A Head Full of Wishes is a site for Galaxie 500, Luna, Damon & Naomi, Dean & Britta and Dean Wareham. With news, articles and lists of releases and past and future shows.
My record collection
#038: Luna - Hedgehog / 23 Minutes in Brussels
In 1995 Beggars Banquet released Hedgehog and 23 Minutes in Brussels as a single and featured the Ted Croner photo of a taxi that had also appeared on the inner sleeve/booklet of Luna’s Penthouse. In 2006 the same photo adorned the front cover of Bob Dylan’s Modern Times although the design on Luna’s release is… classier.
Bob Dylan borrowed the title for his new CD from the classic Charlie Chaplin movie. But did he borrow the album art, too? [T]he photo on his chart-topping new release, Modern Times, also appears on Hedgehog, a 1995 EP from the defunct band Luna. The image in question is Taxi, New York Night, a 1947 photo by the late photographer Ted Croner. Dylan declined to comment, but his album’s designer, Geoff Gans, told EW in an e-mail: “I’m really surprised! I really liked Luna… but never saw that release. I’m fairly sure Bob never saw that release either…. Strange things happen every day.” Luna’s Dean Wareham, meanwhile, isn’t upset. “I’d like to think that Dylan saw [our EP]. It would be flattering,” he says. “But I doubt it.”
Frank Olinsky and I went to see a show of photographs by Ted Croner, who was part of the New York School of photographers from the 50s. He had taken some beautiful photographs of New York City buildings […] and we picked out these great photos of New York buildings at night—shimmering photos—the light seemed to pour out of them. I met Croner, and he explained that these signature shots of his were partially caused by the cold weather; that as he stood in Central Park taking those photos, it was so cold that his hands were shaking, which caused these blurred streaks of light.
Dean had discovered Ted Croner’s magical photos of New York City and knew they were just right for the package. Three pictures were used: the cover photo of the lit-up skyscraper, a group of light-streaked high-rise buildings, and a blurry speeding taxi.
Ted Croner’s images are beautiful so not really suprising that when Dylan, or his team saw them they had a similar idea.
This is the CD version of the single that also included No Regrets and Happy New Year
- Catalogue Number: AHFOW 10/060
- Artist: Luna
- Title: Hedgehog / 23 Minutes in Brussels
- Notes:
- Packaging: Jewel case
- Format: CD
- Bought at the time of release, no idea where or for how much.