Mobile nav search icon Mobile nav toggle icon Mobile nav close icon

ART ATTACK

Vintage rock posters for your clueless walls

Culture

Is your home full of baby milk powder, football boots and passive aggressive letters from the council about recycling? Then it's time you put a touch of rock 'n' roll back into your life, with the help of these vintage music posters...

01
Woodstock poster

Woodstock (1969)

The most iconic rock poster of all time. Designed by Arnold Skolnick it features a dove and guitar because, well, doves and guitars are cool. Also, Woodstock's organisers expressly forbade the use of nudity. Beware: the popularity of this poster has led to countless forgeries. According to ClassicPosters.com, "99 percent of the Woodstock posters on eBay and other sites are bogus." Scientific fact.

From £218 classicposters.com

02

The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” (1968)

This suitably trippy artwork was produced for the release of The Beatles' pun-fuelled animated feature, Yellow Submarine, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. Having already made two disappointing films, the lads weren't massively keen to make a third – but their contract said otherwise. In the end, they were so  impressed by the rough cut that they agreed to film a live music sequence that would become the movie's finale. £600 pamono.co.uk

03

Jimi Hendrix at the Rheingold Central Park Music Festival (1967)

This Hendrix poster is based on a photograph taken by Linda Eastman, who was the first woman to land the cover of Rolling Stone with her portrait of Eric Clapton. Eastman took the photo at a concert held as part of the Rheingold Central Park Music Festival in New York. These posters are a favourite with Hendrix fans, and rare to find in good condition. They were printed on thin paper stock, so most are damaged.

From £1,635 classicposters.com

04

Led Zeppelin at Fillmore West, San Francisco (1969)

If you're a fan of Led Zepp fan, you'll know that the band were reaching their primal peak around the time of their legendary concert at Fillmore West in San Francisco. But, just like their screaming rhythms and dialled-up bass, this poster has been imitated, bootlegged and ripped off plenty of times. So keep an eye out for dodgy reproductions.

From £436 classicposters.com

05

Rolling Stones Tour (1969)

Artist David Byrd defined visual language of the 1960s rock poster. This beautiful piece was used as a 'tour blank' by the Rolling Stones. Most of them don't have the name of a venue in the box at the bottom, so the ones that have been printed with the concert details are more sought after. Geeky poster fact: The posters used for the London dates come with an adhesive sticker or with an overprint on the actual poster.

From around £100 classicposters.com

Strange Boy

Read next

Strange Boy on the tragic story of ̵...

Culture 2 weeks ago

Kurt Cobain's mental health

Read next

Kurt Cobain’s mental health was gr...

Culture 1 month ago

Related articles


Culture

Shogun reviewShogun: like Game of Thrones meet The Sopranos

Martin Robinson

3 days ago

Culture

Strange BoyStrange Boy on the tragic story of ‘Oscar...

Martin Robinson

2 weeks ago

Culture

Kurt Cobain's mental healthKurt Cobain’s mental health was grist to the...

Martin Robinson

1 month ago

Culture

Why singing is a miracle for your mental health

Martin Robinson

1 month ago

Culture

sadness sets me freeHas Gruff Rhys just made his best album?

Martin Robinson

1 month ago

Culture

The ApprenticeThe Apprentice: it’s time to fire this toxic...

Martin Robinson

1 month ago

Culture

Stephen MoyerStephen Moyer on Sexy Beast, True Blood and orgy s...

Martin Robinson

1 month ago

Culture

Stephen MoyerSexy Beast TV review: “Actually, a sexy beas...

Martin Robinson

2 months ago

Culture

Chris MacDonaldChris MacDonald on his post-MeToo novel, The Actor

Martin Robinson

2 months ago

Culture

Sallieu SesaySallieu Sesay on Manodrome, Jesse Eisenberg and ch...

Martin Robinson

2 months ago