Tribal Gatherings
Leave a commentNovember 27, 2012 by Claire White
As anyone who listens to Steve Lamacq on 6Music will know, on Friday it’s ‘Wear Your Old Band T-shirt to Work Day 5′.
The day is Steve’s now annual response to the fashionistas who take the short cut to musical credibility, picking up their band merchandise on the high street rather than the gig circuit.
Steve invites listeners to dig out their favourite t-shirts and celebrate the art of declaring “I saw Coldplay at the Colchester Arts Centre and I have the poorly produced, cider-encrusted shirt to prove it!”
This got me to thinking that it’s virtually impossible now to tell just by looking at someone, what their musical taste is.
From the Mods in the late 50′s and 60′s to Glam Rock and Punk in the 70′s through to New Romanticism, Goths, Heavy Metal, Acid House and Madchester Baggies, Grunge etc etc etc you could pretty much tell at a glance what the said youth was into.
Now it may be that I stopped noticing, but fashion seemed to get more about, well, fashion rather than music. Band t-shirts seemed to disappear from everyday life – with the exception of ‘mettlers’ who seem to have a definite identity at all times. Then, mini band t-shirts started appearing in popular high street stores and yes, my daughter had a bright pink Ramones t-shirt at the age of 5. In fact, now nearly 3 years on, there are still mini RUN DMC, Stone Roses, Rolling Stones and Nirvana t-shirts widely available.
What was/is your favourite band t-shirt? Do you wear them often? My favourite and probably most worn were the ubiquitous James flower long-sleeved ones. The last gig I went to resulted in not a t-shirt but a piece of art…how times have changed…
I’m now off to Mum’s house to dig out some old t-shirts to pick one to wear on Friday – will you be joining in? Further details here
