https://www.high-endrolex.com/18

The Debate Rages: Tittyhawk vs. the Ass-Volcano

They’re both obviously classic heavy rock records. British outfit Atomic Rooster released their first album, Atomic Roooster (with the extra ‘o’), in 1970, and Aussie proto-doomers Buffalo unleashed Volcanic Rock three years later. If you’re standing in a store, and the two of them are there on the shelf in front of you, there’s no decision. You buy both.

But what I’m curious about in this new feature (that I hope will be a series from here on out, depending on the reaction/response it gets) is the artwork. Atomic Roooster and Volcanic Rock have some of the most ridiculous artwork ever put on a vinyl sleeve.

The first is a hawk trapped in a glass cube that inexplicably has breasts — and what’s up with that chair in the corner? — and the latter it what looks like a skull-faced neuter from Dragon Ball Z holding a giant penis over his head as he stands atop a giant volcano that turns out on the second half of the gatefold to be a woman’s ass and what may or may not be menstrual lava.

Each astounds in how little sense it makes, so I put it to you — which is the better cover?

Atomic Rooster, Atomic Roooster (1970)

or Buffalo, Volcanic Rock (1973)

Click either to enlarge the image, and leave your vote in the comments.

Tags: ,

10 Responses to “The Debate Rages: Tittyhawk vs. the Ass-Volcano”

  1. Justin says:

    And here I always thought “Death Walks Behind You” was the first Atomic Rooster album. I’ve never even heard “Atomic Roooster”!

    Anyway, as much as the ‘tit-bird frozen in a block of ice’ (my interpretation) is great, the Buffalo album cover is so far beyond amazing, it clearly wins.

  2. Nawel says:

    I’ll go with Buffalo, too. That gatefold is…

  3. William Strong says:

    The chair is what makes it so hard for me to call this. It cancels out the penis on the weirdness meter.

    AND THEN you see that ass-gatefold and that just clinches it.

  4. goAt says:

    I hate the Tittyhawk…I don’t own the record for that reason…I should try to get over it…

    The first 3 Buffalo records are a MUST…”Dune Messiah!!!”

  5. UKGuy says:

    Gotta be Buffalo – it’s not a no-brainer but not a no-vaginer either :P

    (sorry, that’s a terrible pun… that I just can’t quite bring myself to delete…)

  6. Steve T says:

    I have an original 1970 Australian (Interfusion label) pressing of Atomic Roooster and the bird’s boobs have been removed and replaced with feathers (Possibly tooo sexy??).
    P.S. I bought some aftershave that smells like breadcrumbs and the birds love it :)

  7. Steve T says:

    Q. Do you know why the space between the birds boobs and its claws is called a waste?
    A. Because you could easily fit another pair of boobs in there (He He).

  8. Johnny Wallesch says:

    Great article. Definitely would like to see more.

  9. Steve T says:

    Check out Chris Farlowe in Colosseum (Pre Atomic Rooster) singing “Take me back to Doomsday” or “Black Snake” live – Not everyone’s taste but I like it.

    • Steve T says:

      Chris Farlowe is in Atomic Rooster when he sings “Black Snake” (See clip on YT) but he never sang the original when A R brought it out on their album “In Hearing Of” but both songs are early 70’s.

Leave a Reply