The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper: Line Out: Merch

Are You a Fag? Are You a Fag With a Guitar?

Kelly O — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:12:42 -0700

Then shirt is for you! See also, this insanely hilarious rock logo shirt, by artist Peggy Noland. Oooh, and this "Lather Daddy" tee. All and more at wackywacko.com. I kinda want one of each.

www.wackywacko.com

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Record Store Day 2013: Here's Where You'll Find What

Megan Seling — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:12:13 -0700

Record Store Day is this Saturday! Are you ready? Is your bank account ready?

Because there are so many special Record Store Day releases, I'm not going to post them here—the whole list can be found at recordstoreday.com. What I will tell you, though, is everything happening around the city! There are a lot of free in-stores to catch and a lot of sales, so hopefully this will help you map out your day. And if you have something to add to this list, leave a comment! I'll update the post as necessary, so we have all the info we need to have the best Record Store Day ever.

Radar Hair & Records (2724 First Ave S, radarhairandrecords.com): All records are 20% off!

Everyday Music (1520 10th Ave, everydaymusic.com): Opening early at 8 am! With live music, guest DJs, and more starting at 9 am. Here's the schedule:

9 am: Meet and greet with Robbie hill of the Family Affair and Wheedle's Groove
11 am: DJ Veins (our own Dave Segal!)
12 pm: DJ Mr. Smith
1 pm: Pitschouse
2 pm: King Dude
4 pm: Mystery Ship
5 pm: Scriptures
6 pm: Tomten
7 pm: Steradian

Sonic Boom Records (2209 NW Market St, sonicboomrecords.com): Sonic Boom Records will be opening at 10 am with live music from Angel Olsen (3 pm) and Maps & Atlases (4 pm). And! You can receive a discount at many other Ballard businesses when you show them your Sonic Boom Record Store Day receipt, including 10% off your purchases at Velouria, Clover Toys, Annie's Art & Frame, and Monster Art & Clothing, $4.20 cocktails at Bastille, $2 ice cream at Cupcake Royale, and much more. See the full list of participating business at Sonic Boom's website.

Spin Cycle (321 Broadway Ave E, facebook.com/spincycleseattle): Opening at midnight with all vinyl on sale! You'll get 5% off when you spend $50, and 10% off when you spend $100.

Jive Time Records (3506 Fremont Ave N, jivetimerecords.com): All music is 20% off, and you get a free hand-screened poster with every purchase.

Easy Street Records (4559 California Ave SW, easystreetonline.com): Easy Street is celebrating a little bit early—they have a free in-store with Robert DeLong on Thursday, 4/18 at 7 pm. Keep an eye on their blog of other Record Store Day announcements.

Porchlight Coffee & Records (1318 E Pike St [new address!], porchlightcoffee.wordpress.com): Get $10 to spend on records when you buy a new turntable at Porchlight! The list of what they'll have in store (including the GZA wood chess set—whaaa?) can be seen here.

Silver Platters (701 Fifth Ave N, silverplatters.com): Offering 10% of all vinyl from 2 pm-1 pm, and live music all afternoon at the Queen Anne location, featuring:

1 pm: The West
2 pm: The Mowgli's
3:30 pm: Family of the Year
5 pm: Seacats

Holy Cow Records (Pike Place Market, lower level): 20% off everything in the store.

Other participating stores include: Another Record Store, Platinum Records, Wall of Sound, Georgetown Records, and Neptune Music Co..

Also worth noting, since you'll need nourishment for all your shopping, Seacats are playing a free show at Lunchbox Laboratory in South Lake Union at 3 pm to celebrate their new seven-inch The 7" Burger. The restaurant will also be selling the Seacats burger, an all-beef or black bean vegetarian patty topped with mac and cheese and french fries. Wowza!

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Sonic Boom Will be the Only Record Store to Sell the New Limited-Edition Silk Screened Atoms for Peace 12"

Megan Seling — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:16:58 -0800

One hundred editions of Atoms for Peace's Judge Jury and Executioner 12" were screen printed by hand, and, because the supplies were so limited, the band and XL recordings then held a lottery to see which lucky record store would get to sell the coveted merchandise. It's your lucky day, Seattle!

Watch Mr. Yorke make the announcement:

Congrats, Sonic Boom!

The Tracklisting is:

A1: "Judge Jury and Executioner"
B1: "S.A.D." (Non-album track)

The shop says they now have the albums, they're $16.99 each and there's a limit of ONE per customer.

In other record store news, Silver Platters on Lower Queen Anne is moving to Sodo in June—the neighborhood, my neighborhood, started the year with two record stores and come June there will be zero. Sad face.

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Vanilla Ice Lighting: "BLING IT ON"

Kelly O — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:08:42 -0800

You guys. THIS IS REAL. No, really, it is.

The transitional design and unique silk shades with crystal detail make this fixture truly an original, just like Vanilla Ice.

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RE: Please Don't, Black Flag: This Shirt Is The Only Good Thing About The Reunion

Kelly O — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:33:17 -0800

I dunno... All this trepidation... What about this $12 t-shirt?

Kinda punk? Eh? ...Neh?

blackflag.bigcartel.com

Click image to order, and also see the whole shirt. H/T to Alithea!

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I'm Not One To Brag But...

Kelly O — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:15:58 -0800

...look what came in the mail yesterday! Hoo wee, the holidays just got a whole lot more pentagrammy!

KELLY O

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Here Are All the Records You Should Buy Tomorrow (and Who You Should Buy Them For)

The Stranger Music Expert Dream Team™ — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:51:00 -0800

Emily Nokes

Welcome to Record Store Day: Black Friday Edition! Okay, okay—Black Friday (November 23) is a horrible concept, responsible for making such atrocities as camping in Walmart parking lots, Bumpits, tramplings, and cherry cordials ALL SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE. But you know and I know that your crocheted pencil warmers and hand-whittled crucifixes are going to take WAY longer than you thought they would, and let's face it... music (music) makes the people (makes the people) come together (yeah).

Since 2010, record labels have produced extra-collectible editions of beloved, often rare releases exclusively for the shoppingest shopping day of the year, giving you the excuse you've been looking for to go nuts at a local record store. Please enjoy a sampling of picks by The Stranger Music Expert Dream Team™—we'll even tell you whom to buy it for!

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO
Scepter Studios Acetate

This is a 1966 demo that was found at a garage sale and released just for you! And other people! The Velvet Underground's haziness paired with the deep mono-drone of Nico is heavenly and drug noddy (nods to buying and being on drugs, see also: nodding out on drugs). Ideal recipient: Anyone whose ears would perk up to hear that this record is on 180-gram vinyl or anyone with beaded curtains. EMILY NOKES

WANDA JACKSON
Capitol Rarities

The ever-influential First Lady of Rockabilly (the early, country/rock/hillbilly sort, not the Bettie Page bangs/flaming dice graphics/cuffed jeans, er, style of more recent times), Wanda Jackson's Capitol Rarities showcases six Capitol-era rarities on a 10-inch record. Ideal recipient: Your snazzy aunt who wears white cowboy boots, false eyelashes, and a clip-on ponytail. EN

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All I Want For Christmas, Part I: The Slayer Sweater

Kelly O — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 16:35:46 -0800

These were sold-out yesterday, then they re-stocked this morning, and now at
5 pm PST, they only have a few, size large, left... Click the photo to order!

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Today's Music News: The Moz, Metronomes, and Masturbation

Pamela Sternin — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:20:15 -0700

Bad Vibrations: Mike Love of the Beach Boys kicks Brian Wilson and Al Jardine out of the band. That's like telling God, "Get off your cloud, there's a new boss in town."

The Moz Rules!: Morrissey rushes to the aid of a collapsed woman in a New York bookstore, a right proper gentleman.

The Moz Drools!: A strongly opinionated 17-year-old Morrissey bashes the Ramones via the free press. Will he never come down from his soapbox?

Timing Is Everything: 32 metronomes give OCD sufferers some sense of relief.

Hairy Palms, Unite!: Apparently we're all sinners, according to 50 Cent. Here's the lowdown on how to (not) keep your hands to yourself.

Brutal Shoes: The Metallica merchandise machine has sunk to a new low with these branded Kill 'Em All shoes by Vans. Please rush to your nearest Vans outlet and line the pockets of the evil empire.

Way to Make a Stink!: Trevor Dunn graces us with his two cents on Billie Joe Armstrong's recent tantrum at the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

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Someone Put "This Man Beats Women" Warning Labels on Chris Brown's Album

Megan Seling — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:29:49 -0700

Via GigWise.com:

Copies of Chris Brown's current album Fortune have been marked by stickers warning against purchasing the album as he 'beats women'.

The stickers have appeared in HMV stores in London, and are thought to be the work of anti-domestic violence campaigners. The stickers read: 'Warning - Do not buy this album! This man beats women.'

Chris Brown has successfully overcome the domestic violence stigma after beating Rihanna into a bloody pulp in 2009 as the pair were en route to the Grammy Awards. He has recently been attempting to make up for his actions by visiting victims of domestic violence.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! "Successfully overcome the domestic violence stigma..."? NOPE. FUCK YOU, CHRIS BROWN.

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Cool Art or Stinky Fart: Beck's New Sheet Music Album

Megan Seling — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:28:40 -0700

Surely you've seen the news, this December Beck "I'd be a lot cooler if I weren't a Scientologist" Hansen and McSweeney's are teaming up to release a new album that isn't an album at all, but actually a collection of sheet music. To hear the songs, you'll have to play them yourself. (Or, at least, wait about 24 hours after it's out to watch the thousands of YouTube videos of other people playing it.)

Says Beck.com:

In the wake of Modern Guilt and The Information, Beck’s latest album comes in an almost-forgotten form—twenty songs existing only as individual pieces of sheet music, never before released or recorded. Complete with full-color, heyday-of- home-play-inspired art for each song and a lavishly produced hardcover carrying case (and, when necessary, ukelele notation), the Song Reader is an experiment in what an album can be at the end of 2012—an alternative that enlists the listener in the tone of every track, and that’s as visually absorbing as a dozen gatefold LPs put together.

The songs here are as unfailingly exciting as you’d expect from their author, but if you want to hear “Do We? We Do,” or “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard,” bringing them to life depends on you.

They go on to say that "Readers’ (and select musicians’) renditions of the songs will be featured on the McSweeney’s website." I think this is great! Pompous, sure. But an innovative experiment of what a record is and can be in a world where it's so easy to access, interpret, record, and share music.

I must know! Is it cool art? Or is it a stinky fart?

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Rap Snacks!

Kelly O — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:07:33 -0700

Now available at your local 7-Eleven!

Kelly O

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"It's a rip off!"

Kathy Fennessy — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:03:23 -0700

K.C. Fennessy
Slits t-shirt purchased from the band for a reasonable price

Sixty-eight dollars is a lot to pay for a t-shirt, but $248 is a joke. See what I'm talking about here, and note that these overpriced items are not returnable. I like Free People, a women's clothing concern associated with Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, but their "Vintage Loves" t-shirt collection is a rip off.

Then there's this piece about the company owner, which makes me sad, because I've bought merchandise from all stores. I'm not saying I'll never do so again, but I'll think twice before I give Richard Hayne any more of my hard-earned dollars.

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Cassette Tapes For Only $3.33?!?

Kelly O — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:54:35 -0700

I still love all my cassettes. Especially in the sunny summer, to play in my battery-operated dork-beach-box. Today through this Sunday the 24th, all cassettes are only three-dollars-and-thirty-three cents at Burger Records. There's lots of vinyl on sale too.

Click here for some Burger'riffic Hunx, Nobunny, and Ty Segall specials + lots more.

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Tomorrow Is Record Store Day!

Megan Seling — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:04:03 -0700

Here's what's going on around town:

Easy Street Records, West Seattle: Will open early at 7 am. All day long you'll be able to see Lance Mercer's new photo exhibition. There will also be live music from the Young Evils (7:30 pm) and Reignwolf (9 pm). More info.

Easy Street Records, Queen Anne: Will open early at 9 am. Also features live music from Dierks Bentley (1 pm) and Brad (4 pm). More info.

Everyday Music, Capitol Hill: They have live music and DJs going all day from 10 am-9 pm, including DJ El Toro, Naomi Punk, Tacocat, Bryan John Appleby, and DJ Veins (our own Dave Segal!). See the full schedule here.

Silver Platters, Northgate: They'll open one hour early, at 9 am. Folks from Light in the Attic will be spinning records from 1-2 pm. Fin Records' J. Pinder will spin from 2-2:30 pm, and Lincoln Barr of Red Jack Mine will spin from 2:30-3 pm. More info.

Silver Platters, Queen Anne: They'll open one hour early, at 9 am. They'll also have live music, including Will Hoge (noon), Gravel Road (1 pm), Dar Williams (2 pm), Caveman (3:30 pm), and Perfume Genius (5 pm). More info.

Sonic Boom Records, Ballard: There will be giveaways throughout the day as well as live music from Star Anna (4 pm), and a Jack White album listening party at 2 pm. More info.

Of course, there are several more stores participating in RSD, this is just a list of stores with events. See all participating stores here.

Where are you going? What stuff are you hoping to get?

And if you know of any events to add, do so in the comments!

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New Mastodon Booty

Dave Segal — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:30:31 -0700

Atlanta heavy-metal band Mastodon have some new merch for their hardcore fans: short shorts with ASSTODON emblazoned on the back of them (butt of course). Call me crotchety, but this sort of merchandise seems like a bum decision from a group of Mastodon's caliber.

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The Only Way You Can Get the New Jack White Single Is By Finding a Helium Balloon in Nashville

Megan Seling — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:13:48 -0700

Yesterday Third Man Records in Nashville released the new Jack White single by tying flexi-discs to helium balloons and letting them fly over the city.

Envisioned as an experiment exploring non-traditional forms of record distribution and a way to get records in the hands of people who don't visit record shops, the label was sure to use biodegradable latex balloons and all-natural twine in the process. Accompanying the balloons were custom post cards with instructions for the finders to submit photos, discovery location and the date on which the record was found, all of which will be incorporated into a website where fans can access the information. Statistics for similar balloon launches show a recovery rate of approximately 10% so it's quite possible that less than one hundred of the one thousand records launched will ever be discovered and the "Freedom at 21" flexi-disc will surely be a highly sought-after collectible for years to come.

The label is keeping track of where the balloons are landing here. One made it all the way to Huntsville, Alabama!

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Hey, Parenthetical Girls, the Flaming Lips Are Stealing Your Schtick

Megan Seling — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:37:00 -0700

The Flaming Lips' star-studded Record Store Day release just got a little more weird and/or interesting and/or hazardous. Singer Wayne Coyne plans on including his guest star's blood in a number of the double-vinyl albums:

Said Coyne in a March 27 interview with MTV Hive: “I don’t have everybody’s blood just yet, but I collected quite a few vials of blood and it’s actually sitting in my refrigerator as we speak.”

He added that he plans to make a record with every featured artists and infuse their blood into the vinyl pressing like specimen slides from a laboratory. A limited number, five or six, will be made and likely sold to “interesting rich Flaming Lips people,” Coyne elaborated.

Oh, good. He's doing it for the rich people. Who's blood does he have so far? He won't say:

Of the Lips' collaborators, Coyne confessed that Ke$ha and Bon Iver were his two favorites, but declined to state whose blood he has collected so far. “You don’t really realize how many people are afraid of needles until you say, ‘Hey, I’m going to send someone by the show tonight to get some of your blood,’” Coyne cracked, adding that he was a taken aback since some of the donors sport multiple tattoos.

Yawn.

The Parenthetical Girls already did this, Wayne. And it wasn't just for the 1%.

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Beloved Promo Item Turns 21

Kathy Fennessy — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:02:42 -0800

K.C. Fennessy

I received a few free coffee mugs during my radio days, and by "a few," I mean two or three, which are stored somewhere in my kitchen cabinet. I have no idea whether they were ever particularly popular promo items, but I'll take something practical over something merely decorative any day, and I do love my caffeine.

Below: partial list of bands on the back.

K.C. Fennessy

It must've been fairly expensive to ship out dozens—maybe even hundreds—of ceramic mugs at one time, so I'll assume Touch & Go was feeling pretty good about themselves back in 1991. And 21 years later, I'm still feeling pretty good about this classy piece of dishware, which I use on a daily basis. And only for coffee. I'm a purist like that. I have a different mug, with a different connotation, for tea (a porcelain Bavarian cup with a paisley pattern stamped "Made in West Germany" on the bottom...yes, I think about reunification on a regular basis).

I was shopping at the late Fallout Records in the mid-1990s when I noticed guitarist Tom Price (U-Men, Gas Huffer) drinking out of the same model, so I'd imagine Touch & Go was equally generous to their retail supporters. But that was then, and this is now, and T&G stopped signing bands a few years ago. They remain in operation, near as I can tell, in order to keep their back catalog alive (with the exception of the Butthole Surfers, who successfully sued the label).

Of all their signings, these guys (and girl)* were one of my very favorites:

Again with the B&W. And the screaming. Few did it better than John Brannon.

* Other outfits listed on the back: Killdozer, L-7, Lee Harvey Oswald Band, Meatmen, Necros, Negative Approach, No Trend, Rapeman, Scratch Acid, Silverfish, Slint, and Urge Overkill.

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Ace T-shirt for Lincoln Lovers

Kathy Fennessy — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:37:08 -0800

Spotted in the window of Seattle art shop Cake Spy:

K.C. Fennessy
"Ace Lincoln" and his two-dimensional bodyguard: Salvador Dalí

Because "Abraham Frehley" wouldn't have the same ring. More details below.

Cake Spy

Mike Capp is famous for his wonderful "mash-up" style. Charlie Brown as a Droog, Vincent Price as Winnie the Pooh, and now "Ace Lincoln." His unique acrylic and oil paintings are transformed into the coolest t-shirts ever! This charcoal gray 100% cotton t-shirt (pre-shrunk) has the awesome "Ace Lincoln." Honest Abe's stoic gaze makes the perfect canvas for Ace Frehley's classic face.

KISS's finest—and funkiest—moment appeared on Frehley's self-titled 1978 album.

Cake Spy is located at 415 E. Pine St. on Capitol Hill. Or order the shirt here.

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Want to Own the Built to Spill Keep It Like A Secret Hand-Painted Backdrop?

Megan Seling — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:56:32 -0800

Now you can! That iconic album cover, hand painted as 10'x10' backdrop and used on Built to Spill's 1999 tour is just one of the several items now up for auction to benefit the Susie Tennant Fund.

Last year Susie, a kick ass lady who's spent decades in the music community and is partially credited with helping Nirvana become Nirvana, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has since undergone surgery and agressive chemotherapy treatments, and her friends in the music industry continue to show their support by raising money to help her and her family pay for the insanely expensive medical treatments.

The first round of fundraising included a guitar signed by Pearl Jam, rare Nirvana merch, and more. This time they've got that awesome BTS backdrop, a collection of signed Jeff Jeff Kleinsmith posters, framed Charles Peterson photographs, Sasquatch tickets, Derek Erdman paintings, limited edition Sub Pop vinyl, and more things you probably want.

See all the items (and bid!) here. You can also donate via check or PayPal here.

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Postcards From The Edge: Fresh Espresso, Vex Ruffin & SPURM

Larry Mizell, Jr. — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:17:45 -0800

Dave posted about this Fresh Espresso X Caffe Vita postcard single a minute ago, but I had to put my .02 in:

Seeing as I'm addicted to merch from bands I like, I made damn sure I got my copy. It was the last one I saw sitting at the Pike Street location on Monday. The song's fucking great morning music to boot! A new Fresh album, I suspect, is soon to come. You can see those dudes (and even me and my dudes! Sound the conflict of interest airhorn!) with White China Gold and dj100Proof at Neumos March 9th.

Some time ago Stones Throw actually sent me the first postcard 45 I ever laid eyes on, for a group I've been jamming tuff ever since Grant first put me onto 'em: Vex Ruffin. Instead of hiphop beats crudely made by guitar players, it's crude n' dirty garage punk made by hiphop beatmaker(s). What the fuck isn't to like? I don't know when they're coming to Seattle but it better fucking happen.

The next one I need is SPURM's:
SPURM [3] by SPURM
—which contains the first two tracks of SPURM [3], the alleged last hurrah of the GGNZLA crew stalwarts. [3]'s got a super crunchy, greasy-ass carnie flow that I just can't deny, and includes a creepy crawly Pink Floyd cover. Go see them February 10th at Black Lodge, with Unnatural Helpers, Uzi Rash (Bay Area-based members of Trashies), and Wimps! Sounds like a real, slam-bang, honest-to-goodness, three-fisted humdinger.

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Now on Kickstarter: Feminist Playing Cards Featuring 52 Feminist Musicians

Megan Seling — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:52:16 -0800

Well this looks rad:

Feminist Playing Cards is the latest project of Homoground, a music website that promotes visibility for minority musicians. The deck will feature custom illustrations of 52 feminist musicians drawn by 14 feminist artists. Be sure to watch the video to see a few samples of the artists' work. The artists involved are:

Emily Henderson, Andrea Rae Georgas, Ramsey Beyer, Lauren Denitzio, Liz Prince, Marissa Paternoster, Clare Brown, Jacki Sullivan, Brandi Lee, Cristy Road, Ginny Maki, Citizen A, Tressa Patten and Kay Kelley.

The musicians featured in the deck include: Liz Phair, Joan Jett, Beth Ditto, Yoko Ono, Joni Mitchell, Carrie Brownstein, Mia Zapata, Kathleen Hanna, Patti Smith, Joanna Newsom, Exene Cervenka, and many more. See them all (and donate to the project if you'd like) here.

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Ouch! Thee Cormans Diss the Black Lips?

Kelly O — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:40:31 -0800

Smartass surf punx Thee Cormans play the Funhouse this Friday with Le Sang Song, and newish local bands Broomsticks and Telemesser. Will they sell it at their merch table? Read more about this show in this week's Up & Coming...

"We made these shirts over 3 years ago and a bunch of 14 year old lesbians got up in arms. We sold out of them and never made them again. The past few most a bunch of folks kept asking for it, so we did a short run of them. Get them while they last." —The Cormans, on theecormans.blogspot.com

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Minor Thread: A Blog About Music and T-Shirts (and Never Having to Do Laundry Again)

Megan Seling — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:17:23 -0800

Music fan Isac Walter is seeing how long he can go without wearing the same shirt twice. He hopes for 500 days, and he's keeping track of his efforts by way of daily updates at minorthread.com.

Usually, I would take zero interest in this kind of thing ("Neat. You're wearing a band t-shirt. I do that all the time, too.") but a) minorthread.com is a great name for a website and b) when he posts his shirt for the day, he also talks a little bit about where the shirt came from or the band on the shirt, and Walter is a big fan of music and I like reading music fans write about music more than I like reading music critics write about music.

Here's a sample from his post from the other day, day #166, when he wore a Smiths t-shirt:

...after a good 3 days straight of driving around Sacramento with the Strangeways as my soundtrack i thought it was time too move on, to something else, maybe it was Music for The Masses or Misfits at that time, some dark shit :). this 1970 VW Fastback had its own opinion of what i should listen to and refused to eject my tape. Screwdrivers and paperclips were of no use, it wasn’t going to budge. In lieu of damaging the stereo and having no music at all i decided to hang with Strangeways for the next year or so. everywhere i went, it was Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me, Rush..it was engrained in my brain. I didn’t care though. Imagine that today, there isn’t much i could get stuck in my player without taking a crowbar to it and smashing it before i went crazy. but Strangeways could play and play and play and i would never think twice about it.

See more of his enviable t-shirt collection at minorthread.com (and read more about him at Spin, Forbes, and MTV).

I'm going to counter his project with a project of my own: Let's see how many days in a row I can wear this Helms Alee panda bear t-shirt. I'm on day three. Only 497 days to go!

(Thanks for the tip, Mr. Jay!)

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Buy the Most "Valuable" Record in the World

Dave Segal — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:47:53 -0800

Do you have an extra $15,550 burning a hole in your wallet? If so, you may want to put it toward the purchase of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen” / “No Feelings” 7” on A&M, which is reportedly the most “valuable” record in the world right now. (The single was withdrawn from release and is in mint condition; the seller notes that it was “[o]btained from an ex-industry source with impeccable credentials.” If you say so...) Peruse the details here.

The funny thing is, OG-punk Pistols vocalist Johnny Rotten (aka PiL frontman John Lydon) could totally afford to buy this. But I think he has too much sense to do so. (As do I. Guess my record collection will have to remain not "serious.")

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Milo Goes to Christmas Town

Megan Seling — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:36:20 -0800

Now available for the pop-punk-loving Christmas fanatic on your list: the Descendents Holiday Sweatshirt!

http://kingsroadmerch.com/

(Thanks, as always, to SKAlithea for finding and sharing.)

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Holiday Gift Idea #1,392,021: Record Label Shirts

Kelly O — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:10:51 -0800

Shirt Artwork by Darin Shuler

I was looking around this weekend for local music related stuff to take back to Detroit for friends/fam. Per usual, I found something I want instead—this "gay rats" tank. Don't Stop Believin' has lots of other neat things too, including this Strong Killings package. A classic SP logo shirt is always a solid bet, and if you want to keep 'em mispronouncing, ggnzla Records has hoodies.

What else? Only 11 shopping days left...

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The Fabric of Our Lives

Kathy Fennessy — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:28:32 -0800

K.C. Fennessy

"He makes his own action figures, distills his own bourbon (something Mavis especially appreciates) and has an awesome collection of '90s indie-rock t-shirts." —A.O. Scott describes Patton Oswalt's townie character in Young Adult

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

I am a t-shirt addict. If there's a cure, please count me out (I could just use more closet space). Most of these shirts involve musicians of some kind—rock, pop, hip-hop, and jazz—but a few promote college radio stations or indie record labels (KFJC, Daptone, Rough Trade, etc.). Beyond the music they represent, I also gravitate towards designs that incorporate art nouveau, art deco, or op art elements. Though I can understand the appeal of a bold graphic, I've never found the stark look particularly appealing (sorry, Black Flag). Herewith, a few of my favorites, and the stories behind them, i.e. where I bought them and/or why.

Above: I don't tend to shop for shirts; they find me. One day I was walking past Barneys New York, when it was still located in City Centre, and I spotted this Serge Gainsbourg tee, so I went in and made an inquiry. Turns out it was a man's shirt, and they didn't have my size, so I ordered one from another store. I've never noticed any music shirts in their windows since. I realize there's nothing more bougie than Barneys, but I suspect the stylish Serge would approve.

K.C. Fennessy

I was wearing my KXLU "More Punk, Less Junk" tee when I met Mike D of the Beastie Boys...who are now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (wait, what?!).

K.C. Fennessy

One of two Stereolab shirts I own. I don't listen to their music much anymore, but their distinctive audio-visual aesthetic made a big impact on me at the time.

K.C. Fennessy

The first time I washed this tee, the transfer wrinkled, but now you can see what Nick Drake would've looked like had he lived another decade or two, i.e. surly.

K.C. Fennessy

I don't wear this shirt often, because it's on the short side, but I've never gotten more compliments, and from some rather notable people, too, like Daphne Brooks (Bodies in Dissent), Jeffrey Taylor (Wall of Sound, Climax Golden Twins), and Steve Buscemi, who I interviewed for Slog when he was in town for SIFF '07.

Adorkable! (Note the absence of t-shirts. For shame.)

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K Records Is Having a Holiday Sale

Megan Seling — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:02:12 -0800

Have you read this week's feature, A Very 99 Percent Holiday, yet? You should. It's great. It tells you where you should (and where you shouldn't) spend your money this holiday season, should you not be interested in supporting the greedy 1% (damn the man!). Within that feature there is also a suggested list of great local records, released by independent labels, sure to please any music fan on your list.

And speaking of independent labels and spending money and such, K Records is having a holiday sale! Says their latest newsletter:

Until January 1 you can utilize a special Holiday Coupon to receive 20% off any purchase at the K Mail Order Dept. All you need to do is enter HOLIDAY1 (all caps, notice) at check-out. Simple. Effective. Fun!

They also have free domestic media mail shipping.

Lake, Tender Forever, and the Hive Dwellers records for everyone!

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