Album Cover research

This is "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (BSSM) by The Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) circa 1991 (the year I was born).
It was their most successful album so far, and they got their first number 1 out of it; "Give It Away".

The album cover features all four band members locking tongues (in an abstract way), which matches their rebellious and un PC image. The graphic is interesting because of the way they are positioned, and the fact it is in black, white and red. The text is split up really interestingly, and since both the band and the title of the album have four words, each word is positioned about one of the band members, with the band name in red, and the album name in grey. The roses are symbolic of sex, which is one of the words in the title of the album, and connotes the band as they are a typical rock band in that they drink, take drugs, and have lots of girls. Since this album the band hasn’t featured on any of their covers. This could be as they are getting older or the fact they are now popular enough to not have to pose on the cover.

The back cover features a barcode, the title of the album down the sides along with the band name (in the same font and colours as the front cover) and the Record Label: Warner Bros. It features Anthony Kiedis’s out stretched arm and his hand written track listing. The band’s previous album covers had all been pretty rough and forgettable. BSSM marked their biggest commercial success yet and better album artwork. The tongue design was done by Henk Schiffmacher (a.k.a Henky Penky) who has done many of the bands tattoos. The album’s photography is credited to director Gus Van Zant who also directed the Under the Bridge film clip off the album. I like the way the tracks are listed in Anthony's handwriting as it seems more personal to the band, making the audience feel like they are privileged. The back continues the colour scheme of black/white/grey/red, which are strong, masculine colours.

RHCP were quite wellknown by this point, so their audience should be able to recognise their cartoonised faces.