The record exec who drew all the big stars

Mike Smith sketched almost every band he ever watched, and now his pictures are collected in a bookYou can spot the industry executives at gigs – they're the ones lost in concentration, brains computing an artist's potential commercial value, while they sharpen their pencils and start sketching. OK, so maybe that last bit only applies to Mike Smith, the managing director of Columbia Records, who has spent the past two decades drawing almost all of the bands he's watched.Whether at dingy indie ...

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19:00 on July 24 2011

Mike Smith's sketches of rock stars – in pictures

Guardian Music — From Bruce Springsteen to the White Stripes, see how this record exec recorded memorable gigs with a pencil drawing more info

Bruce Springsteen The White Stripes

19:00 on July 24 2011

The record exec who drew all the big stars

Guardian Music — Mike Smith sketched almost every band he ever watched, and now his pictures are collected in a bookYou can spot the industry executives at gigs – they're the ones lost ... more info

Eminem Blur The White Stripes Arctic Monkeys Damon Albarn The Beta Band Katy B