Thursday Throwback is a weekly colour scheme inspired by an iconic album cover of yesteryear. This week’s throwback is the 1968 album “The Book of Taliesyn” by Deep Purple. The colours are as follows:
| Colours | HEX | RGB | HSB | CMYK | LAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour 1 | #D9CC18 | 217, 204, 24 | 56, 89, 85 | 0, 5, 88, 14 | 80, -12, 78 |
| Colour 2 | #D9D1C7 | 217, 209, 199 | 33, 8, 85 | 0, 3, 8, 14 | 84, 1, 5 |
| Colour 3 | #401E01 | 64, 30, 1 | 28, 98, 25 | 0, 53, 98, 74 | 15, 14, 22 |
| Colour 4 | #A6281C | 166, 40, 28 | 5, 83, 65 | 0, 75, 83, 34 | 37, 50, 38 |
| Colour 5 | #400101 | 64, 1, 1 | 0, 98, 25 | 0, 98, 98, 74 | 9, 29, 15 |
“The Book of Taliesyn,” Deep Purple’s second studio album, was released in October 1968 by Tetragrammaton Records in the United States. This release followed just three months after their debut album, “Shades of Deep Purple.”
The album was recorded at De Lane Lea Studios in London during August and October 1968. It features a blend of original compositions and cover versions, with longer tracks and more intricate arrangements compared to their previous work. The musical style combines elements of psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and hard rock, with Jon Lord’s keyboard work showcasing clear classical music influences.
Despite Deep Purple’s growing popularity in the US, “The Book of Taliesyn” achieved moderate chart success. The single “Kentucky Woman” reached No. 38 in the US charts, whilst the album peaked at No. 54 in the US and No. 48 in Canada. However, it did not chart in the UK. Over time, the album’s reception has improved, with contemporary critics viewing it more favourably.
The album’s distinctive cover was designed by British illustrator John Vernon Lord, a specialist in book cover design. This was Lord’s only venture into record cover design. The artwork, created using various colours of pen and ink, aimed to evoke an “Arthurian fantasy” aesthetic to appeal to the fashionable American hippie audience of the era. Lord was paid £30 for the artwork, less a 25% agent’s fee. Notably, the original artwork was never returned to the artist after being submitted for reproduction.Did you like this week’s colour scheme? Do you fancy using it for your next release cover? Visit our shop or drop us a line!