Gerard Huerta’s hand has touched brands and bands we interact with every day. He has been called on to design logos, many of which he made by hand with nothing but sheets of translucent vellum, a ruler, paint and pencils, and a keen love for music. A master at the art of drawing and designing letter forms, we start this conversation with the stories behind ACDC’s logo, probably the most iconic band logo ever designed, and one Gerard still received daily accolades for creating. Then the conversation moves through other work for bands, movie posters, a travelling art exhibit featuring his work, how the Swiss Army Watch did more than just keep Gerard’s career on schedule, and even his logo design work for a little cable start up we all know and love…. HBO. 

To listen, select your favourite podcast platform from the links on the right.

Follow along with the SHOW NOTES below to see images of the projects discussed in this episode.

SHOW NOTES:

2:45

3:00 – 1976’s High Voltage

3:25

3:50 – Gutenberg type designed in 1400s

Gutenberg bible

4:00 – Trailer: “Graphic Means” documentary about graphic design before computers

5:05 – Gerard Huerta at his drawing desk. Circa 1970s.

5:05 – Original Blue Oyster Cult drawing from mid-1970s

5:55 – Updated vector version of logo created recently by Gerard using Adobe Illustrator
Compare this to the original version on the band’s album cover, they look the same but the vector version is “cleaner” in Gerard’s words.

8:00 –

10:15 – Let There Be Rock music video (very churchy)

10:50 – Original sketch for ACDC logo (with a ghost of another of Gerard’s iconic band logos below)

Original artwork piece – essentially the very first completed ACDC logo used on Let There Be Rock

12:50 –

13:10 –

14:00 –

14:30 –

19:00 –

20:00 –

22:00 –

22:47 – Original HBO logo

22:47 – Gerard’s updated HBO logo

On an online forum we found a user had asked Gerard why the “O” had another circle within it and his response was interesting:
“That logo is so old that it was designed when tvs had cathode ray tubes and round knobs for channel changing and volume (also vertical and horizontal adjustment knobs)…no remote.”

So the “O” is meant to look like a volume or channel knob as they appeared on TVs back in the day. so cool. 23:38 – People magazine’s first issue from 1974 and their 40th anniversary issue. The updates Gerard made might look subtle at a first glance, but folks who really know design can see that the new version is drastically improved.

24:45 –

A handful of logos designed by Gerard Huerta

29:00 – One of our favourite magazines (masthead by Gerard Huerta)

31:40 – A couple of the many watch dials Gerard designed for Swiss Army (he also designed their logo)

33:20 –

36:00 – A smattering of records Gerard Huerta worked on during this period of his career

36:30 –

37:20 – Chicago used a fun concept for all their album covers by John Berg – making the logo the central image, but placing it in different environments every time.

37:40 – Boston’s debut

38:00 –

41:00 – Friday the 13th part III

42:10 – Star Trek III
I love that Gerard’s signature is above the Klingon ship in the lower right.

43:00 –

46:15 – National Guitar Museum website

48:00 – Learn more about Gerard Huerta (there’s LOTS more to learn, his career has been and continues to be an amazing one).

www.gerardhuerta.com website

On Facebook

On Instagram

Gerard is also still working, so if you have a job in mind that you think Gerard would be perfect for, feel free to drop him a line.

48:30 – The logo I made for Lee’s Palace in Toronto, using some of Gerard’s tips I learned from our ACDC discussion.

49:20 – ENTER TO WIN THIS JAPANESE VERSION OF THE FRIDAY THE 13TH PART III POSTER with amazing lettering by Gerard Huerta!

– Send in an email with a question (for Gerard or Jud) or comment about today’s episode to artdesignmusicpodcast@gmail.com and we’ll add you in the draw for the poster. AND, if you follow our Instagram and or Facebook, then you’re entered in the draw there as well. Winner will be announced on Episode 11 which comes out December 13th.

50:30 – Thanks to amazing drummer Loel Campbell for playing all the beats on this episode!

Learn more about Loel, his website is www.loelcampbell.com and he’s on instagram. His band Wintersleep has a website at www.wintersleep.com and they’re on instagram here.

Doug with Constantines at Massey Hall, Toronto

Thanks again to Gerard Huerta for taking the time to be on the show.

Be sure to check out our next episode where we’ll be chatting with Michelle Holme, ACDC’s current graphic designer, we’re going to chat about what its like working with the world’s biggest rock band in 2021, as well as many of her other clients, including Bruce Springsteen. That’s next – hope you’ll get a chance to listen.

Jud

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