![]() ![]() Roth’s politics were conservative, and many of his cohorts were far-right. While Kustom Kulture struck a rebellious, “outlaw” pose, it was not an anti-establishment movement. Roth’s quirky characters and their over-the-top rides soon graced coloring books, trading cards, decals, and, of course, more and more t-shirts. Over the next several years, Roth perfected his comic aesthetic: grotesque, oversized monsters powering monstrous “mean machines.” These illustrations would define the spirit of “Kustom Kulture,” as it came to be stylized. Over three million were sold in the first first year, and Roth became a local celebrity-and a brand name across the country. His mascot appeared in the pages of Car Craft in 1963, and shortly thereafter Revell approached him to design a series of plastic models-the hobby was then at its peak-for which he received a one cent commission per sale. In the early ’60s, he invented Rat Fink, a lewd, dissolute mouse meant to be, or so the story goes, a kind of anti-Mickey Mouse: Roth was tired of seeing so many kids wearing the wholesome plastic ears. “I never grew up.”) Although the shirts and sophisticated cartoons initially took a backseat to his custom autos, his reputation as an artist grew. (“I’m a weirdo,” Roth told the Los Angeles Times in 1973. Roth was also a self-taught illustrator, and he started selling his “ Weirdo” or “ Weerdo” t-shirts in the late ’50s at car shows, where he would airbrush them on the spot, and through Car Craft magazine. The adoption of fiberglass in the automotive industry allowed Roth and others to create unique designs that prized individuality, style, and speed over suburban uniformity and practicality: the “ Outlaw” and the “ Beatnik Bandit” are two of his most famous designs. ![]() After a stint in the Air Force, Roth became a sign painter at Sears and, in 1958, starting designing cars out of his garage. Born in Beverly Hills to German immigrants, Roth grew up in Bell, California, home of “ speed shop” Bell Auto Parts and nearby Slauson Avenue, a popular drag strip. ![]() ![]() Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was a central figure in the hod rod and custom car scene that flourished in 1950s and early 1960s Southern California. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |