Christophe – Aline album art and single sleeves (1970s)
![Aline is a compilation album released on Les Disques Motors in 1979, named after Christophe’s biggest hit.
[Discogs] The bold geometric sans-serif caps that are defined by a double shadow is from . It’s paired with lowercase with gradient fill for the title. The cover design is credited to Créac.](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/146/146003/146003.jpeg?filename=%24_86.JPG)
Aline is a compilation album released on Les Disques Motors in 1979, named after Christophe’s biggest hit.
[Discogs] The bold geometric sans-serif caps that are defined by a double shadow is Apache from Face Photosetting. It’s paired with lowercase Brush Script with gradient fill for the title. The cover design is credited to Créac.
Flickr contributor and music aficionado oopswhoops commemorates French singer and songwriter Christophe (1945–2020), who is best known for his ballads “Aline” (1965) and “Les Mots Bleus” (1974, with lyrics by Jean-Michel Jarre):
Daniel Bevilacqua, better known as Christophe, died yesterday of pulmonary emphysema. I just loved the way his songwriting always alternate between minor and major, trivial and sublime. He was one of my musical heroes.
The sleeve designs for this set of records – one compilation album and four singles – from the 1970s all follow a tried and tested recipe: A photographic portrait of the artist, combined with trendy display fonts. Several feature typefaces that were released shortly before, all of them were available for dry-transfer lettering or phototype.
![“Belle” / “Rock Monsieur”, 1973 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] “Belle” is set in caps from Inline, a face designed by Roy Sprong at Rapitype, and adopted in 1972 by French manufacturer Mecanorma. The dimensional letterforms for the name are probably custom.](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/110/110028/110028.jpeg?filename=49783352303_f34522cd41_o_d.jpg)
![“L’amour, toujours l’amour” / “La bête”, 1974 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] The title is set in the italics from . This Fat Face is an early Letraset original designed by Fred Lambert in 1966. The name is rendered in all-caps – a choice that is equally idiosyncratic and uncompromising as Christophe’s hairstyle. In German media, the chansonnier’s look has been described as the epitome of the stereotypical Frenchman, “as if he jumped right out of an Asterix comic”.](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/110/110026/110026.jpeg?filename=49784213652_ff8400ce5e_o_d.jpg)
“L’amour, toujours l’amour” / “La bête”, 1974 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] The title is set in the italics from Annlie. This Fat Face is an early Letraset original designed by Fred Lambert in 1966. The name is rendered in all-caps Arnold Böcklin – a choice that is equally idiosyncratic and uncompromising as Christophe’s hairstyle. In German media, the chansonnier’s look has been described as the epitome of the stereotypical Frenchman, “as if he jumped right out of an Asterix comic”.
![“Les Mots Bleus” / “Le Dernier Des Bevilacqua”, 1974 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] Christophe’s name is in , a Mecanorma exclusive issued in the same year. The titles feature in all caps.](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/110/110037/110037.jpeg?filename=christophe-les-mots-bleus-motors.jpg)
“Les Mots Bleus” / “Le Dernier Des Bevilacqua”, 1974 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] Christophe’s name is in New Zelek, a Mecanorma exclusive issued in the same year. The titles feature Egyptienne in all caps.
![“Daisy” / “Macadam”, 1976 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] Outline originated at Face Photosetting and was adopted by Letraset for dry-transfer lettering. is a Letraset original designed by Colin Brignall in 1970. Oopswhoops:
It is a well known fact that Christophe loved the band Suicide and “Macadam” on the B-side is the closest he ever got to Alan Vega’s songwriting.](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/110/110027/110027.jpeg?filename=49784213782_594b8142cb_o_d.jpg)
“Daisy” / “Macadam”, 1976 French pressing on Les Disques Motors. [Discogs] Pluto Outline originated at Face Photosetting and was adopted by Letraset for dry-transfer lettering. Octopuss is a Letraset original designed by Colin Brignall in 1970. Oopswhoops:
It is a well known fact that Christophe loved the band Suicide and “Macadam” on the B-side is the closest he ever got to Alan Vega’s songwriting.
