Logo #57: Cock E.S.P.

Cock E.S.P. co-founder Emil Hagstrom: "The current logo - the one on our MySpace and everything - I originally designed in 1999, but I do tinker with it every couple of years, so it's not totally constant. Also, I based part of the design on the original Cock E.S.P. logo designed by my former bandmate P.C. Hammeroids, which was used from 1994-1996." A tireless force for free noise and exhibitionism - from Minneapolis, strangely enough (do they register on Prince's radar?) - if it weren't for Cock E.S.P. and related record labels Freedom From and EF Tapes, there would be no Wolf Eyes, no Andrew WK and his special brand of Old Spice disco, no 21st-century noise scene in southern California and no trace of the occasional dissonance heard in modern indie music. Or, at least, their presence would be that much more stultified and dull. They labored in the occlusion of the Clinton '90s, thriving in the pre-Internet world even while ignored by the press who cover their descendants in glossy scandal sheets like VICE and The Wire. They tour everywhere that will give them a show and are grateful at every sweat-soaked, joyous high performance moment in which I've seen them.