The cover design for Meddle, Pink Floyd’s fourth studio album, is a straightforward affair technically speaking. Separate 5x4 photographs were taken of a human ear in close up (God knows whose), and of ripples in a big tray of water. Both set ups were arranged in a studio using artificial light and Extachrome transparency film. The two selected images were then sandwiched together by the repro house according to black and white trace instructions. In preparing this fine art print Storm Thorgerson returned to the original two transparencies, cleaned them up and effected a precise copy of the original superimposition in the computer. The original composition was duplicated, but the definition refined, the colour fidelity and translucent quality improved. Old art rescued and enhanced by modern technology.

What was not so straightforward were the meanings and implications. What was the design about? What relevance did it have? Somehow the cover seemed as obscure as the title. Why Meddle? Is that ‘meddle’ as in meddling or interfering? Who or what is meddling with what? Is the band meddling with our minds? Is the water interfering with the ear? Was someone meddling in Pink Floyd affairs? Was it a misspelling? And so on and so forth. The relevance can’t be simply water ripples like concentric waves of sound, that’s too easy and not particular to Floyd, unless the design refers to repeated circles, like repeated sounds or echoes, which is the main track on the album, occupying a whole side of the vinyl.

There was no doubting the quality of the music. Meddle is a great album, much underrated, except by cognoscenti. Perhaps the same or similar could be said for the album art, now much enlivened in the refurbished state – some ‘meddling’ is worth it.