You can read their writeup here as we have captured it for your reading pleasure!
Thank you to everyone who shops with us, as we enter our 20th year we are immensely thankful for your business! We hope that we can keep finding you awesome vintage tees for a long time to come!
]]>You gotta hand it to them with this tee.
Hands Across America was a national fundraising campaign held on May 25, 1986 in which millions of Americans were encouraged to hold hands, forming one continuous chain across the continental United States. It was organized by the influential television and music producer, Ken Kragen. The intended goal of Hands was to keep the human link intact for a total of 15 minutes. The event raised approximately $15M in donations to help fight poverty and hunger.
]]>You gotta hand it to them with this tee.
Hands Across America was a national fundraising campaign held on May 25, 1986 in which millions of Americans were encouraged to hold hands, forming one continuous chain across the continental United States. It was organized by the influential television and music producer, Ken Kragen. The intended goal of Hands was to keep the human link intact for a total of 15 minutes. The event raised approximately $15M in donations to help fight poverty and hunger.
Those who donated between $10-$15 received the famous t-shirt as commemoration and proof of their participation -- not that a shirt was needed to remind the public of the massive event. Judging from the ads, videos and media at the time, it was inescapable.
"Hands Across America was clearly built on hope -- a hope that the seeds we planted in fall 1985 would break through the ground, blossom and bear fruit in the spring of 1986," Kragen wrote in Hands Across America: The Official Record Book. "It planted new seeds of hope in millions of Americans and delivered the message that the first steps toward eliminating hunger and homelessness in this country is for each and every one of us to take responsibility."
Kragen also noted that people formed their own unofficial Hands events throughout the nation, including one in the middle of Highway 101 in Los Angeles, California. "There were more than 80 people in this impromptu line, singing along as their car radios blared the three songs 'We Are the World,' 'America the Beautiful' and the 'Hands Across America' theme," he recalled. 'There were Hands-related gatherings in virtually every state."
In the end, Hands Across America's ambitions were a bit too lofty, despite Kragen and advertisers' best efforts. Officials claimed the longest continuous connection ran only 2000 miles of the intended 4125-mile chain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKigJImnWCQ
Even though the event was a success and clearly an inspiration for many, one can't help but feel the images of people clasping hands and singing together across the entire nation comes off as a bit -- creepy. Is there any way all those people were that happy in what was essentially a controlled social experiment?
The inherently sinister undertones of the campaign were explored in Jordan Peele's 2019 horror film US. The cinematic shocker suggests everyone has their own sewer-dwelling doppelgänger who are constantly scheming to take their place. The flick's spine-chilling image of stone-faced, emotionless doubles sporting red jumpsuits and holding hands can be interpreted as a metaphor for Hands Across America's potentially cult-like aura. The doppelgängers' intent in US is to kill each of their well-off, society-living selves and unite hand-in-hand, Esquire writer Tyler Coates notes.
Of course, many people were on board with Hands Across America, especially those in the music industry. The popular tracks "We Are the World" and "Hands Across America" were recorded as a national call to unity, with the later featuring Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson among others. "We Are the World" sold 20 million copies and is the 8th best selling physical single of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCy0PEUH0gU
Looking over the design of the shirt, it perfectly conveys the idea of togetherness to the "tee." The graphic features 9 people (representing all Americans) triumphantly holding hands across the map of the US. Campaign sponsors Citibank, Coca-Cola and USA for Africa form a trio of advertisements below the map. Above the figures' heads is blue, and below their arms is red, symbolizing the joining of people across all political and cultural ideologies. Either way, the people on the shirt are never breaking from their dexterous embrace.
They want to hold your hand.
A special guest post from our friend:
Brett Gubitosi
]]>The Staff Favorite photo was entered by Jennifer, starring her partner and daughter, Noah and Naomi. Both Jennifer and Noah are teachers, remotely working from home during this time. They’ve been busy on Zoom calls, and “trying to stay sane while passing our toddler back and forth and blasting baby shark while muted on Zoom.”
This pair has been a fan of vintage clothing since their teenage years, when they frequented thrift shops. Jennifer’s appreciation for vintage clothing comes from the story behind each piece. She explains, “T-shirts are especially incredible because you get a sneak peek into an event, place or moment in someone's life when they got the shirt! You are also instantly transported into that moment in time and place.”
You can follow Jennifer, Noah, and Naomi on Instagram and @jplatow
]]>The Runner-Up in our contest is Marjolaine! These days, she's been doing a lot of gardening, but she normally works for her family business as well as a freelance graphic designer.
Her enthusiasm for vintage clothing began many years ago, and has grown to become 99% of her wardrobe. Her favorite styles to shop for include 70s flare pants, clogs, dagger collar shirts, and tees.
She enjoys shopping vintage because, "each piece is kind of unique! It is such a joy chasing for the perfect vintage gem and finally find it... or not."
Follow Marjolaine on Instagram @marjolaineclevat
]]>Our first place winner is Misty Moon! Misty is a certified Autodesk Instructor and Mechanical Drafter. She teaches architectural drafting and construction documentation to women inmates housed at Folsom Prison! She works to help these women gain technical skills so they can acquire meaningful employment when they are on parole. These days, she is teleworking full time from home as well as homeschooling her kids.
Misty has been a vintage lover since she was a little girl, going to garage sales. In her teenage years she began shopping at thrift stores. She says, “My children hate goodwill now because I would go too often.” Currently, she’s taken her vintage hunting online. Though she’s often hunting alone, she enjoys finding special things for her loved ones as well. She said,“I absolutely love gifting vintage to my friends and family. I think I give really bad-ass gifts.”
She explained her infatuation with vintage clothing: “I like owning something that is one of a kind and that has history to it. I have a longing and fondness for past times and vintage helps me live a little bit of it. My husband is a gold prospector and he teases me about how I do the same with vintage.”
You can follow misty on Instagram @vesta_dregs
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The Hubble Space Telescope had been touted for years, billed as the “window on the universe.” NASA boasted it was twice as sharp as the Chilean telescope. The hype surrounding its capabilities heightened its expectations, and anything less than a vivid, full-color look of the universe would disappoint.
But on May 20, 1990, Hubble returned warped, unfocused images caused by an error with the primary mirrors’ positioning. The Goddard Space Center hosted a screening attended by thousands and recorded for millions. But what was expected to be a celebration resulted in a major embarrassment for NASA.
However, this first shot was intended as a first light test. The government had spent $2 billion dollars over 12 years on the mission, and these results did not reflect the funding, time and energy that had gone into the process. The monumental mistake would define Hubble for years after the image was released.
At the time, popular sci-fi movies and television included Babylon 5, Alien, Star Trek, Space Jam, and Star Wars, all of which created phenomenal expectations for these first images.
December of ‘93 the space shuttle Columbia brought a set of corrective optics to Hubble after three and half years of waiting. The damage to the space program’s reputation had already been done, but restoration was on its way.
Despite their shortcomings, these original images would became incredibly useful for scientific research. Once detected, the flaws in the telescope were solvable. In a process called deconvolution the image that previously appeared as one big blob revealed itself as a stellar cluster.
By 1995, Hubble captured an image of the entire universe. The Deep field image is comprised of 342 images taken over the course of 10 days, and achieved what all these years had been leading up to. Though the original photo became a punchline, it was essential in producing the final product. The spectacular sight exceeded expectations, both scientific and cultural, peering back almost to the beginning of time.
Since then, the Hubble Telescope determined the age of the universe, discovered new moons of Pluto, and gained an understanding of seasons on other planets.
While we don't have any items from the Hubble Telescope, we have an awesome collection of NASA, outer-space, and science fiction items to shop.
Explore space and time in our collection of vintage space and sci-fi apparel here!
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The group was in existence for just three years, but in that time altered the course for rock music by redefining the limits of the genre. All three of their albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland were in the Top 100 of Rolling Stone’s the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The Experience had only been together a few weeks before recording for their first album. In Spring of ‘66, Hendrix had been playing back-up guitar for R&B acts like the Isley Brothers, Don Covay, Little Richard’s group the Upsetters, and Curtis Knight.
Limited by his back-up role, Hendrix moved to New York City's Greenwich Village to immerse himself in the lively music scene there. He was noticed at the famous Cheetah Club by Linda Keith, the girlfriend of Keith Richards. Hendrix then began his residency at the Cafe Wha? along with his band at the time, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames.
Meanwhile, Chas Chandler, of the Animals, was looking for artists to manage and produce, and he was referred to Hendrix. Instantly impressed, Chandler began recruiting for a band to accompany Hendrix to record a cover of Billy Roberts “Hey Joe.” In October of '66, Hendrix, Noel Redding, and Mitch Mitchell came together for the first time to record the cover at London’s De Lane Lea studios.
Noel Redding had been working in several English groups with little success. Mitchell was a session drummer with the Pretty Things, Bill Knight & The Sceptres, the Riot Squad, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and the Who. His jazz-influenced style made the Experience so exciting, likened to the exceptional guitar skills of Hendrix. They are regarded as the pioneers of the power trio format for rock bands, featuring just guitar, bass, and drums.
Because of their tight budget and busy schedules, the debut album was recorded in bits and pieces over a 5-month period. Chandler booked sessions for the Experience to record during brief breaks between live shows. Most of the album's pre-production was done in the shared apartment of Hendrix and Chandler.
"Are You Experienced" spent over one hundred weeks on the Billboard 200 and sold over 5 million copies in the United States alone. Featuring a medley of musical genres, including R&B, soul, blues, pop, psychedelia, folk, heavy rock, and jazz, Are You Experienced included revolutionary tracks, “Foxy Lady,” “Fire,” “Love or Confusion,” “Manic Depression,” “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.”
The image of the Experience became as significant as the music they made. They became style icons for psychedelic clothing and hairstyles, namely tie dye and the Afro. Many musicians came to their early performances and were blown away, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend.
Their 70s psychedelic aesthetic is exemplified by the album's cover, designed by Karl Ferris. Hendrix requested him after seeing his work on the Hollies’ “Evolution.” When Ferris first listened to the album he was overcome by their transcendental sound. Using a fisheye lens and ultra-enhanced heat saturation, his otherworldly design shows the group travelling through space in a biosphere. The fisheye lens was a popular tool in Mod subculture at the time, and Ferris took it to the next level with the Experience.
After their success in the U.K, the group found fame in the U.S. after their performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, one of the first ever major rock music festivals. Their set was ended by Hendrix infamously setting his signature Fender Stratocaster aflame.
By 1969 Hendrix was the world’s highest paid rock musician. As a headliner of Woodstock '69, he closed out the historic festival Monday morning at 8:00 am in one of the most iconic performances of rock 'n roll. Redding had left the group earlier that year, after his relations were deteriorating with his bandmates, and Hendrix and Mitchell performed with Billy Cox under the name Gypsy Sun and Rainbows. Their rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" been recognized as the top moment of the festival and a compelling protest of the Vietnam War.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls Jimi Hendrix the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music. In a genre of exclusively white musicians, Hendrix expanded the range, vocabulary, and audience of rock 'n roll.
It has been 50 years since Jimi's death, and each year annual album sales exceed that of any year during his lifetime. He’s influenced musicians like Prince, Jerry Cantrell, Mike McCready, George Clinton, and countless others. His contribution was bigger than his music, it was everything he embodied.
Before becoming a glorified beer-drinker, Billy went to Emory University in Georgia, dropped out and served in the USMC for four years. He returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia to work in the family’s peanut business. In ‘72 he purchased a gas station, and a few years later ran a losing campaign for mayor in ‘76.
Billy first became the official spokesperson for Peanut Lolita liqueur while his brother held the presidential office. The sweet and nutty liqueuer was a thick whiskey and peanut-based liqueur produced in the 60s and 70s, advertised by an exoticized woman belly-dancing on their bottles. Sales for the liqueur plummeted once Carter left office.
But his more notable endeavor was Billy Beer, first made in 1977 by Falls City Brewing Company. The company, based in Louisville, Kentucky, had been in operation since 1905. The company got its name from Louisville itself, originally named Falls City as it is home to the only large waterfall on the Ohio River south of Pittsburgh.
Organized by local tavern and grocery stores, Falls City was determined to break the monopoly on beer by the industry’s giants like Pabst Blue Ribbon and Anheuser Busch. Falls City even survived through Prohibition by manufacturing soda pop.
But by the mid-70s, the Louisville brewery wasn’t doing so well, despite the expected comeback with the Drummond Bros. brand. Falls City had to make a big move, so they approached the country’s most lovable drunk about forming a partnership. And of course, he said yes.
Billy beer cans featured the endorsement of its namesake, reading, “Brewed expressly for and with the personal approval of one of AMERICA’s all-time Great Beer Drinkers-- Billy Carter,” and “I had this beer brewed up just for me. I think it’s the best I ever tasted. And I’ve tasted a lot. I think you’ll like it, too.
Sales were really hot when it first hit the market, as the novelty of the can had people running to stores to get their own. But the taste of the beer was nothing special, and many felt the marketing outdid the product itself. While touring the country to promote Billy Beer, Billy himself admitted he was a drinker of Pabst.
In an article from the Milwaukee Journal in 1978, they write, “Pabst beer got a boost from President Carter’s brother Friday. Billy told some 50 persons at the grand opening of a car dealership in Nennah that in private he drank Pabst.”
The article continues, “Carter wore blue jeans and boots and a flowered long sleeve shirt. He bragged about his beer and admitted his family didn't like the way he carries on. But Billy said he has felt as embarrassed about his family sometimes as they have been embarrassed by him.”
Billy's relationship with Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, would be the nail in Fall City's coffin. Registered as a foreign agent of the Libyan government, President Carter stated about his brother, “I am deeply concerned that Billy has received funds from Libya and that he may be under obligation to Libya. These facts will govern my relationship with Billy as long as I am president.” Billy’s ties with Libya and Gaddafi became an unrecoverable-PR disaster for Falls City, and the company was closed by its shareholders in ‘78.
After Billy Beer ceased production, newspapers in the 80s began advertising Billy Beer cans for several hundred to several thousands of dollars each, attempting to profit from their perceived rarity. However, the cans were produced in the millions and not worth much at all. Still, rumors of their perceived value were persistent for the remainder of the decade, with some six-packs selling for thousands.
Quench your thirst- Shop our collection of vintage beer t-shirts here!
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Appearing in almost 200 shorts and feature films from early 30s to the early 70s, the Stooges most famous trio was Moe, Curly, and Larry. The role of Curly was originally filled by his brother Shemp, and later other actors. Moe, the leader of the pack, was distinguished his crisp bowl-cut, Curly, a true brawny knucklehead, and Larry, the wacky-haired intermediary.
All three of the original actors grew up in blue-collar Jewish families living in Brooklyn, New York. Moses and Shemp Howard had dreams of being in showbusiness, following the likes of Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers, working-class Jewish men making a name for themselves in Hollywood. They performed in burlesque shows and teamed up for the first time in 1916, performing a blackface routine. This act would continue until 1922, when they caught the attention of comedian Ted Healy.
Philadelphia-based musician and comedian Larry Fine was brought into the act and the Stooges were born. Healy became their mentor, but he was an erratic alcoholic, known to abuse his co-stars. Healy came up with the Stooges’ signature slapstick comedy style, all the while stiffing them out of their share of the proceeds. While under Healy’s contract, they were billed as “Ted Healy & His Stooges.” They would star in a film for Fox Studios, where it was clear that Healy didn’t have the “star-factor,” but the Stooges sure did.
The short films starring Larry Curly and Moe showcased the Stooges at the peak of their slapstick humor and physical farce comedy, released from 1935 and 1941. These shorts would even get more attention than the features they were accompanying. The Stooges were making a killing for Columbia Pictures, boosting the studio’s fortunes exponentially-- but the actors were kept on a one-year contract throughout their career at the studio and kept in the dark about how much the studio was making off of them. Like many people in Hollywood, they feared Cohn’s mob connections, and after their upbringing had been happy to take the amount they were given.
But by the early 40s, Curly’s health was deteriorating, as the years of taking heavy blows during their act began to take their toll. Also a heavy drinker, Curly was forced to keep working through serious injury and illness. At the age of 42, he suffered a stroke. He went back to work within a month, and had a paralyzing stroke a year later.
Cohn saw their act as unsophisticated, and the actors as interchangeable. But their chemistry was utterly unique. After endless auditions for a new Stooge, Shemp Howard was brought back into the group. Many enjoyed his new energy after years of an ill Curly, while others were unable to see him outside of Curly’s shadow. In 1952 Curly died, and three years later Shemp had a heart attack at age 60.
Moe and Larry kept the act alive, now joined by Joe Besser as the third Stooge. But the success of their routing was ebbing. By 1957 television was taking over the market and Columbia was the only studio still producing shorts. But in ‘58, a major comeback was on the horizon. Curly-era shorts were picked up for TV broadcast by a number of networks across the United States. They were an instant hit among kids and families.
Once again, the Stooges were in high demand. Moe and Larry revisited the act with Joe DeRita. From ‘59 to 1965 they made a series of new films, recorded for a Stooges cartoon series, and shot a pilot for a TV show. But in 1970 Larry suffered a stroke that ended his career, and four years later died at the age of 72. Moe was determined to continue on with the Stooges act, but he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and passed away not long after.
The lasting cultural influence of the Stooges was felt even during the peak of their commercial success. In the early 1940s, their influence was so vast that it was deemed a potential threat to The Third Reich, and the Stooges were put on Hitler’s personal death list. Their shorts often criticized class disparity after the Great Depression, and satirized Axis leaders at a time when the U.S. was still neutral in WWII.
In the two-part film “You Nazsty Spy!” the Stooges portray Hitler and his fascist regime ruthlessly, predating Chaplin’s infamous “The Great Dictator.” The film was also produced in defiance of the Hays Code, a set of moral guidelines used for major production studios that censored American cinema for decades.
References to the comedy trio remain everywhere in American culture, including the punk band The Stooges. Rumor has it that Moe and Larry were happy to share the Stooges name with the band, so long as they could go to their shows for free.
Their shorts are now available colorized and in high-def. The first thing that comes to mind is usually their stupidity or reckless behavior, but they are also important figures in broadcasting anti-fascist commentary to a major audience at a time when not many others were brave enough to do it.
]]>The 1984 Superfest featured Maze with Frankie Beverly, Patti LaBelle, O'Jays, and Gap Band. Some dates also included performances by Run DMC, James Brown, Rick James, Smokey Robinson, and Herbie Hancock.
Superfest was held yearly from 1979 through ‘99 and featured some of the biggest names in R&B and Soul, including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, TLC, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Kool and the Gang, Ashford and Simpson, Luther Vandross, and Quincy Jones, and hit the country’s biggest stadiums from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to the Superdome in New Orleans, to Houston’s Astrodome.
Patti LaBelle at Budweiser Superfest in 1986
Thought to be the “Godfather of the Budweiser Superfest” was Victor Julien, the Manager of national events for Budweiser. The big-name festival is lauded for providing jobs and generating money for Black people and in black communities. They had substantial money for hiring stage hands, ushers, ticket takers, parking lot attendants, security, and other helping positions. On an even larger scale, the millions of concert goers boosted record sales for the headliners and performers exponentially.
In an issue of Jet from 1984, Julien states, “With today’s economy, it’s good business sense for major corporations and the entertainment industry to come together. Black music provides an excellent vehicle for marketing communications. Corporate involvement helps keep concert events happening and affordable to the public.”
Superfest had a significant economic impact for the black music market as a whole and the communities who hosted the festival. On the business-side as well, minority businesses were employed for the concert tour.
Aaliyah at Budweiser Superfest 1997
Still, the festival was not without its flaws. A boycott of Budweiser Superfest in 1983 spawned after it was revealed that the promoter of the festival was white, gaining all of the rewards earned by black musicians and performers. Following public outrage, he would step down to be replaced by Alan Haymon.
The Cleveland-born Haymon was known to be one of the top concert promoters in the U.S. He took on the position of tour promoter for the 1984 Superfest. Haymon had promoted almost every major Black entertainment act, including the Jacksons, Earth, Wind and Fire, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, MC Hammer, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, New Edition and more.
Bouncing back from the controversy, the ‘84 tour saw sold out stadiums around the country, handled by Haymon. He later became a boxing promoter, and manager of superstar boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Another Superfest souvenir lies in our collection, from the 1990 festival. The 11th annual show featured performances by Luther Vandross, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Stephanie Mills, Bell Biv DeVoe and Toni Tony Tone.
The '90 fest was billed as having something for everyone; including ballad singers Regina Belle and Patti LaBelle, rapper Big Daddy Kane, funk with the Gap Band, youth-oriented R&B by Bell Biv DeVoe, Tony Toni Tone and After 7, and classic R&B with Maze and Frankie Beverly.
This shirt comes from the June 30th show, held at RFK Stadium in Washington DC. Due to security problems and timing issues, the concert was not as hyped as its predecessors. In an article from the LA Times, the 1990 concert at the Rose Bowl was reported as a disappointment with fistfights breaking out among the crowd, at some times getting more attention than the acts on stage.
1995 Chicago Budweiser Superfest news clip
Budweiser Superfest was revived back in 2010, with performances by Anthony Hamilton, Kem, Jaheim, Raheem DeVaughn, Abraham McDonald and Hal Linton, to name a few. The 2010 fest stayed true to its origins in R&B rather than succumbing to the latest trends.
The revamped Superfest also introduced a new aspect called “Battle for the Crown” where local artists compete to be the opening act for their local concert. The spirit behind the competition, however, is one in line with the original mission of the festival, to promote and feature minority and local artists alongside the legends and newcomers of R&B and soul. In the video above, Hamilton sings Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" a tribute to those who came before him and an ode for those who will come after.
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Metallica, the legendary thrash metal band are considered one of the most commercially successful bands of all time, with a mega fan base in the rock and heavy metal community. James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich first formed Metallica in Los Angeles ‘81. Their logo has become a brand of its own, designed by Hetfeld himself.
The lineup today consists of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo, Metallica were widely regarded as one of “Big four” of trash metal bands, along with Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeath. Their '86 album Master of Puppets has been regarded as the most influential thrash metal album of all time.
Two years later, Metallica and Justice for All went platinum, the first time an underground metal group reached a chart position on U.S. Billboard, and sold more than 8 million copies in the U.S. alone. Metallica began the 1990s with their eponymous fifth album which accrued further mainstream praise. With 9 Grammy awards, they had become one of most commercially successful bands of all time.
Later in the 1990s at Northeastern University, 19-year-old Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker collaborated to create the peer-to-peer MP3 file sharing app called Napster. Created in ‘99, Fanning has said the original intent of the app was for social purposes, a platform where people can search for files, chat with another, and build social circles around different bands and genres.
Fanning and Parker
Napster's popularity arose alongside the expansion of high-speed internet on college campuses. It was the perfect platform to search and download MP3s for young people on the internet, and it didn’t take long for thousands of people to start joining and swapping music files on what became the celestial jukebox.
Within a year of its launch, Napster had tens of millions of users. This success made Napster one of the fastest-growing businesses of all time. Consequently, this mean that these tens of millions of users would no longer be paying for music.
A version of the song “I Disappear,” recorded by Metallica for the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack was leaked in advance on Napster, catalyzing the historic lawsuit. The leak was also broadcast on radio before its official release. Metallica and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) responded by filing suit against Napster. The RIAA claimed that Napster violated copyright infringement, unlawful use of digital audio interface device, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)
Lars Ulrich was the outspoken advocate for artists facing free internet distribution of their music. At the 2000 MTV Video Music Award’s, Ulrich and host Marlon Wayans performed a skit reenactment of Fanning. Later in the night, Fanning came on stage wearing a Metallica t-shirt, “I borrowed this from a friend. Maybe, if I like it, I’ll buy one of my own.”
With a global audience following the proceedings, the narrative was clear: Metallica and the RIAA were going up against millions of college students who had fallen in love with Napster. It was the baby-face nerdy Fanning versus Ulrich, a millionaire metalhead. The lawsuit was perceived as an attack by Metallica on their dedicated fan base.
Dr. Dre was another artist who was anti-Napster, filing a separate suit which received considerably less attention. Other bands came out in support of the app, including Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Limp Bizkit, and the Offspring.
As college students were the target audience for Napster, universities became implicated were faced with a decision. Both Yale and Indiana University blocked access to the service, while others like Harvard, MIT, and Duke refused to restrict the service to its student body.
Napster lost the case, unsurprisingly, and soon after went bankrupt and was absorbed into Rhapsody. Metallica went from being counterculture outsiders to boardroom power players, seen as greedy sellouts who chose to make music for the money rather than for the art and the people. The damages sought in the lawsuit were $100,000 per copyright infringement which was an outlandish request of the 20-year-old.
The animated short,“Metalligreed,” was made by by Bob Cesca for Motley Crue. The anti-Metallica cartoon emphasized Motley Crue's stance in the matter, siding with Fanning and the fans, accusing Metallica’s pursuit as a publicity stunt “just to promote their tour.”
The media circus surrounding the case sparked a larger ongoing media versus internet debate. Battles between Sony and Apple, YouTube and Viacom, and television services on the internet originated from Metallica v. Napster. Despite Metallica’s reputation as one of the biggest rock bands in the world, this became a defining moment of their career.
After the case was settled, Napster was supposed to shut down temporarily to tweak copyright-catching filters, but the music app never returned. While pirating music is still common practice on the internet, it’s nowhere on the scale that Napster allowed it to be. In 2014, Ulrich claimed the case wasn’t about the money, but the choice to stream their music for free that was taken away from them.
For many, the lawsuit irreparably altered the image of Metallica, and the music industry as a whole. These days there are an abundance of music-sharing platforms, none of which are completely free. Napster is now widely recognized as a precursor to the many streaming platforms available today such as iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.
In 2009, Sean Parker heard of the Swedish Company Spotify and its music streaming service, and was instrumental in bringing that service to the United States, bringing his vision with Napster full circle. And finally in 2012, Metallica made their first 9 studio albums available for streaming on Spotify.
Make sure you check out our awesome collection of authentic Metallica vintage t-shirts on our website!
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While the film was commercially unsuccessful, it re-introduced the ethos embodied by Thompson to a new generation. The counterculture of the 1960s had ultimately failed, and his literary work is seen as an emphatic depiction of anti-establishment politics that consequently arose in the 70s.
In the film, Duke travels to through the Mojave Desert to cover the Mint 400 race, just outside of Vegas, along with his attorney Dr. Gonzo, based on Oscar Zeta Acosta. From the psychedelic styles to the music, Terry Gilman’s depiction is as much of a tribute to latter mid-20th century American culture as it is to Thompson himself.
Set in the early 70s, the anti-Vietnam war sentiment is apparent, shown by war footage contrasted by images of peace and music at Woodstock in 1969. Thompson's Duke reminisces about living in 1960s San Francisco and the music and drugs that came to define it. A recurring image throughout the film that reflects Thompson’s real-life political stance is a tattered or American flag.
Thompson first entered the limelight with the release of Hell’s Angels, a book retelling a year of his life living and riding alongside the motorcycle gang. He also became well- known for his dislike of Richard Nixon, recounted in his book covering his 1972 reelection campaign, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72.
Thompson’s blend of fact and fiction, known as gonzo journalism, or the New Journalism of the 60s and 70s, was at the time revolutionary. Rather than the objective style of reporting that dominated journalism, he broke free from these standards, writing in first person and using his own experience as a reporting lens.
In Fear and Loathing, Thompson pursues the murder of journalist Ruben Salazar, killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department during the National Moratorium March against the Vietnam War in 1970. Thompson traveled with attorney and Chicano activist Oscar Zeta Acosta. The hope was that they could discuss Salazar's death and racial injustice in L.A. without the eyes of police on their back.
The 1980 film, Where the Buffalo Roam, also recounts the story of Hunter S. Thompson’s rise to fame, starring Bill Murray as Thompson and Peter Boyle as Acosta, referred to in the film as Carlo Lazlo. Acosta and Thompson first met when Acosta was the subject of the article, “Strange Rumblings in Aztlan,” wherein they decided on their trip to Vegas.
Often followed and harassed by the Los Angeles Police Department for his role in the Chicano Movement, Acosta was a revolutionary in his own right. In ‘72, he published his first novel, Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo, telling the story of a lawyer fighting for marginalized peoples rights, and in ‘73 released The Revolt of the Cockroach People, a fictionalized account of the Chicano Moratorium and Salazar’s death. Acosta disappeared in 1974 while on a trip in Mexico, believed to have died from an overdose or in drug-related conflict.
Another major aspect that became definitive of the hype surrounding Fear and Loathing are its graphics. Ralph Steadman, a Welsh illustrator, is best known for his collaboration and friendship with Thompson. Steadman is renowned for political and social caricatures, cartoons and picture books, featured in several articles and books by Thompson.
While Thompson’s coverage came to define gonzo journalism, his controversial, drug-filled stories were colored by the berserk and splattered illustrations by Steadman, exemplified on the shirt above, reading, "Heart of Gonzo."
The two men first joined forces in 1970 for a trip to the Kentucky Derby for a Scanlan Monthly feature titled, “Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved.” This article was major in putting Thompson’s name on the map and established him within counterculture credibility.
Steadman also illustrated cartoons to accompany Thomspons’ coverage of the Honolulu Marathon, as well as book covers for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72. At the time, he sold his illustrations for a fraction of their value.
He’s also responsible for the trippy graphic that has become indistinguishable from the '98 film, as well as illustrations for Alice In Wonderland, and album covers for the Who, Frank Zappa, and Ambrosia. As recently as 2017, he illustrated the album cover for Travis Scott and Quavo’s Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho in his signature style. He also designed logos for Flying Dog beer, coming up with the original and controversial motto, “Good Beer No Shit.”
Thompson holds his place in the literary historical canon for his new approach to journalism, and Fear and Loathing continues to receive praise from fans and critics alike. While we celebrate his legacy, it is equally important to recognize Oscar Zeta Acosta and Ralph Steadman as essential contributors to the cultural phenomenon.
This incredible ringer tee comes from a commemorative concert for Buddy Holly and the Crickets in Clear Lake, Iowa in 1982. Since 1979, a very special yearly tribute to the rock 'n roll icon has been held in Clear Lake, the site of his last performance before the fateful plane crash in 1959.
Marked as “the Day that Music Died,” Holly, along with Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson, and their pilot Roger Peterson were killed suddenly in a plane crash.
Holly and the Crickets were in the early stages of the Winter Dance Party Tour across the Midwest, consisting of new Crickets Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch. The tour was set to travel across the Midwest, joined by rising stars Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson, and Dion DiMucci and the Belmonts. The beginning of the tour had been a success, led by Holly swooning audiences with his melodies and heartfelt smile.
But with the whole crew travelling in shared buses in subfreezing conditions, sickness overtook many performers. Frustrated with these conditions, Holly chartered a private plane to depart from Clear Lake and arrive at the next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota. The plane took off late at night in the middle of brutal wintry conditions and the pilot lost control, crashing near Clear Lake and killing all its passengers.
The crash did not halt the tour, continuing with fifteen-year-old Bobby Vee standing in for Holly at their next show in Moorhead. But its impact reached an entire generation, marking a loss of innocence for early rock ‘n roll fans, memorialized in Don McLean’s “American Pie.”
Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas, and became a central figure of mid-50s rock and roll in his 22 short years of life. His music style was influenced by gospel, country, and rhythm & blues. After high school, he formed a country band that would play on a local radio station and frequently open for big acts touring through town.
The most significant of these acts was Elvis Presley. After the group opened for him a few in times in '55, Holly knew he had found his true calling and began pursuing a career in music, shifting his style to sound more like Elvis, and more rock 'n roll.
In ‘56, the band recorded songs under the name Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes. The first incarnation included Holly, Jerry Allison, Joe Mauldin, and Niki Sullivan. Sullivan then dropped out and the trio carried on as the Crickets. They saw early success with the help of recording engineer, Norman Petty, releasing their first breakthrough record in ‘57, "That'll Be the Day,” written and recorded by Holly.
Holly went solo a year later, moving to Greenwich Village in New York City. He found success on his own, recording in this time, "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "Raining in My Heart," and "Moon Dreams."
After his death, disc jockeys began calling the group Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Unissued recordings and compilations of Holly’s work were released in a steady stream throughout the 1960s. Music and film adaptations have immortalized his horn-rimmed glasses and hiccups.
Acts like Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and the Rolling Stones have cited Buddy as one of their biggest influences. It’s also said that the Beatles chose their name in homage to the Crickets.
The Crickets contributed to the genre as a whole, too, pioneering what is now-standard for rock line-ups, featuring two guitars, bass, and drums. Holly was also one of the first artists to use double-tracking on his albums.
The commemorative Winter Dance Party has been held annually since 1979 at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, to keep the music alive and remind people, “the music only dies if someone decides to stop playing it.”
The Mad Hatter, also known as Darryl Hensley, was the KZEV Radio station owner. He’s credited as the creator of the yearly tribute at Surf Ballroom after he made a comment in jest on-air. In its first year of the being held, little turn-out meant Hensley had to give free tickets away. But not after long word spread and the event began selling out weeks in advance.
At the 50th anniversary, Surf Ballroom saw performances by Delbert McClinton, Joe Ely, Wanda Jackson, Los Lobos, Chris Montez, Bobby Vee, Graham Nash, and Peter and Gordon Tommy Allsup, and more.
The life and legacy of Buddy Holly reminds us of the saying, “give people their flowers while they’re still here to smell them.”
This shirt is a response to the controversial Operation Green Harvest marijuana eradication program in Hawaii. As the graphic illustrates, the operation took off in the 70s as a clandestine police operation and became military raids by federal, state, and local narcotics officers in low-flying National Guard helicopters destroying marijuana crops and busting pakalolo growers. Still, pakalolo remained Hawaii’s most enduring illegal cash crop.
In Hawaii the growing conditions for cannabis plants are ideal, with a vast growing area consisting of lush wilderness and fertile valleys. "Da kine" as its called by locals, has a long history in Hawaiian culture and agriculture. When the federal government declared a military-style war on the drug, also used for medicinal and religious purposes, residents of the Big Island were not shy of expressing their opposition.
Despite the Federal Aviation Administration Regulations stating that aircraft must fly 500 feet or higher unless they have a warrant, residents recall the helicopters during Green Harvest hovering nearly 50 to 75 feet above the ground.
In the interest of eradicating as much of the plant as possible, Operation Wipe-Out was deployed. The mission involved these same military helicopters flying over public and private property, and releasing one of two methods for eradication; the first was spraying the plants with a toxic mixture of glyphosate herbicide, a sticking agent, and red or orange dye, and the second option was to drop men down to seize the plants forcefully.
By the 80s, eradication was a statewide operation, with most of funding coming from the federal DEA. At this time, Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign was ushering in millions of dollars for drug enforcement. But the eradication program did little to stop cannabis cultivation, instead encouraging it by driving up the price.
Another side effect of marijuana eradication was the increase in casual drug users turning to cheaper, more damaging and addictive drugs like crystal methamphetamine, known in Hawaii as batu or ice. Green Harvest targeted sizable plots with marijuana plants of Christmas trees heights, prompting countless plots of tiny plants to emerge.
These programs gravely disrupted rural life and invaded privacy. Growers lost their homes, went to jail, and were killed over drug disputes. Noncombatant residents were routinely harassed by the helicopters for decades, ruining their peace and rattling the roof above their head and the walls around them. Meanwhile, the new plots opening up were managed by small-time dealers who knew how to avoid drug enforcement helicopters.
Residents of Hawaii opposed this war as millions of dollars were poured into it that could have been used for more pressing needs like education and healthcare.
By 1989, the cannabis industry surpassed the value of sugar, pineapple, and tourism in Hawaii. The consequences of the raids were immense. Along with the overarching war on drugs, they just made the plant more scarce and more expensive. There was never a shortage of the availability of cannabis, now being imported from California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Mexico. Rates of marijuana use among Hawaii teenagers rose, forced to spend outrageous amounts for what was once a plentiful plant.
By the late 90s, they had seized more cannabis than any other state’s program. At the same time, it was estimated that Hawaii's pakalolo industry produced 250,000 pounds- ranked 5th in the country behind California, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida.
Named for the cities where these plants flourish, names like Puna Butter, Maui Wowee, and Kona Gold add to their mystique in marijuana lore. The common perception is that Hawaii produces the most legendary, quality pot in the country. This in part stems from cross-breeding small, quick-growing plants. But perhaps an unintended side-effect of Green Harvest and Operation Wipe-Out has been the mystification of Hawaii-grown cannabis, making it more desirable on a much larger scale.
Many shirts in our collection are a testament to this lore and its appeal to surfer, skater culture, like the graphic on this 80s tee, emblazoned with, "Killer Buds."
Or this shirt presenting the plant as a spiritual, holy entity.
An even larger portion of our collection consists of vintage tourist t-shirts from Hawaii. Noticeable threads in these souvenirs include images of the ocean, the sun, palm trees, and tropical flowers. Together, the islands are conveyed as paradise itself. But the price for this image comes at the cost of the residents of Hawaii, whose homes were raided to maintain the perception of a family-friendly paradise the tourism industry relies on.
More recently, an ironic plot twist on Green Harvest surfaced. A helicopter pilot who spent over three decades working with Hawaii's Domestic Cannabis Eradication Program proposed to open his own dispensary under the name of Grateful Meds.
In 2019 Hawaii decriminalized marijuana. However, its legalization has failed to gain serious traction in its legislature.
Shop our collection of vintage Hawaii tourist t-shirts here.
]]>In the early 70s, if you wanted to find some coin-operated arcade games, they were almost exclusively set up in dive bars, truck stops, and arcade venues alongside peep-show machines. These kind of spots were popular among teens, who, at the time had a bad reputation for drugs and breaking the rules, rendering arcades to be seen as seedy.
The idea of having a family-friendly arcade plus restaurant was completely new at the time, completely altering the image associated with arcades and video games.
When the idea for Pizza Time Theatre was in its early stages, its founder and the founder of Atari, Noah Bushnell, was making waves with their new hit arcade game, Pong. The success of the game delayed Bushnell's restaurant plans.
Influenced by working in amusement park industry through his college years and a love of Disney, Bushnell recruited Gene Landrum for the project.
The first Pizza Time Theatre opened in San Jose 1977, introducing video games to an entire new and younger audience in an environment the whole family could experience. The pizza joint contained over 100 video games, pinball machines, arcade games,with a loud and boisterous atmosphere.
In the beginning the mascot was called Rick Rat, but soon after Chuck E. Cheese came to fruition, as a "three-smile name," echoing the rhythm of Mickey Mouse.
Pizza Time provided an environment to distribute Atari games with no outside competition, operating on custom gold coins with "In Pizza We Trust," emblazoned on the back. The games were a huge selling point, but there was nowhere else you could witness an animatronic show quite like these. The creepy element of the robots added to their appeal in the early years, similar to the appeal of freak shows at carnivals.
The animatronic chorus originally included the Warblettes, a trio of singing crows, Jasper T. Jowls, a guitar-playing hound, Pasqually P. Pieplate, an Italian chef, Crusty the Cat, pal to Chuck, Dolli Dimples, a seductive hippo, and of course Chuck E. Cheese. Back then, you would find Chuck E. smoking a cigar through his buck teeth and thick Jersey accent.
The restaurant quickly made waves in San Jose and beyond, and Bushnell decided to fully invest in the franchise. By 1978 he leaves behind Atari and buys out Pizza Time.
But as Pizza Time gained popularity, competing businesses began popping up. Its biggest competitor, ShowBiz Pizza, with the help from former Pizza Time co-founder Landrum, became the most successful of the numerous knock-offs that emerged in the 80s. Some other competitors included Bullwinkle's Family Restaurant, Celebration Station, Fair Play Pizza Theater, Major Magic's All Star Pizza Review, and Razz-Ma-Tazz.
Business became precarious, and Bushnell began investing in new ventures. By the summer of '83, Pizza Time was falling. The novelty of the concept had played out, and in '84 he resigned as chairman and CEO and the firm filed for bankruptcy.
Showbiz Pizza also suffered, but managed to survive. They purchased Pizza Time Theatre Inc. and merged the two competing businesses, combining the animatronic stage shows into one act and taking on the more favorable Chuck E. Cheese name.
As the years went on, Chuck E. Cheese and his friends underwent changes to be much slimmer, younger, and animated in CGI. Today, he's a skateboarding adolescent, reminiscent of the image Bushnell originally wanted to distance from the business.
But there is a dark side to the rise of Chuck E. Cheese, and it surrounds founder Bushnell. In recent years, former employees, mostly women, at Atari, Pizza Time, and Chuck E. Cheese have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment by the company's founder, citing company meetings that would be held in his personal hot tub. The gaming industry's responded by revoking Bushnell's Pioneer Award at the 2018 Game Developer's Conference.
The history of the franchise brings to light the changes in how young people and teenagers are represented in popular culture and the spaces designed to keep them separate from family-friendly spaces. Today, Chuck E. Cheese remains a birthday party staple for kids across the country.
Shop our collection of vintage Chuck E. Cheese/Pizza Time Theatre tees here!
]]>This week, we've got this sweet raglan jersey t-shirt straight from the iconic 80s cop-drama, Miami Vice. The television series was a cultural phenomenon, influencing the fashion, music, and art of the 80s. Relying on musical sequences to emphasize the cinematography and emotions, the neo-noir series valued images over writing and embraced new wave culture.
Set in Miami Beach, Florida, the show follows two undercover detectives working for the Metro-Dade Police Department, James "Sonny" Crockett and Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, played by Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Other actors starring in the show included Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, John Diehl, Olivia Brown, Gregory Sierra, and Edward James Olmos.
Arguably the most famous scene of the series, the clip bellow shows Sonny and Rico driving around Miami listening to "In the Air Tonight," by Phil Collins, epitomizing the 80s in a sinister and decadent fashion.
Episodes covered topics like drug trafficking and prostitution, inspired by Miami's shift from a middle-class vacation haven into a city run by violence and crime from the drug trade on Florida's Gold Coast.
The series portrays Miami glamorously, filmed almost entirely in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. However, at the time of filming, the area was defined by poverty and crime. Very few people resided in Miami, and the population was mostly elderly retirees, allowing for the crew to film virtually anywhere with little to no disturbances.
Over 80 people from South Florida were employed for the pilot episode, and the show brought in 2.5 million dollars into Florida's economy in its first season.
The production crew was faced with run down buildings, leading them to repaint many exteriors. The show is often credited for leading the support for Art Deco preservation efforts in the mid 80s and early 90s.
Miami Vice is heralded as one of the most successful television soundtracks of all time, appealing to the MTV generation of hip young people. The show is credited for its innovative use of stereo broadcast music while other shows were using made-for-TV music. Jan Hammer composed an electronic-music score to give the show a uniquely modern vibe. Artists featured on the show included Duran Duran, Sinead O'Connor, Black Uhuru, Meat Loaf, Phil Collins, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, Depeche Mode, U2, The Police, and Iron Maiden.
The costumes worn on Miami Vice went on to define the standard style of the 80s. Vittorio Ricci, Gianni Versace, and Hugo Boss were just a few of the designers consulted for the series' costumes. It's been credited for practically inventing the T-shirt under Armani jacket style, in addition to popularizing Ray-Ban Wayfarers, pastels, no socks, and rolled-up sleeves.
In addition to clothing styles, the automobiles featured on the show garnered a cult following by car enthusiasts. Namely, the fake Ferrari Testarossa, built from the 1972 De Tomaso Pantera gained much attention, along with Crockett's 1978 Porsche 911 SC Targa, and Rico's 1964 Cadillac Coupe De Ville Convertible. Other luxury car models featured included Lamborghinis, AMG Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Maseratis, Porsches, Corvettes. Muscle cars featured included Pontiac GTO and Firebird Trans Am, as well as Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Plymouth GTX and Barracuda.
The show's popularity devolved towards its later seasons, and was ultimately cancelled in 1989. Still, Miami Vice set the precedent for the evolution of the police drama genre for years to come.
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The '93 tour cemented her extravagant and theatrical performances as her signature, featuring complex choreography and costumes. With 123 dates, the tour had the most shows she's done for any concert.
Her coinciding album, janet., is recognized widely as her sexual liberation. The pop and R&B record consisted of lyrically intimate tracks, incorporating hip hop, opera, house, and jazz styles.
janet. featured the hit number one singles, "That's the Way Love Goes," and "Again," along with "Any Time, Any Place," and "Because of Love." Embracing and celebrating her sexuality through her music, Janet became a global superstar and icon.
Janet's music career was revolutionary, but this week we're highlighting a different chapter; her first starring movie role in the romantic drama, Poetic Justice, premiering the same year as her '93 tour.
Jackson starred alongside 22-year old Tupac Shakur, Regina King, and Joe Torry in the film directed by John Singleton, known for his preceding film, Boyz n the Hood, released in 1991. With Valentine's Day behind us, we celebrate Singleton's ability to tell authentic stories about black love.
These days, the discussion around representation in movies and television too often overlooks the admittedly small but existent canon. The recent release of The Photograph (2020), starring Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield, has brought up discussions on the lack of black love stories in Hollywood. In the past two decades, some noteworthy films in this canon include Queen & Slim (2019), If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), Moonlight (2016), Phat Girlz (2006), and Brown Sugar (2002).
After the release of Boyz n the Hood, Singleton became the first African American and youngest person to have ever been nominated the Academy Award for Best Director at the age of 24, a record that remains today.
Native to South Central Los Angeles, Singleton's films contain nuanced depictions of the community, often reduced to the area's pervasive poverty and gang violence. Just a year after the release of Boyz n the Hood the 1992 Los Angeles riots took place following the arrest and beating of Rodney King, bringing to head decades of amassed tension and police brutality.
Following the riots, the city was in disarray, and Singleton tapped into his community's need for a story about family, friendship, and love. Justice embodied these themes from the perspective of a black woman overcoming the trauma of her boyfriend's murder, a perspective that had yet to be represented on the big screen, let alone the focal point of a film.
Justice is indeed poetic without romanticizing the very real conditions of South L.A. in the 90s, featuring poetry by Maya Angelou and a cameo appearance by the illustrious poet. Jackson's character, Justice, recites Angelou's powerful words as her own work throughout the film.
The iconic looks worn by Janet, Regina, and Tupac have cast their influence across generations. While they've existed for centuries, Poetic Justice brought box braids brought into mainstream style. Jackson's character, a hairdresser, rocks the style proudly, and real-life Janet was commended for bringing fame and glamour to the hairstyle. The decision to give Justice the iconic braids was a collaborative effort between Singleton, Jackson, and two of the film's choreographers.
In addition to the hairstyles of the film, the fashion showcased has once again made a resurgence in popular culture among celebrities, high fashion, and young people alike.
Over-sized baseball jerseys, snap-backs, and baggy jeans are just a few staples of 90s fashion, and Tupac and Janet epitomized these trends both on and off the screen.
Singleton suffered a stroke at the age of 51 that ultimately lead to his passing. His work remains as some of the most prolific movies of our time as powerful stories of black history in America, elevated by the superstar power of the cast.
Love Janet? Shop her looks with thousands of vintage 90s clothing here!
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We recently acquired this shirt from the NWA tournament, the Bunkhouse Stampede, distinguished from other tournaments by the Western-style street clothes worn by the wrestlers and the use of weapons. The phenomenon was a hit among wrestling fanatics, though it was only held from 1985 to 1988.
The Bunkhouse Stampede was a production of Jim Crockett Productions, owned by Jim Crockett Jr., a wrestling promoter who took over his father's business in 1980. The tournament involved teams of wrestlers, a la battle royal. Rather than a championship belt, the winner was awarded a massive bronze cowboy boot, apt for the bunkhouse-theme.
The kind of wrestling showcased at the Bunkhouse can be categorized as hardcore wrestling, wherein rules don't apply and weapons like ladders, tables, and chairs are permitted. This made the matches that much more gruesome, often ending with both opponents bloodied.
Tully Blanchard post-Bunkhouse Stampede
The popularity and prominence of wrestling in America; both hardcore and Greco-Roman, come as no surprise in a culture of violence and heroism. But the freestyle wrestling showcased at the Bunkhouse has origins elsewhere-- Mexico.
In English, lucha libre translates to "freestyle wrestling." It was first introduced to Mexico in the early 20th century, characterized by luchadors donning colorful masks and throwing high-flying maneuvers. The style of lucha libre originally was freestyle wrestling, a type of amateur wrestling. However today, the term is used to refer to professional wrestling exclusively.
Originally a regional phenomenon, wrestling was put on the global map when Salvador Lutteroth founded Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre in 1933. Now known as the CMLL, or the World Wrestling Council, it is the oldest continuous professional wrestling promotion in the world.
The significance of the masks worn by luchadors have origins that date back to the Aztecs. Wearing sacred masks designed to evoke animals, gods, and ancient heroes, luchadors have been regarded as godlike in Mexico for centuries.
Like the battle royal format of the Bunkhouse Stampede, tag team wrestling is prevalent in lucha libre, usually in three-member teams called trios.
The first superstar in lucha libre was El Santo (the Saint). Making his debut in Mexico City, El Santo won an 8-man battle royal. Donning a silver-mask, El Santo was adored for his mystique and became the most popular luchador in the country.
But his fame didn't stop there, emerging as a folk hero he appeared in comic books and movies, and gave the sport mainstream attention and adoration. El Santo was buried wearing his silver mask following his legacy of never revealing his face.
Contemporary Mexican artist Xavier Garza takes inspiration from wrestling and luchador masks for his work.
In addition to the U.S. and Mexico, Japan is the third major wrestling mecca, with a style known as puroreso. Many of the most successful Japanese wrestlers began their career training in Mexico, including Gran Hamada, Satoru Sayama, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Ultimo Dragon.
Luchadors have became symbols of Mexican culture, and Jim Crockett sought to do the same in the United States with Dusty Rhodes and the Stampeders. Because of WWE's monopoly on the wrestling world, the Bunkhouse Stampede fell out of favor when the Royal Rumble was broadcast on basic cable in '88. Still, Bunkhouse-lovers keep its legacy alive.
Shop our collection of vintage wrestling tees here!
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French producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo came up with the idea for the group after visiting the West Village in New York City. They wanted to produce music for the clubs; gay, Latin, and black, in particular. In an effort to appeal to this audience, they put out an advertisement that read, "Macho Types Wanted: Must dance and have a mustache."
Morali and Belolo assembled lead singer Victor Willis, Felipe Rose, Alex Briley, Glenn Hughes, David Hodo, and Randy Jones, and thus, the Village People were born. Reflecting the styles seen in the West Village, the Villagers became icons of sexual liberation.
Dressed as a cowboy, a cop, a Native American, a construction worker, and a Navy sailor, they embraced typically masculine personas. These costumes were nothing new, as seen in the dress code from the Mineshaft, the iconic gay club located in the Meat Packing District of New York City.
The Mineshaft catered to hyper-masculine types, prohibiting "colognes and perfumes, disco drag, and dresses." Instead, admittance was restricted to those donning, "cycle leather & western gear, Levi's jocks, action ready wear, uniforms, t-shirts, plaid shirts, just plain shirts, club overlays, patches, and sweat."
But as the AIDS crisis devastated the gay community across the country, the club was shut down in '85 by the New York Health Department for violating the newly-introduced discriminatory anti-AIDS policies.
The Mineshaft was not alone in its standards, just one of many gay clubs to foster hyper-masculinity. This shirt from the Folsom Prison bar, a popular sex club in the Castro District of San Francisco, features a similar ideal.
Open from 1973 to '77, Folsom suffered the same fate as the Mineshaft, along with a slew of its neighboring gay leather bars, pushed out by gentrification and the fear of AIDS. Out of the 16 leather bars in the early 80s, only three remain today.
This shirt comes from an underground bondage club in Philadelphia. While little documentation exists on the club, the graphic on this shirt complies with the images of muscular men used in gay clubs in New York and San Francisco.
Disco and its golden age was fleeting, and yet, the hit songs by the Villagers have stood the test of time. Songs like "Y.M.C.A", "Macho Man," and "In the Navy," are played routinely in celebration at sports events, notably some of the most hyper-masculine spaces in the country. The Villagers were indeed Macho Types; but their performances caricaturize masculinity, and inspired sexual liberation in the midst of the fear and stigma surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Shop any of the shirts in this post by clicking on their photo!
]]>In 1970, New Orleans held the inaugural Jazz and Heritage Festival at Congo Square. It featured performances by Duke Ellington, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, the Meters, and an impromptu performance by Mahalia Jackson. Previous Jazz festivals were held in the city, but on a much smaller scale. The music featured at the festival encompassed a diverse range of jazz, R&B, Cajun, gospel, zydeco, rock-n-roll, African, and Latin.
The significance of Congo Square, then known as Beauregard Square, dates back to the 1700s. "Code Noir" was implemented in French Louisiana territory, giving enslaved people Sundays off as a day of rest. As a result, they began congregating in public and private spaces, performing religious ceremonies, dancing, and making music.
When Spanish forces took control of Louisiana, Code Noir became more relaxed, allowing enslaved people to sell and exchange food and goods, utilized by many to purchase their freedom and their families freedom.
In 1817, the New Orleans mayor issued an ordinance that restricted enslaved people to congregate what was then considered "the back of town," but came to be known as Congo Square. Limited to the confines of the square, up to 600 people congregated on Sunday afternoons, continuing their celebration of music and dance as spirited as ever.
As New Orleans grew, the French Quarter grew around Congo Square, no longer considered the "back of town" by any standards. Rather, the music made at the Square spread up the Mississippi River, and Congo Square became a famous hub for African music, dance, and culture.
Congo Square became the core of New Orleans music, influencing generations of musicians to carry on tradition passionately. As the setting for the first ever Jazz and Heritage Festival, its legacy endures.
Still, the first festival in 1970 was not well-funded, and a result advertising for the event was minimal. Despite the small crows, the festival garnered local attention and the next year, more funding was secured and saw much larger crowds at Congo Square.
Since then, Jazz Fest has become one of the leading cultural celebrations in the country, held annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course once it outgrew Congo Square. The tourism brought to New Orleans from the event is rivaled only by Mardi Gras.
In its early years the lineup featuring almost solely local acts. As the festival's popularity grew, major jazz and R&B musicians made their Jazz Fest debut, including Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Dave Brubeck, Al Green, and James Brown, to name a few.
Food vendors, like the music, celebrated New Orleans heritage, offering boiled crawfish, alligator po-boys, Cajun jambalaya, muffulettas, and fried green tomatoes. The festival provides a mass marketplace for craftsmen.
George Wein, the founder of the festival, had also produced the Newport Jazz Festival and Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island. Wein believed that the festival in New Orleans should outdo the Newport festival, saying that, "Newport was manufactured, but New Orleans is the real thing."
Organizers recruited performers not from the commercialized Bourbon Street but from black clubs. Snooks Eaglin, a street singer, was the first performer recruited. Many of the local NOLA musicians perform annually at the festival, like the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Ellis Marsalis, and the Radiators.
Funds from the festival go towards the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and WWOZ 90.7 FM, the "Guardians of the Groove," radio station.
Limited edition silkscreen poster series began in '75, which became a hit among collectors and festival-goers. Commissioned artists designed lively posters featuring the iconic jazz musicians who graced the festival stage. The 1978 poster was done by Charest and Brousseau, showing two black musicians jamming on the porch, as a young boy peers from behind the railing.
In 2019, the 50th Annual Jazz Fest was held. It celebrated not only the history of jazz in New Orleans, but the success and virtue of the festival over the years.
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The album featured the hit song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," originally sung by Kitty Wells. It became the first number one hit for a solo woman in country music. Wells' song paved the way for artists like Parton, Lynn, Wynette, and Patsy Cline to record songs that called out men for being unfaithful. Wells received backlash for the song, prohibited from performing at the Grand Ole Opry, country music's premier stage. Despite the industry resistance, "It Wasn't God.." remained at the top of the charts for six weeks.
Let's take a look back at the rise of country music and the history of its birthplace, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the 1920s, Nashville radio announcer, George D. Hay, founded the Grand Ole Opry as a weekly country music concert. Then known as Barn Dance on WSM, the show has been recognized as the catalyst for the spread of country music across America.
Hay, along with musician Uncle Jimmy Thompson, launched the program in 1925. In its early days, Barn Dance broadcast Bill Monroe, the Crook Brothers, the Gully Jumpers, and Fiddlin' Arthur Smith regularly. Renamed to the Grand Ole Opry, the show quickly gained a following and outgrew their studio space. Thus, the Opry relocated to Ryman Auditorium in 1943.
Before the Opry took to the Ryman stage, it had been under the ownership of Lula C. Naff. Naff brought world-renowned entertainers such as the Italian opera singer Enrico Raruso, U.S. Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, Marian Anderson, and countless others. The very first event to be sold out at the Ryman was a lecture by Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Macy in 1913.
Hosting the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium saw the likes of Elvis Presley, Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Faron Young, and Martha Carson to name a few. With 3,000 seats, the Opry could accommodate their rapidly growing fan base into a live audience.
The genre was becoming more accepting of women, as artists like the Honky Tonk Angels, Jean Shephard, Rose Maddox, Margie Bowes, Marion Worth, and Norma Jean were inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry.
Over time, the show outgrew Ryman, too, which began to crumble due to urban decay. As a result, a new venue complex was constructed for the Opry in a less urbanized area of the city. The complex included the Opryland USA Theme Park and the Opryland Hotel, first opened in 1972.
After the Opry abandoned the sinking Ryman ship, fans mourned the historic auditorium. So, an 8-foot square was cut from the wooden stage floor, and from that a 6-foot wide circle was brought to the new Opry stage. That wooden circle has since become a symbol of the musicians whose boots touched the Ryman stage.
But fans remained loyal to the Ryman and its history and preservation. In the early 90s, country singer Emmylou Harris revitalized the crumbling Ryman Auditorium, performing a series of concerts and a subsequent live album titled, "At the Ryman."
Following Harris' performances, the Opry returned to Ryman for a benefit concert in 1998. Since then, the show returns for a 3-month period in the winter every year to pay tribute to the Opry ancestors.
Today, the Grand Ole Opry continues as the longest running radio show in U.S. history. The show is said to return to television in the new year on a new network, appropriately called Circle Media.
Shop our country music collection here!
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Hermosa Beach, California is known around the world for its punk rock history. So when we found this artifact from the town's hippie heyday, we decided to take a closer look at the cultural transition.
In the small surfer town, Greeko's Sandals was a haven for the free-spirited locals, selling Greek-style sandals, marijuana pipes and bongs, hippie-style clothing, hemp goods, and incense. Owned by John Warren, who came to be known as Johnny Greekos, the shop first opened its doors in 1966.
Greeko's was a beacon of Hermosa's hippie beatnik heritage. However, in 1982, a new bill was passed that banned the sale of materials intended for drug use. The pressure was placed on the head shop to adapt to the vastly changing atmosphere of Hermosa.
Warren sold the shop in the early 90s and the new owner reorganized the shop to be more family-friendly. But sales were plummeting, and by 2008, Greeko's closed its doors for good. The shop was one of the many casualties of gentrification in Hermosa Beach.
But the hippie culture of the South Bay was challenged by another force -- punk rock.
By the 70s, punk rock music and culture took over Hermosa and the South Bay, beginning with Greg Ginn and his friends forming Black Flag in 1976, one of the most influential bands of the genre. Hardcore punks rejected their punk and hippie predecessors in a movement dubbed as, "a rebellion against a rebellion."
Unlike the popular punk bands from Los Angeles, hardcore punk bands were rarely signed to major record labels. Instead, Ginn created the independent label, SST Records, where he signed a number of groups from Southern California. SST Records created a nationwide network of underground bands. The new generation of suburban punk bands included the Descendants, Circle Jerks, Red Kross, the Minutemen, and The Last. Pennywise recorded their first record on a small label in Hermosa Beach in the early 90s.
Hardcore punk music went hand in hand with the predominant skateboarding and surfing culture in the South Bay. It was the soundtrack to ride to, colored by passion, rage, and confrontation.
Skateboarding was invented by surfers in the 50s as a way to simulate riding a wave when the ocean was flat. Since then, it's become a quintessential aspect of Southern California. The very first skateboard competition was held at the Pier Avenue Junior High School in Hermosa Beach in 1963, then-called "sidewalk surfing."
The competition signified the rapid spread of skating, developing into a sport about skills and tricks rather than just cruising around. Banned from public walk ways for disorderliness, skateboarders turned to the empty private pools around the neighborhood. It became a symbol of rebellion and freedom.
The first skateboarding magazine, "The Quarterly Skateboarder," was published in 1964, spreading to young people across the country. Companies like Hobie and Makaha began hosting competitions featuring early professional skaters.
Legendary professional skaters from the South Bay like Rodney Mullen, Cindy Whitehead, Kevin Anderson, and Steve Rocco paved the way for modern skateboarding. They tested the limits of gravity and the limits of the authority. It was a crime to skate, and for that reason it appealed to the young and rebellious generation.
The mainstream culture fiercely rejected the emerging punk scene, often resulting in violence. Shunned from their hometown, Black Flag went to perform in Los Angeles. But like the authorities in Hermosa, Los Angeles police violently shut down live shows. At an infamous concert at the Hollywood Palladium, Black Flag opened for the Ramones. Riot police waited for concert goers outside of the venue to beat and arrest them.
After years of backlash against the punk scene a new mural was unveiled in 2018, dedicated to the town's punk rock roots.
]]>For those who don't know, Foghat is a rock band formed in London in 1971, originally made up of Dave Peverett, Tony Stevens, Rod Price, and Roger Earl. Stevens left the group in 1975, and Nick Jameson filled in for a year, but was then replaced by Craig MacGregor.
Their most successful albums include Energized, Rock and Roll Outlaws, Fool for the City, Foghat Live, and Stone Blue.
For many fans, the band is remembered for its hit singles, "Slow Ride," "Drivin' Wheel," as well as a cover of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You."
The early 80s saw the band's shift from hard boogie towards heavier new-wave influences. Guitarist Rod Price was replaced by Erik Cartwright in 1981, playing lead and slide guitar on Foghat's last three major label releases, including Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce, In the Mood for Something Rude, and Zig-Zag Walk.
In this collection you'll find tee's from legendary venues, bars, and music shops that cultivated the culture of rock 'n roll through the 70s and 80s.
One of which was Tuey's, known as the "Ace of Clubs." Located in East Setauket, New York, the club has hosted numerous rock bands including Foghat and Zebra. Hundreds of photos shared on their Facebook page reflect the nostalgia felt by anyone who visited the club in its heyday.
The Satelite Lounge in Cookstown, New Jersey was once a major venue for rock n roll bands from the 1960s through the 90s, including concerts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Kiss, Chuck Berry, Ben E. King, The Platters, Jay & The Americans, Sly & The Family Stone, Steppenwolf, Molly Hatchet, The Young Rascals, Anthrax, and Twisted Sister. At its peak, Satelite could accommodate up to 2,000 people, once the largest bar in New Jersey.
Much of what Satelite is remembered for centers around the owner of the club, Carlo Rossi, including one story about Rossi threatening to kill Bruce Springsteen if he didn't play at Satelite on the agreed upon date. When Foghat played at Satelite, they ignored Rossi's requests to turn the music down, and he responded by pulling out his gun and shooting the amps.
Satelite Lounge, abandoned, 2018
Another historic souvenir in MacGregor's collection comes from the Fillmore West, a famous rock 'n roll venue in San Francisco, California.
Since it's initial opening in 1910, the venue has existed in many forms. From a dance hall to a skating rink, to a venue for emerging black musicians. In early 1968, during the height of the hippie counterculture, a couple of bands from the San Francisco rock scene took over the space for a musical/social "laboratory experiment."
The collective lasted only six months, but these bands would later return to perform when the Fillmore West was under the direction of Bill Graham. These bands were The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
What started out as a platform for smaller, emerging artists turned into the epitome of success and fame. From Jimi Hendrix to The Who, dozens of established artists of that time graced the stage at the Fillmore all within the two and half year time frame.
Of course, nowhere saw the culture of rock 'n roll better than the Sunset Marquis.
The legendary hotel and rock-and-roll haven, located just off the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California was conceived as an escape for celebrities from the craziness of the nightlife along the Strip.
The peaceful facade, however, was obliterated by the hotel's infamous bar. The Whiskey Bar, as it was once known, attracted hordes of people nightly, all wanting some part of the rock 'n roll lifestyle. Frequented by Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, The Clash, Blondie, the Ramones, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Guns 'N Roses, Courtney Love, and so many more.
Another artifact among MacGregor's collection is a raglan tee from Tracks Records and Tapes. The record and tape superstore in Norfolk, VA first opened shop in 1977 located on historic Wards Corner. Beginning in the 50s, Wards Corner billed itself as, "The Times Square of the South," offering shops, restaurants, and a vibrant social center. Tracks was part of the Record Bar, a former retail music and entertainment store chain with 180 stores primarily around the South, owned by the Berman family of Durham, North Carolina.
In the 90s, Record Bar's reign came to end. The company was sold to Blockbuster Video, who rebranded all stores as Blockbuster Music.
These are just a few highlights from the collection, artifacts of a life well-traveled and stories that would otherwise be buried.
Shop the full Foghat collection here!
]]>Aspen Apple Soda
This branded tee makes it super easy to dress up as a bottle of the 80s apple-flavored soda by Pepsi.
Pair with: An apple and a white winter coat.
RC Cola Liter of the Pack
Puns are corny, but this costume isn't! Instantly become the leader of your pack in this ringer tee. Guaranteed to make at least one person serenade you with the Shangri Las.
Pair with: Leather jacket, aviators, biker cap, and a liter of soda.
Goofy Athlete
This Goofy tank top gives you the blueprint and the key piece of the puzzle for this costume. As a Goofy athlete, you can be as clumsy and non-athletic as your heart desires.
Tourist in Hawaii
This costume has been done before, but that doesn't mean you can't do it better. Skip the lei and Aloha shirt, these are just a couple of the hundreds of authentic vintage Hawaii tourist tees we have in store.
Pair with: Cargo shorts, a map, and a visor
Couples Costume: His & Hers
Grab your best friend, your boyfriend, your ex... 'cause this corny couples costume can't be done alone. No "pair with" necessary, this is the whole costume.
Super Grandpa
This shirt is perfect for those grandfathers tagging along with their superhero Grand kids this Halloween, or anyone wanting to make use of their grandpa sweaters.
Pair with: Bald cap/white hair wig and a cape. Pro tip: use grandpa sweater as your cape
Roadkill Cafe Head Chef
Serve it up as a chef from the Roadkill Cafe. The back of this shirt features a full menu from the spoof-diner with plenty of ideas for you to plate.
Pair with: Spatula, faux fur, an apron, and a chef's hat
Kurt Cobain
Pair with: Black band t-shirt and a guitar
Tethered from Us
Spook everyone with this original Hands Across America tee, the influence behind Jordan Peele's horror movie, Us.
Pair with: Red jumpsuit and a pair of scissors
And if none of those spoke to you, here are a couple even easier options:
Check out our collection of Halloween vintage tees here!
Feeling inspired? Let us know in the comments or tag us on Instagram @thecaptainsvintage
Happy Halloween!
]]>The Far Side brought dark and irreverent humor to nearly 2,000 newspapers, syndicated internationally for 15 years, from 1980 to 1995. Now, 24 years since the final daily panel was released, Larson's return to The Far Side looms.
Back in September, his website was updated for this first time in over a decade, reading, "A new online era of The Far Side is coming," featuring the first new Far Side comic made public by Larson since 1995. The comic shows iconic characters in a block of ice being defrosted by a flame torch, reading, "Uncommon, unreal, and (soon-to-be) unfrozen."
Larson's career as a cartoonist began when The Seattle Times agreed to publish his comic, "Nature's Way," as a weekly strip in 1979. Soon after the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, Stan Arnold, got the comic strip syndicated across the country, and the name of the project was changed to "The Far Side."
First debuting in January of 1980, The Far Side did not follow the comic strip mold of recurring characters; instead, Larson's characters existed in a single-panel, which Larson claims attributed to their humor. Among them, cows are the most frequent.
With a background in biology, much of Larson's humor is influenced by science. As a traveling show, "The Far Side of Science: Cartoons by Gary Larson," was on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The special exhibition featured 527 Far Side panels.
2019 has been a year full of remakes, and comics are no exception. What will be featured in the return of The Far Side? We will just have to wait to find out.
In the meantime... Check out our wide collection of vintage comic strip t-shirts here!
]]>October means scary stories, and what's scarier than getting a chunk of your ear bitten off by Mike Tyson? Not much! This week's T-shirt Tuesday is all about the infamous boxing match.
]]>The 1997 WBA Heavyweight Championship face-off between The Real Deal Evander Holyfield versus Iron Mike Tyson, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, was highly anticipated. The two had gone head to head for world heavyweight title in the previous year. Holyfield famously defeated Tyson in a shocking upset.
Leading up to the match, Tyson was painted as one of the most vicious and intimidating fighters, in the boxing world and beyond. No one wanted to fight him, and no one who could was able to defeat him.
Holyfield entered the ring in 1997 as the underdog, coming back after a brief retirement, while Tyson was the defending champion, defeating Bruce Seldon in a first-round knockout.
The fight began with Tyson charging his fist straight for Holyfield, but as the match went on, it was clear Holyfield did not fear his opponent, showing up with stamina, strength, and clarity. Holyfield hit Tyson with a strong head butt in round 2, leaving him with a very bloody right eye, and Tyson, frustrated, began to panic.
In the third-round, a frustrated Tyson took not one, but two bites of Holyfield's ears, taking off an entire chunk. After a moment of confusion, referee Mills Lane, disqualified Tyson and the title was given to Holyfield.
Shocked and disturbed, media speculations on the incident went rampant. Many believed he knew he wouldn't win and preferred to disqualify out of the match than lose fairly. The incident became a spectacle of the sport of professional boxing, but more intensely for the two professional boxers, sweeping headlines across the globe.
In 2016, Mike Tyson appeared on Oprah, nineteen years after the incident. Reflecting on the incident, he speaks remorsefully to Holyfield, saying, "We watched each other grow to become established and distinct fighters," taking his competitor's hand and shaking it.
Boxing in popular culture has dwindled, and there are many who blame the Bite Fight for discrediting its integrity. Though, much of the sport's appeal is its brutality. While every sport has moments of infamy, none compare to the Sound and the Fury.
Check out the t-shirt from the historic event on our shop here!
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This week, let's celebrate the feel-good Beatles anthem Hey Jude, released August 26, 1968.
]]>Luckily for us, "Hey Jude," became the anthem of the sixties and changed the outlook for fans, convinced of the group's impending demise.
The optimism of the ballad contrasted with the group's concurrent troubles, including John's divorce from Cynthia Lennon and affair with Yoko Ono, as well as Ringo Starr's departure.
McCartney originally wrote the song for Lennon's five year old son, Julian, under the name, "Hey Jules," meant to comfort him during his family's hardships. In a later interview, Lennon claimed he thought the song was written for him as a blessing to his relationship with Ono. The legacy of Hey Jude remains in being able to comfort and bring solace to people in situations of turmoil.
Recorded in between sessions for the White Album, "Hey Jude" was written by Paul McCartney. The first take of recording it was chosen for release. Lasting over seven minutes long, it was the longest song to top the British charts, ending with a 40-piece orchestral coda.
As a promotional video, Michael Lindsay-Hogg captured The Beatles performing "Hey Jude," with a live audience joining in for the coda.
The anthemic song has been called a tribute to their friendship, released four days before Ringo Starr officially left the band and walked out of a recording session for the White Album.
Named the most popular record of the 60s by Billboard Magazine, "Hey Jude" was a comeback of epic proportions. Just a year after its release, the Beatles had their final photo shoot in late August 1969. Paul, John, George, and Ringo gathered together at John's home near Ascot, Berkshire.
In the following years, all four members released solo albums, some featuring each other. But the togetherness encompassed by Hey Jude had passed, and the lasting Beatlemania was painted by nostalgia.
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This rare Crosby, Stills Nash & Young t-shirt features their 1969 album cover, just a year after the group's formation. CSNY's performance at Woodstock '69 was pivotal in their success.
The stories from Woodstock '69 paint the festival as both chaotic and harmonious. The performances are remembered just as vividly as the crowd, traffic, rain, and mud by the nearly half a million attendees.
Taking place on a 600 acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York, Woodstock '69 epitomized American counterculture in the 60s. The unprepared festival grounds expected 50,000 attendees max. But as the crowd began arriving, it was clear they had far surpassed that maximum, forced to cede the construction of an admission entrance or fences and instead allowed everyone in for free.
Attendees tell tales of the lawlessness they endured to witness performances by Crosby, Stills & Nash, Arlo Guthrie, Melanie, Santana, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Sly and the Family Stone to name a few. Jimi Hendrix closed the festival on the following Monday morning, after most of the crowd had dissipated.
Despite the rain devolving the festival grounds into a mudslide, and the lack of security and food, the overall social harmony prevailed throughout the weekend. However, media coverage painted a deceitful picture of the event, emphasizing the "dirty hippie" attendees, poor organization, and health concerns.
But concert footage and photography prevailed against the media's representations, and before long, having made it to Woodstock and survived was a triumph like no other, and merchandise was worn like a trophy.
On the 25th anniversary of Woodstock '69, two more days of peace and love were held in Saugerties, New York for Woodstock '94. This time around, festival organizers were committed to making a profit off the massive concert, charging higher admission, introducing corporate sponsorship, as well as inflating vendor and food prices. Styles made popular from the original concert were reused and resold to market the '94 festival as a continuation of the past.
Bob Dylan, who declined the invitation to perform at the 1969 festival, headlined in '94. Other top Woodstock '94 acts included The Cranberries, Sheryl Crow, Aphex Twins, Jackyl, Nine Inch Nails, Aerosmith, Metallica, Salt N Pepa, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Both Woodstock '69 and '94 maintained an atmosphere of positive energy, despite the lack of rules and order. In 1999, the Woodstock franchise witnessed its biggest disaster, as violence, sexual assault, and looting defamed the festival's integrity for future generations.
Though it was cancelled, promotional materials for the Woodstock 50 lineup included contemporary artists like The Killers, Janelle Monae, Miley Cyrus, and Halsey alongside artists at the '69 festival such as members of the Grateful Dead, David Crosby, John Fogerty, Santana, Melanie, and Canned Heat.
]]>In the 50s, Harlem playground director Holocombe Rucker organized a basketball tournament as a way to give kids an extracurricular activity to stay off the streets and bond the community. As a cultural staple in New York City, basketball courts attract players of all ages and levels. It's how you earn street cred, respect, and maybe a nickname.
But the tournament at the Rucker attracted the best Streetballers as well as professional players looking to compete in the off season, creating the Rucker Pro League. It became a a summer Pro-Am showcase where NBA stars faced off against Streetball legends like Earl Manigault and Pee Wee Kirkland. It was the place for emerging players to gain recognition and skills.
Many NBA greats began their career at the Rucker, including Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Irving, Kareem Reid, Rafer Alston, God Shammgod, Cal Ramsey, Lew Alcindor. The New York Knicks played at Rucker and recruited player Harthorne Wingo.
Basketball at Rucker Park was all about style; moves that were not yet seen in the NBA emerged from players at Ruckers, and went on to influence professional basketball gameplay.
Although, making it to the NBA was not always the goal, as many of the best Streetball players made a name for themselves on the court at Rucker, including Joe Hammond who turned down professional offers.
The park dawned a new era in 1982, when Greg Marius founded the Entertainers Basketball Classic, a tournament at Rucker park that marked the first official union of basketball and hip-hop. The biggest names in hip-hop came out to spectate basketball's elite, including Fat Joe, Jay-Z, and Cam'Ron.
While the glory days of the Rucker have past, Streetballers and NBA professionals alike continue to compete at the Rucker, including Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Get your street cred up and shop our extensive basketball collection here!
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In the world of NASCAR, masculinity is at the pinnacle. However, Shawna Robinson has achieved more success in NASCAR racing than the majority of her male competitors.
Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, she was raised in a racing family. By the age of 4, while most kids were learning how to ride a bicycle, Robinson could ride a motorcycle. She idolized Janet Guthrie. Both of her parents were heavily involved in Midwestern racetracks and auto shows. Her father, Richard Robinson, was a former amateur diesel truck racer. Shawna's mother, Lois, raced cars as well.
After graduating high school, Robinson envisioned her racing future and actualized it. She began racing in semi-tractors before moving to the Great American Truck Racing Series (GATR). In 1984, just a year out of high school, Robinson was named the GATR Rookie of the Year.
In the above clip, Robinson's daring charisma and passion for racing is evident, as she drives a pink big rig truck that reads, "Bye Bye Boys," on the back.
The first time Robinson raced at Daytona International Speedway, she finished in third place. In her sixth race, the AC Delco 100 in Asheville, she became the first woman ever to win a stock car race at age 23.
While being a woman in NASCAR garnered valuable media attention, Robinson was met with relentless sexism among competitors, crew chiefs, and team owners, labeled emotionally unstable after the birth of her children.
Despite the odds, Robinson returned to racing in 1999, driving the No. 8 Kmart Ford Taurus. She is one of only three women to ever compete in the Daytona 500, the premiere event in the racing world.
These days, Danica Patrick has become a pop culture icon as a female NASCAR driver. However, as many women in sports experience, the media frenzy behind Patrick was primarily focused on her appearance. On the other hand, many credit Patrick for inspiring young girls to participate in the sport, as well as increasing attendance and ratings of racing events.
For Robinson, her successes did not correlate to increased popularity. Still, she has cultivated a legacy as one of NASCAR's greatest adversaries. In 2003, she enlisted the first ever all-women pit crew, known as the Aaron's Dream Team.
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