David Costa (graphic designer)

Last updated

David Costa
David Costa 2017-09.jpg
2016 photo by Judith Costa
Background information
Birth nameDavid Costa
Born (1947-11-18) 18 November 1947 (age 76)
Westminster, London, England
Genres Folk rock
Occupation(s)Graphic Designer, Art Director, Musician
Years active1969–present
Labels CBS, Rocket, Sony

David Costa (born 18 November 1947) is an English graphic designer, art director and musician. [1] Notable design collaborations include those for Queen, Elton John, Anastacia, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Genesis, The Rolling Stones and Phil Collins.

Contents

Early life

Costa was born in London, England. His grandfather was a songwriter and pianist with the Savoy Orpheans. His father was the singer and radio presenter Sam Costa. He attended Merchant Taylors' public school, pursuing Fine Arts at the University of East Anglia in 1966.

Career

In early 1969 he left university and brought together Barry Clarke, Bias Boshell, Unwin Brown and Celia Humphris to form the folk-rock band Trees, subsequently recording two albums: The Garden of Jane Delawney and On the Shore . In 1971 he left Trees to pursue freelance graphic design, eventually with Dick James Music in 1972, leading to a sequence of album sleeves for Elton John, [2] [3] [4] [5] and subsequently as art director in the UK offices of Rocket Records. During this period, Costa and guitarist Barry Clarke went on to write, record and produce the band Casablanca and subsequent eponymous album [6] in 1973.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s freelance design projects included work with ex-Beatles press officer Derek Taylor to instigate the "Brighton Pier" label for Warner Bros. Records UK. From 1977 through 1979 Costa ran his studio Jubilee Graphics from the previous offices of the Rocket Record Company in Wardour Street, London. Over the ensuing decade he worked as a freelance designer/art director on the re-launched Tatler magazine with Tina Brown; redesign and art direction on the relaunched The Field magazine; early visual proposals for Today , Eddie Shah's publication that pioneered the use of computer systems with photo-typesetting and full-colour offset printing, and, the redesign and frequent illustration of covers for Encounter magazine.


Discography

Musician

YearAlbumArtistLabel
1969     The Garden of Jane Delawney     Trees CBS Records, 2007 Sony Rewind, Sunbeam Records
1970 On the Shore Trees CBS Records, 2007 Sony Rewind, Sunbeam Records
1973CasablancaCasablanca   Rocket

Graphic art, design and packaging

YearAlbumArtistLabel
1973     Goodbye Yellow Brick Road [2] Elton John DJM
1975 A Night at the Opera Queen EMI, Elektra
1976 A Day at the Races QueenEMI, Elektra
1976 Blue Moves [3] Elton John Rocket
1977 Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II Elton JohnDJM
1977First Thing in the Morning Kiki Dee Rocket
1978 A Single Man Elton JohnRocket
1983 Secret Messages Electric Light Orchestra    Jet
1987 Cloud Nine [7] George Harrison Dark Horse Records
1987 Live in Australia Elton JohnRocket, MCA
1988 Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 Traveling Wilburys Wilbury/Warner Bros. Records
1988 Reg Strikes Back Elton JohnRocket
1989 Sleeping with the Past Elton JohnRocket
1989 The Best of Dark Horse George HarrisonDark Horse Records
1990 Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 Traveling WilburysWilbury/Warner Bros. Records
1990 The Very Best of Elton John Elton JohnDJM
1990 To Be Continued... [4] Elton JohnRocket
1990 Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins Virgin, Atlantic
1991 24 Nights Eric Clapton Duck Records/Reprise Records
1992 Rare Masters Elton John Polydor
1992 The One Elton JohnRocket
1993 Are You Experienced? (repackage) Jimi Hendrix MCA
1993Axis: Bold as Love (repackage)Jimi HendrixMCA
1993Electric Ladyland (repackage)Jimi HendrixMCA
1993The Ultimate ExperienceJimi HendrixMCA
1994 From the Cradle Eric ClaptonDuck Records/Warner Bros. Records
1994 Time Traveller Moody Blues Polydor, PolyGram
1995 Made in England Elton JohnRocket
1995 The Finer Things Steve Winwood Island
1996 Crossroads 2 Eric ClaptonPolydor
1996 Golden Heart Mark Knopfler Vertigo, Warner
1996 Dance into the Light Phil Collins Atlantic
1997Anyway the Wind Blows: The Anthology   J. J. Cale Universal
1997 Calling All Stations Genesis Virgin, Atlantic
1998 Genesis Archive 1967–75 GenesisVirgin, Atlantic
1998 Pilgrim Eric ClaptonReprise Records
1998 Hits Phil CollinsVirgin, Atlantic
1999 Turn It On Again: The Hits GenesisVirgin, Atlantic
2000 Riding with the King [8] Eric ClaptonDuck Records/Reprise Records
2000 Genesis Archive 2: 1976–1992 GenesisVirgin, Atlantic
2000 The Very Best of Cat Stevens Cat Stevens PolyGram
2001 Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels Thin Lizzy Vertigo
2001 Re-release of All Things Must Pass [9]    George HarrisonGnome Records
2003 Let It Be... Naked The Beatles Apple
2004 Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New Phil CollinsAtlantic/Rhino/Virgin
2004 The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 The BeatlesApple
2005 The Concert for Bangladesh George HarrisonApple
2006 The Captain & the Kid [5] Elton John Mercury/Interscope

Books

Graphic art, design and packaging

YearTitleAuthor/ArtistPublisher
1990   Blinds & ShuttersMichael Cooper Genesis Publications [10]
199124 Nights Eric Clapton/Peter Blake Genesis Publications [11]
1994Liverpool Days Astrid Kirchherr/Max SchelerGenesis Publications [12]
1994Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book Brian Froud/Terry Jones Pavilion Books [13]
1995Mason's Yard to Primrose Hill   Gered Mankowitz Genesis Publications [14]
1995Sometime in New York City Bob Gruen Genesis Publications [15]
1996Strange Stains and Mysterious SmellsBrian Froud/Terry JonesPavilion Books/Simon & Schuster [16]
1996Stuart: The Life and Art of Stuart Sutcliffe Stuart Sutcliffe Genesis Publications [17]
1997 Raga Mala Ravi Shankar Genesis Publications [18]
1998Eye-Contact Gered Mankowitz Genesis Publications [19]
1998Wyman Shoots Chagall Bill Wyman Genesis Publications [20]
1998The Rolling Stones: A Life on the Road Philip Dodd/The Rolling Stones Virgin Books [21]
1999Hamburg Days Astrid Kirchherr/Klaus Voormann Genesis Publications [22]
1999The Vogue Book of BlondesKathy PhillipsPavilion Books [23]
2000 The Beatles Anthology The Beatles Cassell/Chronicle Books [24]
2001The Book of Rock Philip Dodd Pavilion Books [25]
2002Shooting Sex: The Definitive Guide to Undressing Beautiful Strangers   Bob Carlos Clarke Bob Carlos Clarke [26]
2002Martin Guitar Masterpieces Martin Guitars/Dick BoakBulfinch Press [27]
2003Punk: A Life ApartStephen Colegrave/Chris SullivanCassell/Chronicle Books [28]
2005Drawing Blood Forty Five Years of Scarfe Uncensored Gerald Scarfe Little, Brown Book Group [29]
2006Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Country Music in America    Country Music Hall of Fame DK Publishing [30]
2007Genesis: Chapter & Verse Genesis Weidenfeld & Nicolson [31]
2009Woodstock: Three Days That Rocked the WorldMike Evans, Paul Kingsbury, Museum at Bethel WoodsSterling [32]
2011No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob DylanRobert SheltonBackbeat Books [33]
2013Starting at Zero Alan Douglas/Peter Neal Bloomsbury Publishing [34]

Tour programmes and books

YearArtistTour
1976 Elton John Louder Than Concorde
1979Elton John & Ray Cooper Back in the U.S.S.A.
1980 Peter Gabriel Tour of China 1984
1985Elton JohnWorld Tour
1987 Prince Sign o' the Times Tour
1990 Phil Collins The Serious Tour
1994Phil Collins Both Sides of the World Tour
1997Phil Collins The Trip into the Light World Tour
1997 - 1998    The Rolling Stones     Bridges to Babylon
2002 - 2003The Rolling Stones Forty Licks
2003 Simon & Garfunkel World Tour
2003 - 2004 Shania Twain Up! Tour
2004 - 2005 Anastacia Live at Last Tour
2004 - 2009Elton John Red Piano, Las Vegas [35]
2005 - 2007The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang
2005 Destiny's Child DC Weekly World Tour
2006 - 2008Elton John The Captain and the Kid Tour
2007 Beyoncé The Beyoncé Experience
2007 Spice Girls The Return of the Spice Girls
2007 - 2008 The Police The Police Reunion Tour
2007 - 2010Elton John Rocket Man: Greatest Hits Live
2008 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss    Raising Sand Tour
2009Elton John & Billy Joel Face to Face 2009
2009Elton John The Red Piano: Live in Europe
2009 Take That The Circus Live
2010 - 2011 Rihanna Last Girl on Earth Tour
2011 - 2018Elton John Million Dollar Piano, Las Vegas
2011Elton John Million Dollar Piano, 40th anniversary edition
2011Elton JohnWorld Tour
2014Elton JohnShowbook

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Bubbles</span> English graphic artist (1942–1983)

Barney Bubbles was an English graphic artist whose work encompassed graphic design and music video direction. Bubbles, who also sketched and painted privately, is best known for his distinctive contribution to the design practices associated with the British independent music scene of the 1970s and 1980s. His record sleeves, laden with symbols and riddles, were his most recognisable output.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Aldridge</span> British artist (1938–2017)

Alan Aldridge was a British artist, graphic designer and illustrator. He is best known for his psychedelic artwork made for books and record covers by The Beatles and The Who.

<i>Tumbleweed Connection</i> 1970 studio album by Elton John

Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London, in March 1970, and released in October 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. It is a concept album based on country and western and Americana themes. All songs are written by John and Bernie Taupin, with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan.

<i>Dont Shoot Me Im Only the Piano Player</i> 1973 album by Elton John

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released in January 1973 by DJM Records, it was the first of two studio albums he released in 1973, and was his second straight No. 1 album in the US and first No. 1 album in the UK.

<i>Goodbye Yellow Brick Road</i> 1973 album by Elton John

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the seventh studio album by English singer, pianist, and composer Elton John, first released on 5 October 1973 as a double album by DJM Records. Recorded at the Studio d'enregistrement Michel Magne at the Château d'Hérouville in France, the album became a double LP once John and his band became inspired by the locale. Among the 17 tracks, the album contains the hits "Candle in the Wind," US number-one single "Bennie and the Jets," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", along with the live favourite "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding."

<i>Caribou</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Elton John

Caribou is the eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 June 1974 by MCA Records in the US and on 28 June by DJM Records in the UK. It was his fourth chart-topping album in the United States and his third in the United Kingdom. The album contains the singles "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart and number two in the US, and "The Bitch Is Back", which reached number 15 in the UK and number four in the US. Both singles reached number one in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart, as did the album itself.

<i>Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy</i> 1975 studio album by Elton John

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 23 May 1975 by DJM Records in the UK and MCA Records in the US. The album is an autobiographical account of the early musical careers of Elton John and his long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin. An instant commercial success, the album was certified gold before its release, and reached No. 1 in its first week of release on the US Billboard 200, the first album to achieve both honours. It sold 1.4 million copies within four days of release, and stayed in the top position in the chart for seven weeks.

<i>A Single Man</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Elton John

A Single Man is the twelfth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released in 1978, it is the first album for which Gary Osborne replaced Bernie Taupin as lyricist. It is also the first of two John albums that, on the original cut, have no tracks co-written by Taupin.

<i>Elton Johns Greatest Hits Vol. 3</i> 1987 greatest hits album by Elton John

Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume III is the twenty-seventh album released by English musician Elton John. Released in 1987, 10 years after Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II, the compilation album features his greatest hits from 1979 to 1986 and was made available only in the United States and Canada. All of the songs featured had previously been released on a previous album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trident Studios</span> British recording facility

Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cover art</span> Artwork on the outside of a published product

Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book, magazine, newspaper (tabloid), comic book, video game, music album, CD, videotape, DVD, or podcast.

<i>Jump Up!</i> (Elton John album) 1982 studio album by Elton John

Jump Up! is the sixteenth studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released in 1982 by The Rocket Record Company except in the US and Canada, where it was released by Geffen Records. In the United States, the album was certified gold by the RIAA in November 1982.

<i>Leather Jackets</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Elton John

Leather Jackets is the twentieth studio album by English musician Elton John. Recorded at Sol Studios in England and Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands, it was released in 1986 and was his first album not to have any top 40 singles in either the US or the UK since 1970's Tumbleweed Connection, which had no singles released from it. It is also one of his lowest charting studio albums in the United States, peaking at number 91 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<i>Sleeping with the Past</i> 1989 studio album by Elton John

Sleeping with the Past is the twenty-second studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 4 September 1989. It is his best-selling album in Denmark and is dedicated to his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin. The album features "Sacrifice" and "Healing Hands", which were issued as a double A-side and became John's first solo number-one single in his home country of the UK. The single's success helped the album also hit number one there, his first since 1974's Elton John's Greatest Hits. It also became his first platinum album in the UK since 1985's Ice on Fire. In the US it was certified gold in October 1989 and platinum in April 1990 by the RIAA. Sleeping with the Past became John's best selling album of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Hentschel</span> British recording engineer

David Hentschel is an English recording engineer, film score composer and music producer who engineered on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass and Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, as well as for such artists as Genesis, Tony Banks, Ringo Starr, Queen, Nazareth, Marti Webb, Andy Summers, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Peter Hammill and Ronnie Caryl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elton John</span> British musician (born 1947)

Sir Elton Hercules John is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. Acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, his music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry. His songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trees (band)</span> Folk band

Trees was a British folk rock band recording and touring throughout 1969, 1970 and 1971, reforming briefly to continue performing throughout 1972. Although the group met with little commercial success in their time, the reputation of the band has grown over the years, and underwent a renaissance in 2007 following Gnarls Barkley's sampling of the track "Geordie" on the title track of their multi-million selling album St. Elsewhere.

<i>The Captain & the Kid</i> 2006 studio album by Elton John

The Captain & the Kid is the twenty-eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 2006. It is his second autobiographical album with lyricist Bernie Taupin, picking up where Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) left off. The Captain & the Kid chronicles the events in their lives over the intervening three decades.

<i>17-11-70</i> 1971 live album by Elton John

17-11-70 is the fifth official album release for English musician Elton John and his first live album.

<i>Tenderness</i> (Al Jarreau album) 1994 live album by Al Jarreau

Tenderness is a live album by Al Jarreau, released in 1994 by Reprise Records. Although officially a live album, it was recorded in studio in front of an invited audience. The album is a compilation of some of Jarreau's older recordings like "We Got By" and "You Don't See Me", covers of artists such as Elton John and Carole King and the Beatles, and more recent pieces from Jarreau's catalogue.

References

  1. David Costa discogs.com, Accessed October 14, 2017
  2. 1 2 Art Direction thanks to David Costa albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  3. 1 2 Art Direction - David Costa albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  4. 1 2 Art Direction and Design: David Costa and David Palmer for Wherefore Art albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  5. 1 2 Art Direction and Design: David Costa for Wherefore Art? Archived 24 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  6. Casablanca discogs.com, Accessed October 14, 2017
  7. Art direction: David Costa albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  8. Design by Wherefore Art? Archived 21 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  9. Redesign and Art Direction: Sian Rance & David Costa for Wherefore Art? albumlinernotes.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  10. Blinds & Shutters ISBN   0904351378 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  11. 24 Nights ISBN   0904351424 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  12. Liverpool Days ISBN   0904351440 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  13. ISBN   0760711070
  14. Mason's Yard to Primrose Hill ISBN   0904351483 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  15. Sometime in New York City ISBN   0904351459 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  16. ISBN   0684832062
  17. Stuart: The Life & Art of Stuart Sutcliffe ISBN   0904351521 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 9, 2017
  18. Raga Mala ISBN   0904351467 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  19. Eye-Contact ISBN   0904351610 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 15, 2017
  20. Wyman Shoots Chagall ISBN   0904351629 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  21. The Rolling Stones: A Life On The Road ISBN   1852275324 isbnsearch.org, Accessed October 8, 2017
  22. Hamburg Days ISBN   0904351734 genesis-publications.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  23. ISBN   1862052611
  24. The Beatles Anthology ISBN   978-0811826846 chroniclebooks.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  25. ISBN   1862052921
  26. ISBN   0954346203
  27. Martin Guitar Masterpieces ISBN   0821228358 martinguitar.com, Accessed October 7, 2017
  28. ISBN   0304359874
  29. ISBN   0316729523
  30. 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken' ISBN   0756623529 isbnsearch.org, Accessed October 9, 2017
  31. ISBN   0297844342
  32. ISBN   9781402766237
  33. ISBN   9781617130120
  34. Starting at Zero Archived 26 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine ISBN   9781408842140 bloomsbury.com, Accessed October 6, 2017
  35. The Red Piano ASIN: B002GXUBRQ, 66 p., 2004