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Diamond Dogs

Vinyl LP Record
Oct 1973 - Feb 1974 (recorded)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

David Bowie's 8th album, Diamond Dogs, features the censored version of the cover artwork by Guy Peellaert. Diamond Dogs was inspired by George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, evident in the B side track titles 1984 and Big Brother. The cover artwork features Bowie as a hybrid human-dog. The V&A also owns an uncensored version of the album without the male genitalia airbrushed out of the back cover artwork.

Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • LP (Record)
  • LP (Record)
  • Sleeve Protectors
TitleDiamond Dogs (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Printed card
Brief description
Retouched David Bowie Diamond Dogs gatefold sleeve.
Vinyl LP disc for David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album.
Paper LP sleeve for David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album.
Physical description
Gatefold sleeve featuring a painting by Guy Peelaert of David Bowie as a human-dog hybrid on the cover. The inside shows a misted cityscape of ancient and modern architecture by Leee Black Childers, with lyrics from the opening track Future Legend printed in the top right corner. The track list, band members, credits and trademarks are printed on the back cover.
Dimensions
  • Sleeve height: 31.2cm
  • Closed sleeve width: 31.2cm
  • Open sleeve width: 63cm
  • Closed sleeve depth: 0.5cm
  • Open sleeve depth: 0.1cm
  • Disc height: 30.1cm
  • Disc width: 30.1cm
Subject depicted
Literary referenceNineteen Eighty-Four
Summary
David Bowie's 8th album, Diamond Dogs, features the censored version of the cover artwork by Guy Peellaert. Diamond Dogs was inspired by George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, evident in the B side track titles 1984 and Big Brother. The cover artwork features Bowie as a hybrid human-dog. The V&A also owns an uncensored version of the album without the male genitalia airbrushed out of the back cover artwork.
Collection
Accession number
S.3354-2013

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Record createdAugust 1, 2013
Record URL
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