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Pristine vintage The Cars lithograph — an original from rock poster artist K. Chillis, whose collectible prints are rare finds, rarer still in mint deadstock condition.
Dated 1981, printed between 1981 and 1984. Acquired at sale from a private collection and uncirculated since. Not a reprint, not a reissue, not a reproduction. 100% authentic, guaranteed.
The imagery depicts The Cars in full live mode — five musicians locked into the controlled chaos of a stage set, rendered in K. Chillis' unmistakable two-tone linework against a warm gold ground. The composition sprawls across the frame: keyboardist stage left cool and precise behind his rig, lead guitarist center-back in dark shades and a star-print tee working the neck with casual authority, bassist and second guitarist anchoring the flanks, and the drummer buried in the kit — a Slingerland throne surrounded by cymbals catching what light exists. There's no showboating here, no heroic poses — just five people doing the work, which somehow makes it feel more alive. Chillis treats the band as an ensemble, the linework dense and physical, capturing gear weight and room noise in ink the way a great live recording captures room sound on tape.Dated 1981, this puts the poster squarely in the Shake It Up era — the moment when The Cars had fully crystallized their sound into something both razor-sharp and effortlessly cool. They'd already rewritten the rules of radio rock with their debut and Candy-O, and by '81 they were arena-sized without ever losing the detached, slightly-too-hip energy that made them feel different from everyone else on the bill. This wasn't a band that sweated visibly — and yet Chillis caught them in the act of actually playing, which is its own kind of revelation. For fans who know the band as a studio phenomenon, this poster is a reminder that The Cars were a real live unit — and for collectors, it's a snapshot of new wave at the exact moment it owned the room.
Paper measures 27 1/4" x 21 1/2" on smooth matte stock, with art inset approximately 1/2". Happy to answer questions and suggest some easy framing options.
Condition: Pristine. Never hung, never rolled, never displayed. Any framed wall photos are Photoshop mockups. Sale is for the print only.
Shipping: Posters ship free via USPS Ground Advantage in a heavy-duty rigid poster tube. USPS Priority Mail upgrade available at buyer's expense. Interested in more than one title? Contact us for a discount code and combined shipping.
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