Pennywise: Logo #304

Pennywise had their visual "meh" designed by Fred Hidalgo in 1991. Hard to believe they've been going for 21 years now; the band's the age of a grown-up but they're still spastic nerfbags.

I really have nothing more to say than that. Just because I showcase a band doesn't mean I always have to like 'em. Here are some things I actually do like.

Ima Robot: Logo #303

The eponymous robot for the band Ima Robot was designed by Alex Ebert. Ima Robot Central reports, "It's based on a painting he did years back. We first started using it around 2001." The robot symbol - looking nothing so much as a hieroglyphic of the robot from the 1957 film "Kronos" - started showing up on walls and utility boxes in the early years of the 21st-century (I know - that does sound impressive) throughout Los Angeles. Looked like it'd be a new entry in the street art sweeps that, at the time, included Buff Monster, Skullphone and the endlessly tedious dyad of Shepard Fairey and Robbie Conal. Sadly, not to be. Just another band - but one with a well-presented public image.

The Song of the Moment - much as it pains me to say so - is "Actor Out of Work" by the painfully perfect St. Vincent.

Ian Dury and the Blockheads: Logo #302

There's an Ian Dury movie in the works. Ian's to be played by Andy Serkis, the man who mastered the ways of Gollum, King Kong, and Martin Hannett. The Blockheads face logo was designed in 1977 by the indefatigable - well, almost - Barney Bubbles (born Colin Fulcher, June 30, 1942 - November 14, 1983). There's also a new book on the astonishing range Barney's art, called "Reasons to be Cheerful." Ultimately, like the Sex Pistols and Whitesnake logos, the sum of the logo's parts remains greater than its whole - Holism rides yet again.

This Day in Birth:
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, etc. etc. (May 8, 1926)
Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire; May 8, 1951)
Lex Barker (was Tarzan; May 8, 1919 - May 11, 1973)
Kelan Phil Cohran (AACM; May 8, 1927)
Dagmar Dimitroff (Die Tödliche Doris; May 8, 1960 - Jul. 14, 1990)
Jean Giraud (Moebius; May 8, 1938)
Keith Jarrett (May 8, 1945)
Bill Legend (born William Fifield, of T. Rex; May 8, 1944)
Lob (Instagon; May 8, 1965)
Richard McAllister (Pentagram; May 8, 1955 - May 26, 2006)
Myst (born Volker Kahrs, of Grobschnitt; May 8, 1951 - July 20, 2008)
Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. (May 8, 1937)
Mickey Ruskin (Max's Kansas City; May 8, 1933 - May 16, 1983)
Tom of Finland (born Touko Laaksonen; May 8, 1920 – Nov. 7, 1991)
Alexander Arthur Van Halen (May 8, 1953)
Danny Ray Whitten (Crazy Horse; May 8, 1943 - Nov. 18, 1972)
David T. Wiley (Human Hands; May 8, 1954 - September 8, 1988)

Contravene: Logo #301

Eric, bassist for Phoenix anarcho / peacepunk band Contravene: "We found the basis for it in a book of Japanese design motifs. We changed a few things about it, added the peace and equality signs and our name and that was that. As for when it first appeared, I believe our design came about in 1999. The original Japanese motif has been around much, much longer."

This Day in Death:
Nigel Christopher Preston (Sex Gang Children, The Cult; April 4, 1963 - May 7, 1992)

Timothy R. "Tim" North (Crash Worship, Rhythm & Noise; September 17, 1960 - May 7, 2003)

Type O Negative: Logo #300

Type O Negative's brilliantly simple design came courtesy of lead singer Peter Steele in 1988. Type O Negative recorded one of the most amazing cover songs ever - that of Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze," heard most notably on the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" soundtrack. What makes their version so rewarding is that Peter Steele is not necessarily someone thought of as embracing summer breezes or food cooking and plates for two. Such are the pitfalls of having a public image informed by heavy metal and a 6'7" frame. And yet his delivery makes the notion so completely plausible that it is to the original song what a drop of water is to fine scotch: unveiled potential. To quote William James, "The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."

The Effigies: Logo #299

My, but it's been a long time. Life, plans, etc.

Paul Zamost from pioneering Chicago hardcore band The Effigies reveals: "The hangman logo was our first button, which was made up in 1980-81 by our drummer Steve Economou. Not sure of who to credit for the clever idea; it was probably Steve as well."

"Reside," their latest album, was released in 2007; a promotional advertisement for it can be found here. Hardcore has as many local variants as does jazz - L.A. hardcore and New Orleans jazz spring to mind - what external factors shape the differences in sound? The '80s experience - Reagan, excess and EDD (Empathy Deficit Disorder) - was a fairly universal one, as are feelings of loneliness, rejection, love and pain. Maybe it's just the weather.

The Cramps: Logo #298

This stylish zombie was illustrated by the illustrious Stephen Blickenstaff in 1984 for The Cramps' "Bad Music for Bad People" LP.

Lux Interior (born Erick Lee Purkhiser, born October 21, 1946) died early today. He died the day after the 50th anniversary of day the music died. I had the great pleasure of seeing them years ago in a small California town and Lux was as brilliant as ever, climbing the walls and the stacks of amplifiers until the very end. Purportedly he even took the trash out wearing high heels. Several other sites have their tributes - nothing I can say here would elaborate or expand upon their insights, so...yeah, well, so.