Simon Halfon

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Graphic designer. Most noted for his work on the releases The Jam, The Style Council, and Paul Weller. Halfon has also worked with Oasis and George Michael, among others. Mr. Halfon's most visible work has focused on solid inspiration from the design of the 1960's. He has, however, displayed examples of a more current and sleek style as well. His work on the Style Council's house music efforts was noticed by George Michael, who had Halfon apply a similar approach to his "Listen Without Prejudice" album in 1990.

[edit] Designs with Weller

When The Style Council made a bold turn into contemporary Rhythm and Blues in 1987, Halfon designed the International Orange gatefold sleeve for their The Cost of Loving album. The shade of orange is noted for its use in "setting things apart from their surroundings", but in the case of the Golden Gate bridge it is also seen as a master stroke of beauty. The Style Council's sleeve was a hefty gatefold containing two solid slabs of 12" vinyl EPs and was swathed entirely in the color, opening the gatefold reveals high-contrast black and white photographs of the group, a crisp visual contrast that might have been a commentary on music as well (black and white).

As Paul Weller suffered some of his worst savaging at the hands of the British music press and tried to establish a solo career, Halfon borrowed from Peter Blake's "The First Real Target" for the debut single by The Paul Weller Movement. On Weller's "Out of the Sinking" single, it seems Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin On" cover may be referenced. The single came from an album (1995's Stanley Road) that made deliberate reference to the Beatles with its title and Peter Blake (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) cover collage (design supervised by Halfon) . After "Out of the Sinking", and as the album was released for journalistic review with the Blake cover, the British press started hailing Weller's iconic stature in British rock history.