"Atom Heart Mother" Album Description:
In exploring the distinctive features of this particular version of the album "Atom Heart Mother," one can discern notable elements that set it apart within the context of its release. This Swiss Edition, distinguished by its album front cover, proudly displays both the album's title and the band's name, offering a clear and concise visual representation for enthusiasts.
Turning our attention to the album back cover, a unique characteristic emerges in the form of a singular cow photograph. Unlike the majority of releases featuring three cows, this Swiss Edition opts for a more minimalist approach, showcasing a lone bovine figure. Notably, the top left corner of the back cover proudly declares the edition as a "Special Edition," providing a distinct marker of its unique status.
A key identifier for this version lies in its catalog number – HARVEST EL 777001. This alphanumeric code becomes a crucial reference point for collectors and enthusiasts seeking to pinpoint this specific release within the expansive discography.
Examining the record label, a subtle yet significant detail emerges – the inclusion of "Spezial Edition" near the 9 o'clock position. This discreet addition further underscores the exceptional nature of this particular release, hinting at additional features or nuances that make it stand out.
While the standard album cover for "Atom Heart Mother" typically embraces the gatefold format, this Swiss Edition maintains a more conventional approach. The deviation from the norm in this aspect adds another layer of uniqueness to the release, prompting collectors to appreciate its divergence from the standard presentation.
In the broader context of the album's contribution within its time period, these distinct features contribute to the narrative of evolving artistic expression and album presentation. The meticulous details, from the solitary cow image to the declaration of a "Special Edition," reflect a conscientious effort to offer enthusiasts a variant that transcends the ordinary.
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Music Genre:
Acid Psych Prog Rock Music |
Album Production Information:
Producer – Pink Floyd
Executive-Producer – Norman Smith
Norman Smith – Producer, Sound EngineerThe Beatles called him "Normal". Pink Floyd collectors call him the guy who made the chaos sound expensive. Read more... Norman Smith - the calm EMI wizard I still hear in the grooves whenever early Floyd turns the lights weird. He cut his teeth at Abbey Road, engineering The Beatles' EMI sessions from 1962 through autumn 1965 (yes, up to "Rubber Soul"), then stepped out from behind the glass as a producer. In 1967-1969 he steered Pink Floyd through "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", "A Saucerful of Secrets" and "Ummagumma", keeping Syd's sparkle and the chaos on tape. In 1968 he produced The Pretty Things' "S. F. Sorrow", and in the early 1970s he shaped Barclay James Harvest (including "Once Again"). Later he even popped up as Hurricane Smith, because rock history loves a plot twist.
Sound Engineer: Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons – Sound engineer, producer, musicianAlan Parsons is my go-to “how does this record sound THAT good?” answer: the studio brain behind classic-era clarity, from Pink Floyd sessions to The Alan Parsons Project’s glossy sci-fi pop-rock. Read more... Alan Parsons is the guy I picture behind the glass when a record sounds ridiculously clean, wide, and expensive (in the best way). His first big “period” is the Abbey Road years, working as a tape operator and engineer across the late 1960s into the mid-1970s, right in the era when studios were basically science labs with guitars. In 1973 he engineered Pink Floyd’s "The Dark Side of the Moon", and that alone would’ve earned him a lifetime pass to the control room. Then he moved from “genius in the booth” to “name on the cover” as co-founder of The Alan Parsons Project, active from 1975 to 1990, where he blended pristine production with big melodies and concept-album vibes. From the 1990s onward he’s kept the music alive on stage with touring lineups commonly billed as The Alan Parsons Live Project, proving he’s not just a behind-the-scenes wizard but a musician who can carry the material in the real world too.
Sound Engineer: Peter Bown
Recorded at EMI Studios - Abbey Road
Album Cover Design and Photography: Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis – British album cover art design groupHipgnosis is my favorite proof that a record sleeve can be a full-on mind game, not just a band photo with better lighting. Read more... Hipgnosis is the legendary London-based art design group that turned rock sleeves into visual myths. The core duo, Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey "Po" Powell, were childhood friends of the Pink Floyd inner circle in Cambridge—a connection that allowed them to bypass the stiff mandates of EMI’s in-house design department in 1968. Their debut, "A Saucerful of Secrets," was only the second time in EMI history (after The Beatles) that an outside firm was granted creative control. The very name "Hipgnosis" was a piece of found art; Syd Barrett, during one of his more enigmatic phases, scrawled the word in ballpoint pen on the door of the South Kensington flat he shared with the duo. Thorgerson loved the linguistic friction of it: the "Hip" for the new and groovy, and "Gnosis" for the ancient, hidden knowledge. While Peter Christopherson later joined as a third partner in 1974, that initial Barrett-endorsed moniker defined a decade of surrealist mastery for bands like Led Zeppelin, Genesis, and 10cc, before the group dissolved in 1983. |
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Record Label & Catalog-nr: HARVEST EL 777001 |
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Media Format:
12" Full-Length Vinyl LP Gramophone Record
Album weight: 230 gram |
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Year and Country:
1970 Made in Germany |
