This was one of several giant posters of performers designed to be sold during the legendary UK tour organized by Stiff Records. According to the photographer Gabrin, these did not sell "because they were so huge none of the punters could be bothered to carry them home.” Deliberately crude overlaps of lurid colors over the photograph create an image of Costello that the record label's producer described as "like Buddy Holly on acid." Musician Billy Bragg commented on Bubbles's "unerring ability to make unprepossessing blokes look cool, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Johnny Moped, mewe were misfits in the pantheon of pop and Barney made us look magnificent."

Gallery label from

Making Music Modern: Design for Ear and Eye, November 15, 2014–January 17, 2016.

Medium Lithograph
Dimensions 60 x 40" (152.4 x 101.6 cm)
Credit Gift of Lawrence Benenson
Object number 203.2012
Department Architecture & Design

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