Old School
01.25.10
The New York Rocker
The New York Rocker was the definitive music and culture publication in NYC in the early 1980s. With art direction by Elizabeth van Itallie and photos and photo editing by Laura Levine, it was also very cool-looking. There's no central online archive for Rocker covers, although editor/publisher Andy Schwartz has started a blog of music writing here. But thanks to Elizabeth van Itallie, we've got some Rocker covers on the SPD site, and you can see even more here.(Above): June 1980, The Pretenders, photograph by Ebet Roberts, design by Chris Nelson.
(Left): Pylon, March 1981, photograph by Teri Bloom. (Right): Human Switchboard, April 1982, photograph by Laura Levine, design by Richard Yeend.
For more information on the history and background of the New York Rocker, take a look at this three-part interview with chief photographer and photo editor Laura Levine. Many art directors today are probably more familiar with Laura Levine's illustration and paintings.
(Left): X, September 1980, photograph by Laura Levine. (Right): Gun Club, March 1982, photograph by Deborah Feingold.
For an more extensive collection of New York Rocker covers, go here.
