Band T-Shirts

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Are they acceptable in a so-called civilised society? What was the first one you bought? And the last?

― Tom, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The first was a Blue Aeroplanes "Beatsongs" T-Shirt. The last was a Catatonia "Born vile" skinny fit jobbie which was bought mainly because it was quite clever (Born Vile in the style of Bourneville - its a trademark gag). Are they socially acceptible? Well, its a good way of knowing you can despise someone before they even speak. And how else would we know if someone was on their way to a gig if they were not wearing a Pop Will Eat Itself T-Shirt?

Useful in later life to do cleaning / DIY in also.

― Pete, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm with Pete on the DIY thing; Ride and Jane Siberry (I think I was given that one) T-shirts are now a fury of Ice Storm, Ruby Fountain and black grout, and my Lush one - well, that's virtually indistinguishable from the original Vaughan Oliver design actually. Maybe even an improvement.

The chief reason for not wearing most of my late 80s/early 90s band Ts (even under jumpers) is that I don't really fit in them anymore. All those 40-degree/tumble dry cycles really tighten the cotton up, don't they? Ahem...

First one: possibly My Bloody Valentine ("Feed Me With Your Kiss" design) in 88/89. Last one: Laika last year. Nice sparkly design, slightly marred by the cardinal sin of band T-shirt design: band name on the reverse. There shouldn't be *anything* on the back. Especially not the word 'Queer' in big letters (Wolfgang Press, bought '91). Tour dates possibly worse, though.

Perhaps it was the 'overgrounding' of indie culture in the early/mid- 90s which finally made me feel a bit daft for sporting such popwear. I'd like to hear Mr Dastoor's comments on this; I don't believe he's ever owned such an item.

― Michael Jones, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

First T Shirt - "Meat Is Murder" by the Smiths, in 1987 or so. Cue every relative in extended Ewing family - Ooh Tom have you become a vegetarian? No no dammit it's a band. Mind you the Queen Is Dead shirt was just too horrid.

Last T Shirt - Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs '69' print shirt last year. No regrets though it must be said I wear it infrequently.

Social disgrace? Well it all depends on the band. Does anyone still have a Cool As Fuck T-Shirt I wonder? However it is always a dreadful thing when people in other bands wear them.

― Tom, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Certainly not acceptable.

First a really *really* horrible Dog's D'amour T-shirt (Tom may remember this one); too be swiftly followed by a bootleg Pixies, a Boo Radley's Lazarus, etc. etc. Last one? Probably Tindersticks in my first year at uni. Mostly memorable for meeting one of my friends the day after the concert, with T-shirt on under jacket, many jumpers (Scotland in winter + soft southern boy = crusty-looking nightmare), so only collar showing; she observed that it must be a new T-shirt, since it actually looked clean. Oh no, recollection of a Saint Etienne T-shirt with two of those blobby creatures that no-one can remember the name of on. Excellent to pull in, as loads of people will come up and ask you the name. Not people you want to meet of course...

― alex thomson, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They better damn well be acceptable, they're all I wear on a casual basis (well, pants and socks and all that don't hurt either). I have about...mm...well, well over a hundred or so, I'm sure. Most of my buying spree days were early nineties, so there's an amusing bias there, but I have some fun ones of recent vintage as well. First one I bought was actually bought for me back in 1984 -- my Hall and Oates shirt. And I don't care what you think. ;-) Long since outgrown, though. Most recent? *ponders duly* Ah, right -- Radiohead in October. And yes, Tom, I still have a 'Cool as Fuck' shirt I break out from time to time. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My first concert T-shirt was a Sisters Of Mercy T-shirt from '91. The most recent was (wait for it) a _Bloodflowers_ long-sleeved job that's quite possibly the coolest T-shirt I've bought outside my dark grey Orbital one.

Are they acceptable? Depends on the shirt. The ones I bought over five years ago are practically see-through, so unless I'm in a situation where it's socially preferable to allow people to see your chest hair/nipples through your shirt, I tend not to wear them.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

as soon as i saw this question i knew it was embarrassing revelation time, please forgive me:

First band T: Guns N Roses cross one with their faces as skulls, worn until it became completely grey.

then a long succession of Ts, including more GNR, the inevitable poppies, lemonheads, the rollercoaster tour, the NME glasto 93 one i had nicked from my tent when i went this year (BASTARDS), a couple of suede ones, an horrendous wonderstuff idiot one (by all things godly, WHY???) and my fantastic manics motorcycle emptiness/baby i'm bored one, which is still worn to this day.

Last band T: a supernaturals one, which i hasten to add, was given to me for FREE, after staffing their merch stall at a gig, during which time I moaned constantly about how poo they were (and they were poo).

I suppose it was all jarvis cocker's fault that we all stopped wearing them and buying second hand nylon shirts instead...or was that just me?

― carsmilesteve, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ooh, I cringe when I think how utterly dependent I used to be on them. I hardly ever wear them now, except maybe to sleep in.

It seems like I used to have hundreds but they've nearly all disappeared. It's probably a combination of me moving around from place to place and my sister "borrowing" the more brit band oriented ones over the years. It would be really *really* scary to see her t- shirt collection, because I know she has at least 2 for bands like Menswear and probably like 10 for Blur.

The first one I got was from the INXS "Kick" tour -- I was forbidden from actually attending the concert but I was able to bribe my friend who was going into buying a t-shirt for me. I literally thought it was the coolest thing ever, with all of the artwork from the album on it. The last one I got was from last year at the SFA show -- it's a nice baggy old school one (as opposed to the baby tee craze that has overtaken the shirt biz).

Incidentally, I *pined* for a "Cool as Fuck" t-shirt back in the day, but I think they were probably pretty damn near impossible to find in the Midwest. Ah well.

― Nicole, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This has nothing to do with civilization, it has to do with laughing at other people.

They are hence absolutely acceptable, because the heavy metal economy is mostly based on it, and it's always funny to see skinny blokes with mullets, tight washed out black jeans and a Tesla t-shirt. First one I purchased was U2 in 1986 - i was 9 yrs old. Last was from local band Cafeine, as a present for my sister (still havent given it to her, though... that was last october) Last I bought for myself... Gotta be a Johnny Thunders one, in 1995.

I am a shirt person ;)

― simon, Monday, 8 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I hope so, because they form a large proportion of my less than smart wardrobe. Indeed, I'm wearing a Windy and Carl T-shirt as I type this. I can't remember the first one I bought, but odds on it was either a Sonic Youth or Carter USM one. The last one was a very nice Bardo Pond shirt, bought at ATP last year.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Tuesday, 9 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The majority of band T-Shirts I've bought were bought in a fit of lager-induced generosity post-show. Merchandise stalls which sell things other than T-Shirts are particularly dangerous in this regard - those readers who accompanied me to the They Came From The Stars (I Saw Them) gig last Spring will be unsurprised to learn that the Now! CD I bought is still gathering space dust on my shelf.

Has anyone got any funny stories about T-Shirt sellers I wonder?

― Tom, Tuesday, 9 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

A friend of mine once inexplicably eloped with whiteout's "tour manager" (read: t-shirt seller) and disappeared for an entire week of srars-in-their-eyes faces style debauchery - inspiring 5 years of merciless derision.

Retribution was assured the next time the good-time rockers hit town when her ex-boyfriend & i drunkenly deflated the rear tyres of their suprisingly large tour bus. Gratifying closure was reached when, wobbling home in the wee hours, we spied the entire whiteout entourage gesticulating in comic hapless fashion by the roadside & air kisses were duly blown. ahh - to be young again.

― cw, Tuesday, 9 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom, you know I have a story to tell about a T-Shirt seller (fella), and that I am duty bound not to repeat it here.

I will quite happily recount it to people in a pub though.

― Pete, Tuesday, 9 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Um, I had a Madonna shirt in the mid-80s and someone bought me a Pulp shirt that I never wore because it was XXXXXL (I mean, wtf? I weighed 110lbs for god's sake). But I didn't wear either, and I won't wear band shirts now. Too "oh, *that* guy"-ish.

I used to date a boy who wore a Speed Racer shirt every day. Does this count?

― Ally, Tuesday, 9 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've only ever had four, chronologically: Rush, a homemade Screamers t-shirt, a Hellacopters jersey, and an Angry Samoans t-shirt which is just the Angry Samoans logo screened over a tweety bird tee shirt Metal Mike Saunders bought at Goodwill (it's definitely my favorite).< p> As for wacky experiences buying shirts, Metal Mike included a Christmas card with my tee shirt that was just a photo of his room, which is basically a shrine to Britney Spears except for one A-Teens poster. He actually trades Angry Samoans tees for Britney Spears stickers, but only specific ones. Oh yeah, I also have this Primal Scream shirt I got for free somehow but I wouldn't wipe my ass with it and it doesn't fit anyway.

― Kris, Wednesday, 10 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah, nostalgia. The first One I bought was a Nirvana 'Sliver' T-Shirt, in white - one of only two I've ever seen - I've still got it with about 1000 holes in it at the back of a draw somewhere.

As for the latest, after not buying a band T-shirt for about 5years, my girlfriend and I went to a Le Tigre gig a few months ago and in a moment of drunken awe bought a small size T-shirt, it would probably fit both of us, and we're hardly the skiniest people.

― Chewshabadoo, Thursday, 11 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Band T-Shirts - great when you're young, not very groovy when you're 31. They make a statement. They say "Hey you! I like Thrilled Skinny!". Or mine did anyway. Incidentally, a Thrilled Skinny T-Shirt becomes horribly and unintentionally ironic when you start 'filling out' a bit....

― Adams, Thursday, 11 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I swore that I'd never wear a T-shirt from a trauma that was an Australian High School in the late 90's. Blink 182 T-Shirts! Limp Bizkit T-Shirts! Offspring T-Shirts!

I'm still recovering from seeing those T-shirts everyday for years.

― Phil Paterson, Friday, 12 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

when I go to a concert I always think, I buy a t-shirt this time! But after the concert I always forget.. :(

so I only have, ehhm, a Limp Bizkit t-shirt. I bought 2 years ago. But I don't wear it anymore. I just don't like the band anymore.. :)

see, where can I buy Nick Drake t-shirts?

Ludo

― Ludo, Monday, 15 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I agree, when your young acceptable, after let's say 30 unacceptable. My first shirt: Monsters of Rock 87, or something (my god, the shame) My last: 4 years ago some Stereolab shirt, simple and ugly. Stupid shirt: The Guns 'n Roses Jack Daniels design (actually made you very popular). Favorite shirt: both "Ritual de lo Habitual" era Jane's Addiction shirts are still beautiful, both have portaits of female saints.

― o.munoz, Wednesday, 17 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ludo, the only way to progress is to burn that shirt you bought in a moment of weakness. You can never move forward with something like a Limp Bizkit T-shirt. That's why I'm going places and my former classmates who wore those shirts are working in a factory making doubly ply boxes to be filled full of tubes of glue.

― Phil Paterson, Wednesday, 17 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two weeks pass...

my first one was probably a guns and roses t-shirt after that i got some cure & sisters of mercy t-shirts. nowadays i use my stereolab t- shirt, my tindersticks, comet gain & my newly made beat happening (first album picture) t-shirt. it´s great!

― Jens, Monday, 5 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

First one I think was an REM t-shirt. The last one was given to me as a gift for my birthday. It's a Pinefox t-shirt. I'm sorry.

― Ally C, Tuesday, 13 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four weeks pass...

I actually stumbled in here looking for an old simple minds t-shirt. It's like I just discovered the band and I'm totally obsessed. But the first tee I bought, if I remeber correctly, was a Lenny Kravitz from the circus tour except it was way too big for me so my brother got to wear it, and it tormented me every time he did. I stopped buying tees 'cause they rarely come in S or even M for god's sake. The last one I bought (although too big) was a U2 tee from the popmart tour. Hey, maybe I'll get my next one at their upcoming concert I'll be attending. Or a simple minds if I can find one.

― cynthia piccoli, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ahem...Whitesnake - 'Lovehunter' - awesome !

― Geordie Racer, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Everyone's writing "t-shirts" and "tee-shirts". But look, they're "T-shirts", because — hey hey hey — they're shaped like a T.

― mark s, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oooh, look at you, smartie-pants.

― DG, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hardly acceptable outside of college. You're supposed to show your lack of distinguishing personality traits as soon as you start to have to pay back the large sums of money you owe. Of course, this means I'm getting in as much time with my Primus shirt from 8th grade as I can before the hammer comes down.

First would probably be the Soundgarden "Badmotorfinger" design that was all swirly and still looks damn cool in its way despite having been torn into cleaning rags by my mother. Most recent would be a "Never Mind The Bollocks" T that I found in a shop in Toronto and bought while wondering why I hadn't bought one ages ago. I like to wear it with a glam-rockish leopard print overshirt, just to fuck with the minds of the culturally aware...

― Dave M., Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

all i want to know is where i can buy one for my birthday and speak english boy

― tom dickerson, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The use of "so-called" in the original post freezes the piss in my bladder.

― David, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i don't have any band t-shirts with me in london, apart from a belle & sebastian one that some storeholder gave me at Bowlie 99. has anyone seen those lovely Bogdan Raczynksi t-shirts, they look very nice. i might be tempted, even though i'm not that much of a t-shirt guy (give me a polo neck and a fur coat, damn this summer rubbish!)

― gareth, Friday, 17 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a new t-shirt from the Madonna concert. It is very tiny and doesn't cover my stomach at all, it barely fits my chest. It is like I am wearing Barbie's t-shirt. It is pink and says Material Girl on it in red rhinestony things. Then on the back it has the logo for the Drowned World tour. It's the best t-shirt ever, if I could wear it to work I would but it's not what one would call professional.

― Ally, Friday, 17 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

it is very beautiful system.

― sumedh s khare, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I, sadly enough, went through a stage where I had a Nirvana T-shirt for every day of the week. What makes this even more awful is that I purposefully collected that amount because Dave Grohl had laid claim to having a (God, I can't remember what band it was- something in my brain is moving sickeningly towards) Creedence Clearwater Revival T- shirt for each day.

Aaargh...

Nowadays it's very rare for me to wear T-shirts with anything written on them, as I have a tie constantly around my neck. I do have some, though: a signed Moldy Peaches one, a Pickled Egg records one, A Wire one (this one is actually worn a fair amount). I also have a home- made one drawn for me by Dan from the Butterflies Of Love...

― emil.y, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am in fact at this very moment wearing a Skinny Puppy t-shirt, my last band shirt purchase. Got it at the Camden market somewhere because the thought struck me, suddenly, that I needed a Skinny Puppy shirt. I haven't actually listened to the band in about six years, but.. I guess right now wearing a tight black t-shirt with a band name printed it big glittery letters doesn't imply that you actually like the band. before that I got a Mogwai shirt w/ 'blur: are shite' on it, but it's unfortunately way too big.

― daria gray, Saturday, 25 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am currently wearing a Tsunami t-shirt, from their last (& final?) tour for _A Brilliant Mistake_. It's a lovely shade of light lime-green, with the logo from the album in dark green on the front. I love this shirt to death. The first band shirt I ever bought. I actually wore it to one of their shows a couple of months later - felt like a Grade A doofus doing so. (Broke the cardinal rule of band shirts, I did.)

Other shirts I own - Low (black, w/ pic from their "Venus" Sub Pop single on front, and LOW on the bottom of the back), Ida (red logo on dark blue shirt), the Dismemberment Plan (light blue w/ city landscape & band name typed in Arial), and Sonic Yoof. The SY shirt is a cheap piece of crap that had red cuffs on the sleeves & collar, and the red bled onto the rest of the shirt. And the Mike Mills design pisses me off, too.

The last shirt I bought was the Dis Plan, though the Ida shirt was the last shirt I acquired (for free, after assisting them w/ loading their equipment on their van - ah, yes...). I feel a little self-conscious owning 5 band shirts as is, given that I barely wear them, so I cut myself off and haven't dropped any dough in a while on bandwear. (I spend enough buying CDs from the bands I see as is.) And I'll be forked if I even considered paying THIRTY bucks for a Radiohead t-shirt.

― David Raposa, Saturday, 25 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

Somewhat regrettably, the majority of my purchases have come to be a source of lament in hindsight. (Hindsight is normally acievable by the next morning...). I agree with whoever said it's hard to get Small or even Medium shirts; more often than not I find myself buying girls' T's to avoid any accusations of "baggy"... That said I do have a blur Singles concert T'shirt (too big) and a Stone Roses (first album cover print; rare) so my baggy avoidance may be slipping..

It all started rather sadly and predicyably with a Nirvana T'shirt from 1992 and the last purchase I believe was a "Brain Dead Motherfucker" manics skinny fit. It was intended for my younger 18yr old sister but I have found myself in Trash and Candybox, after days of starvation, swinging my wistfully-thought-of-as-emaciated hips in said garment! Faves include smiths and motorcycle emptiness T's.

I own too many - possibly up to 30 odd. Scary. Rarely worn, rather fondly remembered!

― Steve, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i can't remember the first tshirt i got, may have been Howard Jones or something. I don't have it anymore anyway. Latest one was Trembling Blue Stars. I go through phases about their acceptability, and I don't really wear them that much, just occasionally so I can pass for one a the kids. I only buy them now from smaller bands, if the designs are nice, moslty to help the band out because that is one of their major $ sources while on tour.

― g, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Acceptable, yes. Especially if you can't tell it's a band shirt.

First, Madonna's Virgin Tour

Last, The Forty-Fives. Who rock the proverbial casbah.

― Samantha, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a Catpower t-shirt given to me by... Chan herself. Never wore it. Aside from that one, I just have a Buzzcocks tshirt, a Guided by Voices tshirt (given by ex) and a Mercury Rev tshirt. I rarely wear'em.

― helenfordsdale, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Interestingly, first was a blur t shirt when I was 14 or so and last was a Mogwai Blur are shite one. I got a Spiritualized Spaceman one for Christmas which any of my female friends seem to love. They don't know who Spiritualized are though, maybe that's why. I want a Primal Scream one incredibly badly. One of PRML SCRM MTHR FCKR ones. rock and roll. etc.

― Ronan, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

1st: jesusandmarychain: upside down in pink & blue (because i was 16)

last: dreadzone (warning speaker) (because its nice)

one i want: gaye bikers on acid: pfx (because im racing my ex to find one)

― dbini, Saturday, 12 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Acceptable, but be careful. My first was a Talking Heads Fear Of Music shirt, black, and it still looks stunning on me. I just ordered a blue Boredoms shirt with the two robot hands grabbing my chest and I can't wait.

― dan, Saturday, 12 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Last one was a Celia Cruz t-shirt that was much too large for me that I bought after I had seen her perform. I ended up giving it to one of the drummers from a Brazlian dance class I was taking. (If we are only counting band bands, then the last one might have been a Psychic TV t-shirt "Voodo Acid," which I actually wore for a while.)

The first one was probably Joy Division (featuring the graphic from Unknown Pleasures).

They seem like a good thing to wear to the gym or maybe to certain dance classes, but in general I stay away from wearing t-shirts. If nothing else, I don't think I look very good in them.

― DeRayMi, Saturday, 12 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ive been thinking about this "acceptability" notion. it depends where you socialize. if the majority of yr social contact is over the internet, then it dont matter what yr wearing. ps: today its my beastie boys: polar fleece tour

― dbini, Sunday, 13 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the majority of ILM post naked: we thought it was time you were told

― mark s, Sunday, 13 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

First: Joy Division. Most recent: either The Clientele or Hood (can't remember which).

Of course they're acceptable. It was quite funny yesterday I was shopping with my gf and I had on my Hood t-shirt and she had borrowed a Stereolab t-shirt from me and it felt like we were some indie mafia..

― electric sound of jim, Sunday, 13 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

it's funny how i ran into this website. i'm trying to sell a Skinny Puppy t-shirt on ebay and was looking for a scan of it. i already passed my t-shirt craze days. there was a time that i nearly had a shirt for every band i listened to. obssesion maybe. i still wear them to this days and never have really bothered thinking whether they were acceptable or not. if you truly like a band and wearing their t-shirtmakes you feel great, then what does it matter. first t- shirt i ever bought was a Metallica t-shirt in 1992. it wasn't at a concert. i've never seen them live nor want to nowdays. first concert t-shirt was Morbid Angel's covenant one on the tour with Black Sabbath and Motorhead in the winter of 1993. i remember it because it was a snow storm that night and the show didn't get canceled. it was great. i was a metal fan for a very long period of time so you can imagine the amount of t-shirts that have gonne in and out of my closet. the most recent shirts i've bought were a Mogwai one and a Plaid one. i don't wear them as often as before. i'm getting old i think

― enea ceku, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

http://www.updirect.com/store/graphics/00000001/amy1.jpg

― , Friday, 18 April 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 39 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I'm 36 and I wore them all the time til about 5 yrs ago. Very rarely now.

― Ayo Scott (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 16:05 (fourteen years ago)

they're fine as long as you don't wear them over a long sleeve t-shirt like a 5-year old.

― The indie rocker is the modern hippie, and the internet is his LSD (herb albert), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 16:57 (fourteen years ago)

is it acceptable to still wear band t-shirts at 36?

absolutely.

― m the g, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 17:56 (fourteen years ago)

Currently wearing my Low shirt from 1994 as content as can be.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:02 (fourteen years ago)

sporting a natty little painkiller number.

― m the g, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:21 (fourteen years ago)

yeah i really see nothing wrong with it. My wife says its time to retire some of them, i refuse to retire my neds atomic dustbin t-shirt.

― OLD MAN YELLS AT SHOUT RAP (chrisv2010), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:27 (fourteen years ago)

at this point all my band t-shirts have died/been worn out with two exceptions:

The Tight Bros From Way Back When
KILL ALL HIPPIES

― bien-pensant vibe (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:29 (fourteen years ago)

My Lushapalooza shirt is still in VG condition, all others from pre '93 are threadbare.

― Ayo Scott (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:34 (fourteen years ago)

yeah my red house painters shirt from 96 has got giant armpit holes. i still wear it.

― OLD MAN YELLS AT SHOUT RAP (chrisv2010), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:35 (fourteen years ago)

i refuse to retire my neds atomic dustbin t-shirt.

Wise man.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:36 (fourteen years ago)

still rock my Psychic TV 1990 De-Tour 1990, Monster Magnet and Butthole Surfers shirts, but most are see-through & undershirt-only at this point

― The indie rocker is the modern hippie, and the internet is his LSD (herb albert), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 18:41 (fourteen years ago)

Clash Combat Rock tour may have been the first. The most recent was from the Feelies latest tour.

― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:26 (fourteen years ago)

I am 37 and currently have these in rotation:

Smiths 1984 UK Tour (bought in 1992), black/short sleeve
Stereolab Duophonic UHF label logo from ETK tour, blue/long sleeve
James Daisy tee from 92/93, blue/long sleeve
New Order 2001 Get Ready album cover, white/long sleeve
REM Monkey Riding Bicylce mid80s, white/short sleeve
Swayzak, train 2005, blue/short
New Order, Republic + Ruined in a Day covers 1993, white/short sleeve
New Order, Ceremony reprint, green/short sleeve
New Order, Procession reprint, green/short sleeve
Depeche Mode 101 tour shirt, black/short sleeve
Charlatans Up To Our Hips cover 1993, black short sleeve

I don't feel bad about wearing any of them.

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:34 (fourteen years ago)

Stereolab Duophonic UHF label logo from ETK tour, blue/long sleeve
REM Monkey Riding Bicylce mid80s, white/short sleeve

Have both of these. "We are having a heavenly time"

― Ayo Scott (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:38 (fourteen years ago)

Can't remember my first. Most recent: Sunn O)))) Monoliths & Dimensions bought at the Atlanta show. Favorite: Yo La Tengo "My Three Sons" design.

― Groovy Goulet (pixel farmer), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:39 (fourteen years ago)

as long as they're in decent shape it's always ok to wear band shirts. they're great for layering, kicking around the house, doing work or errands. also when you buy them at shows you're helping out the band.

― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:45 (fourteen years ago)

I have several drawers full, but only wear a few regularly (and this being winter in Minnesota, only under something else right now.) So many are either too tent-like, too tight, too stiff or too worn out. My current favorite for size, softness and sentiment: PYLON, grey with screwdriver on front, "Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty' on back. Chain tour?

― Glorified Lolcat (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 19:56 (fourteen years ago)

also when you buy them at shows you're helping out the band.

^^ this. I try to always buy shirts or other merch from bands I like. Every little bit, you know?

― Pirates of the Caribbean V: Letters of Marque & Reprisal (Phil D.), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 20:13 (fourteen years ago)

I buy shirts p sparsely these days, maybe three a year, but this tends to be the case yeah - I really don't need any more at this point tho

In middle age you should be sufficiently secure not to have advertise an idea of your personality to the world through anything other than your actual personality.

idk if deciding that certain types of clothes are off-limits on the basis of your age really screams "secure" to me either tho

― look its not that you listen to metal its that youre a bellend ok (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 20:56 (fourteen years ago)

i only wear shirts from bands i'm in

― bows don't kill people, arrows do (Jordan), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 21:04 (fourteen years ago)

xp really doubt any older band shirt dude dresses to impress, more the of middle-aged trifecta of laziness, frugality and comfort

― The indie rocker is the modern hippie, and the internet is his LSD (herb albert), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 21:12 (fourteen years ago)

(though it might be different if I lived in hipsterville w/ all their alternadads and punk rock prenatal yoga classes)

― The indie rocker is the modern hippie, and the internet is his LSD (herb albert), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 21:15 (fourteen years ago)

PYLON, grey with screwdriver on front, "Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty' on back.

lol i have this one too, got it when Pylon opened for REM green tour Kansas City

― Ayo Scott (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 21:20 (fourteen years ago)

Wearing this now - I wore it underneath my tuxedo shirt and vest at a poker event I did this afternoon:

http://shop.relapse.com/dbimages/sleeves/4159TS_216.jpg

― NYCNative, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 22:00 (fourteen years ago)

is it acceptable to still wear band t-shirts at 36?

i hope so, since that's most of what i wear, and i'm 36 in a week

― down in the eustachian tube at midnight (electricsound), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 22:01 (fourteen years ago)

also when you buy them at shows you're helping out the band

This is exactly right. Another ilxor may have sold me a shirt in December, despite me being over 40.

― progspeed you! black metallers (aldo), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 22:24 (fourteen years ago)

im 38 and i always wear band tshirts, just recently got this (with a cd, it was a pre-order)

http://ring.cdandlp.com/osmoseproductions/photo_grande/114701502.jpg

Glenn is older than I am and he has the hoodie version.

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 22:29 (fourteen years ago)

As with anything, it's how you wear it.

― glenn mcdonald, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 00:52 (fourteen years ago)

And how do you wear it?

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Thursday, 10 February 2011 23:51 (fourteen years ago)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Lx-TTW3Y508/TAViXGvMcpI/AAAAAAAABX0/HpYehlxa6kE/s320/kriss-kross.jpg

― Ayo Scott (rip van wanko), Thursday, 10 February 2011 23:55 (fourteen years ago)

Wearing this at work today.

http://static.musictoday.com/store/bands/769/product_large/EYCT24.JPG

― Pirates of the Caribbean V: Letters of Marque & Reprisal (Phil D.), Friday, 11 February 2011 15:21 (fourteen years ago)

First one, blimey... I think it might have been for "The Truth", it came free with copies of the 12" single "Confusion (hits us every time)"

Last one, I'm fairly sure was for/from Moe Tucker.

― Mark G, Friday, 11 February 2011 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

not a band t-shirt but im rocking it.
http://foxshop.seenon.com/img/product/resized/493/00180764-422493_500.jpg

― OLD MAN YELLS AT SHOUT RAP (chrisv2010), Friday, 11 February 2011 15:27 (fourteen years ago)

Today I am rocking my Mastery 'Lethal Legacy' long sleeve.

― NYCNative, Friday, 11 February 2011 17:13 (fourteen years ago)

five months pass...

I see fewer and fewer band t-shirts these days. Do kids still even wear them? That said, I did see a fantastic homemade Fox Base Alpha T being worn at Secret Garden Party.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Tuesday, 2 August 2011 10:25 (thirteen years ago)

500% guarantee you wouldn't have posted that if Maiden had been in town round your way last night, as was the case with me

― magna cumlord (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 2 August 2011 10:38 (thirteen years ago)

ah well, classic metal is always the exception.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Tuesday, 2 August 2011 10:46 (thirteen years ago)

I went to Copenhagen to watch Maiden a few years ago and everyone was in Maiden tops... Bartenders, lollypop women, grandparents, traffic wardens... it was like some bizarre national holiday.

I turned 40 recently and am wearing a band T-shirt. I really wanted to smarten my act up and start wearing shirts but I realised I'd sooner spend the money that ten new shirts would cost me on vinyl.

― Rebekah Brooks Hardsonned My Hamster (Doran), Tuesday, 2 August 2011 11:01 (thirteen years ago)

twelve years pass...

this question came to me because I randomly saw a picture of The Who (by the looks of it I'm assuming around Quick One of Sell Out), but Keith is wearing a Who logo graphic t-shirt

which sort of surprised me, but the I thought that I really don't know when band t-shirts came in to being a common thing? does anyone know?

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 4 December 2023 15:47 (one year ago)

nothing concrete of course because i'm not old enough. however at the used record shop where i used to work, the owner had some vintage tees as decoration. there was a grateful dead one and it had the same style font as on the anthem of the sun cover art.

secondary question that i wonder about is how prevalent bootleg shirts were back then.

― she fell asleep with her hand around my throat (Austin), Monday, 4 December 2023 15:54 (one year ago)

"common" = the 70's.
when i was selling vintage clothing i used to see an elvis tee from 1956 come up once in a while. it's a complex multicolor design though t-shirt graphics from that time tend to be very simple, monochrome with generic lettering.
i can't think of an older one with a musician or band that i've seen.

― Deflatormouse, Monday, 4 December 2023 16:08 (one year ago)

This one Deflator?

https://www.defunkd.com/product/CR199/vtg-50s-1956-elvis-presley-first-concert-tour-t-shirt/

reading around it looks like, yes, sporadic but there during the 60s:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1111678885/vintage-1960s-dated-1963-beatles-band
https://www.carousell.com.my/p/rare-vintage-1967-the-monkees-sweatshirt-size-m-1089883523/

Then commodity in 70s.

― woof, Monday, 4 December 2023 16:11 (one year ago)

Reading 'History of…' articles gives me this weird 'did Chatgpt write this?' tension.

Consensus seems to be that the Elvis 56 is first - ppl cite The Art of the Band T-shirt

― woof, Monday, 4 December 2023 16:14 (one year ago)

https://i.imgur.com/n0wP2Az.png

― budo jeru, Monday, 4 December 2023 16:15 (one year ago)

1964. looks like the same one you posted, woof

― budo jeru, Monday, 4 December 2023 16:15 (one year ago)

woof, yes, that's the print, usually on a ringer tee.

re: bootleg shirts, so i haven't read a book about this or anything but if we're talking about the 60's, most of the graphic shirts you see are not commercial products that would have been sold by a merchant. they're for military units, schools, scouts, teams and clubs, etc. thinking of examples that i've handled and sold or kept for myself and worn... a lot of the time the lettering is hand-drawn, it's seems they got the person with the steadiest hand to make a line drawing and sent it off to a print shop so everyone could have a shirt. they don't seem like a professional graphic artist had a hand in it at all, which is kind of nice.

so like the beatles fan club shirt that you see around... i'm thinking someone at the top of the fan club lovingly put that together, you know, i don't think licensing was really a concern. i'm not saying commercial graphic tees in the 60s are non existant, but yes they're "sporadic" and generally speaking if you wanted something printed on a shirt, you had to put it there yourself... so idea of a "bootleg" that's meant to get ahead of an officially licensed product is anachronistic i think

― Deflatormouse, Monday, 4 December 2023 17:11 (one year ago)

Why are band t-shirts so damn long now? If I tuck it in it looks a little dorky, but if I don't it looks a lot dorky.

― Cow_Art, Monday, 4 December 2023 17:14 (one year ago)

Recently bought a nifty (unlicensed) T-shirt with the Sweetheart of the Rodeo artwork. It’s dandy.

― Sam Weller, Monday, 4 December 2023 17:21 (one year ago)

i definitely think of the band tee as we know it now as originating in the early '70s.

― budo jeru, Monday, 4 December 2023 17:59 (one year ago)

Re: cow I stopped buying them because of the length and I’ve actually made a couple posts around the internet asking if band shirts (well, really the shirts that band shirts are printed on) are getting outrageously long or if I’m going crazy and your post is the first to suggest I’m not just going crazy

― zacata, Monday, 4 December 2023 18:09 (one year ago)

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