Arturo Vega
Arturo Vega (13 October 1947 – 8 June 2013) was a Mexican-American graphic designer best known for his long association with the punk rock group The Ramones. He designed the group's iconic logo, and was sometimes called the fifth Ramone. Officially dubbed the group's artistic director, he was also charged with designing stage lighting for concerts, supervised sales of shirts and other merchandise and was the band's sometimes spokesman.
Arturo Vega | |
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Vega in 2006 | |
| Born | October 13, 1947 Chihuahua, Mexico |
| Died | June 8, 2013 (aged 65) New York City, New York |
| Occupation | Graphic designer |
| Years active | 1975–2013 |
| Employer | The Ramones |
In 1973, Vega became friends with Dee Dee Ramone (born Douglas Colvin) whose girlfriend lived in Vega's apartment building. During the band's existence between 1974 and 1996, Vega attended all but a handful of their over 2,200 concerts.
Vega's logo for the Ramones was inspired by the U.S. Presidential Seal, with several alterations including the band member's names arranged in a circle, and the eagle gripping a baseball bat rather than a quiver of arrows (a reference to their song "Beat on the Brat" and Johnny Ramone's love of baseball). He adapted the Presidential Seal to reflect his belief that Ramones were "the ultimate all-American band”.
Vega died from cancer on 8 June 2013 at the age of 65.