Not only was 2014 a pretty eventful year for me, but this seems likely the case for Foster The People. The launch of the trio's sophomore album “Supermodel” tread down a bumpy road until late autumn when it evened out into a trail of golden bricks. “Supermodel” was overlooked as a sleeper in the shadow of “Torches”, but at least the mural successfully pissed off quite a bit of townsfolk, and that's what matters.
The album's cover art was painted on an exterior wall facing the parking lot sometime in early January. The album hit shelves on March 14, 2014, however, the mural, created by Young and Sick, was glossed over by August. The Santa Fe Lofts near 6th and Main Streets is owned by real estate company Capital Foresight, so let's just say, they weren't all too thrilled their property was defaced. That didn't stop the LA indie rock band from having a concert on January 23rd celebrating their creation.
Despite an intervention involving an online campaign as well as Mayor Eric Garcetti stepping in to save the iconic painting, the mural was promptly restored to its original state after violating preservation codes. The campaign delayed the process by a few more weeks after the band announced it'd have to be taken down by July 14th, coupled with Garcetti suggesting changes be postponed.
A joint statement from the band, Garcetti, and the landlord read, “necessary to remove the mural to return this historic property to its original state.”
Additionally, they also said they have “committed to working together to create a new mural in another downtown location that all Angelenos can enjoy for many years. Details of the mural will be revealed at a later date.”
Here's a fun fact: Foster The People played a gig at The Shrine in Los Angeles on November 14, 2014, which is a short walk from the original mural. Mark Foster also lives three blocks from it.