Pedro Bell, Album Illustrator Extraordinaire, Getting It On
Pedro Bell left the studio last week (August 27) at the age of 69. That seemed fitting, somehow, for a man whose name few people would recognize although most, especially those around in the golden age of vinyl LPs and amazing album covers (especially the ’70s and ’80s), would recognize his art and illustrations instantly. Bell was responsible for nine Funkadelic covers, beginning with Cosmic Slop (1973) and ending with By Way of the Drum (2007), nine George Clinton covers, with Computer Games first (1982) and the 2005 appropriately titled How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent? He also created artwork for five other albums, generally related to the Parliafunkadelicment Thang.
Bell went way beyond just Standing On the Verge of Getting It On, and we remember him fondly.
Here are several famous exchanges.
From Let’s Take It to the Stage (1975):
From Hardcore Jollies (1975):
From Uncle Jam Wants You! (1979):
Our gallery only shows you the front cover. Bell did front and back, and for gatefold albums he also did the artwork inside. Nothing compares to the original vinyl album covers!
