10 Amazing Stories Behind Famous Rock Album Music Covers
1. Pigs Will Fly (Animals - Pink Floyd)
Hipgnosis, the firm who helped create the Houses of the Holy artwork, were initially drafted in to help Pink Floyd come up with the cover for their tenth studio album, Animals.
However, it would be Roger Waters' idea that eventually got the nod; an idea that almost led to a major incident at one of the biggest airports in the world.
The plan was to release an inflatable pig, which would tie into the song Pigs on the Wing, above Battersea Power Station in London. Once the photo was taken, the pig would be shot down by a marksman.
Through a series of regrettable decisions, including the band's manager not booking the gunman for a second day, the pig broke free and started to drift towards the nearby Heathrow airport. Flights were cancelled and mass chaos ensued, as incoming pilots had to dodge the floating farm animal whilst coming into land.
After all that kerfuffle, after almost bringing Heathrow to a complete standstill, the band preferred the earlier pictures of the power station, so the pig was superimposed at a later date!
All that madness! For nothing! Roger Waters should be ashamed of himself...