Logo Rhythm: new book celebrating band logos
A while back, the inestimable Jim Davies of totalcontent got in touch with me, asking if I’d write a chapter for a book he was compiling. Back then, the working title was BandLogoJukeBox, based on the blog that inspired the original idea. The book would delve into the history of band logos, running from Abba to Zappa.
It was early days, so I had my pick of the alphabet and chose Public Image Ltd, the band that John Lydon started after the Sex Pistols imploded.
I’d long treasured my battled-scarred copy of Metal Box, a Public Image record that was packaged in a round metal film canister. Mine is covered in rusty concentric rings left by cups and glasses and there are traces of ancient candlewax around the rim.
For my chapter, I wrote about the logo, said to have been designed by photographer Dennis Morris*. He abbreviated the band’s name to PiL, then played on the PiL/pill association with a logo designed to look like an aspirin. The difference, he said, is that “this PiL gives you a headache”.
Over time, the book evolved. It gained a new name – Logo Rhythm – and is now divided into eras: the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. It uncovers stories behind the logos of classic bands, including The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, Sly and the Family Stone and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Here are some of the stories that came to light:
• The Stones’ ‘Lick’ logo wasn’t inspired by Mick Jagger’s lips, but the Hindu deity Kali.
• Blur’s logo references a well-known brand of tumble-dryer softener sheets.
• Nirvana’s blissed-out smiley face logo was (probably) pinched from the signage of a Seattle strip club.
Can you spot your favourite band here?
Beautifully designed by Jamie Ellul of Supple Studio, the book was published in October 2024 to great acclaim. The Financial Times celebrated it as one of the best pop music books of 2024. “The best band logos are design classics,” said Ludovic Hunter-Tilney. “Logo Rhythm tells their stories with a handsome spread of illustrations, interviews and commentary.”
When my copy arrived, I made a beeline for a rare interview with designer Jonathan Barnbrook about why David Bowie never had a logo. I was also fascinated to read Tim Rich’s chapter about The Fall, another band that resolutely refused to have a standardised, recognisable logo.
More
- Buy a copy of Logo Rhythm for yourself or a fellow music lover.
- Discover my work writing for music clients.
- Hear about my harp and creative writing workshop.
*January 2025 update. In an interesting twist, John Lydon is currently suing Dennis Morris, saying that he didn’t design the logoo.