Barcodes, like all underdogs, are brilliant.

For Level, I gave them a promotion, from being tolerated and shoved in a bottom corner, to centre stage. Or at least top-right stage. Integrating them with the masthead and other magazine-standard data made for a beautiful, unexpected arrangement.

(I did something similar for my proposed design for The Bicycle Buyer but it went over the publishers’ heads.)

I had full creative control over the coverlines too. I wrote most of them, for a start.

Normally nice Nina from The Cardigans was tired from a long tour; that’s what was eating her and her band. Spoiler alert.

Jackass, the MTV show, was not publicised in the UK until six months later — this was before the web and social media globalised everything instantaneously — so this cover raised some questions and eyebrows. It’s good to do at least one of those with a cover.

(Level 01 won the year’s top UK award for magazine design, beating swanky finalists Wallpaper*, GQ and Car.)

[ For Level Magazine ]