Time to kick things off with some of my favorite rock tunes, chosen directly from my music library and delivered to you through the magic of YouTube and blogging! I hope you would enjoy this week’s selection and will get reminded of some great classics! This week, we will travel back to the 60s with Bob Dylan’s most important song and Steppenwolf’s ultimate hit, which also happens to be one of the first metal songs!; then we shall enter the 70s with Ramones, YES and Electric Light Orchestra; we will then move on to the 80s with AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Mötley Crüe – some of the most celebrated bands during the 80s; finally, we will wrap the mixtape with some 90s sound – Van Halen and Def Leppard will do the trick!
Happy Listening!
Playlist:
AC/DC – Hells Bells ( 1980 ) Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone ( 1965 ) Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man ( 1992 ) Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down ( 1979 ) Guns N’ Roses – Welcome To The Jungle ( 1987 ) Mötley Crüe – Wild Side ( 1987 ) Ramones – I Just Want To Have Something To Do ( 1978 ) Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild ( 1968 ) Van Halen – Judgment Day ( 1991 ) Yes – Roundabout ( 1971 )
Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone ( 1965 )
Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild ( 1968 )
Yes – Roundabout ( 1971 )
Ramones – I Just Want To Have Something To Do ( 1978 )
Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down ( 1979 )
AC/DC’S ROCK OR BUST WORLD TOUR RESUMES WITH AXL ROSE ON VOCALS
AC/DC band members would like to thank Brian Johnson for his contributions and dedication to the band throughout the years. We wish him all the best with his hearing issues and future ventures. As much as we want this tour to end as it started, we understand, respect and support Brian’s decision to stop touring and save his hearing. We are dedicated to fulfilling the remainder of our touring commitments to everyone that has supported us over the years, and are fortunate that Axl Rose has kindly offered his support to help us fulfill this commitment. AC/DC will resume their Rock Or Bust World Tour with Axl Rose joining on vocals. The European stadium tour dates begin on May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal and run through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark as previously announced (see below for full itinerary). Following this European run of dates with AC/DC, Axl Rose will head out on his Guns N Roses, Not In This Lifetime Summer Stadium Tour. The 10 postponed U.S shows will be rescheduled and announced imminently, also with Axl Rose.
AC/DC European tour dates:
May 7 Lisbon, Portugal Passeio Maritimo De Alges
May 10 Seville, Spain Estadio De La Cartuja
May 13 Marseille, France Stade Velodrome
May 16 Werchter, Belgium Werchter Site
May 19 Vienna, Austria Erns-Happel Stadium
May 22 Prague, Czech Republic Letnany Airport
May 26 Hamburg, Germany Volksparkstadion
May 29 Berne, Switzerland Stade De Suisse
June 1 Leipzig, Germany Red Bull Arena
June 4 London, England The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
There were tons of rumors and numerous speculations on whether or not Axl Rose will be chosen as AC/DC’s new lead singer for the rest of their 2016 tour. The speculations ended today, when AC/DC made an official statement on their website, as well as Facebook page. As announced, Axl Rose will in fact be filling in for Brian Johnson on their “Roc or Bust” tour. The European tour dates kick off on May 7 in Lisabon, Portugal and will run through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark. The U.S. summer dates that were postponed will be rescheduled with Axl Rose as frontman. After completing his engagements with AC / DC, Axl will be focusing on the reunion of his own band – Guns N’ Roses for their ‘Not In This Lifetime’ summer North American tour.
The statement was made and now everything is official and in order. However, I wanted to ask you guys what do you really think about it? Are you supporting AC/DC’s decision to replace Brian Johnson with Axl Rose or you think it’s a big mistake? Well, I wanted to share my own opinion regarding the situation ….
First of all, I would like to say that I’m a huge fan of AC/DC and even though I won’t be attending their European tour, I am (will be) keeping close track on what it happening during the concerts. The health issues of Brian Johnson came as a huge shock to most fans, including myself, because it’s so difficult to imagine the band without him – they simply go together and that’s it. Now, all of a sudden, the complete image and legacy of the band were threatened and fans became so concerned with its future. Then, all of a sudden, we get these paparazzi photos of Axl, leaving a rehearsing studio with AC/DC and everyone was like….What? No, that cannot be true!!! The majority of fans were just rejecting any possibility of this being true – to many, including myself, it just seemed too ridiculous. Now, however, we finally know – it’s true and it’s happening! I was expecting it, to be honest but that doesn’t mean that I have accepted it! My personal belief is that instead of going with Axl Rose, AC/DC should’ve just cancelled the tour, supported Brian in his recovery and basically gone out with dignity and respect. Instead, they chose to continue the journey with a frontman, whose singing abilities are quite questionable and extremely unsuitable for any AC/DC song. AC/DC were, are and always will be true legends in rock music. As such, I believe they should’ve made a better decision – fans will never stop loving you or listen to your songs if you just choose to retire. I am trying to understand and support their decision but I just can’t. I feel like this whole thing was made for one reason one – marketing and of course money. Everyone on the internet is going nuts over the news but at the end of the day it’s going to be a historical moment. After all, collaboration between those exact rockstars was never even thought of before. Naturally, everyone is going to be so curious and believe me, people might be angry but they will buy the tickets! I also think that it’s a little bit disrespectful towards Brian Johnson who basically helped turn the band into what it is now – one of the best (if not the best) rock bands in history! After so many years of hard work and dozens of breath-taking concerts, I think Brian deserves better…
Also, I wanted to say that the press release, announcing the news was extremely cold and superficial – I was not expecting it to be like that. Brian Johnson is AC/DC and there’s no AC/DC without Brian Johnson. He did so much for the band and he can never be replaced. Fans love him, adore him and respect him with all their hearts. I think he deserves so much more than 2 trivial sentences and a “best of luck in your future endeavors”, don’t you think? Well, all I can say is THANK YOU, Brian for everything you did – We salute you!
Anyhow, I will be waiting with extreme anticipation… I don’t have high hopes but I’m curious and ready to experience this “one of a kind” event… Let me know what you think??
Hello, everyone and happy weekend! I hope everyone is enjoying their last working day and is ready for some fun, excitement and relaxation. (I sure as hell am ready to get some rest this weekend).
When we talk about the weekend, we think of doing something cool, letting loose, meeting some friends, etc. For me personally, weekends can’t be fun if there’s no rock ‘n’ roll in them! I’m pretty sure my readers think exactly the same. In the spirit of the upcoming two days of freedom, I decided to prepare a little mixtape, a.k.a a playlist, featuring some serious classic rock tunes, which I think would be perfect for your weekend mood! I told you before – making playlists is my specialty and I love doing it. I even remember, when I was a little kid, I had an audiocassette with “weekend” songs (there were a lot of disco tunes in that cassette, as far as I remember…). The goal of this publication is to simply give you guys a playlist to listen to over the weekend. Or, you can just play a few songs and remind yourself of those classics. One thing is for sure – all the songs I collected are here to create a perfect atmosphere and a lovely good mood! I hope you are ready for some no-more-work-for-two-days music!
One more thing – It’s a personal selection and I tried to include various classic rock tunes from the 70s, 80s and 90s, exploring different topics and themes, such as love, having fun, relaxing, partying, etc. Some of those songs are perfect for having a drink, while some of them are great for a dance party! Even if for some reason you can’t party or you can’t loosen up this weekend, you can still put on your headphones, turn the volume to the max and enjoy the music – the greatest thing in life!
Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!
Genesis – I Can’t Dance (1991)
Loverboy – Working for the Weekend (1981)
Duran Duran – Skin Trade (1987)
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (1983)
Wang Chung – Everybody Have Fun Tonight (1986)
AC / DC – Have a Drink On Me (1980)
Foreigner – She’s too Tough (1979)
Judas Priest – Living after Midnight (1980)
KISS – Rock and Roll All Nite (1975)
Autograph – Turn up the Radio (1984)
Kenny Loggins – Footloose (1984)
Kenny Loggins fr. Steve Perry – Don’t Fight It (1982)
Long live rock ‘n’ roll! It all started back in the late 1940s with the merging of numerous African-American musical elements, lyrics, styles and genres such as jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, gospel music, etc., with swing and country music. The term itself was coined and popularized by a famous DJ from Cleveland, Ohio – Alan Freed – one of the biggest supporters of the genre (as well as of African-American artists) back then and one of the first DJs to ever play rock ‘n’ roll on his radio station. The term itself may refer to the so called “first wave” of music from the 1950s, however as time went by, we just started using it to refer to all rock music, style, fashion and culture in general…
I can talk a lot about the history and development of rock ‘n’ roll – with all the controversies, racism and numerous struggles the musicians (especially African-American artists) had to face during this turbulent time in North American history. However, I’m gonna have to put the history lesson on hold for now. Instead, I’ve prepared something else for you guys.
Do you think classic hard rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Def Leppard or Van Halen would’ve chosen such path, without the influence of rock ‘n’ roll fathers and pioneers like Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard or later on The Beatles and The Rolling Stones? – Because I certainly don’t think so. All of our favorite rockstars (yes, every single one of them) who made rock music in the 70s, 80s and early 90s grew up listening to rock ‘n’ roll and transferred its influence to their own music later on. Rock music surely changed throughout the years; however it all started with rock ‘n’ roll!
Many of the above mentioned rockstars who came in the mid-70s and 80s paid a lot of tribute to rock ‘n’ roll in their songs – even nowadays, rock musicians still sing about rock ‘n’ roll! Therefore, I decided to come up with this playlist, consisting of hard rock songs that commemorate and praise rock ‘n’ roll. The list includes songs by artists such as AC/DC, Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Rainbow and others (I’m not going to include music from “true rock ‘n’ roll” musicians from the 50s and 60s – only those who later on paid tribute to the culture and the genre that started it all). All of the songs I chose have a title which consists of the phrase “rock ‘n’ roll” and are based on a subjective and personal selection. I’m not going to focus on each and every song individually; rather I’m just going to provide a few cool lines from the lyrics. I’m not going to restrict myself with years, even though most of the songs I chose are from the 80s. Let’s rock ‘n’ roll!
1. AC/DC – Got Some Rock And Roll Thunder (2014)
I got some rock and roll thunder Hey, hey what do you know I said feeling great and ready to roll
2. Rainbow – Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll (1978)
In a different time When the words didn’t rhyme You could never quite be sure Then on with the change It was simple but strange And you knew the feeling seemed to say it all
3. Joan Jett – I love Rock N Roll (1982)
Singing, I love rock and roll So put another dime in the jukebox, baby I love rock and roll So come and take your time and dance with me
4. Def Leppard – The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2006)
Everybody hazy, shell-shocked and crazy. Screaming for the face at the window. Jeans for the genies, dresses for the dreamies, Fighting for a place in the front row.
5. Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll (1971)
It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled, It’s been a long time since I did the Stroll. Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
6. Billy Joel – It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me (1980)
Nowadays you can’t be too sentimental Your best bet’s a true baby blue Continental.” Hot funk, cool punk, even if it’s old junk It’s still rock and roll to me
7. Kiss – Rock’n Roll All Night (1975)
You show us everything you’ve got You keep on dancing and the room gets hot You drive us wild, we’ll drive you crazy
8. The Ramones – Rock & Roll High School (1980)
Well I don’t care about history Rock, rock, rock’n’roll high school ‘Cause that’s not where I wanna be Rock, rock, rock’n’roll high school
9. AC/DC – Rock & Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution (1980)
Heavy decibels bells are playing on my guitar We got vibrations comin’ up from the floor We’re just listenin’ to the rock That’s givin’ too much noise Are you deaf you wanna hear some more
10. Rainbow – If You Don’t Like Rock & Roll (1979)
You’d never know there was some music playin’ Until you talked your way inside the door And then a sound like rollin’ thunder Begins to push you right thru the floor
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~
The fact is – not many people are familiar with the roles and responsibilities of a music producer. People enjoy listening to produced albums, get involved with the artists, buy the CDs, etc. However, how many of those people actually and truly understand the crucial role of the producer who stood behind the album? –I don’t think they are that many… Recently, I’ve been having these conversations and discussions about the significant part a producer plays in a music project, as well as his/her numerous duties and obligations as one. Every producer does different things and participates or specializes in different areas of production. Most importantly, however, a producer is the one, who gathers ideas, help artists establish find their sound and looks for creative ways to present this sound to the general public. In addition, a producer is the one who decides which song would go on a record and would fit perfectly into the concept of the project. Once the selection has been made, he/she starts working with the artist/s to build up the sound together and bring to life the vision of a perfect album. Not only that, but the producer is “the coach of the studio” – in combination with managing the mixing board, a producer also supervises, gives advices and suggestions on how to better record a song…He/she may even encourage or help the artists with their confidence in order for them to give the best performance – a true studio “persuasive diplomat”. In some cases, a producer may also help an artist with the lyrics of the song or may add some new ideas about the ways to sing it or play it. A producer also brings all the audio elements together, deals with all the technical aspects, and adds effects, quality…a spirit to a song. The producer simply puts all the ideas and visions together with the primary goal to achieve the best results possible.
Back to what I was saying….as expected, during those discussions the name of Mr. Mutt Lange kept on coming out. No reason to wonder – Mutt Lange is a huge name in the industry. He is the mastermind behind albums such as AC/DC’s “Back in Black”, Def Leppard’s “Pyromania” and “Hysteria”, The Cars’ “Heartbeat City”, Nickelback’s “Dark Horse”, etc. Except (classic) rock records, he worked with artists such as Lady Gaga, Maroon 5, The Corrs, Muse, Michael Bolton, Shania Twain and many more. One might find it quite difficult to image that a rock ‘n’ roll and metal producer like him worked with country and pop musicians, however his talents are versatile and it’s quite obvious…He was and still is one of the most in-demand producers in the world. I’ve listened to pretty much each and every album he produced, regardless of the genre, and all I can say is that this person is a music genius. As cliché as it may sound, he truly is one – his creativity is beyond words; his vision and ideas are beyond excellent… He started his career as a music producer in the ‘70s and within just a few years he became responsible for one of the greatest records of all time… In the following publication, I decided to gather up 5 of his most important and influential records so that we can truly understand the brilliance of his mind…Those 5 albums made such a big difference and were so successful that we still cannot stop listening or talking about them! It’s a rather informative publication, through which I hope we can better understand what a huge difference a great producer can have on a record! Here we go…
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AC/DC – “Back in Black” (1980)
The second-best selling album of all time with more than 25 million copies sold, this album will forever remain as one of the greatest records of all time and a standard measure for any hard-rock band out there. Following up the tragic death of frontman Bon Scott, AC/DC were facing numerous difficulties and even thought about quitting. Brian Johnson was also dealing with many obstacles as the new vocalist. However, Lange’s influence once again stepped in and with brand new approaches he managed to give birth to “Back in Black” – an album that perfectly captured the electrifying energy, astonishing technical and lyrical arrangements and a new and reborn AC/DC, ready to take over the world. The album was released in 1980 and it quickly became their most critically respected album. It spawned 4 huge singles – “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Hells Bells”, “Back in Black” and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”, all of which redefined hard rock music and left a mark that can never be erased! Bravo, Mr. Lange!
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Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983)
Where do I even begin with Pyromania? I already made an appreciation post about this masterpiece which you guys can check here –[The Greatest Rock Albums of the 80s] DEF LEPPARD – PYROMANIA (1983) We owe this album to Lange – the genius who took Def Leppard under his wing and encouraged them to dig deeper till they find their real talents and true meaning of their music. In addition, he also co-wrote all the songs of “Pyromania”. It seems like his lyrical approaches and touches were exactly what the band needed. With this album, Lange managed to create the perfect balance between hard rock and mainstream rock. Not to mention that after its release, the career of Def Leppard reached its peak! Pyromania is also an extremely important landmark album because it revealed the possibilities of an album – it produced 4 hit singles (“Photograph”, “Foolin”, “Rock of Ages”, “Too Late For Love”) – something no other rock record did before. I will be forever thankful to Lange for producing one of my most beloved albums.
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Def Leppard – Hysteria (1987)
“Hysteria” – the album that took three-years to record; the album that perfectly showcased the strength of human will and ability to overcome any difficulty; the album that became the most distinctive hard rock record of the era…and of course, probably my favourite album of all time! Mutt Lange once again took matters into his hands and helped Def Leppard make history. “Hysteria” produced 7 hit singles – an accomplishment so rare that we cannot but respect him for making it possible. Lange co-wrote all the songs of the album, including the smashing hit “Pour Some Sugar on me”. The album ended up selling more than 15 million copies worldwide and once again proved how important the vision of the producer is. What can I say, each and every song from this album is impeccably written and it combines catchy and captivating lyrics with flawless technical arrangement. Thank you, Mr Lange!
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Foreigner – “4” (1981)
Before releasing this album, Foreigner were already a well-known and established name in the rock music scene. However, their 2nd and 3rd albums were not as successful as their debut album, so they turned to Mutt Lange for help to find a new approach…a “raw edge” – great strategy and perfect timing. The result was immediate – “4” hold the number one position on Billboard for 10 weeks, sold over 7 million copies and it spawned 4 outstanding hit singles that blew away people’s minds back then (and still are, at least to me). I mean, who doesn’t know or haven’t listened to “Urgent” or “Juke Box Hero” at least once in their lives? This album made the band famous internationally and broke all the records. In terms of style, “4” marked the beginning of Foreigner’s shift to more radio-friendly, hard rock sound, especially with songs such as “Head Games” and “Urgent”…and we love all of them. Interesting fact, Mutt Lange actually contributed with the background vocals as well! That’s what I was telling you about – the producer is responsible for and can engage in so many activities!
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Bryan Adams – “Waking Up the Neighbors” (1991)
After helping so many artists and producing so many albums in the 80s, Mutt Lange triumphantly stepped into the new decade (90s) by producing Bryan Adam’s glorious hit album “Waking up the Neighbors”. The album sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and was number one on the British charts for 16 weeks. Those numbers should tell you that this album was indeed one of the best accomplishments of Mutt Lange as a producer. With few nice commercial touches and beautifully crafted melodic rock ballads, Lange did it once again. “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” is probably the first song that comes to our minds when we talk about Bryan Adams (well, maybe it’s just me). The song we all remember him by features in non-other than this album – it was also included on the soundtrack of the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991 (yes, the movie with Kevin Costner). In addition to such unforgettable ballads, the album produced a number of nice and catchy rock tunes. Overall, brilliant work, Mr Lange!
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Well, this is it for now. Those were 5 great albums, produced by Mr Mutt Lange – one of the most notable, versatile and respected producers of all time.I gave you five, however we should know that throughout his career he has produced more than 40 albums and worked with artists from all possible genres. I hope this publication gave you some insight about the important role a producer plays in a musical project. He/She can either be responsible for turning an artist/s into a global phenomenon or the other way around. In the cases I’ve shown you, Mutt Lange did the first thing – he helped those artists and bands establish a distinctive sound and name in the industry. For that, we will be forever thankful!
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers. The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment. Cheers~
Greetings! For today’s publication I decided to take a different approach and go to another direction, rather than talking about music or songs like I usually do. As a person who specializes in media industry and PR, I would like to emphasize on the extreme importance of the logotype – or logo (which is the abbreviation) when it comes to promotion, establishing individuality and gaining recognition and respect from the public. Every major organization or commercial enterprise has a unique and distinctive logodesign, which people can almost instantly identify. In addition, individuals can also use a logo to boost their image and embody their character and individuality. Coming up with a logo design can be a very challenging task since this little graphic or word mark image is supposed to be special, easy to remember and at the same time represent an identity and differentiate the brand. Moreover, the logo of an organization or a person usually appears or numerous platforms – it turns into a signature and a face. As I already said designing a logo or even coming with an idea of a cool and rather unique logo can be a very difficult task. However, numerous rock bands managed to create a distinctive logo which carries their spirit and tells something about them to the fans. I am sure that many of you guys are already thinking or have a rock band logo in mind – they are that memorable! Band logos are used in numerous ways – mostly on T-Shirts, albums, mugs and all kinds of merchandise. It is rare to see a picture of the band or the musician on a T-Shirt for example – usually we see the logo of the band. Thus, when we, the fans, wear it we experience the satisfaction of identifying with the band and being part of them. To me personally, the 70s and the 80s was the golden age of band logos – I believe back then, musicians (especially hard rock/glam rock/heavy metal bands) were putting much more effort into creating beautiful and memorable logos for their band, compared to today. Bottom line is, every band is different and has an image. Thus, the way this distinctive image is crafted, packaged and delivered is beyond important! I came up with the idea of this publication a few days ago when I was looking at Led Zeppelin’s logo design and wondered if people really know what those symbols mean. I believe people have seen and are aware of such iconic rock band logos but may not be so familiar with the meaning behind them. That’s why I decided to make this post – it is going to be rather informative but I still will analyze and give my opinions. I hope you’ll enjoy and learn something new! So here there are – some of the most famous rock band logos!
The Rolling Stones
I just had to start with Rolling Stones – the big red mouth is probably the most memorable and widely recognizable band logos ever! The “Tongue and Lips” logo, which some have shortened to just “Hot Lips”, was created in 1970 by British graphic designer John Pasche. Interesting fact – the 24 year old (back then) John accepted only £50 (about $77) to come up with a design for the band. Originally, Mick Jagger wanted a logo resembling Kali – the Hindu goddess of energy. The goddess is usually portrayed with a large mouth and her tongue sticking out, however Pasche found a much bigger inspiration in Jagger himself. “I went into this sort of wood-paneled boardroom and there he was,” Pasche said. “Face-to-face with him, the first thing you were aware of was the size of his lips and mouth.” So at the end, it was purposefully created to resemble Mick Jagger’s mouth! So cool, right?
Led Zeppelin
“After all this crap that we’d had with the critics, I put it to everybody else that it’d be a good idea to put out something totally anonymous. At first I wanted just one symbol on it, but then it was decided that since it was our fourth album and there were four of us, we could each choose our own symbol. I designed mine and everyone else had their own reasons for using the symbols that they used,” – Jimmy Paige. I specifically chose the logo with the symbols from the epic Led Zeppelin IV album, because many people don’t really know what they stand for or at least why where they placed there. Drummer John Bonham’s symbol consists of three interlocking rings, which represent the mother, the father and the child. The symbol was chosen from Rudolf Koch’s Book of Signs. Bassist John Paul Jones’ symbol was also chosen from the same book. It resembles a circle intersecting 3 vesica pisces (a triquetra) and it symbolizes a person who has confidence and competence. Singer Robert Plant’s symbol is a feather inside a circle and was designed by him. The feather is an emblem of a writer (ie song lyrics) and also it is based on the lost civilizations and continent of Mu.
Jimmy Paige designed his own symbol and it is often referred as “ZoSo”. He never publically explained or stated what the true meaning behind the symbol is, however it was discovered that it dates back to at least 1557 and it represents Saturn. There is also a fifth and smaller symbol, chose by vocalist Sandy Denny for her contribution to the “The Battle of Evermore“ song. It is an old Christian symbol for the Godhead.
Guns n Roses
One of the most recognizable logos in history! To me, personally, this is also one of the most beautiful rock band logos ever! That is why I will just focus on this one for now and won’t talk about the skull logo (which is also very famous by the way). It has poetic, sensitive and romantic side, as well as a violent and a bad one. The logo itself consists of two revolvers and roses with thorns wrapped around the guns. Many people also miss the fact that the back view – the brass ring with the silver primer in the middle, behind the guns and the roses is actually a bullet casing. Pretty interesting, right? Also, for those of you who don’t know why exactly guns and roses – the name of the band is a combination of the last names of Tracii Guns and Axl Rose. It is also a reference to their previous bands – Hollywood Rose and LA Guns.
The Ramones
Ah, the Ramones! This is probably one of my most favourite band logos (and bands as a matter of fact) of all time! It was designed by Arturo Vega and many people say that he basically “put the seal on their success”. Interesting fact – he was not only their “creative director” and archivist but also their very good friend – he is sometimes considered as the “fifth ramone”. Instead of trying to explain it with my own words, I would rather quote the designer himself talking about his ideas and motive behind the infamous seal logo. “I saw them as the ultimate all-American band. To me, they reflected the American character in general. I thought the great seal of the president of the United States would be perfect for the Ramones, with the eagle holding arrows – to symbolise strength and the aggression that would be used against whoever dares to attack us – and an olive branch, offered to those who want to be friendly. But we decided to change it a little bit. Instead of the olive branch, we had an apple tree branch, since the Ramones were American as apple pie. And since Johnny was such a baseball fanatic, we had the eagle hold a baseball bat instead of the arrows,” said Arturo Vega.
Queen
Queen! The infamous band logo was designed by Freddie Mercury shortly before the official release of their debut album. The logo illustrates the zodiac signs of all four members of the band – two lions for Leo (Deacon and Taylor), a crab for Cancer (May), and two fairies for Virgo (Mercury). The two lions are embracing the letter Q which also has a crown inside of it. The logo itself has a very strong resemblance to the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. It is very pictorial and colourful – that’s the beauty of it! Honestly to me it is a bit too much for a logo – but then again – it’s Freddie and Queen we are talking about! The logo has to be as majestic and pompous as possible!
Van Halen
It is because I love Van Halen so much that I decided to show the two distinctive logos of the band – from the David and Sammy period. Interesting fact, before the first logo they had a few not so good ones and definitely not worth mentioning. These logos – and especially the second one, are topping my list for most favourite band logos. I like simple but powerful and memorable designs and I feel like this one delivered it in the best way possible. The logos consist of the initials of the band name – V and H. The first logo was introduced in 1978 and the second one in 1986 when Sammy Hagar became the new lead vocalist of the band. With the new frontman, the logo changed just a little – it became more 3D-ish and the wings on both sides of the initials were transformed into rings to show the notable change in Van Halen’s lineup. The iconic winged Van Halen logo was designed by Dave Bhang in 1978. He also drew up a new cover for their first album (since the initial proposal from Warner Brothers was declined by the members).
AC/DC
In my opinion this is also one of the greatest examples of how a logo can become such an important part of a band’s identity! I am sure there’s not a single rock fan in the world who doesn’t know or haven’t seen this logo at least once in their lives. This is not a publication dedicated to the meaning behind band’s names, however in this case I need to mention the relationship between the logo and the name of the band. AC/DC is an abbreviation meaning “alternating current/direct current” electricity. Malcolm and Angus Young came up with the idea after their sister (Margaret Young) saw the initials on a sewing machine. It somehow suited perfectly to their raw energy and powerful live performances –that is also the reason why there’s a lightning bolt between AC and DC. The logo was designed in 1977 by Gerard Huerta and it first appeared on the international version of their album Let There Be Rock.
Bon Jovi
Just like Guns n Roses’ logo – I think this is also one of the most beautiful rock band logos of all time. Once again, we see a combination of two distinctive elements – a heart and a dagger. It is also a famous design for tattoos. There is no specific information about what exactly is the true meaning behind the logo, however once thing is for sure – when people are in love, they feel pain. It focuses on sensitivity, heartbreak and romance and has some gothic elements which make it even more remarkable and loved by many rock fans. The logo was first introduced for the band’s “New Jersey” tour merchandise and after that it just stuck and became one of the most memorable logos ever.
Aerosmith
It is a very beautiful logo perfectly suited for rockstars such as Aerosmith. It was designed by Ray Tabano, who was a member of the original Aerosmith lineup before being replaced by Brad Whitford. The logo first appeared in 1974 on the album “Get your wings”. It is very stylish, black and white logo with a large letter “A” that spreads its wings on the background. There are also other important elements such as a little star and the wings – which symbolize freedom and movement. Also, there’s a circle around the letter “A”, which sort of reminds us about the famous anarchy symbol.
The Doors
This logo just screams “60s”! It is very simple and it includes only the name of the band. I think it is one of the perfect logos to use on T-shirts or other kinds of merchandise – it stands out and it is very easy to read. Firstly, there is a tiny but very essential “the” on top of the name which uses the typical psychedelic typeface of the 60s. Also, the two “O”s are split in the middle and resemble pills – hmm…I wonder why…? The logo itself was designed by an Elektra Records assistant and it first appeared on their 1967 debut album. This is a perfect example of how sometimes the simple logos are the best.
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers. The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment. Cheers~
![[Mixtape] This Week in Classic Rock Songs](https://thatmixtapewillrock.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/mixtape-2.jpg?w=825&h=510&crop=1)
Hello, everyone and happy weekend!
MY ROCK MIXTAPES 