There's a girl that I know who wears a Bruce Springsteen 'Born in the USA' T-Shirt, it's a nice T-Shirt, plain white, one of Annie Leibowitz' finest album covers emblazoned on the front. After noticing it quite a few times, I point at the shirt and ask 'What's your favourite track?' - I'm thinking either the titular or 'Glory Days' - but who was I kidding, I knew what she was going to say before it even came out of her mouth. 'I don't know, i've never listened to it'. A horrible, heart sinking moment, that moment when you realise that the t-shirt you once thought may have a great back story and shared great memories, is not a legendary Fruit of the Loom cut off with an iron on logo, but is in fact from...Topshop.
The shirt that really threw me though, was one of Keith Richards, a man who has been playing incredible music for three times longer than the tweens wearing his face over their chests have been alive.
'Oh shit! A t-shirt with some Ray-Ban's and a cigarette on it, how deliciously indie. Who's Keith? Fuck Knows, he was probably in the Beatles'
It'll probably get thrown into the same drawer as that one with 'Hey Ho, Let's Go' on it, probably that other one with those four chaps walking across a zebra crossing and definitely that one with the giant red tongue.
T-shirts with bands on should only be bought from a concert. I've accumilated quite the collection over the last few years. Arcade Fire from Reading 2010 is getting relentless use at the moment, but if I had been watching highlights at 1am on BBC Three and then bought the shirt online, would i have the same attachment to it? Of course not. Whenever I put it on I just get reminded of one of the most incredible live shows i've ever seen. Just like when Johnny Clearasil saw the Rolling Stones no doubt.
High Street chains are destroying the cult fashion that goes side by side with live music. If shops like Topman or New Look keep producing these clothes, what will happen to the anonymous nod in the middle of the street, when you see the same shirt on someone else? It's going to turn into the anonymous keep head up and pretend you're not wearing River Island by Kasabian.
However, (not trying to be chic) I think the hand-me-downs are passable. I have a Reading festival t-shirt from the 70’s from when my Dad was on the gate there. At least there’s a story behind it. Haven’t got a ticket? Tenner and i don’t know about it. There may be a good few decades of long-drop smell festering in the cotton somewhere, but it’s from when Reading was still the National Jazz Festival and Arthur Brown, the God of hell-fire himself was burning away on stage.
The high street chains need to stop being so vintage and go back to doing what they do best, skinny jeans and tight t-shirts. Leave the mis-shapen, un-machine-washable and undeniably cool band t-shirts to that guy in the corner with a staple gun and absolutely no change, whatsoever. The great and true concert t-shirt retailer.
