as West, Bruce Jr...
- Whatever Turns You OnWhatever Turns You On (album)Whatever Turns You On is the second and last studio album by blues-rock power trio/supergroup West, Bruce and Laing.The album features a black-and-white comic strip on its front and back covers depicting the alleged "turn-ons" of the band's members - Leslie West's is food, Jack Bruce's alcohol, and... - WürzelWürzelMichael Burston commonly known by the stage name Würzel, was an English musician and formerly a guitarist in the British heavy metal band, Motörhead....
- "Chill Out or Die (The ambient album)" - Rusty EyeRusty EyeRusty Eye is a Mexican/American heavy metal trio that was formed in Mexico City in 1995. In 2004 Rusty Eye relocated to Hollywood, CA.-Biography:...
- "Possessor" - The Black Dahlia Murder - "Majesty"
Publication
- Orgasmatron, The Heavy Metal Art of Joe Petagno – Foreword by Lemmy, introduction by Steffan Chirazi. Covers his work with Hipgnosis, designing for Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, and Motörhead. Also contains reproductions of paintings on display in Denmark. ISBN 1-932595-00-7