Marc Bessant

Peter Gabriel I/O Box Set

Deluxe box set edition of Peter Gabriel I/O - presented in a foil-blocked, clamshell box, containing Bright-Side and Dark-Side LPs in bespoke sleeves, across 4 pieces of black vinyl.

Bright-Side and Dark-Side mixes on CD, plus Blu-ray disc of In-Side Mixes (Dolby Atmos) with 24/96 versions of the Bright-Side and Dark-Side stereo mixes, housed within a 56-page casebound book of expanded liner notes - Peter Gabriel discussing each track, accompanied by artwork and insights from visual artists Ai Weiwei, Nick Cave, Olafur Eliasson, Henry Hudson, Annette Messager, Antony Micallef, David Moreno, Cornelia Parker, Megan Rooney, Tim Shaw, David Spriggs and Barthélémy Toguo.

Expanded cover art poster, and i/o bookmark download code.

• LP, CD, Singles and limited edition box set design, also poster and advertising campaign design and subsequent World Tour merch

• ‘Machine Gun’ with etched side (Battery Point Lighthouse)

• ‘The Rip’ Nick Uff illustration screen-printed black ink on matt black sleeve

• Limited edition boxset containing new album artwork, ‘Machine Gun’ 12”, signed Nick Uff print and ‘P’ shape USB key of hi-res audio

Art direction and graphic design for Real World records, including CDs, LPs, posters, flyers, magazines, photography - pretty much everything associated with the output of a busy, alternative-thinking, independent record label.

A selection of sleeves you can see here, including:
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Party
Geoffrey Oryema
Afro Celt Sound System
Joseph Arthur
Iarla Ó Lionáird
Yungchen Lhamo
Joi
Sheila Chandra
Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali
Spaccanapoli
Jocelyn Pook
Temple of Sound
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Sevara Nazarkhan
Martyn Bennett
Charlie Musselwhite
Little Axe
Daby Toure
Los de Abajo
Varttina
Thomas Mapfumo
Guo Yue
Adrian Sherwood
Skip McDonald
Dengue Fever
9Bach
Les Amazones d'Afrique
Bokanté
The Gloaming

Visit realworldrecords.com

Limited to 500 copies worldwide, this multi-format box set of Peter Gabriel’s album ‘Scratch My Back’ is available exclusively through petergabriel.com

This Collector’s Edition’ is presented in a rigid, full colour and gloss laminated lift off lid box, which includes:

• A 4GB USB key containing 96khz/24 bit studio quality audio of the album, housed in a high density laser engraved foam tray (we went through several versions of this before i was happy, the laser cut the foam at various strengths and i had to keep simplifying the arteries illustration until a balance was met)

• Blood Red, 180gsm heavyweight 12” vinyl pressing of ‘Scratch My Back’ featuring new sleeve artwork unique to this edition (the red vinyl was something i’d wanted to do from very early on in the project, at first i was quite picky about the particular shade, a certain mix of red and blue crystal would have to be mixed to achieve the ‘blood’ red I wanted but alas the colour could not remain consistent and there was a possibility of some ‘streakiness’ within the vinyl – not good – so eventually i concurred that a regular red would have to do. The image on the sleeve itself is another scanned electron micrograph, this time showing the grooves of a record but with a big scratch running through it)

• A 12” square print of the album cover, printed on the 352gsm Mohawk Superfine Ultrawhite Smooth stock, signed and numbered in pencil by Peter Gabriel

• The Special Edition double CD of the album, presented in a case bound full colour and gloss laminated 10 inch cover. Housed in a high density foam tray

• Foil blocked and numbered Certificate of Authenticity

• Production credits panel with an introduction to the project by Peter Gabriel on the verso

Print production: Daniel Mason / Something Else
Photos: Will Thom

Soundtrack by Pedro Bromfman
LP illustration and design for the first season of the Original Netflix Series ‘NARCOS’ Soundtrack by Pedro Bromfman. Released by INVADA Records.

As designer and art director for Invada Records, I get the chance to listen to great music, and also work with some fantastic material, photographers and illustrators.

Shown here are a selection of projects I’ve worked on in one way or another - often using elements from the original productions, occassionally hiring illustrators, and sometimes creating from scratch. As always, full respect to those artists and photographers that have contributed to the sleeve art. Within the blog section of this site are Invada undertakings in more detail.

Record sleeves, picture-discs, posters, clothes, box-sets and various audio oddities.

For all things Invada, visit www.invada.co.uk

Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury - DROKK: Music Inspired by Mega-City One [2xLP 2019 Special Edition Re-Issue]

After being completely sold out on vinyl, Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury’s ‘DROKK: Music Inspired By Mega-City One’ was then re-issued as a special edition double LP with new packaging, and extra bonus material previously not available with the retail vinyl release.

For this re-issue I wanted to create a non-print version, based on the floppy discs used in a vintage synthesizer. Heavyweight grey board, block deboss and die-cut detail sleeve. Black inner sleeves/vinyl.

Commissioned by Violette Records.

Gig poster (2 of 2) for Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band at St. Georges, Bristol

One of the many things I’ve always associated WOMAD festivals with is its closeness to nature, and in particular how we – human beings – take time away from our busy urban lives and jump feet first into it – quite literally wondering amongst fields and woodlands for hours, allowing our senses to stretch. Coupled with the continuous discovery and eclectic mix of music and events encountered at WOMAD, I was keen to create a naturally psychedelic looking piece of work. My original sketch was of illustrated leaves and grasses weaving in and out and through the letters, I really wanted it to look fun, encompassing and boisterous but something wasn’t quite right; being surrounded and entwined with nature was the correct approach but currently it just wasn’t different or colourful enough, it had to be more vivid and, ultimately, fascinating. I had to think bigger, well, actually smaller, much much smaller.

I was familiar with the electron microscopy of Steve Gschmeissner, having worked with him before on a Peter Gabriel record, and he’s incredible at what he does (see his website www.theworldcloseup.com) and the images he manages to photograph never cease to amaze me; I contacted Steve with an idea and Steve set about micrographing, and raiding his archive for, various indiginous flower and grass seeds, which were then cut out and falsely coloured (originally they are grey tones - see third image) before finally getting digitally scattered amidst the typography to complete the piece.

Final image is of some page spreads from the programme.

Printed by Taylor Bothers in Bristol, the souvenir programme turned out really well and it was a pleasure to see it being read by so many at the festival.

LP, CD and various other bits and pieces for Beak> second recording ‘>>’ from INVADA Records

Heavyweight black vinyl and orange vinyl variant. Matt black foil on white sleeve. Printed inner sleeve.

Cloth covered CD edition contain 2xCDs and cloth patches

Steven Spielbergs 1971 TV movie ‘DUEL’, where a terrifying truck, whose driver we never see, chases a lone driver along the desert roads of Southern California is one of my favourite films, so I was over the moon when asked to design a poster to accompany a feature-length documentary, THE DEVIL ON WHEELS which would celebrate the making of and the cult surrounding this film.

I loved making this poster, rarely am I pleased with my work but this one I was very happy with, details like the tyre-tread scales on the snake and the title typography from the Peterbilt 351 truck just added up.

To my knowledge, it never was used. Perhaps I should print them myself…

Original Soundtrack by Toy Drum
Soundtrack LP Design for Alice Lowe’s ‘PREVENGE’ by Toy Drum. Gatefold sleeve, red vinyl (also ‘blood and milk’ limited edition splatter version)

Vandalised (with a biro and a bread-knife) the official film poster and used illustrations from Ruths (Alice’ character in the film) ‘kill book’ for the inner gatefold collage.

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Image at the bottom shows alternative idea I had for a poster

I was approached by award-winning composer Josh Wynter to create the cover art for his new digital album Liminality. Josh was keen to present his music in the ‘contemporary classical / alternative’ sphere whilst giving a nod to an organic, natural palette. On listening I could see why, cinematic strokes and delicate details, his music certainly makes good pictures. We were keen to explore the ‘space in-between’ or portals between worlds, we looked at reflections and geometric shapes in various environments until eventually settling on a photograph I took at Morte Hoe in Devon, UK a couple of years ago; The palette really worked, the drama and the beauty was apparent and so I set about slicing the image up in order to mirror different sections, it had to look wrong (in a good way) but also intriguing, like something super-natural that may have always been there, something photo/graphic. We worked on lots of versions but when this one came along it just felt right.

Joshs music can be heard on various TV/Film and over at https://www.joshwynter.com

Gatefold LP and CD design for the John Metcalfe album ‘Absensce’, released by Neue Meister Music

The front cover is a still from footage shot in London shortly after the second world war. Although the room is filled with people having a night out there is a melancholy sway to it, a sense of ghosts in the room, that these people are dancing with memories of loved ones taken too soon.

CMYK on uncoated stock with spot metallic typography. Gatefold/back cover photography: Tom Oldham

To mark the 25th anniversary of Peter Gabriel’s classic album So, this Box Set allows fans to delve deeper into the world of one of the defining albums of the era.

Contains:

• Newly-remastered So CD

• So DNA CD (Audio evolution of So)

• Studio quality 24-bit digital download

• Live In Athens 1987 double CD + DVD

• Classic Albums: So DVD

• 180gram So 12” LP

• 12” AA vinyl

• Collectible 60 page case-bound book

Original design by Brett Wickens and Peter Saville.

More on this project in the Blog

Original Soundtrack by Beak>

Art and design of BEAK>'s soundtrack to the Tom Geens debut feature film 'Couple In a Hole’

CD and LP with limited edition signed (by Tom and myself) print.

Cover is mixed media (paint, pencil and collage) on canvas

‘Medea’ is a tragedy written by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides, based on the myth of Jason and Medea, and particularly Medea‘s revenge against Jason for betraying her with another woman.

I was commissioned to design the poster for the production; so utilising a cropped photograph of William Wetmore’s carving, a little vandalism and apposite bespoke text – I arrived at the poster you see here.

‘The Document’ is a series of LPs compiled by DJ Andy Smith that has spanned over 20 years, taking in Hip-Hop and Reggae to Prog Rock and soundtracks, this series has always been a great example of the ‘mix album’.

Art, photography and design for The Document 1, 2 & 3, Trojan Document (for Trojan Records) and Greensleeves Document (for Greensleeves Records). LP / CD / Posters

Commissioned by GreenLight Multimedia in Los Angeles to design the gig-poster for ‘Allen Stone’ Karaoke Extravaganza’ live at Analog, Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. It was an open brief, the only direction of note was to include the ‘Analog’ logo somewhere – in this case, the stylised ‘A’ in the centre. After submitting a number of different sketches, we finally set upon the idea of a microphone/bird-cage where the occupant has broken free.

Original Soundtrack by Warren Ellis

CD/LP

‘Music mostly composed and recorded on trains’

Artwork created using video grabs from the Arno Bitschy film, featuring liner notes by Warren Ellis and Brian Eno.

Limited edition coloured vinyl and regular black pressing (shown)

Adrian Utley (Portishead) brings together an orchestra of electric guitar players to interpret Terry Riley's 'In C'.

Written in 1964, ‘In C’ is one of the most influential pieces of music from the 20th Century, it established minimalism as a music genre. In C's simple musical rules - 53 musical phrases in C and no duration - allow for infinite variations.

Utley's Guitar Orchestra is augmented by organs and a clarinet making for a mesmeric sound experience. The Guitar Orchestra consists of 24 musicians so the cover has 24 concentric ‘C’s.

CD and LP (shown) design and photography.
Matt grey board with clear spot-varnish ‘C’s, printed insert shows images from the concert. The ‘white noise’ image was achieved by figuring a way to open the digital sound file in image software. Frosted vinyl edition.

Music Inspired by Mega-City One by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury

Although it is a soundtrack of sorts, Barrow and Salisbury instinctively felt that music for MC1 should steer clear of the rich orchestration common to many contemporary film scores. Even for electronica the music is often purposefully stark and spare, with the majority of tracks created exclusively on the Oberhiem 2 Voice Synthesizer (a 1975 classic keyboard), and its onboard sequencer used to create rhythm and drums sounds. The only exceptions are a handful of tracks which combine the synth with digitally manipulated and time - stretched performances of acoustic instruments (such as piano, violin, mandolin, ukulele, voice and hammered dulcimer). There is also a brief cameo from Barrow’s other band BEAK>.

"2000 AD is delighted that Judge Dredd continues to inspire artists in the year of the character’s 35th anniversary, especially such high profile talents as Geoff and Ben. You can tell, from their vision of the Big Meg, that they’re massive fans of the strip." 2000 AD

Art and design for CD, LP and special edition DROKK canister.

Photography by 45RPM

Original soundtrack by Craig Safan

‘In a secret military laboratory operating under the guise of a pesticide manufacturer, there is an outbreak of a virulent bacteria. During routine work, a sealed tube is broken, releasing the secret biological weapon. Whereupon, detecting the release of the weapon, Joanie Morse, the plant's security officer, activates "Protocol One," a procedure sealing all of the workers inside from the outside world.’

Warning Sign is a 1985 science fiction-horror film directed by Hal Barwood. Craig Safan's music is notable for its clever use of electronics, and Warning Sign is no different. Recorded using a Synclavier Synthesizer - the score is fully electronic but no less effective than his orchestral work, and provides an entertaining and futuristic soundscape for the story of a man-made virus that is accidentally released into its laboratory, turning its workers into zombies.

CD and LP illustration and design for Craig Safan, released by Invada Records.
Paint, Mac, Film stills and splatter vinyl.

30 years of Real World Music

Celebrating 30 years of discovery and enlightenment, this window into Real World music traces a path from Tanzania to China, Ireland to Tibet, Colombia to Papua New Guinea. With tracks that opened our minds and hearts to sounds from all around our planet— an enriching and joyous experience.

CD digipack design.
Proposed LP and CD envelope shown.

Commissioned by Violette Records.

Gig poster (1 of 2) for Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band at St. Georges, Bristol

Sting & Peter Gabriel North America Tour

Peter Gabriel and Sting’s Rock Paper Scissors tour consisted of 21 shows around North America. I was responsible for the art direction and design of many of the elements associated with such a live event - Posters, T-shirts, laminates, tour book (some spreads of which you can see here) and also the shows video graphics alongside Gabriel/Sting production teams and the Animation, Information Experience Design and Visual Communication graduate students and staff from the Royal College of Art headed by Neville Brody.

and yes - the hands are theirs.

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Clint Mansell

Clint Mansell’s dark and hypnotic score for British film director Carol Morley’s Neo-noir thriller – ‘Out Of Blue’

Shown is the limited edition picture disc, standard vinyl, and the retail variant - pressed on blue and black marble vinyl, housed in a gloss sleeve, with a double sided printed inner bag which features credits and liner notes by Carol Morley.

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Tagged on the end here is a poster I put together after seeing the film, this wasn’t official in any way but more a piece of fan-art - Carol liked it so maybe there is hope for this one yet?

Original Television Soundtrack
Music by Brian Reitzell

Design and layout of the Brian Reitzell soundtrack LPs for three seasons of the NBC series ‘HANNIBAL’

Gatefold sleeves utilising the fantastic photography of director David Slade, classic typefaces and coloured vinyl. Released by Invada and Lakeshore Records. Delicious.

LP/CD art and design for three consecutive and very different albums for ‘Malachai’.

‘The Ugly Side of Love’

‘Return to the Ugly Side’

‘Beyond Ugly’

Also created 12” single art, promotional posters and merchandise. Last picture ‘shot and stuffed’ in Bristol museum, taken by Toby Farrow

Examples of the CD/LP art and design I have created for jazz/fusion composer Chick Corea.
I have worked with Chick over many years and on many projects - albums, posters, tour merchandise, web graphics etc.

Shown here in reading order is:
• Further Explorations, with Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian
• The Continents
• The Enchantment, with Bela Fleck
• The Ultimate Adventure
• Chinese Butterfly, with The Steve Gadd Band
• Duet, with Hiromi
• Return to Forever
• Two, with Bela Fleck
• Hot House, with Gary Burton

All Eternals Deck

CD/LP and poster design for The Mountain Goats ‘All Eternals Deck’

Video grabs and spot-silver typography

Peter Gabriel’s ‘Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours’ project was originally conceived as a reciprocal arrangement that would be released as one album, however it was Peter’s half that arrived first, in 2010, featuring his orchestral interpretations of some of his favourite songs. It was titled ‘Scratch My Back’. The second part, ‘And I’ll Scratch Yours’ featuring artists covering Peter’s songs followed in 2013. A double album containing both records was released shortly after.
Peter went on to tour the music worldwide as ‘Scratch My Back - Live’ with full orchestra ensemble - I was tasked with producing much of the content that accompanies such a production - T-shirts, posters, etc, as well as concepts/content for the stage video graphics. The tour lead to two further releases ‘Live Blood’ and a ‘Live Blood - Deluxe edition’ recorded at Hammersmith Apollo in March 2011. Following the success of ‘Scratch My Back’, Peter recorded ‘New Blood’, again with full orchestra, intent on ‘pumping new blood into this old material’.

Scratch My Back
CD / LP
Front cover is a scanned electron micrograph of two blood cells gently folding over each other, and the back cover is another SEM of a cross-section of a broken finger nail.
Photography by Steve Gschmeissner. PG portrait by Nadav Kander

..and I’ll Scratch Yours
CD / (LP concept shown)
Falsely coloured scanned electron micrograph of a stinging nettle hair (trichome) on the cover and another SEM of a damaged fingerprint on the reverse.
Photography by Steve Gschmeissner.

Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours
Double LP contains both of the above, cover shows a blood blot test with each blot then used as a cover for the individual tracks (digital and 7”). Originally I wanted this to be housed in a printed and debossed filter paper sleeve.

New Blood
CD / LP
The cover for ‘New Blood’ shows an embryonic stem cell on the tip of a needle (coloured for enhancement), for this sleeve I really wanted something that had a ‘point of origin’, the very beginning of things, along with an object associated with drawing blood or making a new mark. On the inside was a visual experiment to display the music - I gave each instrument a colour so as the track progresses it built a picture of its ‘DNA’

New Blood: Live In London Deluxe Edition
Hardback book edition of 60 pages containing more than 200 photographs, DVD/Blu-ray + 2CD of the Hammersmith, London show. The cover shot is another colaboration between Steve Gschmeissner and myself, and shows a coloured scanned electron micrograph of red blood cells, a lymphocyte, a neutrophil, a macrophage and platelets.

Live Blood
CD / (LP concept shown)
Front cover has individual blood cells on the tip of a hypodermic needle. Photography from the event throughout.

I love posters, looking at them, collecting them, and most of all - doing them.

I just wish I was asked to do more!

A selection of posters here - music/theatre, old/new, good/bad, some I like/some best forgotten, some official/some never-made-its …