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Latest News - Greyhound racing gets Royal seal of approval
07/01/2010
A stunning racing greyhound shot will soon be a familiar sight in millions of UK homes thanks to Royal Mail’s New Year stamp collection featuring ten of the most iconic album covers of the last 40 years, launched today by Led Zeppelin guitar legend Jimmy Page. Each depicts a famous album cover with a disc coming out of the sleeve and appearing ‘outside’ the stamp.
The British rock band Blur are amongst the artworks celebrated with their 1994, quadruple platinum selling album Parklife. Parklife (below) features three racing greyhounds on its cover, captured at Walthamstow by photographer Bob Thomas and designed by Stylorouge's Creative Director Rob O'Connor. O’Connor said, “The sleeves we designed for Blur captured an attitude that seemed just right for the time, they were always playful – more a wry observation of British visual culture than flashy design.”
This isn’t the first time something royal has flirted with greyhound racing, many a fag butt has been thrown in equal dismay and jubilation onto the terraces of Wimbledon, Romford and Crayford. Of course the real royal connection lies with Prince Philip and his 1968 Derby winning champion Camira Flash.
Camira Flash with 60’s singing sensation
Sandie Shaw
Back to the modern day and it’s fitting that the great spectacle of greyhound racing is being recognised in this way, let it be a timely reminder for the British public that greyhound racing continues to provide a thoroughly exciting night out while celebrating the grace and brilliance the canine athletes so effortlessly exude.
Other British rock bands to have their album artwork immortalised in the collection include The Clash, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, David Bowie, New Order, Primal Scream and Pink Floyd.
Click here to read a great article in The Independent, including a video with a short feature on Blur’s Parklife where it reveals the inspiration behind the greyhound shot while describing a trip the band took to William Hill on the Kings Road.
The ten classic designs, available to buy from today:
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