Mark Ryden's 'The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music: Daisy Bell'
I still don’t know how to make money, I tell you,… If I had seen this before, I may have bought one of these and re-sell it on eBay like this person! I explain,… Mark Ryden, this curious artist who wraps his curious and surrealist paintings both reminiscent of the masters and cartoons around big-eyed little girls and pop culture references, has a new exhibit called ‘The Gay 90s’ at the Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles.
Ryden has a long connection with music, I just remember his recent design for Tyler the Creator’s ‘Wolf’, showing the rapper wearing a green cap and riding a small orange bicycle, but the guy has designed over 50 album covers in the 90s! Including Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘One Hot Minute’, and Aerosmith’s ‘Love in an Elevator’.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, a new album entitled ‘The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music: Daisy Bell,’ has been illustrated by Ryden (see above), and features Tyler the Creator, Weird al Yankovic, Truss De Groot, Katy Perry, Stan Ridgway of Wall Voodoo, Pietra Wexstun of Hecate’s angels, Tour Crush featuring Jimmy Urine & Chantal Claret, Brian Wakil, Scarling, and Danny Elfman, Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo, Ken the Magic Corner God, Sara Lov & Zac Rae, Big Butter, Nick Cave, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Dos Jaguares El Encanto, and Everlast, all giving a different rendition of the same song, ‘Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two).’
The album, which was printed on red vinyl, is limited to 999 copies, and half of them were sold at the gallery (it opened this past Saturday) whereas the other half will be sold on the artist’s website, beginning May 13th. It is some crazy collector shit! Who wants to hear this song so many times? Still it could be interesting to hear what Tyler, Metallica or Nick Cave have made of it ! And what about Perry? She is even featured in one of Ryden recent paintings ‘Katy Aphrodite’, as one of his typical dolls surrounded by a Renaissance-like-painting background.
So I should have totally bought one of these vinyl at $99.99 and sell it on eBay, right? At least this is for a great cause, as the proceeds from the record, will benefit Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit that supports musical education in disadvantaged elementary schools.
Here is a 1892 version of the song:
