Even when you have been collecting Warhol covers for years, and you think you’ve seen them all, a surprise can turn up. Like this album by Skyline on the French label Four Stars Records, found in a joint research with friend and collector Raimund Flöck from Germany. The record, released in 1978, clearly is a bootleg, so use of the Warhol image was most likely unauthorized. A little history of how we found the album: a few months ago Raimund told me about a record he had seen called Skyline, with a spectacular picture of Manhattan on the cover, an aerial picture taken from the Empire State building (most likely) and seeing all the way up to the Twin Towers. At the back, the cover photo was credited to A. Warhol. Raimund and I agreed it did not really look like a Warhol photograph. In fact, the picture was ripped from a magazine ad for Canadian Club whisky, a campaign that was running in 1978.
So we looked deeper into it. A second version of exactly the same album turned up, with a black and white picture of a woman staring in front of her on the cover. There is no Warhol credit on the back cover, though.
The picture reminded me of Warhol’s so called ‘screen tests’, hundreds of four minute films he made of friends and visitors at The Factory. They just had to sit still and look in the camera. So I had a look in Callie Angell’s great Andy Warhol Screen Tests catalogue, you never know. And there it was: the screen test numbered ST71, of Susanne (sic) De Maria. The screen test was made in 1964, and has been part of Warhol’s compilation movie The Thirteen Most Beautiful Women. Susanna De Maria then was the wife of conceptual artist and sculptor Walter De Maria. Andy Warhol, Walter De Maria and La Monte Young tried to start an experimental rock and roll band in those years, The Druds, but that did not work out very well.
So in short: the version with the Warhol credit has no Warhol cover, the version with the Warhol picture on cover does not have the credit. Well, it’s a bootleg after all. Also the names of the band members are fake, e.g. Johnny Thunders on guitar. Some names of the tracks seem to be real, but the original artists who these were ‘borrowed’ from, are not mentioned. The record seems to be a club classic. Even before the Warhol-connection became clear, DJ’s and fans of dance music would easily pay between 100 and 150€ for a copy.
The Canadian Club ad, from which the Manhattan highrises picture was taken for the cover of the other version of the Skyline album. This time the photo was, wrongly, credited to A. Warhol.
Andy Earhole 
Great post Guy and a fantastic find. Good thing you seem to have every book ever written on AW, must help a lot for fact checks and references. Guess i might have to stock up on them also if i’m ever going to find that “unknown” album cover or dust jacket.
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Thanks Niklas! Sometimes it’s better to invest in a good book, than buy yet another new bootleg with yet the same Jagger portrait for an outrageous price.
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Wow! Did not know of this either!
Susanna De Maria
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Dear Susanna, I was very thrilled that you have read my post, and happy with your reaction. I am glad I could bring you this news. I love the abum cover with your picture. Hope to see the complete screen test one day.
Maybe I should correct the spelling Susanne/Susanna in my post. Sorry about that!
Guy
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Amazing research. Superb photo of a true beauty~!
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A really interesting bit of research Guy and thank you for making it available.
would you have any objections to me sharing this with friends on a Facebook page that deals with all aspects of Modernism, from literally the early Mod movement and its influences, to how that permeated the Art School generations of the 60’s and beyond , through graphic design , fine art , contemporary 3D design and Crafts .
I had been looking through my books and thought the album covers of Bluenote through the 50’and 60’s would provide interest for some of the enquiring members.
And now I find your excellent research and blog .
I will await your approval before I start re posting your work, I will of course give full credit to you as the source/research.
kind regards
John Buckley.
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Hi John,
I am glad my blog and research can be of use to you. Please share! And let me know which Facebook group, so I can follow it too!
Greetings from Antwerp, Belgium,
Guy
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many thanks !
John Buckley
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