Flashback to the Sunset Strip's Rock 'n' Roll Billboards

Growing up off Sunset Boulevard (above Tower Records, RIP) in the 1960s and 1970s, a young Robert Landau was taken by the amazing rock 'n' roll billboards stationed up and down the Sunset Strip. They were monuments to rock star egos and homages to the explosion of rock as a modern social and cultural movement -- starting with The Doors.

A photography hobbyist, Landau grabbed his camera and chronicled these billboards. Landau eventually became a pro photographer -- but decades later dusted off his Kodachromes and hosted a slide show of his Sunset Strip pics. Countless people suggested he turn it into a book -- and after conducting interviews with artists, record producers and the designers who constructed the billboards, he has put together Rock 'n' Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip, a new coffee table book out on our fave imprint, Angel City Press.



What's fascinating about the book is the wild art work of these billboards -- all hand painted, by the way -- but also the snapshot of a bygone era on the Sunset Strip. The pics include long-gone businesses, signs and autos.



I got a chance to meet Landau (above) at a party for the book release a few weeks ago, and it was clear that this was truly a labor of love. The book is beautifully designed by Frans Evenhuis, who previously worked with Landau on another Angel City Press book, "Hollywood Poolside."

Landau has produced several L.A.-centric books, including 1984's "Outrageous L.A." (I also have a copy of that in my L.A. book collection). Watch this promotional trailer about the book. Priced at $50, it's a great holiday gift, and on sale now.

Book 'Em

Maria and I managed to make it to the annual Los Angeles Times Book Festival this Sunday right before it closed.

Making our way to UCLA, we parked in the Ralphs/Best Buy/Longs parking lot and hoofed it to campus, immediately heading for the Angel City Press booth.

As far as books on pop culture and local Los Angeles history goes, we're both huge fans of the Angel City Press catalog. (Angel City puts it this way on their website: Drenched in nostalgia yet undeniably cool, each Angel City Press book is luxuriously illustrated and showcases the modern design concepts of California's top graphic artists.) 

Sitting at the booth was author Greg LaVoi, signing copies of his book "Barbie Loves L.A." We quickly picked up a copy and had Greg sign it.

If you haven't seen it, or any of its writeups in the L.A. Times and Los Angeles magazine, the book is a visual treat for people (like us) obsessed with L.A.'s classic landmarks.

LaVoi, an Emmy-nominated costume designer, took vintage Barbie dolls, dressed them to the period, and, via some amazing work in creating visual perception with photography, places her in front of, and interacting with, L.A. sites.

That includes shots of 1950s Barbie shopping at Bullock's Wilshire... filling up gas at the vintage 76 station in Beverly Hills... catching a flight in front of LAX's Theme Building... Grabbing a bite in front of Perino's... and plenty more.

LaVoi said he had no problem getting permission to use the landmarks... except the Ambassador Hotel. LaVoi eventually was able to shoot Barbie standing in front of a microphone outside the Cocoanut Grove... but only after twisting the L.A. Unified School District's arm. LAUSD didn't want the Ambassador portrayed as the historical hotel it is... nope, the school board wanted the Ambassador portrayed as a school. The LAUSD eventually relented when LaVoi threatened to tell his story to the L.A. Times.

Yup, L.A. Conservancy, that's the mindset we're up against in trying to save that building.

Meanwhile, LaVoi said he's now scouting locations in New York for a sequel. He hopes to shoot "Barbie Loves N.Y." later this year.