Hipgnosis may be the best known name in classic rock imagery, but they’re far from the only name.

While Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell were working their magic in England, over in sunny Los Angeles partners
Jerry Goldstein and Steve Gold were whipping up posters, album covers, and tour programs for some of the late ’60s biggest stars.

Their company was named The Visual Thing, and they created their share of iconic rock and roll images during their 1969-71 lifespan. The legendary poster of Zappa on the toilet? That was them. The cover of the Rolling Stones’ Hot Rocks? That’s The Visual Thing, too.

But it’s the concert programs that really appeal to me because they’re so durable and well done. Each hardbound book is jam-packed with photos, and because they are 12″x12″ they store well with your vinyl. In fact, I found this one at a record store that had just taken in an album collection and accidentally purchased this thinking it was a record. Because they didn’t deal in books, they gave it to me for a buck.

That turned out to be the deal of the day, by the way. If you want your own copy of this Visual Thing CCR tour book, you can expect to pay in the $50 to $100 range. Happy hunting.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.