'People show me their intimate tattoos of my album art'

Andy Vela is a talented designer who has spent over 40 years creating album covers for various artists, but he is particularly well-known for his work with the iconic band The Cure. One of his most recognized designs is the cover for The Cure's re-released album Boys Don't Cry, which features a striking black and white image of Robert Smith, the band's lead singer, holding an electric guitar. Andy's designs have made their way into millions of homes around the world, and he often receives messages from fans who have tattooed his artwork on their bodies. 'It's a bit strange but also really cool,' he says. 'Whenever I create a new album cover, someone sends me a tattoo of it. ' He has seen tattoos of Robert Smith's silhouette from Boys Don't Cry on people's backs, arms, and even legs. Andy recalls a memorable encounter with comedian Greg Davies, who was so impressed to meet him that he knelt down and bowed, saying, 'Oh my God, I grew up with that on my wall. ' This moment made Andy feel both embarrassed and proud. Recently, Andy worked on a new album cover for a charity project aimed at helping children affected by war. In addition to album covers, he has also designed book covers for well-known authors like Margaret Atwood and Stieg Larsson. Andy's journey in design began when he was still a student at art school. He was approached by Porl Thompson, a guitarist from The Cure, who wanted Andy to photograph another band he was involved with. Porl showed Robert Smith some of Andy's work, and at just 18 years old, Andy was asked to design a record sleeve for The Cure's third album, Faith. This was a significant milestone in his career. Over the years, Andy has created covers for many of The Cure's most famous albums, including Disintegration, which sold over three million copies worldwide after its release in 1989, and the recent chart-topping album Songs of a Lost World. When designing a new album cover, Andy looks for inspiration that connects with the music. 'With Robert, his lyrics are incredibly inspiring,' he explains. 'Often, just reading one line can spark a great idea. ' For the album Songs of a Lost World, Andy and Robert decided to use a design featuring a stone statue head lying on its side, which they felt represented the powerful sound of the music. Songs of a Lost World marked The Cure's first album in 16 years and quickly reached number one on the charts. Andy also shares a humorous story about the cover design for the album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. While in Brazil, he was asked to get his design approved, even though he was still working on it. While experimenting with the layout in a taxi, an unexpected bump caused his design to shift. 'We went over a speed bump, and the acetate just jumped to the middle of the sleeve,' he recalls. Initially, he thought it was a mistake, but when he showed it to Robert, he loved the new placement. 'Sometimes, it's nice to let the universe take over,' Andy laughs. For his latest project, Andy created a cover for War Child's Secret 7 project, which involves 700 different artists designing unique record sleeves for songs by various musicians. The records will be displayed in London and auctioned off to raise money for charity. Andy has participated in Secret 7 before, and he admits that the pressure to create something exceptional can be overwhelming. 'There's just too much pressure! ' he exclaims. 'You want to create something brilliant to raise money for War Child. ' War Child is a charity that helps children living in war zones, and Andy is proud to be part of this important project. He believes that music and art have the power to bring people together and make a difference in the world. The Secret 7 project will be on display until June 1, after which the records will be sold in an online auction to support War Child.