++ The front panel of the Space Ritual tour programme/poster ++

Just as he did for Ian Dury & The Blockheads and Elvis Costello and the Attractions half-a-decade later, Barney Bubbles produced a fold-out programme/poster for Hawkwind’s 1972 Space Ritual tour.

++ Opened out to reveal this portrait of saxophonist Nik Turner and the start of Robert Calvert’s essay ++

As well as Bubbles’ striking illustrations and graphics, the exercise included photography of the group’s main members and an entertaining if rambling sci-fi/semi-fictional account of the group’s activities by poet, lyricist and performer Robert Calvert.

++ Unfolded the poster measures 56 x 39 cm ++

Calvert, Bubbles and other contributors such as writer Michael Moorcock received tips of the hat in the credits.

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++ Writer/musician Elizabeth Nelson with her copy of The Wild World of Barney Bubbles courtesy @paranoid_style on Instagram ++

++ Matthew Higgs, director/chief curator of White Columns Gallery in NYC, posted this to his IG account @matthewhiggs2015 ++

The Wild World of Barney Bubbles is published in the US today and it’s already making waves.

Writer/musician Elizabeth Nelson, whose band The Paranoid Style has a tribute to the late graphic artist on their forthcoming album, says: ‘It’s a visual feast and a must-have for fans of Bubbles, Stiff Records, album art, typography, design, music, beauty and inspiration writ large. Go get one wherever you buy literature!’

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Tags: Bar/None Records, Elizabeth Nelson, Los SAngeles Review of Books, Matthew Higgs, The Paranoid Style, TikTok, White Columns

++ A Box of Bubbles is housed in this impressive 25 x 30cm casing decorated with one of Barney Bubbles’ most familiar artworks, for Ian Dury & The Blockheads’ 1978 single Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick ++

++ The box contains a copy of The Wild World of Barney Bubbles with a different hard cover jacket from the regular version ++

Very exciting – the first advance copy of A Box of Bubbles has arrived… and it looks amazing.

++ The boxed version of Wild World also has different end-papers based on patterns produced for Elvis Costello & The Attractions 1979 LP Armed Forces ++

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Tags: bookshop.org, International Times

A new addition to the Barney Bubbles Shop is the 1964 design for Twickenham Tech art school r&b group The Muleskinners, whose line-up included the late, great Ian McLagan of the Small Faces and The Faces.

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Tags: British Poster Award, Ian McLagan, Mods & Rockers

We’re excited to announce the new range of bookmarks and postcards as well as a sticker for the Barney Bubbles Shop.

++ The seven postcards each measure 10.5 x 15cm ++

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Tags: Camden Art Centre, The Fandangoe Kid

Barney Bubbles first produced the the so-called Ridiculous Mask as an analogue interactive element of music press advertising to promote the Ridiculous Roadshow, Hawkwind’s tour of the UK in the winter of 1973-4.

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Tags: Paradox, Ridiculous Roadshow, You'd Better Believe It

We’re currently sampling for the first apparel collection to appear for sale on the soon-come Barney Bubbles online shop.

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Tags: Darling let's have Another Baby, Do It Yourself, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Johnny Moped, NME, NME Book of Modern Music, Punch The Clock, Tommy The Talking Toolbox

Welcome to the all-new Barney Bubbles website, the online celebration of the late graphics genius now recognised as one of the world’s greatest designers, particularly for music; his wily and constantly innovative approaches reverberate through the wider fields of art, design and visual culture to this day.

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