Follow The Pretty Horses.
An insight into the first demo tape session and the creation of Tape Face Poster #1 with Ash Radford.
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More InformationThe first version of the poster was based on wordplay involving “tape face” vs. “type face.”
Demo Tape Sessions: Where talent meets high-end production
Some projects are the result of long planning, others just appear - like a brilliant song in the middle of the night. The “Demo Tape Sessions” at LITTLE BIG BEAT STUDIOS in Eschen, Liechtenstein, definitely belong to the first category. They are the result of my intensive preparatory work as co-initiator and creative producer in collaboration with LITTLE BIG BEAT STUDIOS. and VP Bank. Even during the development and realization of the first VP Bank session with Jan SEVEN Dettwyler, it was our joint intention to incorporate talent promotion as a core element in the long term. The goal? To give young talents a platformwhere they can record their music in a professional but intimate environment - raw, genuine, unpolished. We want to make creative potential visible and take the promotion of artists in the field of music and media to a new level by using our interdisciplinary skills to produce high-quality content: High-end audio, video and photography combined with creative content marketing - all for the benefit of the artists who successfully qualify for the Demo Tape Sessions.
The birth of an idea: when a tape paints a picture
I wanted to give a face on the one hand to the overall appearance of the Demo Tape Sessions and on the other hand to the individual bands and artists - in the truest sense of the word. That's why I developed the idea of the “Tape Face Posters”. The principle is as simple as it is fascinating: Imagine pulling the magnetic tape out of a music cassette - what would unfold on the paper? The answer: the artist's face. But that would be almost too banal. Because it's not just the exterior that should be revealed - but also his expression, his nature, his creative essence.
With the first Tape Face poster designed for Ash Radford, I had a clear concept: it's not just about a poster, it's about a deeper story. It's about depicting an artist in all his facets - not just musically, but also as a person.
What drives you?
I grabbed Ash via FaceTime and asked him my favorite question: what drives you?
The conversation that followed was more than just an interview. It was an in-depth exchange about inspiration (cliché alert: it usually comes at night or in the shower, of course), about melancholy and joy (and how they feed off each other) and about the incredible energy of interpersonal relationships that influences Ash's music.
Then I heard this one sentence that I couldn't forget: „Follow the pretty horses, they know where.“ Sounds mystical? It is. It's about intuition, about letting go, about trusting the unknown.
The poster: Music you can touch
I must have already had this sentence intuitively in my head when I started designing the tape face poster while on vacation. Hand-drawn sketches, a woodcut by laser, which was then printed on my old letterpress machine - a mixture of old-school craftsmanship and modern technology. And in the end? Ash's face. His expression. His music in the form of a single, continuous line. And underneath: “Follow the pretty horses, they know where.”
It became not just a picture, but a message. A reminder that art is often created where we don't expect it - and that music can not only be heard, but also seen and felt.
More than just a poster
While developing the artwork, I realized that this was about more than just a visual gimmick. Demo Tape Sessions are not just studio live sessions, but intimate snapshots of artists showing themselves as they are. The Tape Face posters enhance this experience - they capture the energy of these sessions in a physical work.
«Sometimes you have to take the wrong turns to find out there’s no fucking road.»
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More InformationBrief impression of my Facetime call with Ash. His statement reminds me of Robert Frost's poem “The Road Not Taken”.
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More InformationThe “making of” of the poster in fast-forward. I spent about 4 days in the studio for the realization of the drawings, via laser cut, lead and wood typesetting to the final letterpress poster. Pure meditation :)
And what's next?
This is just the beginning. Each new demo tape session will bring with it a new tape face poster. Each artist will tell their own story - visually, musically, emotionally.
Ash Radford was the first, but not the last. His poster is the prelude to a series that goes far beyond a single concert. It is a visual reflection of his music, an invitation to connect with art and creativity in a new way.
A conclusion that resonates
When I look back on this project, it revolves, as almost always, around my core theme: resonance. About creating connections - between music, art and people.
And maybe - just maybe - sometimes we just have to follow the pretty horses. Because they know where to go.
Thanks to our Partners who make this incredible platform possible:
VP Bank, Sennheiser, RTM Industries and Little Big Beat LBB Association.