Website: www.t42design.com
Instagram: t42design
Facebook: www.facebook.com/t42design
23
My band Nightswan was about to record its first EP, when another friend suggested that I’d create the design, cover art and band logo. My friend was already an accomplished graphic designer with access to all kinds of traditional tools. Mind you, this was several years before we got in touch with McIntosh computers, as they were called at the time! I remember having good fun designing my first CD packaging, for my own band! My friend then reminded me and said ‘You know, you can make a living doing this.’
Well then, I thought. Let’s pursue this.
But first, duty was calling. As it is mandatory in Switzerland to join the Military for males turning 20, I figured, ok, let’s get this behind me and be a good sport. After 4 months, my service was fulfilled and I was able to tackle my next move. That move was to apply to the prestigious design school in Pasadena, Art Center College of Design. California I here I come! After I earned a BFA at ACCD, I landed my first gig as a junior designer at MCA Records. There I was able to get my feet wet and learn the ropes of the business. Initial artists I got to work with were the Ramones, BB King and Cheap Trick among others.
In 1997 however, I founded my own design business (t42design) along with my then girlfriend Toby Yoo. 20
years later, now married, her and I have amassed a significant amount of projects, a proud roster of clientele and have worked with many of the bands whose posters I once had on my walls as a teen.
Perhaps my biggest accomplishment professionally was to gain KISS as a client and to retain them as a long-lasting repeat client! After 17 years of collaborations, numerous box sets, CD packagings, tour programs and merchandising, there seems to be no end in sight as to the various projects we’ve designed for them and what might still be ahead of us. Other highlights were designing the first two albums for Slipknot, working with 80s icons Def Leppard on several CD and book projects or having the honor to design Johnny Cash’s ‘The Legend Of’ platinum selling CD.
Not too forget the collaboration with my musical hero Eddie Van Halen, for whom I got to co-launch and develop his own merchandising brand. Another privilege I got to enjoy was and still is professional relationships as well as forged friendships with legendary music photographers like Neil Zlozower, Ross Halfin (with whom both I worked on several coffee table books) and the greatest of them all, Jim Marshall (RIP).