We’ve seen rock legends on stamps.
We’ve seen classic rock album covers.
You might have spotted some Classic Rock Posters at this very website.
Ireland’s Great Irish Songs issue from earlier this year had its share of rockers.
Canada wants you to know that it rocks.
Sweden doesn’t rock. It Roxette.
And then… there’s New Zealand.
Here’s New Zealand bringing us its Rock Legends.
…Geddit?
Take a closer look.
The Kiwis have trolled us all with an issue devoted to iconic rock formations, presented in the form of a rock poster sheetlet.
The subject rockers – sorry, rocks – are breathtaking, and could have formed a perfectly straight nature-themed issue. In fact, divorced from the sheetlet, the stamps DO look quite straight and dignified. The only clue to the fun that’s been had along the way is the metalesque insignia in the corner.
For those in the front row, the sheetlet produces a few more sniggers:
None of this detracts from the beautiful photos featured on the stamps. My favourite is probably Elephant Rock. Sad to read while researching this piece that Elephant Rock’s trunk has joint the pantheon of Rock Legend appendages in the sky. Or, more to the point, in the ocean.
It seems somewhat unfair that, by wasting its Rock Legends issue on a dumb pun, New Zealand has once again chosen to deny Dave Dobbyn the glory he deserves. But apart from that, well played, New Zealand Post.
Rock on, bro.
What do you think of the Kiwis rocking the boat like this? Sign up and drop a comment below, or get involved over at my socials! I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Subscribe to my RSS feed and never miss a post!
© Philatelic product images remain the copyright of issuing postal administrations and successor authorities
Jersey is one of those funny little islands in the English Channel that are closer to France, and part of the UK, but get to put out their own stamps.
Interestingly, this practice began during the Nazi occupation of those islands, when they were cut off from the mother country. This is just one of the reasons why nerds who are into postal history find them so delectable. (If you think you might be one of those nerds, you should check out the 
Recently Jersey jumped on the retro stamp bandwagon with a 
(And yay to you if you know which film lent me that headline.)
As the header of my site attests, I love it when music, design and philately collide. And it’s happening again, thanks to the Royal Mail. Attention cool uncles and that boring guy who used to corner me at university house parties: Pink Floyd is being immortalised!
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s founding, though it feels like they’ve been around for a lot longer, since every David Gilmour guitar solo goes for 50 years in its own right. Royal Mail’s tribute issue clocks in at no less than 10 stamps, which, much like a prog rock album, is more than anyone asked for and a lot more than was probably necessary to get the job done. 
I’m composing an official-first-blog-post-of-2016, but sadly it has been gazumped by the loss of a personal musical icon. Many words are being written today in tribute to David Bowie. Let me add a few of my own.
Take the Maya Angelou stamp that’s out on April 7. No frills, just elegance and eloquence. A dignified tribute. I was gobsmacked to read that the image is that of a painting (!) – an oil-on-canvas number by Ross Rossin that resides in the National Portrait Gallery. Look at that face, and imagine the stories it could tell. 