Design concepts behind classic rock band logos

You know those classic band logos that seem…timeless? The ones on t-shirts and posters that almost everybody recognizes instantly?
Do you ever wonder about the stories behind those iconic logos?
Take the Rolling Stones logo, for example.

Picture: Rolling Stones

In 1969, tired of designs provided by their record label, Mick Jagger decided to search for an art student at the Royal College of Art to come up with an image for the band. (This was back when signature logos for bands weren’t a huge thing yet.)
John Pasche was the student he found. It took Pasche two weeks to create the “Tongue and Lip Design” logo (for a commission of 55 pounds, which equals about $77). Ledegend has it that Jagger wanted an image representing Kali, the Hindu goddess of eternal energy, who does in fact have a prominent mouth and sticks out her tongue. But Pasche actually drew his inspiration from Jagger’s large mouth – “Face-to-face with him, the first thing you were aware of was the size of his lips and mouth,” Pasche said.
I mean, it’s true.

Mick Jagger
Picture: Mick Jagger

Thrilled by the awesome new logo, the Rolling Stones gave Pasche a bonus 200 pounds. Now it’s owned by a museum in London, who bought it for $92,500.
Dubbed “Hot Lips,” the logo debuted on the 1971 Sticky Fingers LP. Arguably the most popular band logo ever, obviously the band has never retired it, and the logo has endured for over 45 years now.
"Hot Lips" is known as a symbol of sex and defiance – Pasche said he wanted “something anti-authority” – and it sums up in a clear, classic image the concepts the band creates music about.

Another logo I find interesting is the Nirvana logo:

Picture: Nirvana

So of course no one really knows where the smiley face in Nirvana's logo came from -- none of the many theories have been confirmed. It quite possibly comes from the logo of a former Seattle strip club, The Lusty Lady. 

The text "Nirvana" is set in Onyx font. The art director of Sub Pop Records, Lisa Orth, just told Grant Alden to use the font that was currently programmed into his typesetter. Not too complicated, but it's, you know, become timeless.

So what what is it in a band's logo that makes it an icon, a classic? I believe it's when the logo is clear, deceptively simple, yet sums up the band's ideas and identity in one glance. And that's what makes these logos interesting and thought-provoking.

Check out these lovely articles I drew from to create this post:

The Rolling Stones Logo

Another One About the Rolling Stones

The Nirvana Logo