Brian Cannon, the sleeve designer, has revealed the cost of creating the cover art for ‘Be Here Now’ the iconic 1997 album.
A Landmark Album for Oasis
“Be Here Now” marked a milestone for Oasis. The album, at the peak of Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher‘s fame, sold over 500,000 copies in its first week. It became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history.
As the band’s popularity soared, so did their ambition. Naturally, the album cover had to be grander than their first two records. The “Definitely Maybe” sleeve was shot in Bonehead‘s front room. “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” featured a London Soho street.
A Spectacular Cover Concept
For “Be Here Now,” the cover had to be extraordinary. Brian Cannon directed the art, while Michael Spencer-Jones took the photos. The image features the band standing around a swimming pool in a grand estate.
In the pool, there’s a submerged Rolls-Royce, a tribute to Keith Moon of The Who, who allegedly drove his car into a pool. Other objects include a moped, a gramophone, and a globe. A calendar in the image marks the album release date: Thursday, 21 August.
The Most Expensive Album Cover?
On the BritPopCast podcast, Brian Cannon suggested that this was likely the most expensive album sleeve ever.
“When everything was counted, including payments, the total cost was about £75,000. Can you imagine that?” said Cannon.
“Today, people don’t even spend that on recording an album, let alone a sleeve. Has there been a pricier one? Maybe, but I can’t think of any.”
A Huge Bar Tab
The £75,000 did not include the bar bill.
“Creation Records kept an open tab. Waitresses from the hotel kept bringing trays of lager. By evening, Bonehead couldn’t stand. That’s why, in the final photos, he’s sitting with his feet in the pool. He was completely drunk,” Cannon recalled.
A Dangerous Photo Shoot
The photo shoot took place in April 1997 at Stocks House, a Georgian mansion in Aldbury, Hertfordshire.
First, they had to drain the pool to place a real Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow inside. No Photoshop was used.
“We lifted the Rolls-Royce with a crane, positioning it in the empty pool. The front end had to be tilted up. If you actually drove a car into water, it would just sink.”
“We built a scaffolding rig underneath it—nothing professional, just some guys we knew. They propped up the three-ton car with scaffolding, beer crates, and old tires. It was incredibly dangerous.”
The crew refilled the pool quickly, draining the local water supply. “For 24 hours, no one in the village could flush their toilets!”
A Sleepless Night and a Rented Rolls-Royce
That night, Cannon stayed in a hotel overlooking the pool. “I could hear the car creaking on our unstable setup. If it collapsed, the pool would crack, water would drain, and we’d be finished. I barely slept.”
Luckily, the car stayed upright, and the shoot proceeded.
“People thought we bought a Rolls-Royce and destroyed it. No, we rented it for £1,000. It had no engine, and we had to return it. But even then, it still cost us a grand before going back to the scrapyard.”
Source: Radio X
Photo: Getty