According to The Guardian's fashion desk band t-shirts are currently at various degrees of hipness. The ubiquitous Ramones t-shirt has peaked- wear at your peril. This is due to the large number of kids wearing them and it's availability in Primark. The Stone Roses t-shirt is also in trouble, again due to their popularity with toddlers/their parents. Too cute y'see. On the other hand Raymond Pettibone's illustration for Sonic Youth's 1990 Goo album is always hot and currently
having a bit of a moment. But top of the pops and hot to trot is the 80s classic, the Run DMC shirt. Which is funny because I nearly bought one for my daughter a couple of weeks when I chanced upon one in TK Maxx- but didn't. If I'd bought it, for a child no less, an almost eleven year old, I could have killed the whole scene dead there and then. Anyway, I'm sure you'll thank me (and The Guardian) for this advice- I wouldn't want you getting it wrong out there and with band t-shirts, as Run DMC might say, it's tricky.
It's Like That (Drop The Break)
I was badgered into buying Max a Public Enemy T about a month ago and it is a struggle to get it off him but he has various Wedding Present and Fall ones purchased at gigs. It's the Zeppelin and Motorhead ones that you see around town that annoy me as you know the folk wearing them have never listened to either.
ReplyDeleteHope I hjave been killing the scene for wearing Fall t shirts.
I appreciate being kept up-to-date, thanks, it's all too complicated! Life will be easier all round if I just never ever wear a band t-shirt again - the whole thing is hilarious, isn't it? - how things have changed... My very first band t-shirt was a fabulous Clash one, bought in my teens in Carnaby Street in '78, and I was so excited to be able to show the world who my favourite band were, I wore it to death. But the best thing was buying some tubs of Dylon paint and doing my own. I'd love to see folk do that now.
ReplyDelete(I made a Notsensibles one for my boyfriend using the pic from their Death To Disco 7". Took me about a week to paint!)
I've got 2 Clash t-shirts that I still wear occasionaly and a Stone Roses one (for French holidays). I got the kids a Ramones one each a couple of years ago- I feel exonerated by owning at least 6 Ramones lps on vinyl.
ReplyDeletei always wear band-shirts. mostly some unknown metalcore bands at the moment, as i like the prinst and they were cheap. it's the best way to support the band and as a personal benefit the big print let me look a little smaller.
ReplyDeletemy personal fun is to wear the wrong musical style shirt while going to the club.
I always enjoy seeing people in 'wrong' band t shirts at gigs/clubs. Confuses people.
ReplyDeleteBetter than wearing a shirt of the band who are playing. That is really stupid.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter had a Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings shirt I bought at a gig but she's grown out of it now. I think band t-shirts on kids are just a way for the *parents* to advertise how hip they are and I'd rather my kids be their own people not some vessel for my ego.
The only band t-shirt I own is a Red Hot Chilli Peppers one I bought in an Alassio record shop last summer while on holiday. I liked its simple design (grey with just the cross-flower logo with RHCP over it) and the fact that, in terms of hipness the Peppers were/are currently on an all-time low, thus allowing me to be cool-by-way-of-extreme-uncoolness.
ReplyDeleteNah. I just like that band, or more accurately I liked them until 'Stadium Arcadium' came along.
Still have and wear a Talking Heads Fear Of Music t-shirt, XTC shirt from their last American tour to make it to NYC, a Death Cult t-shirt from their lone tour before the final morph into The Cult, a Porucpine era Bunnymen tee and a prized Clash tee from their residency at Bond's Casino. But the shirt that gets the most looks and questions was a gift - a Magazine tee from the 2009 mini tour. It's wonderful in its Malcolm Garrett design...
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