Sticky Fingers and Tongues and Lips – Oh, the Drama

First off, this is not one of those kinds of sites. So, hmmm, sticky fingers, what is that about? A how-to on petty theft? And tongues and lips...a topic from a trade magazine for mannequin manufacturers? (Does such a thing even exist?) Ha, no, for those perhaps too young to know, Sticky Fingers is an album, and Tongue and Lip Design is a logo – and both belong to the famous Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones, one of the most successful and well-known rock ‘n’ roll bands ever, was founded in 1962. Within a handful of years, the band had already hit #1 in the UK and was making waves across the pond. In 1970, once other contracts had ended, the band was free to form their own record company, Rolling Stones Records. Sticky Fingers, which happened to chart #1 in both the UK and the US, became the band’s first album release on their own label. It contains some of their best-known hits, including Wild Horses.

Sticky Fingers, notably, featured an elaborate cover design by none other than the famed Andy Warhol. Playing with the suggestive title, the cover features a close shot of a jeans-clad male crotch. The original vinyl release also sported a functioning zipper, as well as a mock belt buckle, which opened to reveal cotton briefs, which themselves were faux stamped with Warhol’s name. Fans assumed the cover model was Mick Jagger, although it has since been claimed that Warhol had several different men photographed (none of whom were Jagger), and it was never revealed which was the actual shot used.

As if all of this weren’t notable enough, Sticky Fingers also features the first use of the Tongue and Lip logo, originally designed by the accomplished Ernie Cefalu, who at the time was working with Craig Braun, Inc. in New York. Baum worked out a deal with the Stones, where the band got the logo for free, while Baum got the exclusive merchandising rights for one year. And so, Cefalu worked on shirts, scarves, hats, patches, and such for the Stones, using this same logo.

But, oh, there is drama in this story...

Coming up: On Tongues and Lips

With images from: undercover.fm