Roger Dean is one of rock music’s most original and respected cover artists. He’s best known for the artwork that graced the covers of so many great Yes albums in the 1970s. But if you know his work only from Fragile or Tales From Topographic Oceans, read on.
Here are 10 of my favorite Dean covers, classic album artwork from 10 different bands. They all also have the distinction of being excellent records, as well.
The dragon rises from the sea on the first and best Asia album.
There’s the classic Dean cover and then the inferior one with the cephalopod stuck in a jar. Don’t be fooled.
The perfect marriage of art and music. Dean’s cover captures the vibe of this record perfectly.
The Yes connection continues on a record led by Tony Kaye and produced by Jon Anderson.
Dave Greenslade is one of rock’s most underrated keyboardists.
Great “world” rock music from 1971. Behold the flying elephants.
The music is as hard-charging as the cover art.
Thanks to Metallica, Budgie’s “Breadfan” was introduced to a new generation of metalheads.
I had to include one Yes album.
One of Dean’s more recent efforts for one of this era’s finest progressive rock bands.
