1 John Lennon Album Has Andy Warhol Cover Art
If there was one rock ‘n’ roll star in the world of pop art, it was Andy Warhol. He crossed paths with classic rock stars numerous times and even painted the cover of one of John Lennon’s albums. The record in question has an interesting reference to John’s childhood. In addition, the “Imagine” singer revealed what he thought of Warhol and one of the painter’s contemporaries.
The cover Andy Warhol made for a John Lennon album is stunning
In 1986, six years after John’s death, his estate released the album Menlove Ave. It was named after the street John lived on as a child. The record gave fans a peek into who John was. It includes some of his lesser-known songs as well as covers of classic hits such as “To Know Him Is to Love Him” by The Teddy Bears and “Angel Baby” by Rosie and the Originals.
The album’s cover art is a Warhol painting. It’s an image of John’s head where his face is a vibrant orange hue. The singer’s hair is a mix of blue, red, and yellow. The colors feel especially bright because of the painting’s dark background. The painting abstractly captures John’s uniqueness.
What John Lennon thought about Andy Warhol
During a 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, John revealed what he thought of Warhol. “I admire Andy Warhol’s work, I admire [Frank] Zappa a bit, but he’s a f*****’ intellectual — I can’t think of anybody else,” he said. “I admire [director Frederico] Fellini. A few that Yoko’s educated me to … She’s educated me into things that I didn’t know about before, because of the scene I was in; I’m getting to know some other great work that’s been going on now and in the past — there is all sorts going on.”
John was asked why he liked Warhol so much. “Because he is an original, and he’s great,” he said. “He is an original great and he is in so much pain. He’s got his fame, he’s got his own cinema and all of that. I don’t dig that … scene he lives in; I don’t know whether he lives like that or what. I dig Heinz [sic] Soup cans. That was something, that wasn’t just a pop art, or some stupid art. Warhol said it, nobody’s else has said it — Heinz [sic] Soup. He’s said that to us, and I thanked him for it.”
Andy Warhol inspired David Bowie and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
This was not the only time Warhol crossed paths with the world of rock ‘n’ roll. He is also credited as a producer on The Velvet Underground’s debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. He also famously made the risque cover art for The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers.
In addition, various rock artists have paid tribute to Warhol in their work. For instance, David Bowie wrote a track called “Andy Warhol” for his album Hunky Dory. The painter, along with several other icons of his epoch, appears as a minor character in “Weird Al” Yankovic’s largely fanciful biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. There’s even an alternative rock band called The Dandy Warhols that performs music inspired by 1960s psychedelic rock.
John liked Warhol’s work and Warhol eventually immortalized him in his signature way.
