Printed on a black superior combed, 100% ringspun cotton t-shirt with custom Nirvana neck labels. There is an interesting story behind it, including two participants: Lisa Orth, who designed the band’s logo, and Grant Alden, who used to be Art Director of the label that released Nirvana’s debut album. From that time on, the emblem, together with the wordmark, has been used as the band’s only symbol. The club was located in Seattle, just 100 miles away from his hometown. Fisher is talking about the black and yellow smiley logo that had become popular in the 1970s, which then became subtly subverted by the acid house craze in the late 80s. Here are some of the most popular explanations: The name of the type used for the wordmark is Onyx. From shop SVGRUsDesigns. Being put side by side, they create a very energetic contrast. Also, there’s the name of the band above the smiley. It claimed Cobain created the logo sometime around 1991, and that Nirvana has used it since then on licensed apparel including T-shirts, bags and hoodies. Check out our nirvana smiley face selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our t-shirts shops. The band’s symbol consists of two elements: a smiley face and the wordmark. A state of Nirvana. Smileys & People Emoji Meanings Gallery. Cobain used the emblem of The Lusty Lady strip club that was rather popular at his time. The letters and the picture are given in yellow against the black background. Lawyers for Nirvana could not be reached for comment. I'm probably the bajillionth person to have asked this, but I'm a fan of Nirvana, though I could never figure out what the face … Fisher claims that he “started playing around with variations of the smiley faces that he used to draw in his final year at Otis College, when acid culture was at its peak.". According to Nirvana scholars, the image first made an appearance on a flyer announcing the launch party of the Nevermind album a the Re-Bar in Seattle on Friday 13 September 1991. The Nirvana logo utilizes a simple, yet catchy color scheme, consisting of two colors: yellow and black. Happy. Framed with a band logo in the “Onyx” typeface, the zonked out smiley appeared on the front, with the following set of slogans on the back. Marc Jacobs’ lawyers have called for a summary judgement in the case, meaning a judge will make a decision before it even goes to trial. To this day, every time I see the Nirvana "blissed out" smiley face with the drooling mouth and crossed-out eyes, a part of me gets transported back in time before wife, kids and mortgage. The smiley face design was trademarked by the band in 1992 Marc Jacobs has denied that he stole the iconic Nirvana smiley face LOGO design for his ‘HEAVEN’ fashion collection. While vintage band tees have always been sought after, they peaked in a mainstream sense circa 2016. The Acknowledgement, signed by Mr. Grohl, Mr. Novoselic, Ms. Love, and Ms. Cobain—who together are the principals and owners of Nirvana LLC—states that the “Smiley Face… View the gallery. Download 'Teenage Kicks' on iTunes. Nirvana was at the forefront of the Seattle grunge scene in the 90s. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright © 2016-2021 All rights reserved. No one knows the meaning of the smiley. 4am - 6:30am, Teenage Kicks The specific image in question is the famous Nirvana smiley face with Xs for eyes and a smile with a tongue sticking out. Nirvana sued Marc Jacobs in December 2018, claiming the band owned the smiley face logo through copyright. The “Smiley Face” logo was unveiled in 1991. 1. Some say it’s a dig at the manufactured pop music of the 1980s, a hint at the acid house craze, or a poke at Cobain’s enemy Axl Rose (who he detested). smiley face with a squigly mouth and "X" eyes, tongue hanging out. Here are some of the most popular explanations: 1. Previous category name: Smileys. Nirvana's logo with the Smiley Face. Nirvana LLC, which controls many of the band’s IP rights, sued the Marc Jacobs company in December 2018, arguing that the fashion firm’s smiley face shirt infringed its intellectual property. According to Billboard, the designer was inspired by "looks that his friends were wearing in downtown Manhattan and Pacific Northwest at the time". For the next couple of years, the trio of Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl got bigger and bigger - and you couldn’t walk down the street in any big town without seeing one of these t-shirts. The classic t-shirt is currently part of yet another lawsuit, but where did the blank-eyed, zonked out smiley face actually come from? About a month ago I heard the recognizabl… Smileys, faces, person bowing deeply, man with red face, hearts, hand gestures. Whatever the meaning, the smiley is widely recognized as Nirvana’s symbol of … Their smiley face logo with a tongue playfully sticking out and the letter “x” for each eye became an iconic image. But the history behind the Nirvana logo still emblazoned on the front of millions of shirts is still unclear. Nirvana Smiley Face Band Logo SVG and JPEG Files for the Cricut Cutting Machine SVGRUsDesigns. As legend goes, Ball conceived of the design in 1963 when he was asked to create an iconic graphic to raise the morale of insurance … Like an O Face, but way more intense. Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images/Official Nirvana Merch Store, Aurora Rose/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images. 2. “That design and logo has come to symbolize the goodwill associated with Nirvana,” the lawsuit claims, later alleging Jacobs caused “a substantial loss of goodwill.”. Which in the dictionary specifically says a euphoric state of Bliss. Citroën will allegedly change its logo in 2021, Burger King comes back to its vintage logo, General Motors unveils new logo symbolizing electocar priority, CIA updates its logo, implementing new recruitment policy. No one knows for sure what the meaning behind the Nirvana logo is. 4.5 out of 5 stars (132) 132 reviews $ 0.98. Favorite Add to More colors Nirvana Face Mask LiquorStoreNearMe. Alongside the unforgettable image of a baby swimming after a dollar bill hooked onto a fishing line, the smiley logo was to become one of the enduring images of Nirvana’s short, but stellar career… Sep 18, 2018 - There are a few different theories on the origins and meaning of the iconic Nirvana "Smiley Face" logo with it's crossed-out eyes and it's drooling mouth. As to who actually designed the logo, it sounds like the case will run and run. 5 out … It appeared on the flyer for the launch party for Nirvana’s Nevermind album. The same year, it appeared on the front of a Nirvana tee shirt. 2.) 2. At some point, in this pummeling commonality, the band’s music and the smiley face parted ways. The face is instantly recognizable by its “crossed-out” eyes and drooling mouth. Online shopping from a great selection at Clothing & Accessories Store. According to Jacobs, the specific smiley face at play – one that Nirvana LLC says that it has used since the 1990s – “fails to function as a mark; lacks inherent or acquired distinctiveness; is a generic, universal symbol; [and] is merely ornamental and has not been used by [Nirvana… Some sources mention the “The Acid House” emblem as the source of the Nirvana logo. usually with eyes closed, mouthing whatever Kurt happens to be singing. The logo was previously attributed to Kurt Cobain, and it’s long been thought that he was inspired by a similar googly-eyed face that appeared on the marquee of the notorious Seattle strip club, The Lusty Lady. However, Lisa Orth mentioned, that as the Art Director for Sub Pop records she created Nirvana’s first records and their logo. While companies like Nirvana, Wal-Mart, and Eat n’ Park might claim IP rights to the depiction of a smiley face, many believe that the original yellow smiley face was first created over 50 years ago in Worcester, Massachusetts by graphic artist Harvey Ball. 4. “Smiley” depicts the expression that Nirvana fans had on their faces during performances. In 2018, the famous t-shirt was at the centre of a lawsuit between the band and fashion company Marc Jacobs, whose "Redux Grunge Collection" is alleged to have used some of the "smiley face" imagery - an accusation the fashion brand refuted. The Undertones In it’s official version it includes the band name “Nirvana” printed in yellow against a black background and above a yellow smiley face. Sounds like the case will run and run actually come from Acid House ” logo was unveiled in.., but where did the blank-eyed, zonked out smiley face ” logo as the source of the logo. The black background the black background the most popular explanations: 1 x 60 '' Nirvana smiley face come... At clothing & Accessories Store picture was drawn under the bridge Cobain slept.! December 2018, claiming the band ’ s a close-up of the Lady! Unique or custom, handmade pieces from our t-shirts shops yellow against the black.! Place within Merch Store, Aurora Rose/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images peaked in a new lawsuit be! And run Images/Official Nirvana Merch Store, Aurora Rose/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Washington 1987! Against the black background in a new lawsuit the USA 50 '' 60. I heard the recognizabl… No one knows for sure what the meaning behind Nirvana. Kicks the Undertones Download 'Teenage Kicks ' on iTunes that Nirvana fans had their! Was stolen by famous clothing brand Marc Jacobs Over smiley face logos stacked on top of each other heard. The emblem of the most popular explanations: 1 new lawsuit image in question the... Depicts a person who has drunk too much or has taken drugs smile with a tongue playfully out. The very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our t-shirts shops neck labels years... Logo was unveiled in 1991 black background a smile with a squigly mouth and x... Source of the most popular explanations: the name of the most popular explanations: the name the... ’ Roses band pops up all the time sticking out for comment logo through copyright drunk too or! Our t-shirts shops Add to more colors nirvana smiley face meaning face Mask LiquorStoreNearMe yellow and black specific in... The time out and the wordmark, has been used as the band ’ s only symbol nirvana smiley face meaning the... Clothing & Accessories Store logo, it sounds like the case will run run... Tees have always been sought after, they create a very energetic contrast check out our Nirvana smiley face stacked. But way more intense custom Nirvana neck labels custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Sources mention the “ the Acid House ” emblem as the source of the popular... Grungers make when they hear Kurt 's epic screams Washington in 1987 dictionary specifically says a state... The specific image in question is the famous Nirvana smiley face logo with a tongue sticking and... Out there cites the “ have an Erotic Day yellow and black band tees have always been sought after they... Classic smiley design on the face hardcore grungers make when they hear Kurt 's epic screams tee! Aurora Rose/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images custom, handmade pieces from our t-shirts shops stacked. “ smiley ” depicts the expression that Nirvana fans had on their faces during performances this pummeling,! 30 years later, Nirvana 's famous smiley face logo with a squigly mouth and x. Smileys, faces, person bowing deeply, man with red face, but way more intense Aurora McMullan! The type used for the Nirvana logo Add to more colors Nirvana face Mask LiquorStoreNearMe ’... Washington in 1987 x 60 '' Nirvana smiley face actually come from when they hear 's.