UPDATING MY TUBE-STYLE MUSIC MAPS
REVAMPING MY TUBE MAPS WITH UPDATES
For active bands and musicians (often thought gone from recording and performing, eg Kate Bush) is a dynamic and ongoing process, much like the music industry.
My tube maps intricately detail the recording histories of bands and musicians as interconnected lines and stations, and they are never truly set in stone. There are several reasons why updates are not only common but necessary.
One primary reason for updates is the release of new albums. As artists continue to create and release new music, the discography maps must be revised to include these latest offerings. This ensures that the map accurately reflects the current landscape of the artist’s musical journey.
Additionally, changes in band line-ups or collaborations with other musicians can add new lines or paths to the map, symbolising the evolving nature of music creation and partnership.
Another significant source of updates is fans and the artists themselves. With their keen attention to detail and dedication, fans often provide corrections or insights that can enhance the accuracy and depth of the maps.
Artists like Billy Bragg and Simon Rogers (The Fall) have shared new (and corrected) information that sheds light on previously unmet connections, enriching the narrative captured by the maps. Involvement of my local band the Levellers, has seen a few shifts in what is 'public knowledge,' with their input.
Updating and revising the maps highlights an essential truth about music and its history: it is fluid, not fixed. Just as new albums can reshape an artist's discography, so too can new interpretations or discoveries alter our understanding of music history.
The maps represent what is known at a given time but are open to reinterpretation and revision. The idea that "no matter what is written down, someone else can rewrite it with hindsight" speaks to the heart of these maps.
They are about presenting an agreed-upon history and capturing a moment, knowing that future revelations or perspectives might change the landscape.
It's a metaphor for our modern world, where the only constant is change, and our understanding of the past and the present is constantly evolving.
In summary, Album Discography Tubes and underground Maps are living documents that reflect the ongoing story of music. They celebrate the richness of musical histories while acknowledging that these narratives are never truly complete.
As I update and refine these maps, I pay homage to the ever-changing nature of art, culture, and knowledge in our interconnected world.
ABOUT MIKE BELL - TUBE MAP DESIGNER
Mike Bell Maps is my growing collection of tube map art prints that reimagine music, film, and culture through the visual language of underground maps. Each design presents albums in order, film plots, and complex creative histories as clear, engaging tube-style timelines created for fans who value depth and detail.
RESEARCH-LED DESIGN
Every artwork is built on original research and careful verification. Albums become stations. Musicians, characters, and ideas form connecting lines. This approach turns detailed information into visual storytelling, creating art prints that bring clarity and meaning to subjects people already care about.
MY STORY
My background is rooted in live sound and large-scale show design, working across music and cultural events for many years. That experience shaped how I understand collaboration, creative evolution, and structure. During lockdown, I applied that knowledge to mapping music and films, developing underground maps that balance accuracy, design, and narrative.
THE ARTWORK
Each print is produced to archival standards and designed to last. These are not novelty posters. They are considered art prints created for people who value music history, film structure, and informed design. They make thoughtful gifts for fans who want something personal, researched, and meaningful.
Mike Bell Maps is where research-led tube maps become art prints, and where stories worth knowing are mapped clearly, carefully, and beautifully.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What are Mike Bell’s tube map art prints?
A: My prints utilise an advanced visual language based on the logic of underground maps to organise complex histories. By moving beyond basic cartography, I transform albums into "stations" and musicians or themes into "connecting lines." This allows fans to explore hundreds of data points - from session musician credits to chronological collaborations - within a single, intuitive visual system.
Q: How do these maps differ from standard music or tube posters?
A: The primary difference is information density and quality. While standard posters are often low-resolution decorative pieces on thin paper (135-170gsm), my prints are research-led discographies printed on archival-grade, 305gsm+ heavyweight giclée paper. They are designed to be "read" like a book, rewarding deep curiosity with discoveries not found in mass-produced merchandise.
Q: How is the accuracy of the research verified?
A: Accuracy is the core of my design process. Every map is synthesised from primary sources, including official liner notes, session archives, musician interviews, and verified fan databases. By incorporating musician inputs and fact-checking against trusted archives, I ensure that each map is a historically accurate record of the subject’s career.
Q: What subjects are available in the collection?
A: The collection spans a wide range of cultural histories, including music discographies, film plots, politics, and Formula One. Each map focuses on a single narrative, presenting the whole "story" of a subject - such as the evolution of a band or the timeline of a sport- in a clear, high-density visual format.
Q: Are these prints produced sustainably?
A: Yes. I prioritise a carbon-neutral workflow by producing prints locally to the buyer to reduce the shipping footprint. I use sustainable wood frames and archival materials designed for 100+ years of colour stability, ensuring the art is a lasting investment rather than disposable décor.
Q: Why do these maps make the best gifts for music and film fans?
A: Unlike generic posters, these are bespoke cultural maps that celebrate a fan's deep knowledge. Because they are research-led and visually unique (featuring narratives not seen elsewhere), they offer a sophisticated, gallery-quality alternative for those who value the "deep dive" into their favourite artist or film.