I"ve been wondering that myself. Only a guess, but I wondered if he (or the band) were not satisfied with the quality of the original photograph. They're both photos of the same thing, I think, so perhaps the original shot came out blander than they or he wanted, and the reissues gave him or them an opportunity to retake.

Yeah the original cover art for Brotherhood was pretty cool but at the same time it soon became ...well let's just say it didn't have the staying power of the classic covers for PC&L, Low Life or Technique.

I can't find it anywhere, but recall there being an interview on the Internet with either Peter Saville or Howard Wakefield around the time the "Collector's Editions" were released. In this interview, one of them stated that the added glare was something that Peter had tried to achieve with the original design, but was unable to at the time.

I personally think it's ugly. Further, I've had private communications with someone that worked at Peter Saville Associates and helped design the sleeves for Brotherhood, State of the Nation and Bizarre Love Triangle. Said person likewise thinks that the updated version is hideous. Further, they had no recollection Peter of trying to get the "glare" on the original editions.

-Mike

Can't say I'm a fan of the remastered Brotherhood artwork either. Something about it looks off, like it was Photoshopped with one of those zany preset filters to make it look liquid. But hey, at least it's better than the 2009 Low-Life LP...

Though I no longer have it, my first CD copy of Brotherhood was a Factory issue with a more convincingly metallic/shiny finish. The car carry case inside, however, was the more standard grey image.

I have the later re-released London Records edition of Brotherhood, but it's also have a very little metallic finish.

I remember that some early vinyl editions also came with a kind of "real" metallic effect on the sleeve... According Discogs, special editions were coated with titanium zinc indeed and that's how they produced that effect. Probably, it have cost a lot of money.

My opinion is: maybe the reason why they re-created the artwork for the remasters is to reproduce or to simulate that visual effect in a cheaper way.

Didn't save the full size photo, but you can see the Brotherhood disc in my Dr. Rhino profile picture. It's giving off a faint shimmer in the top row next to the original Factory rice paper CD cover of Low-Life (since traded in for someone else to enjoy as well).

Cool pic, thanks!