The exhibition opened its doors to the public on April 18th, in
the week running up to Record Store Day, to showcase the one-off
vinyl sleeve designs by a multitude of artistic and musical
contributors, including the designers of some of the most iconic
album artwork of the past 20 years.
The design challenge was originally set last year by a team from
Universal Music UK and Teenage Cancer Trust, who offered the choice
of seven different singles for which to create a sleeve. The
tracks selected to inspire the art were: The Cure's Friday I'm In
Love [released again for its 20th anniversary] Noah & The
Whale's Old Joy, Florence + The Machine's Only If For A Night, Ben
Howard's Black Flies, DJ Shadow's Come On Riding (Through The
Cosmos), CSS's City Grrrl and Bombay Bicycle Club's Lights Out,
Words Gone (special Dub mix).
When the resulting sleeves go on display in Shoreditch, no-one
will know who designed each one, or indeed which track is inside -
putting the secret in Secret 7".
Half of the sleeves were designed by creatives from around the
world and submitted via the Talenthouse website earlier this year,
a process which helped highlight the importance of the work of
Teenage Cancer Trust. One young designer used her Secret 7" to
immortalise her late best friend who tragically passed away from a
rare form of cancer aged just 20 . Each of the seven musicians and
groups who provided the tracks handpicked their 45 favourite
Talenthouse sleeves to go into the show.
The remainder of the sleeves have been designed by some of the
most interesting and exciting artists working today. To name just a
few: David Shrigley, Michael Spencer Jones (Oasis, Verve), Andy
Vella (who did the original sleeve for Friday I'm In Love), Central
Station (Happy Mondays, Black Grape), Toby Mott (De La Soul),
Stylorouge (Blur, The Cure, Morrissey) and Richard Evans (The Who).
Contemporary illustrators and artists, as well as youngsters who
receive support from TCT, make up the remainder of the creative
team supplying the completely unique sleeves.
The gallery opens its doors to the public on April 18. On April
21 - Record Store Day - each seven-inch sleeve will be available
for a minimum donation to the charity of £40 on a first come first
served basis, with every penny profited going to Teenage Cancer
Trust.
Only when you've parted with your cash will the secrets be
revealed.
www.secret-7.com
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kevin.king@umusic.com
louise.ringrose@umusic.com