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One hundred years from now, when historians set out to study popular art from the1960's and 1970's, all they'll have to do is look at their great-great-grandparents' record collections. After all, some of the biggest names in contemporary art designed album covers, including Andy Warhol (The Velvet Underground & Nico), R. Crumb (Big Brother and the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills) and the Reverend Howard Finster (Talking Heads' Little Creatures).

Then there are artists who built careers designing album covers. Artists like Ruby Mazur, who has designed over 3,000 covers, including those for such Rock and Roll Hall of Famers as Billy Joel (Cold Spring Harbor), Van Morrison (Saint Dominic's Preview) Steely Dan (Can't Buy a Thrill) and Elton John ("Friends").

But what Mazur is best known for is the "mouth and tongue" logo which he designed for the Rolling Stones back in 1972. Like much of what the Rolling Stones were involved with circa 1972, the story behind the logo has become the stuff of legend.

"I was in the studio when they were recording ‘Tumbling Dice,'" Mazur said. "I wanted something to look like Mick Jagger but not just be a picture of him. So I started caricaturing Mick, really focusing on the lips, which were enormous. Then I drew a tongue coming out, which I thought worked, since the Stones were all about saying ‘screw you' to the establishment."

A couple of mornings later, Mazur drove his design over to Mick Jagger's mansion, presenting it to the rock legend by his swimming pool.

"Mick took one look at it and pushed me into the pool," Mazur said. "I remember being underwater and grabbing my hair, thinking, ‘He hates it.'"

But Mick didn't hate it, though Mazur's vision has been tweaked over the years. Whereas the original design—featured on the sleeve of the "Tumbling Dice" 45—includes a pair of winking eyes and a tongue lolling to the side (Mazur's friends called it "pornographic"), the version that everyone sees today—on tee shirts, baseball caps and ice cube trays—has been cleaned up considerably. As a result of these changes, Mazur doesn't see a dime in royalties.

"When I see it now, the only emotion I feel is that I got screwed royally," he said.

While lesser artists might have grown bitter, Mazur immersed himself in art. Even when album covers shrunk to fit the compact disc format, he stayed creative. And successful.

"As an artist you usually go forward in one vein, either as a painter or a graphic artist or an illustrator," he said. "But I've always been able to go from painting a portrait to designing a logo for Bank of America to drawing scenes for a kid's book. And I can sell in all three areas."

These days, having moved from his native New York to Phoenix (upon recommendation from his old friend, Alice Cooper), Mazur has made a new reputation for himself, this time painting portraits of celebrities' dogs. Famous names like Jason Priestley, Sandra Bullock and Jessica Simpson have original Mazurs hanging on their walls. Never one to rest on his laurels, Mazur is also developing a line of T-shirts called Twystid.

"My work is like breathing, I need it," said Mazur. "I can't go on a vacation without at least a sketch book. It's a growth thing. I feel like I'm always seeing better, thinking better."

For more on Ruby Mazur watch our Video Part I.