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"Dangerous" Album Release

Mark Ryden, painter of album cover, “Michael Jackson Fan Club Magazine” (2001) (archived mirror)

Fan Club Magazine: What process was involved in your being chosen to create the ‘Dangerous’ album cover? Did you know Michael prior to this work, and if you did, how?

Mark Ryden: I had previously worked with the Art Director at Sony Music (Nancy Donald) on several other projects and when she was working on the Michael Jackson project she thought of me. Michael was shown a portfolio of my work and he liked it very much. I then met with him at his recording studio where I got to hear a little of the new music and talk about the idea. From there I had about a week to create some ideas. I did 5 very elaborate pencil drawings which were shown to Michael. There was one which stood out which everybody including Michael seemed to like and that is what I painted.

FCM: So there were 5 pre’ Dangerous drawings? Can you tell us what the others were like?

Ryden: They did all seem to be in the same general style as the one I did. One concept was in more of a Circus Poster motif with a skeleton jumping out of a clown’s gut. One sketch focused closer on that girl standing on the hand holding the skull which is in the final version. One idea was similar to the final except that it was an airy light outdoor scene with Michael’s eyes floating in the clouds above Bubbles who was standing on a heap of animals...

FCM: There are several similarities between the “Leave Me Alone” video and the Dangerous cover. Did this video influence your work on the Dangerous cover?

Ryden: Definitely.

FCM: What do you think of Michael Jackson, the man?

Ryden: I think he is a very talented and creative person. I think that he is overwhelmed with perfectionism and trying to live up to his own success. In our visit together we had a lot of similar interests that we talked about like the movie “freaks” and Disneyana...

FCM: ‘Dangerous’ is without a doubt one of the most impressive works ever done for an album cover. How long did it take you to complete this project, from start to finish?

Ryden: It was by far my most ambitious work. The original was large (for me) three feet square. It took several months to do the entire project including sketches and everything.

FCM: Would you say that this was one of your most ambitious works because it was for Michael, the man you said is overwhelmed with perfectionism and trying to live up to his own success’? Were you striving for that as well?

Ryden: I was actually just trying to live up to my own perfectionism.

FCM: Several months on one album cover seems like a long time, yet looking at the work I can’t imagine doing it in that length of time. Is this one of the longest times you have spent on a painting for an album cover?

Ryden: I never had or ever again did I spend as much time on a cover. The main problem is that it just doesn’t translate into the small cd format and is just not worth the effort. I was aware of this going into the M.J. cd cover but I just didn’t let that stop me from going all out on it.

FCM: Was the album completed before you did the cover, or were you working on the cover while Michael was still recording for the album?

Ryden: Michael was still working on the album while I did the painting. I did get to hear some of it ahead of time and most of the song titles were given to me.

FCM: Are some of the song titles represented in the painting?

Ryden: If you look around you can find them.

FCM: If the album wasn’t completed when you began your work, did you have the name of the album and if so, was the name any inspiration to your work?

Ryden: Yes, the name was one thing that was decided. It did provide a starting point for the concept.

FCM: If the album was completed before you began on the cover, were you inspired by any of the music on the album when working on the cover?

Ryden: Yes it was some of the inspiration.

FCM: In what way? If you were to name this painting what would you call it?

Ryden: Hummmmmmmm. I would have to think about that one. I usually have to

spend quite a lot of time to title my paintings.

FCM: From the creator’s standpoint, do you think you could call this painting ‘Dangerous’?

Ryden: Sure, that is what I started with and suits it.

FCM: Was this particular project something that you did by hand or are there parts of it that are computer generated?

Ryden: No computers. Just good old fashioned painting. Many many days of painting.

FCM: That is just amazing. The detail in this painting definitely shows hours of painstaking work. Can you remember what you did to prepare’ yourself mentally before beginning the painting or the sketches? How did you get that magic monkey’ to begin work on such an elaborate painting?

Ryden: I was younger, very energenic, and very enthusiastic about doing the project.

FCM: Can you tell us what medium was used for this painting?

Ryden: Acrylic on panel.

FCM: Was there anything special that you did for this painting? Any special effects that you don’t normally use?

Ryden: Not really.

FCM: Where is the original artwork? Does Michael have it?

Ryden: I still have the original.

FCM: Do you keep all your originals that you do for album covers? Do you plan on keeping this painting? If you do not normally keep the originals then why did you keep this one?

Ryden: The record company only purchases the reproduction rights but they or someone else can also buy the original, but that is a separate fee.

FCM: Did Michael have any input in the design of the ‘Dangerous’ album cover and if so to what extent?

Ryden: Michael was open enough to just let me go for it on my own. He did have some specific additions to the painting after I was finished.

FCM: Really? Can you tell us what it was that he added?

Ryden: He wanted his friend Macaulay added in the ride car at the bottom right. He wanted the 1998 pin on P.T. Barnum’s Tux. The half white/half black boy was also some thing Michael wanted added. They were a few more things also.

FCM: Can you tell us what the picture and it’s different symbols represent? For example: Who is the man in the tux and why does he have 1998 on him? What does the “amusement ride” represent? Who is the “ring master” on top of the man in the tux, and what does the 7 represent on his hat? Who is represented by the bust that is half black and half white, and what does it mean? What about the animals? Why are the dog and the bird represented as king and queen? And what does the MJ on the dog’s crown represent? What does the “Birth of Venus” statue represent in this picture?

Ryden: Well these are all the questions that I am sure you are very anxious to hear explained. I feel that if a painting is explained away something is lost for the viewer. I like the sense of mystery to the symbolism and wouldn’t want that to get lost. It is an important part of the image to me. I am more interested in how other people interpret the image themselves.

FCM: There is definitely a sense of mystery to the symbolism! I do understand your not wanting that to be lost with an interpretation of the painting. Can you give the fans any ideas about what you were thinking when doing this? Give them some sense of direction toward the meaning?

Ryden: I am afraid they are on their own! (Sorry!)

FCM: The entire picture is extremely impressive but, the thing that makes it most unique is the eyes. How did you decide to use only Michael’s eyes?

Ryden: That was part of the original concept decided by Michael and the Art Director. That is what I began with.

FCM: How long did you work on those eyes? They are so lifelike, did you use a photo of Michael to do this or did you have Michael pose for them?

Ryden: I had many photographs of Michael to work from.

FCM: If asked, would you consider doing another album cover for Michael?

Ryden: Definitely.

PURE Magazine, "The Meat Alchemist" By Noko, No. 006, Vol One (2001) (Mirror)

Noko: One of your most famous images is undoubtedly Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" LP sleeve artwork - tell us something we don't know about the King of Pop.

Ryden: I suppose the thing most people don't know, and what surprised me, was how "normal" Michael Jackson was in person. His public image is so strange I did not know what to expect but when I met with him we had a very typical and relaxed conversation. We had many common interests we talked about. Maybe I am just a freak also.

Teddy Riley, album producer, “Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York 2017” Interview (May 5, 2017)

I chose the album cover, which was--that's amazing for someone to put you in a position--it's like, they had a bunch of pictures on the table, and it's like, "Teddy, what do you think?" I'm nervous as hell. I was like, "I don't want to pick the wrong thing and the whole record company--everybody hates my idea." Well, I said to him, "None of those are the album covers." He said, "What? Should I do a new photo shoot?" I said, "No, they all great, but that's not the album cover. The album cover is what you've been doing in that room. It's that collage with your face in the middle, and you're looking to all of your art, and you've seen a vision in the colors of your music." He said, "Oh, go get it!" [laughs] I had the workers come get it and they bring and put it on the table, and everybody was like, "Wow", because I'm the only one that's seen it, and maybe his workers who walked in the room, but they never thought twice, because Michael always makin' art. He's an artist. I'm talking about a real craftsman artist. He'll take these apples, and make it into art. And put water, and he'll just make this whole thing and start piecing things together, and take the plants, and the monkeys, and that's what you seen. And it was so brilliant, that they made it into 3D. If you guys can go on eBay, you can actually pick one up. And when you open it, it's the collage and it's life-sized, it stands up, and I said to myself, "Wow, this is how God works." So, for you to be from here, all the way to here, in the marketing meetings, and from that to Michael, being on American Music [Awards] and Grammys and things about me that are so like, "Wow."