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The cover art design for this album is the 1958 painting The Listening Room by the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte. It features an
overblown green apple large enough to fit a room from floor to ceiling. One can also say that the room is small enough for an ordinary
green apple to fit it. The topic of the size of the apple or the room is the subject that raises a question on the mind of the viewer. In
either case, the size of the apple and the room virtually leave no room for listening and, again, the question is raised as to how the
title fits the painting or how the painting fits the title.
Jeff Beck's use of the 1958 painting for his album, released in 1969, perhaps finds the answer. It shows the apple inside a blue room
with a brick wall that is opened by an arched window. This is the later version of the painting. The other, from 1952, originally shows
the apple inside a room with orange walls and a wooden floor.
In my work above, there was no such purpose or direction of finding space for 'the listening room.' The process was purely random. The
finished work did find space outside of the apple - and inside it.
But as soon as I thought that I had found room, I realised that listening really doesn't require room or space, for sound doesn't belong in
the category of space but of time. One can't listen to this album sanely enough if there was another song or album playing with it at the
same time. One needs time to listen. To the music alone.
Jeff Beck was right.
overblown green apple large enough to fit a room from floor to ceiling. One can also say that the room is small enough for an ordinary
green apple to fit it. The topic of the size of the apple or the room is the subject that raises a question on the mind of the viewer. In
either case, the size of the apple and the room virtually leave no room for listening and, again, the question is raised as to how the
title fits the painting or how the painting fits the title.
Jeff Beck's use of the 1958 painting for his album, released in 1969, perhaps finds the answer. It shows the apple inside a blue room
with a brick wall that is opened by an arched window. This is the later version of the painting. The other, from 1952, originally shows
the apple inside a room with orange walls and a wooden floor.
In my work above, there was no such purpose or direction of finding space for 'the listening room.' The process was purely random. The
finished work did find space outside of the apple - and inside it.
But as soon as I thought that I had found room, I realised that listening really doesn't require room or space, for sound doesn't belong in
the category of space but of time. One can't listen to this album sanely enough if there was another song or album playing with it at the
same time. One needs time to listen. To the music alone.
Jeff Beck was right.
René Magritte was a surrealist with a dilemma for the beholder.
The beauty lies in the catharsis from being able to understand.
The beauty lies in the catharsis from being able to understand.
The original album cover art design is the 1958 version of The Listening Room by René Magritte.
Album produced by Mickie Most. EMI Columbia (UK), Epic (US) 1969.
(A) All Shook Up - Spanish Boots - Girl from Mill Valley - Jailhouse Rock
(B) Plynth (Water Down the Drain) - The Hangman's Knee - Rice Pudding
"Rice Pudding" live from Lula Zepeliano on YouTube
