The cover of Vanilla Fudge’s self-titled debut album represents an early use of West Bubble Gum, designed by Dave West for Photo-Lettering, Inc.
While Bubble Gum Benday (a style with halftone fill) was first shown in PLINC’s Alphabet Yearbook 1967, the Blockshadow variant used here was presented only in Alphabet Yearbook 1969. Since 2012, West Bubble Gum Blockshadow is available in digital form, thanks to Jess Riddle who revived this ’60s gem for the reincarnation of Photo-Lettering orchestrated by House Industries.
Album design by Haig Adishian, with cover photography by Richard Stevens. When the band initially known as the Pigeons landed a deal with the Atlantic subsidiary Atco, the record company requested a name change:
The band settled on Vanilla Fudge; they were a white group singing and playing with the soul of the brothers. The band toured extensively behind its covers-heavy, jam-oriented debut album, Vanilla Fudge, to expand their fan base. Vanilla Fudge, the album, was released on June 2, 1967 the day after The Beatles’ released their Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Vanilla Fudge first album rose up the charts to #4 without the aid of a big hit single. — vanillafudge.com
[More info on Discogs]