Not currently on display at the V&A

Hapshash and the Coloured Coat with the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids

Poster
1967 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This poster and record cover was designed by design duo Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, for their first music album Hapshash and the Coloured Coat featuring the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids. In the late 1960s, they created psychedelic posters for many of the English bands of the time, and decorated and advertised Nigel Waymouth's King's Road boutique, Granny Takes a Trip. They also designed for concerts held at the UFO club and Saville Theatre, and for underground magazine Oz. Their influences came from the decorative and eroticised designs of Art Nouveau, combined with the melting rainbow colours of LSD visions and pop art inspirations from the post-war media; traces of Disney, horror movie monsters and comic book characters and can often be seen hiding amongst the images.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Posters
  • Record Covers
  • Record Covers
  • Phonograph Records
TitleHapshash and the Coloured Coat with the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Screen print on paper; Paper, polythene and glue; Red vinyl, offset lithography on paper, glue.
Brief description
Psychedelic poster advertising an album by Hapshash and the Coloured Coat with the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids, with the album, both designed by Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, 1967. Michael English collection

Physical description
S.37-1978 (poster) Printed poster. Psychedelic poster,with background of night sky gradating into silver. A pegasus with chariot in lower half, in gradient of yellow to orange, with four people on chariot. Title of band near top.
S.37A-1978 (record covers) Cardboard record sleeve with gloss coating. Illustration on front has a yellowish hue featuring a face with glowing rays coming from it, and clouds and cartoonish people around the edges. Back cover is similar image, in slightly redder colours. Black border on both sides with typography on front with title, and song titles on back.
S.37B-1978 (record covers) White square paper sleeve for protecting record inside carboard case. Central circle has transparent polythene to enable viewing of record inside without removing from sleeve.
S.37C-1978 (phonograph records) Red vinyl circular 12" record, with black circular labels in middle printed with typography.
Dimensions
  • Poster height: 101cm
  • Poster width: 75cm
  • Record cover height: 31cm
  • Record cover width: 31cm
  • Record cover height: 30.4cm
  • Record cover width: 30.6cm
  • Phonograph record diameter: 30.48cm
Style
Production typeArtist's proof
Credit line
Given by Michael English
Subjects depicted
Summary
This poster and record cover was designed by design duo Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, for their first music album Hapshash and the Coloured Coat featuring the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids. In the late 1960s, they created psychedelic posters for many of the English bands of the time, and decorated and advertised Nigel Waymouth's King's Road boutique, Granny Takes a Trip. They also designed for concerts held at the UFO club and Saville Theatre, and for underground magazine Oz. Their influences came from the decorative and eroticised designs of Art Nouveau, combined with the melting rainbow colours of LSD visions and pop art inspirations from the post-war media; traces of Disney, horror movie monsters and comic book characters and can often be seen hiding amongst the images.
Collection
Accession number
S.37&C-1978

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2010
Record URL
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