No rock icon could appear in public without sporting at least one skull and crossbones. Who started this trend in this eccentric world? Why are metal fans completely obsessed with it?
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The skull and crossbones is one of the great symbols of rock culture. Metal fans have been using this image since the 60s for their album covers, tattoos and outfits. A symbol of rebellion and survival, it’s omnipresent at rock’n’roll concerts.
In this article, you’ll discover the meanings of the skull and crossbones in our culture, as well as how metal fans use this image to assert their style in any circumstance. 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
Let’s go 🤘🏻
Signification of the Skull in Rock
The skull image has been prevalent in the art world for centuries. And if one style of music has embraced it perfectly, it’s rock’n’roll! 🎸 Some say it was Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones who was the first to wear a skull-shaped ring, and is said to have introduced the skull to the world of music. Now, many famous artists use this symbol. Every musician in the business sports a skull in one way or another. 💀
If we had to sum up the meaning of the skull and crossbones for a rocker in one quote, it would undoubtedly be, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
After a few decades of punk music, wearing the skull and crossbones has become not only a symbol of rebellion, but also a symbol of survival. 💪🏼 Like guitarist Dave Navarro, who has successfully kicked his heroin habit. He himself uses the skull and crossbones image as a more or less ironic symbol of the fact that he has escaped death time and time again… “In a way, we were all flirting with death,” he explains.
Today’s society mainly associates skulls with death and evil. However, the skull not only represents the symbol of death, it also evokes pirates, horror films, Halloween costumes and the Mexican festival “Día de Muertos” (Day of the Dead) – a celebration aimed at honoring the deceased rather than mourning.
Most rockers see themselves as modern-day pirates 🏴☠️ – just like Harley-riding bikers – where skulls were a pretty effective deterrent in the days of maritime plunder. And nothing could be more explicit than a skull and crossbones to represent this. As we all know, rock’n’roll evolved from an anarchist movement in the 1960s, opposing what was considered “normal”. And the punk world has always been able to maintain this energy, not least thanks to what the skull and crossbones symbolize.
One of the meanings can also be borrowed from the “Danse Macabre” or dance of death. The term dates back to the Middle Ages, and is a metaphor for the universality of death, meaning “no matter where one stands in life, the dance of death unites us all”. It may sound bleak, but it’s not. The idea is that the simple fact that we’re all going to die one day or another brings us together in life. And above all, it brings us together at concerts and festivals. 🤘🏻
1) Rockers’ emphasis on the Skull
Having explored the meanings of the skull and crossbones in the world of rock, it’s no surprise that a band like The Dreadnoughts – with a very pronounced punk folk style – would decide to use it. Even bands such as Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys, who play a less violent form of music, also make extensive use of skulls and skeletons. 🦴
And although these bands don’t have logos to speak of, that doesn’t stop them from making extensive use of the skull and crossbones on their posters and in their style of dress. Teenage Bottlerocket is another band that sports the skull and crossbones. But skulls and skeletons aren’t used exclusively in rock’n’roll as logos or for album covers. Quite the contrary! T-shirts and tattoos featuring skulls are absolutely everywhere. We’ll look at this subject a little later in this article.
2) The arrival of Skulls in Rock & Roll culture
How did “hard” music, particularly heavy metal, become so closely linked with the skull image? Which stars and bands have sparked this craze? Let’s find out 👊🏼
THE GRATEFUL DEAD
The use of the skull and crossbones image in rock music apparently began with The Grateful Dead’s album covers and concert posters in the late ’60s. For concerts on September 16 and 17, 1966, the band treated audiences to a stunning poster featuring a skeleton with a crown of roses on its skull.
THE MISFITS
We can’t talk about skulls in punk without mentioning The Misfits and one of the most famous, if not the most famous, skull images in the rock world. The Misfits’ skull first appeared on the cover of their 1978 single “Horror Business”, and is said to have been inspired by (some say outright stolen from) a poster for the 1946 horror film “The Crimson Ghost”.
It was from this point onwards that the skeleton became the band’s mascot, and the skull logo became an iconic symbol. And what better way to represent a band so influenced by horror than with a skull 💀! Skulls and a variety of skeletal figures appear on hundreds of Misfits posters, from their early days to the end of their career.
SOCIAL DISTORTION
Social Distortion is another band that uses the skull as its emblem. Their logo isn’t just a simple skeleton… it’s a dancing skeleton, topped with a hat, holding a cigarette in one hand and a martini glass in the other. Yes, it may sound strange (or rather genius), and the band has used this image consistently since its inception in 1983. Skulls can also be found on almost all their T-shirts.
In a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, singer and guitarist Mike Ness explained the origin of the band’s skeleton: “It happened at a New Year’s party. We thought it was this: a skull is life, it’s death, it’s celebration! It seemed very powerful.”.
ALKALINE TRIO
In punk rock, Alkaline Trio is known for its logo consisting of a skull and heart. This logo is associated with macabre images such as coffins and blood. With their poetic lyrics, the band has managed to attract goths and punks alike. 😈 A bit like the Misfits before them!
Adopt the skull and crossbones like a rock star
No true fan can attend a concert without displaying an image of a skull in one way or another! And there are a thousand ways to show off that image as a rock fan. Let’s take a look at the essential elements you shouldn’t miss. 🤙🏻
<1) Skull Jewelry
The trend for skull jewelry has faded a little over the past two decades, but skulls continue to be a favorite of rock celebrities. 🤘🏼 They evoke someone living life to the full, a rebel, an outlaw…
DEADHEAD RING
Living by your own rules means adopting a different style. Wearing a skull ring is one of the rocker’s favorite attractions. The idea of flirting with death, as Keith Richards so aptly put it, is already beginning to live life to the full! And what better way to fully express your desire to live by your own rules than by dressing your hands in skull-shaped rings.
DEADHEAD BRACELET
One of rock lovers’ favorite pieces of jewelry is unquestionably the skull and crossbones bracelet. The steel color blends perfectly with leather and black, enhancing your style and transporting you straight to hell. 👹
2) The Skull T-shirt
The skull t-shirt is a must-have in the wardrobe of metal enthusiasts. Since its inception, our favorite musical style has featured the biggest stars on stage, sporting a skull t-shirt (or even shirtless, that’s right). And after smashing their guitars on stage, they don’t hesitate to rip their shirts off – why not? So we warmly invite you to get your skull t-shirt and join the hard rock family if you haven’t already. 🎸
Join the young rock stars movement
We’ve seen together how the skull and crossbones occupy a place almost as important as the electric guitar in the world of “hard” music. We’ve also explored what it means for a fan to display the skull image. Now you know exactly how to put the skull image to work for you as a true rock star. 🤘🏼 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
