Shusei Nagaoka (長岡秀星, Nagaoka Shūsei, November 26, 1936 – June 23, 2015) was a Japanese illustrator.[1] He is best known for his music album cover art in the 1970s and 1980s. Artists for whom he illustrated covers include Electric Light Orchestra, Earth, Wind & Fire, Deep Purple, Space, Maze, George Clinton, Kitaro, Rose Royce, Caldera, and Pure Prairie League.
Shusei Nagaoka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 26, 1936 |
| Died | June 23, 2015 (aged 78) Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Occupation(s) | Illustrator, Graphic Designer |
| Spouse | Noriko Nagaoka |
| Children | Masashi Nagaoka, Neal Nagaoka |
He assisted in the designing of the 1970 Osaka Expo, and was selected as one of the most significant artists in 200 years of American Illustration. He received several awards, along with platinum and gold albums, in recognition of his work. Several books of his artwork have been published, and in 1981 examples of his work were launched into outer space and orbited via the Russian Mir space station.
Other companies and organizations where his work was featured included: NHK Television, TBS Japan, & National Geographic.[2]
Selected album artwork
edit- Now & Then - (The Carpenters 5th album), 1973
- Spitfire - Jefferson Starship, 1976
- All 'N All - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1977
- Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra, 1977[3]
- Deliverance - Space, 1977 (US edition)
- Sunbear, Sunbear, Soul Train Records, 1977
- New Horizons - The Sylvers, 1977
- When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll - Deep Purple, 1978
- The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1978
- Pleasure Principle - Parlet, 1978
- Just Blue - Space, 1978
- I Am - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1979
- Dazz - Kinsman Dazz (early incarnation of the Dazz Band), 1979
- Oasis - Kitaro, 1979
- Can't Hold Back - Pure Prairie League, 1979
- Raise! - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1981
References
edit- ^ "イラストレーター長岡秀星さん死去". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). June 26, 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ^ "Nagaoka, illustrator for Earth, Wind & Fire, other bands, dies at 78". The Japan Times. 27 June 2015.
- ^ "ELO - Out of the Blue album review". 6 October 2017.
External links
edit- shuseinagaoka.net
- nealnagaoka.com
- Shusei Nagaoka at AllMusic
- Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
- 長岡秀星さん最古の作品発見 高校同級生・篠崎さんが寄贈 ７日まで一支国博物館の追悼展で展示 (in Japanese)
- ISFDB entry
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