His Royal Master of Images: Alan Aldridge

January 29, 2005 1:56 AM

Alan Aldridge was called "His Royal Master of Images to Their Majesties The Beatles" by John Lennon, and is probably best known for his Beatles Illustrated Lyrics, but I was looking for his delightful illustrations for "The Butterfly Ball", and found some here and here click through for larger images), and then was lucky enough to also find another web collection of his work grouped under the heading "Animal Spirits". Don't miss the wonderful self portrait from his gallery pages.
posted by taz (10 comments total)

Oops. I kind of lost an opening parenthesis there... Anyway, if you like the self-portrait, you'll find a couple of examples of this style among the works, but I especially adore the middle one on the bottom row of the first Animal Spirits page.
posted by taz at 2:04 AM on January 29, 2005

Some of those are NSFW, FWIW.
Pretty good though, thanks.
posted by YAMWAK at 3:23 AM on January 29, 2005

Jesus, for a second I read "Alan Alda" and was wondering if I'd have to start liking the guy now. Really cool artwork, taz.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:35 AM on January 29, 2005

Pirate cat, with mice companions and bonus monkey.
posted by euphorb at 9:10 AM on January 29, 2005

Thanks for the links! I never knew about that guy. Extremely well crafted art work with a really consistent theme. Amazing how much of my generation doesn't understand this style of art. I was trying to show yellow submarine to some friends the other day, and they just didn't get it. I think it is just associated with a connection between our parents and 70's bad taste. But this stuff is top notch.
posted by nickerbocker at 9:20 AM on January 29, 2005

Pirate cat, with mice companions and bonus monkey.

Not to mention Three not-so-Fresh Fish.
posted by taz at 9:29 AM on January 29, 2005

I remember seeing the video for "Love Is All" during "The Great Space Coaster" in the really early 80s, and I could tell a lot of work went into it (as opposed to the rest of the show), so I always wanted to more about its background. I'm amazed to realize that's Ronnie James Dio singing! Thanks, taz!
posted by kimota at 9:32 AM on January 29, 2005

to *know* more. Grrr.
posted by kimota at 9:33 AM on January 29, 2005

He also did the cover and a few interior illustrations for "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys" by Elton John. One of my first art heroes.
posted by doctor_negative at 9:57 AM on January 29, 2005

He was quite the sensation back in the day. I'm lucky enough to still have The Beatles' Illustrated Lyrics" and can still remember how shocked and inspired I was by the illo for "Helter Skelter" when I first saw it. Thanks, taz!
posted by Lynsey at 5:16 PM on January 29, 2005