Classic rock and roll is one of the most inspirational sources for tattoo ideas. There is something about the primal nature of loud, screaming men singing along to pounding drum beats and bluesy guitars that makes getting a classic rock tattoo a surefire way to boost your testosterone levels.
While tattoos weren’t as popular during the 1960’s and 1970’s, today more people than ever boast tattoo quotes and text symbols of their favorite bands from the era. Here are ten classic rock bands that deserve to be inked onto your skin in the near future. Scroll down to check out the list of classic rock tattoo ideas.
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin combined blues guitars and sex appeal with psychedelic arrangements. Many people get the symbols that were featured on their fourth studio album tattooed on their bodies to show their love.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is the granddaddy of psychedelic music and an inking of the prism symbol from their “Dark Side of the Moon“ album is an excellent tattoo idea.
The Who
Unlike Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, The Who still performs and still makes raucously loud rock music. Get a tattoo of singer Roger Daltrey wailing up and down your forearm.
The Doors
Jim Morrison may have passed at the tender age of 27, but his transcendental lyrics still make for excellent tattoo quotes anywhere on your body.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix is arguably one of the best guitar players of all time. Commemorate him lighting his guitar on fire with a bunch of flames coming out of your wrist and leading to his head on your forearm.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have made some of the most memorable music ever, but they also have one of the most iconic logos in the infamous tongue and lips. This is a great tattoo idea if you are just getting ink for the first time.
The Rolling Stones
The Beatles
Tattoo quotes don’t get much deeper than anything John Lennon or Paul McCartney wrote while they were in The Beatles.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CCR was one of the original protest bands in rock and roll history. Commemorate the band with a tattoo quote featuring lyrics from “Bad Moon Rising,“ accompanied by a full moon anywhere on your body.
Black Sabbath
Before Black Sabbath took the scene, bands played happy, cheerful music. That all changed when Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill took to their instruments and belted out the most sinister sounding songs of all time. A tattoo idea for this band is as simple as their logo in a cool tattoo font.
The Velvet Underground
You may think that irony and hipsterdom are new things, but The Velvet Underground was doing it before you even heard of it. Get a banana tattoo anywhere on your body, just like on their debut album with Nico, and you’ll be able to strike up a conversation with every fedora-wearing barista in town.
Banana Tattoo
