Blood, Sweat and Tears - No Sweat

Now, here we have a prime example of why buying vinyl albums can be such an enriching activity, adding to core experience of listening to music product. Blood, Sweat and Tears were a pioneering prog jazz rock band who pushed the envelope of this genre, back in the late sixties, early seventies. No Sweat was released in 1973 and is one of the finest examples of gatefold fold packaging of this period. The band must have been smoking some heavy gear to have agreed to this particular concept that the cover designers pitched to the record company.

I can only imagine that the meeting went something like this:

Designer: O.K guys, now the title is gonna be 'No Sweat' so we have chucked the concept around with our brightest sparks and after some serious deliberation, thinking waaaay out of the box, the boys have come up with a sauna theme!

B S & T: uh huh, we're cool with that.. Are there gonna be like, nakkid chicks, all lubed up huh?

Designer: Err, not quite, we were thinking more on the the lines of you all dressed up in tux'n'tails.

B, S &T: Classy! we like it... but then we get to strip off next to some broads, yeah?

Designer: Your batting in roughly the right ballpark, but we were imagining a steamy room packed with some guys! fab eh!!

B, S & T: oh guys...

Designer: Yeah old guys..

B,S & T: ole geezers!?

Designer: For sure..all of 'em just wearing towelling.

B, S &T: flabby nakkid ole guys.. !!

Designer: fab ain't it, but you've yet to hear the best part; on the picture on the inner covers, you take your clothes off as well, looking like your taking orders from a guy whose a dead ringer for Uncle Junior off The Sopranos (artistic licence here, stick me me folks)

B, S & T: I'm not feelin' it maaan, sounds like we're going to look pretty daft...

Designer: Guys, guys, it's high concept stuff here, the message is the MAN is having to accept you rebellious longhairs. It's a statement, your fans will love it, yer speaking their language..total street cred, in fact, by the third picture, the ole boys are not just accepting the new world order, but they actually look like they are lovin' been surrounded by you longhairs, you've totally turned em maaaan, they've tuned on, turned on and dropped out! WOW!

B, S & T: I hope the soap ain't being dropped at this point!

Designer: By the final image on the back, you've swept away the old order, leaving just the band members hanging out together soaking up the atmosphere, all just through the power of your presence and some strategically placed towels.

B, S & T: We err.. look manly here, um right? not like we're enjoying each others company, too much?

Designer: Of course..Greek gods

B,S & T: The chicks will still dig us right? we won't look slightly daft, or be portrayed in any manner at all that gives the impression that we're a little bit, well you know, camp?

Designer: Of course not, this'll be the the making of the band, that cover will be the iconic cover of the Seventies like 'Sgt Peppers' you boys will be stellar once everyone sees this, you can trust me on this, after all I am a designer!

B,S & T: Well in that case O.K. let's roll with it, no sweat!

http://www.bloodsweatandtears.com

wikipedia.org/Blood,_Sweat_&_Tears