Category Archives: STREET ART

STREET ART

NOVEMBER GAIN

Rockin’ new Guns N’ Roses mural overlooks legendary Hollywood band’s old haunt on the Sunset Strip.

Use Your Illusion I and II, the Nineties-era hard rock masterpieces by Sunset Strip-launched legends Guns n’ Roses, have resurfaced on Rock Row in the guise of some rockin’ huge posters plastered on random construction site walls located between the Whisky and the Rainbow.

So, what gives with the rockin’ retro rewind?

Turns out, the GN’R posters are hyping the release of a new deluxe box set of the two albums that somehow expanded to eight discs of related material in a set that costs over $200.

Coinciding with the launch of the box set is the unveiling of a new Use Your Illusion II mural located on the Roxy‘s sidewall and overlooking the Rainbow’s outdoor patio.

Guns n’ Roses diehards will recognize the location of the mural as the area where Axl Rose stared down Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1991 video for Use Your Illusion II‘s smash hit “You Could Be Mine.”

Mark Kostabi‘s iconic cover artwork–a manipulation of part of Rafael‘s “School of Athens” mural–takes up a large section of the wall and is a welcome dose of rock and roll spirit that has been missing from the Sunset Strip for a while now. Let’s hope the new GN’R mural is a permanent part of the Strip.

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ROCKIN' NEWS, STREET ART

RISE UP, GATHER ‘ROUND

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Def Leppard’s Diamond Star Halos shines on the Sunset Strip on eve of band’s invite-only Whisky show.

On the eve of their hotly-anticipated show at the Whisky A Go-Go on May 26, Def Leppard left their mark on the Sunset Strip earlier today to announce the release of their new album, Diamond Star Halos.

The British band is in town to perform an invite-only concert as a promotion for the new album, sponsored by streaming giant SiriusXM.

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STREET ART

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

Artists turn L.A. streets into an urban art gallery any music fan would love.

In 2020, the Sunset Boulevard scene–from Rock Row to Dodger Stadium–has dramatically changed as a result of the pandemic and the nation’s turbulent political climate. And the changes extend beyond just the physical sense of seeing the famous, once-glamorous and vibrant landscape covered in bland blonde plywood and political graffiti.

The biggest impact is the deafening silencing of the world-class live rock and roll music that always seemed to be a ubiquitous part of the Sunset Strip. Regardless of when you visited Sunset’s Rock Row, there was always an exciting rock and roll energy and spontaneous soundtrack permeating the legendary thoroughfare and creating an intrinsic connection with visitors.

Until this year, there was always music in the night air, whether it was the power chords of superstars like Lita Ford or local faves like Budderside emanating from the Whisky A Go Go, or the rockin’ retro sounds of Missing Persons or L.A. rockers Warner Drive (pictured below) shaking the foundation of the Viper Room.

Warner Drive band

However, while the temporary closure of the Whisky, Viper Room and Roxy is tough on everyone, there is some good news.

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STREET ART

ART ATTACK

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snc-titleMetal-Loving, Groundbreaking Urban Artists–and a Few Superstar Creatives–Are Turning L.A. into the Guerilla-Art Capital of the World. Eat Your Heart Out, East Village

By David Ciminelli 

HARINGHanging out in NYC’s East and West Villages in the ’80s/early ’90s, it wasn’t uncommon to spot cool and edgy urban art left by creative transplants like Keith Haring and Mark Kostabi and locals like SAMO/Basquiat and Robert Longo. (Nowadays, you can still find some of these celebrated artists’ sidewalk carvings and fading murals throughout NYC, if you know where to look.)

CyrcleToday, throughout Greater Los Angeles, there’s a new crew of mega-talented street artists leaving an artful touch on the cityscape and transforming the Sunset Strip and various parts of L.A. into an attention-grabbing urban art gallery of wickedly-creative pop art. Prolific standouts in the urban jungle of creativity include current and future superstar artists like ThrashBird, Becca, Annie Preece, Alec Monopoly, David Flores, Plastic Jesus, Phil Lumbang, Cyrcle., ThankYouX, Wrdsmth, Teachr1, ImHuge, Trusto, SepterHed, Homo Riot, Mr. Brainwash and Destroy All Design.

Roxy

Take a virtual tour below of these and other artists’ amazing artwork that Sunset and Clark has stumbled upon over the past few years during our travels up and down the Sunset Strip, from the PCH to DTLA, and throughout the Southland. A few world-renown artists, including the edgy and awe-inspiring Banksy, Kenny Scharf, Retna and Shepard Fairey, also gifted the City of Angels with colorful original creations, both sanctioned by the city and guerilla-style. Check ’em out and get inspired by awesome artworks that all share a rock and roll edge.

Beatles Banditos

Stones art, Hlywd, 2010

Johnny Cash

Destroy All Design

KISS

Alec Monopoly

Killer Mickey

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ROCKIN' NEWS, STREET ART

CREATURES OF THE NIGHT

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STREET ARTIST HUGE GIVES THE SUNSET STRIP A ‘MINI KISS’

sunsetandclarkmagazine1A curious new character has popped up on Sunset Boulevard this week.

Sunset and Clark spotted this four foot tall heavy metal midget affixed to a utility box on Sunset and Horn, across from the old Tower Records Sunset location.

We give major props to the guerilla artist, Huge, not only for the bizarre yet badass idea to morph two timeless pop culture icons, KISS‘ Ace Frehley and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’s Mini-Me, but also for showcasing one of the coolest rock artifacts ever: the Gibson Flying V!

 

STREET ART

SCENE ON SUNSET

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WHEAT PASTE WISDOM: WRDSMTH

We spotted this rockin’ and random stencil art confession by prolific L.A. street artist Wrdsmth just off the Sunset Strip, outside Viper Room‘s Larrabee entrance. We imagine that, like us, most Angelenos totally empathize with half of this statement–and occasionally, the other half!