Notorious UK guerrilla artist Banksy has sabotaged 500 copies of Paris Hilton's debut CD.
The graffiti/stencil artist and agitator Banksy has replaced five hundred copies of Paris Hilton's debut album with a "remixed" version in stores across the UK. The album looks virtually identical but track titles have been replaced with 'Why am I Famous?', 'What Have I Done?' and 'What Am I For?' and inner sleeve art has been doctored. The music was also remixed by "DM", some suggesting it's Gnarls Barkley beatmaster Danger Mouse.The barcode was retained, so the new versions have sold as normal. Many retailers have been hunting for the doctored copies but copies are currently attracted bids up to US$700 on eBay.
Banksy has a long history of stunts, recalling a Situationist ethic of detournement. He surreptitiously included his own artwork on the walls of the Tate Britain gallery, MoMA, the British Museum and more. He's scrawled slogans inside animal enclosures in two British zoos. He also painted trompe l'oeil style images representing holes and ladders on the Palestinian side of the Israeli West Bank wall.
He has previous musical connections; he painted the cover of Blur's 'Thinktank' album and Green Day's Tres Cool reportedly has two tattoos of Banksy's designs.
