This was the launch issue. I had been advised that “the Face” was too abstract, and I should have the word monthly in the title, and I knew I could find something more current for a first cover than the Specials. But they embodied everything the magazine aspired to – they had a look, a passion, and great music – so there was never an alternative. In a sentimental way too, I owed 2 Tone a debt for the inspiration to pursue the idea. And, as it was my savings at risk, I could call it what I liked – after all, the Face was to be my escape from a career where too often I struggled to explain myself to publishers or committees. No focus groups here: I was purely, wholeheartedly, following instinct. Photograph: Vinmag/vin mag archive
This was Neville Brody’s third cover as art director. It had been an unbelievably tough first year but now The Face had an ad manager and a full-time editorial team of two. Neville was designing book and record sleeves in a sublet cubbyhole in our small office in Mortimer Street, London. He had no experience of magazines but learned fast. For the first time, this cover gave me real confidence in the magazine’s future. Photograph: PR
Neville kindly gives me credit for this. Without a cover-worthy photo, the radical crop was my suggestion. Photograph: PR
I had part-accepted one piece of prevailing publishing wisdom: that it would be tough to launch a “general interest” magazine in the UK. That’s why the predominant subject matter early on was music. But when it looked as if the Face might not survive the first year, there was little to be lost by holding back. This wasn’t the first fashion cover, but it was the boldest of that early period. Photograph: PR
There were equally strong and memorable covers in subsequent years: this is representative of middle- and late-period of the Face. Ironically, again I think it came from not having an obvious cover personality, instead casting around for an alternative. Art directed by Phil Bicker, scripted by Sheryl Garratt, featuring a then unknown Kate Moss, this pulls together a number of threads – from music, fashion, culture - to make one impactful story. Photograph: PR
