FOREWORD

The presence of the musician flows through their hands, shaping music that carries their spirit into the world.

What began as a spontaneous idea soon blossomed into a deeply personal journey. This project just happened to me—it wasn’t meticulously planned. It all started when Julie Slick visited my house. (you can read the full story on Julie’s page in this book) From there, it grew into something far beyond my expectations, and I am profoundly thankful for the time each artist has donated to it.

Some musicians only had a few minutes to spare, as life on the road is often structured and demanding. Others gave me the gift of their time, chatting, laughing, and sharing stories. Please know that every single moment was precious to me, and I never took any of it for granted. Meeting these musicians, many of whom are my idols, has been a deeply personal and transformative experience. Some wrote the soundtrack of my life; others shaped and influenced my own music.

Dave Grohl once said that it’s a strange moment when the two-dimensional artist you know from album covers, magazines, or the internet suddenly becomes a three-dimensional person. I’ve had that moment over 250 times during this project—and countless other times throughout my life. Each encounter filled my world with a bit more reality, made it a little richer. Spending time with these artists, even if just for a few fleeting minutes, has profoundly changed how I perceive their music. It’s no longer abstract; it’s personal. The artist behind the music becomes real—flesh and blood, someone who shares the same air, the same human quest to create and find happiness in doing what they love most.

Music connects us all. It’s a beautiful way to share, to express, to gift something to the world. Every artist in this book has given us that gift, and I am grateful beyond words.

The HANDS Project is very much alive, and this online book is a major part of it. Enjoy!

Marc Mennigmann
Photographer & Author

[Industry rant mode on]

Something I still need to say: This was meant to be a printed book. A real one—something that would sit on your coffee table, waiting for you to pick it up, flip through the pages, feel the texture of the paper, smell the fresh ink, and see the intricate details of the photographs brought to life through the quality of print.

Unfortunately, the book industry seems to mirror the music business these days—you won’t find a publisher unless you have millions of social media followers or are already well-known with at least one book under your belt. A strong concept, great material, and a good idea are simply not enough. They might not even be necessary, but they’re definitely not the deciding factors anymore.

I considered the cost and effort of self-publishing. It would require an investment of around €50,000 to €80,000 just to print 1,000 books in the quality and size I envisioned. Then I’d have 1,000 books sitting in storage, and I’d need to handle all the marketing, sales, and shipping myself. Honestly, that’s too much of an investment for me to take on.

So I started thinking about another way to share these pictures with you. While this option may not offer the tactile experience of a physical book, it allows you to dive deep into the details of the photos, read about the artists, and explore their stories. You might even discover new connections and see the world of music from my perspective. I hope you enjoy this digital presentation. If you have any ideas on how it could be enhanced, I’d love to hear them. This online book is meant to grow—it will continue to expand with more information, and new artists will be added as I photograph them.

[Industry rant mode off]