Liam Gallagher John Squire Album Cover: Warhol Pop Art Power
Artist Kerwin Blackburn explores Liam Gallagher & John Squire’s album cover and the Andy Warhol pop art inspiration
Oasis frontman and Rock ‘n’ Roll Star Liam Gallagher has collaborated with Stone Roses guitarist John Squire in a much anticipated link-up between two Manchester Indie music icons. The duo released their self-titled album, ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’ on 1st March 2024. This blog post explores the unusual, pop art-themed, Andy Warhol-inspired album cover art and record sleeve.
While the album is an upbeat, indie throwback to the simpler musical times of the 1980s and 1990s, its artwork takes inspiration from the pop art movement, pioneered in the 1950s and 1960s in Britain and America.
In this article, discover why the album cover contains references to cleaning products and food items, and why artists such as Andy Warhol used these objects to create some of the world’s most famous works of pop art.
Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s album cover features supermarket items, echoing Andy Warhol’s and pop art’s use of everyday items. Warhol’s fascination with consumer culture has influenced both artists, whose album cover supermarket items reflect the titles & themes of the songs on their album.
So grab your bucket hat and let’s get started on this album cover exploration.
Did you know: The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire painted their iconic debut album cover which inspired my By Kerwin painting style? Read the story of The Stone Roses album cover here.
Collaboration Between Liam Gallagher and John Squire
The collaboration between Liam Gallagher, the iconic frontman of Oasis, and John Squire, the acclaimed guitarist of The Stone Roses, has undoubtedly ignited excitement across the music industry. Gallagher’s raw vocals, paired with Squire’s distinctive guitar melodies, sees a fusion of Britpop and Madchester influences on their self-titled 2024 album, ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’.
Their combined talents have produced an album of upbeat, breezy tunes, filled with catchy hooks and playful, optimistic lyrics. Some of these anthemic tracks, such lead single ‘Just Another Rainbow’, are brimming with energy and emotion, reminiscent of their respective bands’ heydays.
Fans have eagerly anticipated the dynamic synergy between Liam Gallagher’s charismatic vocals and Squire’s artistic sensibilities, potentially leading to a revitalisation of the British rock music scene through their collaboration.
A link-up between members of Oasis and The Stone Roses always seemed like a natural fit. I have painted both Liam Gallagher (twice) and Noel Gallagher in my unique pop art acrylic portrait style. I’ve also painted Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown in a green colour scheme inspired by their 1989 album cover. Prints are available with fast worldwide delivery.
The Stone Roses and Oasis Connection
The connection between The Stone Roses and Oasis is deeply rooted in the shared ethos of British rock and the influence of one band upon the other. The Stone Roses, with their ground-breaking self-titled debut album in 1989, ignited the Madchester scene and set a new standard for indie rock.
Oasis, led by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, emerged in the early 1990s, drawing inspiration from The Stone Roses’ melodic hooks, psychedelic undertones, and Manchester swagger.
The influence of The Stone Roses on Oasis is unmistakable in both musical style and attitude. Oasis openly acknowledged their debt to The Stone Roses, with Noel Gallagher often citing them as a primary influence. Tracks like “She Bangs the Drums” and “Waterfall” showcased The Stone Roses’ ability to blend catchy melodies with a gritty edge, a formula Oasis would adopt and refine in hits like “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.”
Ultimately, the connection between The Stone Roses and Oasis underscores the enduring legacy of British rock and the power of inspiration passed from one generation of musicians to the next. A collaboration between the frontman of Oasis and the guitarist of The Stone Roses seems a perfect fit.
Explore my paintings and shop prints of Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher and Ian Brown in my online shop.
Liam Gallagher John Squire Album Cover: Andy Warhol & Pop Art Influence
Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s album cover features supermarket items, echoing Andy Warhol’s and pop art’s use of everyday items. Warhol’s fascination with consumer culture has influenced both artists, whose album cover supermarket items reflect the titles & themes of the songs on their album.
One interesting aspect of this album collaboration is the unusual artwork featured on the record sleeve. Different to any album cover artwork we’ve seen from either Oasis, Liam Gallagher’s solo career, or The Stone Roses, Liam Gallagher John Squire features an assortment of household supermarket items including cleaning products and food items.
This album artwork is hugely reminiscent of pop art – and in particular Andy Warhol’s 1964 depiction of Brillo Boxes. Pop art – originating across both Britain and the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s – was noted for its portrayal of everyday images and symbols. This was seen as a rebellion against the elitist art world, and especially against what pop artists saw as the pretentious genre of abstract expressionism that was dominating art at the time.
Read about how Pop Art opposed Abstract Expressionism in my blog post, ‘Clash of the Art Movements’, here.
The Liam Gallagher John Squire features an arrangement of different supermarket and food items on a white background – with each product contain the title of different track from the album.
Why does ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’ feature supermarket items on the album cover?
Quite why they’ve chosen this artistic direction for this album cover is not totally clear. There are previous photos of John Squire wearing an Andy Warhol ‘Brillo’ t-shirt, so it’s clear that Squire – who is also an artist as well as guitarist – is a Warhol fan.
Perhaps the inclusion of everyday supermarket items on the cover mirrors the accessible, down-to-earth themes addressed in the album’s songs and lyrics. This would be similar to the way in which pop artists wanted to create mass, mainstream audience appeal through their inclusion of familiar objects in their art (at a time when art was dominated by abstract concepts and intellectuals).
Learn more about the characteristics of pop art in my blog post here.
Whatever the reason behind this album cover artwork decision, it certainly stands out and has got fans (well, me at least) thinking and talking about it. What interpretation do you take from the album cover? Learn more about John Squire the artist below.
Damien Hirst Album Cover Collaboration?
It is possible – and some might say likely – that Damien Hirst had a large involvement in this supermarket-inspired album cover. In 2014, HIrst produced his own series of supermarket item sculptures – featuring popular UK brands such as Daz, Dettol and Domestos (pictured below). Damien Hirst has also featured John Squire’s art in his own gallery before, so there’s a good chance their relationship had something to do with the design of this album cover.
John Squire: Artist As Well as Guitarist
John Squire, renowned as the guitarist of The Stone Roses, is equally celebrated for his artistic prowess. As a visual artist, his work transcends boundaries, echoing the same innovative spirit that has characterised his music.
Most notably, his painted formed the album cover of The Stone Roses debut album in 1989. His green, Jackson Pollock-inspired ‘action-painted’ piece – inspired by Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway – was overlaid with lemon slices and photographed to become the album cover. This album cover later inspired my entire style of ‘By Kerwin’ paintings – making this a hugely important piece of music history for me.
John Squire also painted many of The Stone Roses’ single and EP artwork in a similar, action-painted style. Read about how John Squire painted The Stone Roses album cover, and how this inspired my By Kerwin style of painting, here.
Beyond his abstract, Jackson Pollock-inspired paintings, Squire’s artistic work encompasses a diverse range of mediums, from painting to sculpture to metalwork. His artistic output reflects his multifaceted talent and boundless creativity.
His artistic style often intertwines with his musical background, drawing inspiration from the same sources that have fuelled his iconic guitar riffs over the years. Many of Squire’s paintings, often characterised by vibrant colours and dynamic compositions, evoke a sense of rhythm and movement reminiscent of his musical compositions.
Through his dual identity as both artist and guitarist, John Squire continues to captivate audiences worldwide, leaving a lasting mark on the worlds of music and art alike.
Conclusion
Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s intriguing and much-anticipated collaboration certainly promises to delivery, if their first album release together is anything to go by. They’ll no doubt be appearing live alongside each other in various locations, so fans can look forward to that.
Their 2024 album release, the self-titled Liam Gallagher John Squire, features a colourful album cover containing many Andy Warhol pop art-inspired cleaning and food products. Each product, like the contents of someone’s supermarket trolley, contains a different track off the album.
This album cover concept was no doubt led by John Squire, an acclaimed artist as well as leading guitarist, who has adorned Andy Warhol-inspired pop art clothing before. Perhaps we can also look forward to other creative album covers and record sleeve artwork too, along with more art-themed promotion of their album.
View my paintings and shop prints of Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher and Ian Brown. Fast worldwide delivery.
Explore my full range of music icon pop art paintings and prints in my online shop Fast worldwide delivery.
Discover the rest of my blog section about music, art and album covers here.
My full range of Jackson Pollock-inspired acrylic paintings can be viewed at www.bykerwin.com – the originals and prints of these are available to purchase, with worldwide delivery. You can follow my art progress on Instagram and Facebook.
