The Ramones logo was originally an exercise in graphic subversion. These days, it’s about as rebellious as a trip to Sainsbury’s.
Sound advice
‘Logo-a-gogo’ author Rian Hughes shares his top ten dos and don’ts for designing band logos.
Crest of a wave
Bands FC is a place where the graphics of bands and football collide, with engaging, amusing results and plenty of goal-mouth incident.
Q1 — Queen
Why have a common logo when you can have a royal crest? Queen’s resplendent, extravagant band marque could only have been designed by Freddie Mercury himself.
Yes, Ministry
We know ... this isn’t strictly a band logo. But our friend Rick Banks has an excellent new book out on UK club graphics, so we’re bending the rules a bit so he can wax lyrical about one of his favourite club logos — Ministry of Sound.
P1 — Pixies
Baxter & Bailey Creative Director Matt Baxter meets Chris Bigg, the designer behind the bewitching, bewinged Pixies logo.
O1 — Oasis
Microdot’s Brian Cannon reveals how a chance encounter in a lift with Noel Gallagher led to a longstanding creative relationship and the birth of the Oasis logo.
N1 — Nirvana
Smiley face or typeface? Will the real Nirvana band logo please stand up.
Special Aphex
It may look like it landed from space, but there’s more to the Aphex Twin monogram story than meets the eye, reveals Fontsmith Type Design Director Phil Garnham.
M1 — The Monkees
The Monkees’ guitar-shaped logo perfectly evokes the band’s kooky Sixties image. It was designed by Nick LoBianco, king of lunch box art.
L1 — Love
Love were not only America's first multi-racial rock band, but probably also the first band to sport a regular logo.
Clue are you?
Fontastic! Can you identify these groovy Sixties bands from just one letter culled from their logos?
K1 — KISS
Banned in Germany, embraced in the US, the KISS logo still divides opinion, more than 40 years after its first appearance.
RIP Chester Bennington
The death of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington was respectfully and typographically marked with a subtle change to the band’s logo.
Our kind of alphabet posters
The good people at Dorothy have designed a rocking pair of alphabet posters based on the first letters of 26 band logos. Take your pick from ‘Alphabet of Rock’ or ‘Alphabet of Alternative Music’.
J1 — Jesus Jones
They asked for something ‘barbaric’, and Stylorouge duly delivered. The dancing Jesus Jones logo is still in service nearly 30 years later.
Living the Dream
Why have one logo when you can have 100s? Writer Patrick Baglee waxes lyrical about the graphic and sonic experimentation of German electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream.
I1 — Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets’ spaced-out cow logo was originally sketched by keyboardist Clint Boon. According to his less-than-discreet band mates, he had something of a fetish for these farmyard favourites.
H1 — The Heavy
Designed before they had a record deal, the logo for The Heavy was a monolith the band grew to fit. The marque was ‘dashed off’ by the lead guitarist’s younger brother.
G1 — Groove Armada
Sleek, chic and oblique, the Groove Armada logo passes the ‘T-shirt’ test with flying colours. Neil Bowen of Zip recalls its birth 20 years ago.