Extraordinary Records

The visuals of vinyls: the most daring of record designs.

This volume spans more than 500 remarkable records and is a journey into vinyl's extraordinary history. From rare and colorful editions, bold shapes, and bootleg X-ray vinyl of the USSR to daring designs that fashioned the identities of era-defining records and artists, this collection celebrates vinyl's artistic potential as a material form.

The authors
Alessandro Benedetti began collecting colored and unusual records in 1981, and now has 8,000 discs, including 1,200 colored vinyl discs. In 1998 his collection won recognition in The Guinness Book of Records. His dream is to open a record museum so he can share his collection with the public.

Italian producer and songwriter Giorgio Moroder helped create electronic dance music, and has worked with Donna Summer, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Barbra Streisand, and many others. He also founded Musicland Studios in Munich, once used by legendary acts like Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Elton John.

Peter Bastine has been a DJ, record seller, and concert organizer. From 1977 until 1998 he collected every kind of picture disc; since then, mostly historical 78rpm records. Today his collection comprises around 8,000 picture discs, and has been the subject of several European exhibitions.