![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMgxKSANuUrVD8VRcI0-yMfBZouRvro-Wg3d-oedbf9gUcgi5lRLcFxW83tPC-Bm753gteA8ftl7eDJx-0Sod-iF-bYJWJdHNEIOqpBKEF0rH9MYStKOPBrsO1PJL4EPuq8QjveB0ax_o/s400/SHAKARA_FINAL.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4y3bvPqqyGbSemqAxLAo0-zhMuGjquUk9hFTU_3lU8mYLMTdOJQCK_LSTYgDjqXpnp2BGlDZ3KVc1rh5nj6JT1eD1cYkzuomWm7eNX3at6V5d9eBhqBVJidrADDcR3mcZE_LLiryzMaTT/s400/Shakara_cover_thumb001.jpg)
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Neil is well known on this blog for throwing himself into his work, be it pulling gangster poses in his dressing gown or gurning like a loony for a Dirty Frank cover, so I was looking forward to seeing him posing on a child's scooter or tricycle for this, unfortunately it's not to be. Neil says "No silly pics of me pulling daft faces this time, this was a nice quick one with little need for gurning!" I'm so disappointed!
The design team at the Nerve Centre obviously saw something in Neil's work that (he vehemently insists) wasn't there - an homage to erm... classic Meatloaf Album 'Bat Out Of Hell.'
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1YtR8duC09ujdz1j2mnuMvemggdxa5Bd2SWaI6eGNp6AJJgnuYOs1px7ahmOxYXRuUFu3fYZ7m4zMUrBPfWcDv-fe37HdhYoGUAgI06TqVSRR8I8QdseOJ-vqK09khJZAPNASDeBvQis/s400/SHAKARA_FINAL_1721.jpg)
Neil insists "One thing, I wasn't consciously going for a Bat Out Of Hell thing - and I can totally see the similarities now - it was purely coincidence,I just wanted to make a kick-ass Skakara cover!"
Like any sane human being, Neil is obviously a fan of Shakara co-creator Henry Flint, so doing this cover was a real treat for him, he says "Going for the whole Henry Flint-black-white and red vibe was the best thing about doing this cover, making it more graphic than my normal work."
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Neil has asked me to, quote "Find a pic of ''Bat out of Hell" and say I WAS IN NO WAY INSPIRED by the image - that'd be great. Still, it's nice to be associated with a great piece of pop (or should that be soft-rock) art ;)" Personally I think he's protesting a little too much!
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One artist who obviously was inspired by the album was Jason Brashill in this cracking cover for the Judge Dredd Mega-special of 1996. The issue ran a feature of classic album covers starring 2000AD characters and Jason's obviously made the cover.
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