It's T-Shirt Friday 9 !

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band!

Last weeks Floyd question was a bit tricky... did you get the answer right? Here goes, the answer to last weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum is "One Minutes Too Long" or in Bulgarian "MNHYTa e MHOrO" (not sure if that is exactly right?) and it happens to be the oldest Bulgarian TV game too! Anyway hope your already celebrating? And if not why not? even if you got it wrong, it matters not, it's still Friday! Get out your tambourines, crack open a bottle of fine Bulgarian wine, maybe have a little Shopska Salata and top it all off with some Halva, Take a ride on the flyin' spoon, because here comes another T-Shirt Friday...

Today's T-Shirt was from an old friend 8-Ball. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be available any more. Anyway here is their website : http://www.8ball.co.uk

Even if you don't think you know any of Creedence Clearwater Revival's songs... you probably do... for instance are you a Status Quo fan or know of them? 'Rockin' All Over The World' was a big hit for the Quo, but it wasn't written by them, although they have written and recorded many fine songs, it was actually written by John Fogerty (Technically not while he was in CCR but for all intents and purposes...) Are you a Tina Turner or Ike & Tina fan? 'Proud Mary' although was re-arranged by Soko Richardson in an amazing way and given perhaps a much more soulful edge by Tina and Ike, it was originally written again by John Fogerty. CCR's music nowadays has become synonymous with the Coen Brothers film 'The Big Lebowski' they are famously mentioned in the film and much of the soundtrack is made up of their music. Way before 'The Big Lebowski', the 1981 John Landis film ' An American Werewolf In London' uses CCR's 'Bad Moon Rising' to full effect in the transitional scene, when David finally becomes a werewolf. (Out of interest apparently Landis did try to get Warren Zevon's 'Werewolf's of London' as well, but failed to do so)

'American Werewolf In London' is one of those films, that like many others, we grew up watching and admiring. We would all go round to our great friend Paul's parents house on a Saturday night, cram ourselves into the front room, turn the lights off, have a few beers, in my case a bottle of Guinness in others a nice whiskey or the current alcopops of the time and watch the film. Often with a build up all night towards food, which would usually result in a late night break from the film, to order pizza, only to be told that the pizza place had run out of dough! - We would then continue, not quite with empty stomachs as Paul would always kindly rustle something up and we would continue on with the film, half falling asleep in the process... those were the days! 

My Dad, would often bring up ' American Werewolf In London' in film conversations that we would have and he always mentioned and still does 'Bad Moon Rising' I think it's very true to say that like most kids I was influenced by the music that my Mum and Dad like and still am in many ways. So just like 'American Werewolf In London' being a huge part of my growing up, so CCR's music was and is still. Both my great friends Paul, Dave and myself grew up on 'Fortunate Son', 'Down On The Corner', 'Run Through The Jungle' and 'Up Around The Bend' to name just a few of CCR's Classic songs. Who can forget their stunning version of 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' which I really feel out does the Marvin Gaye version on every level (Sorry, if you're a lover of the Marvin version, it's still great but CCR just give the track something else!) CCR were and still are a very special band, a band you can grow with and they will grow with you, they truly created bayou country music for the heart, spirit and soul!

Miss Russell often looks twice at the CCR shirt when I put it on... Not because it accentuates all of my rotund curves or that it's a t-shirt that brings out the swamp rock, love of catfish and the Mississippi in everyone that sees it. It's because she always sees elephants trunks in the logo. can you see them too? - they are there if you look close enough. It's actually very appropriate given the lyrics from CCR's 'Looking Out My Back Door' that adorn the top of this page. Many T-Shirts that I've owned have had to be retired from service due to them starting to fall apart, some after many years of excessive usage and some after only a very short time. (I had a Neil Young, Harvest T-Shirt that lasted just a year, but that is another story...)  The T-Shirt below is a bit like the Tee equivalent of an Elephant, a 'Tee-lephant' perhaps? It just keeps on going and is still very much enjoying it's old age. How old do you think it might be? can you guess? ...The shirt is actually over 12 years old! And yet there is hardly any sign of wear and tear I put it on regularly and it still looks like new! As if it were bought yesterday. To think that it's much, much older is mind blowing... Just like mythological elephants and the music that the band made, this CCR T-Shirt is also immortal!!!

Well it's that time again but before T-Shirt Friday folds and tucks itself back in the chest of drawers of endless apparel, here is the T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum!!!! CCR recorded a cover version of 'I Put A Spell On You' but who wrote and recorded it originally? That should get you thinking...

More on CCR? Check this out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creedence_Clearwater_Revival
& for info on John Fogerty: http://www.johnfogerty.info

It's T-Shirt Friday 8 !

The Dark Side Of The Moon

So, how did you get on last week with the T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum??? Did it keep you guessing all week? The answer is... Eric Crandell! he started 101 Apparel in 2006 and before that worked on some very innovative album covers and apparel for Ubiquity Records, it's really worth checking out there website: http://www.ubiquityrecords.com 

Storm Thorgerson

Before we move on to this weeks T-Shirt and in keeping with talking about designers, it seems only right to mention Storm Thorgerson and the sad news of his passing away. There are very few graphic designers who's death would make headline news but Storm Thorgerson's has. He along with Hipgnosis the design studio that he co-founded, created some of the most innovative and startling album covers of all time and although genius these days is used far too frequently, in the case of Storm Thorgerson it is very true. He created album sized works of genius and beyond... He was also a film maker creating many well known music videos. He worked with many different artists including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Peter Gabriel, 10cc, The Steve Miller Band, Catherine Wheel and later Muse, Rival Sons and Biffy Clyro just to name a few. But arguably his most famous work was with Pink Floyd, beginning in 1968 with the cover for 'Saucerful Of Secrets' right through to 1977's 'Animals' and then from 'A Collection Of Great Dance Songs (1981) to the present.

It was 7th April 2011 and Miss Russell, our great friend Dave and myself found ourselves being confounded and constantly amazed at the images that Storm Thorgerson was projecting behind him from his incredible back catalogue of work. We were at the O2, British Music Experience at a very special event, a talk by two of the most legendary graphic designers ever! Roger Dean and the aforementioned Storm Thorgerson, it was billed as a night of anecdotes and stories, about there work, but as with everything that Storm did there was a twist, rather then just giving a straight forward talk, the audience was asked to participate. We were shown a picture, of which many people said what they thought they saw, then Storm said this "This picture of a sheep on a psychoanalytic couch was designed as a poster insert for 10cc's 1980 album, Look Here. The band asked for 'something different'. I never really have a clear idea of what that expression means ... I thought it was more engaging to ask a question and between us we came up with 'are you normal?' Anyway, the question led to the idea of normality and what could be more normal than a sheep, all of whom tend to follow each other. But to be normal you'd need a lengthy dose of psychotherapy.' 

That was the thing, nothing that Storm ever thought up, designed or created was as it seems...

Today's T-Shirt is from an old friend : http://www.allposters.co.uk

When did you first hear Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon'? how did you hear it? Was it on CD, Vinyl or maybe even 8 Track? Perhaps it was on the day of it's release, March 1973 or just yesterday? It's so timeless that like The Beatles 'Revolver' it will be listened to by generations to come. I first came into contact with DSOTM at Woolworths along Chingford Mount, around 1990, the tape cover had the unique Storm Thorgerson, Hipgnosis and George Hardie Prism design, but it also had two gold panels printed top and bottom, the top half had the band and album title within it. The tape was black plastic, which always struck me as strange as tapes were being made at that point more commonly out of clear plastic. 

I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that my life has never been the same since my first listen to DSOTM. I instantly became a life long fan of Pink Floyd and was mesmerised by not only the music but the mystique of it all. The album cover and the music are in perfect sync with each other and that is what is so special about the relationship between Pink Floyd and Storm Thorgerson.

Many Years later, in fact just last year, my Mum asked what I would like for my birthday, as usual I really had no idea, it finally came to the day of my birthday and there was a parcel from my Mum and Dad, carefully I opened the packaging and to my surprise inside was something that I'd never contemplated before... a DSOTM tee! Wow! Thanks Mum and Dad! wearing the t-shirt feels like your wearing something incredible, your wearing a part of music history, a timeless classic that all began in 1973 with a man called Storm and a triangular prism...

Well... "The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say..." Oh yes, that's right... it's time for the T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum! Here we go, part of the song 'Time' from P F's Dark Side Of The Moon is still used as a theme for which Bulgarian quiz show?

If you would like to find out more about Storm Thorgerson : http://www.stormthorgerson.com

For more on Pink Floyd : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd

For more on Hipgnosis : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipgnosis

and George Hardie : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hardie_(artist)

It's T-Shirt Friday 7 !

Grow Your Own T-Shirt...... 

... and keep it well fed! Here is a question... and it's not the T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum, although that is coming up in about 3 and a bit paragraphs down, the question to contemplate is: how important are T-shirts to you? Anyway while you're thinking that one over, here is the answer to last weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum, the question was: How large in square kilometers is Salar De Uyuni? and the answer is 10, 582 square kilometers! Wow! now that is big! Did you get it right? If you did or actually even if you didn't, why not celebrate anyway? maybe with a nice cool weak cordial drink - the salt flats are not only vast but very hot too!  Also put on some shorts, sandals and make out the summer is already here! Perhaps put on some Beach Boys, Jan & Dean or Mr Gasser & The Weirdos and go surfing in your bath?! Misaki the blogging dog... perhaps you should celebrate (as you got the answer right, almost a week ago) by having a giant jambone and putting on a Hawaiian style shirt?! Anyway I'll stop 'barking', on here is this weeks tee...

Sometimes keeping a T-shirt well nourished can have lasting affects! 

Today's T-Shirt is from an old friend : http://www.101apparel.com

Sometime ago now, the below T-shirt was doing what is does best and covering up the parts of me that shouldn't be on show, it's one of those t-shirts that you really, really feel comfortable in, you might say that it's a well lived in t-shirt, if you know what I mean? Anyway I found myself in Paperchase on Tottenham Court Road and about to pay for a couple of items. It was coming up to Miss Russell's birthday and I'd been hunting for a nice card and some wrapping paper. Just as I was about to leave the lady that had just served me, began to ask a question that has been asked (all be it in different forms) many times before "That's a really nice t-shirt, where did you get it from?" it's a tee that just seems to draw out that type of question in anyone that it meets, remarks were constantly being made at work and I've even been stopped in the street by complete strangers and asked about the 'Grow Your Own' t-shirt. In fact there was a time that whenever I put the shirt on I would make sure to memorise 101 Apparel's website so that I had a well rehearsed response ready for anyone that questioned the origin of the shirt. It's also a well travelled tee having been to China, New York and Southend on Sea! and true to form in each place at some stage of the journey, the very same question was brought up... In China, while we were staying in the Monastery at Emieishan, a Monk remarked on the t-shirt and then laughed at my belly! (Both the t-shirt and my stomach were growing!)

Sadly the t-shirt has now been retired of it's duties, for fear of it falling apart completely! It has many holes and has picked up a few dents and creases on the way. It now has a much slower pace of life, living in our chest of drawers, I do hope that it doesn't mind having less attention, but it has grown and climbed higher, reaching out with it's vinyl leaves, blossoming into a t-shirt with a full and varied career! Leaving it's roots in many places. It has been well nurtured and will always be very much loved.
What were your thoughts on the question asked above? Do you you have a t-shirt that is very important to you? a well lived t-shirt? The Grow Your Own t-shirt is possibly one of the most important t-shirts that was given to me (I do love all of my t-shirts but I have a very special affection for this one) It has a unique audio tree design, a really nice message about growing your own music and is just so comfortable to wear, but all of that taken in to account, the real reason why... is that it is the first t-shirt that Miss Russell gave to me.

Well it's time for this weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum, which is: What is the name of the designer that started and created 101 Apparel? A clue is, that he designed innovative covers and t-shirts for Ubiquity Records before setting up what is now 101 Apparel...

It's T-Shirt (Good) Friday 4 !

A T-Shirt For It's Time And Place...... 
And this week we have a Coen Brothers Extravaganza! But before that it's time for the answer to last weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum. It was quite a tricky one. But it was Schrödingers cat. If you knew it or guessed correctly make sure that you give yourself a treat with your cup of tea today. Perhaps a Hot Cross Bun?! If I may be so bold. Now... before reading the below. I strongly suggest putting some Creedence on. So get your tapes of Chronicle 1 & 2 out of your glove box, dust them off and press play!

Today's T-Shirt is from : http://www.allposters.co.uk

Way out west there was a T-shirt, T-shirt I want to tell you about, t-shirt by the name of The Big Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' makers gave him, but it never had much use for it it's self... I only mention it 'cause some- times there's a t-shirt-I won't say a a-pparel, 'cause what's a a-pparel?-but sometimes there's a t-shirt. And I'm talkin' about the t-shirt here-sometimes there's a t-shirt who, wal, it's the t-shirt for it's time'n place...
You can spend a lifetime searching for a really great t-shirt and then other times the t-shirt will find you... Which is pretty much how the Big Lebowski t-shirt came into my possession. The Big Lebowski is more then just a fantastic classic Coen Brothers film. It's a total cult! There is an annual get together every year to celebrate the film and the character of 'The Dude' transcends celluloid. There is in fact a Dudeist religion, you can join here: http://dudeism.com  If you can be bothered. It is perhaps more 'Dude' to not be bothered... anyway... It is one of the easiest religions you could follow, You just have to be very 'Dude'!
It's fair to say that it's a film that keeps on giving. Many people take quotes from it, mainly because it is such a quotable film and other people like my good colleague from Eagle Rock Entertainment, Creative Director, Nikkie Amouyal buy the t-shirts! As in the case of the below tee. But after She purchased it (...and this is where the real shock horror of the story is... ) It became an unwanted gift! An unwanted Big Lebowski t-shirt? I hear you say, surely not? But it is in fact true. A sad, sad day for The Dude. But this terrible drama did not continue for long, as Nikkie very kindly gave me the t-shirt and it has warmly nestled itself ever since around my slightly squidgy rotund upper half. A nice happy ending this week for t-shirt Friday. The End! ... Or is it... No! Grab yourself a white russian or a sarsparella and have a go at this weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum! Which is : In the Scene where the Dude is looking through Maude's vinyl album collection what is the name of the German electronic band?

...It's T-Shirt Friday 2 !...

....And This Friday's T-Shirt Is...

Ok so it's finally that time again and finally time to unveil the answer to last Friday's T-Shirt conundrum the answer to 'Which continent has the largest number of countries?' is dah... dah... dah... 'Africa!' give yourself a good pat on the back if you got it right, there will be another T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum at the end of this post, so look out for it! Anyway I digress. Today's choice is a very nice Lowell George T-shirt which was designed by Bathroom wall T-Shirts, check out their website: http://www.bathroomwall.co.uk

Greenwich Market makes for a really nice visit, Greenwich itself if you haven't been there has a touch of the maritimes about it, it also has a touch of the mean time's too if you fancy a nice pint! or if your interested in time and space! Anyway it is a lovely place to visit and there is a lot there to do. One of the many things is a visit to Greenwich market, it's open most of the week but Tuesdays and Sundays are really good times to go. One particular visit, found both Miss Russell and myself looking strangely at a T-shirt stall, it was an intriguing one for two reasons, firstly the designs were unusual, quite surreal and very creative and secondly there was a photograph of the stall owner with Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding from The Mighty Boosh! As our eyes gazed over the uniqueness of the t-shirts the un-named chap in the photograph came to life from round the back of the stall! He stared straight at me in what you might call a rather non-subtle way looking firstly at my face then at the t-shirt that adorned my rather rotund top half. In an inquisitive but kind way he asked "Is that you?", "Where?" I answered. Miss Russell looked around. "On Your T-shirt?" he replied "Ha ha" I laughed, looking down at the shirt I was wearing "No 'fraid not, It's Lowell George... from Little Feat?" I answered ending the answer with a question, he stared at me blankly... "Ha ha! I thought you'd made a t-shirt of yourself playing guitar" "Cool Idea!" he added "No... no it's Lowell George" I laughed. We then all joined in laughing. We said our goodbyes and moved on. The T-shirt advertises itself as 'The Rock Snob's T-shirt' and my guilty pleasure when thinking back to that incident is that poor chap had no idea who or how great Lowell George was. For 5 minutes I felt like the biggest rock snob in the world and I'll let you into a little secret it felt really good! Miss Russell and myself spent the rest of that day wandering around Greenwich laughing about it all and planning what T-shirts we would like to be on next!... 

So now we are at the end again of T-Shirt Friday but don't fear T-Shirt Friday will be back err... next Friday but for now a Rock Snob T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum for a Rock Snob T-Shirt : Lowell George was famous for being in 'Little Feat' but what band was he in before the Feats? - all will be revealed next week!

Interested in Lowell George and Little Feat? Check these out :

Mark Brend's book : 'Rock and Roll Doctor' is excellent! : http://www.definitearticle.org.uk

Little Feat's Official Site : http://www.littlefeat.net
& Wikipedia on Lowell : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell_George

I'm also on and off, writing a small book about my love of Lowell and Little Feat, plus 4 other bands that have featured heavily in my life. Perhaps one day it will see the light.... anyone out there interested in publishing it?!