Bare Feat In The Sauce!

An Idea For A Little Feat T-Shirt...

As you'll probably have realised by now, I'm a huge fan of the band Little Feat, I'm also a huge fan of T-Shirts in general, which you may have seen from the T-Shirt Friday posts... Recently I've been working on some self initiated T-Shirt design projects (There will be a post about those in the next couple of weeks) While working on them though, I thought it might be nice to put together an idea or two for some of my favourite bands, as a kind of tribute... Here is the first, the idea is based around the 'Waiting For Columbus' album and the tomato theme from that album. It was fun to do and really nice working just with Illustrator and drawing vectors... Do let me know what you think? If this tee and all the other designs are popular enough, I may consider printing and selling them, but lets see...

Music Listened to while working on self initiated T-Shirt for Little Feat:

Past Orbits Of Dust by Renaissance

Birds Of Fire by Mahavishnu Orchestra

Down On The Farm by Little Feat

The Sensual World by Kate Bush

Surprise by Paul Simon

Planet Rock round the clock!

It's T-Shirt Friday 11 !

The Camera Never Lies!

It's Friday! which can only mean... T-Shirt Friday is here again!!! How did you all do with last weeks tenth T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum? Did you all rush off and have a look at Harriet Russell's blog for the answer? Or were you at the 'Grafici Mobili Poster' exhibition? If you were there, then you may well have first hand information... the answer is: George Nelson, he was a very interesting designer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nelson_(designer)

If you did get George Nelson, then you may consider celebrating by putting on a pair of stripy socks and going to the office / work in them? Did you dig deeper though? Are you in possession of further information about George Nelson and the Ball Clock? If so you may well know that it is quite likely that Irving Harper was the real designer and George Nelson Associates, was the overall name used for retail. Well done for digging deeper, you may well be thinking about wearing a matching stripy top to go with your socks and taking the day off from work! If you didn't get it right or couldn't really be bothered to have a go, don't worry, why not try this weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum instead? It's just a couple of paragraphs away, no subscriptions or catches and it's totally free to enter!

Today's T-Shirt is from: http://www.fatface.com

Sometimes, try as you might, things just don't stay like new for long...

Padstow otherwise known as 'Padstein' in Cornwall has loads to offer... it has sun, sea and Rick Stein! And so by default a huge amount of fish as well! Rick Stein owns a great deal of property in the area and there are a good couple of his restaurants the flick of a fin away from each other! We were very lucky to spend a  wonderful week in Cornwall with our great friends Archi and Asi. One day within that week we found ourselves in 'Padstein' having pre-booked to go to one of the afore mentioned restaurants. Being a little early for our meal we wandered around the shops which all seem to have some kind of link to Rick Stein, there is even a patisserie which to my surprise wasn't selling Thai fish cakes but actual real cakes! It's a weird experience going there, it's like Rick Stein take over! Which is what made Fat Face stand out... well... like a fat thumb! As we were looking around in the shop Miss Russell spotted the below tee, which she really liked, after a bit more of a look round it was time for us to get to the restaurant. As we left Miss Russell presented me with a Fat Face carrier bag, she had very kindly bought me the Camera T-Shirt. Amazing! (Incidentally we did have a lovely meal in Rick Stein's restaurant, Miss Russell and myself managed to make a carrot last between us for ages, to the amazement of our friends (who were in despair at it all...) as we diced it into smaller and smaller pieces... 

Just the very next day, we were headed to St Ives on a train, thoughts of having Fish 'n' Chips for lunch already being spoken of. I'd decided to put on Miss Russell's lovely gift, the newly acquired camera t-shirt. We had a really nice morning walking around the very picturesque harbour and then... The fish and chip craving got the better of us all, we each tucked in to a slightly over sized cod and chips lunch, lovely stuff! - As customary I smothered mine in tomato ketchup, much to my own detriment... It was as if all time froze, as the blob of delicious tomato flavoured condiment that had been splodged on my biggest chip, narrowly missed my mouth and hurtled it's way down my front to explode over and then smother the one day old camera t-shirt with all of it's mealtime ketchup goodness! The t-shirt absorbed the liquid like ink to blotting paper, forming a new mini red sea on the t-shirts surface. The stain has never fully washed out of the shirt, it's ingrained in there like the great memories that we have of our time in Cornwall, our great friends and the sachet of tomato sauce that I firstly dowsed my fish 'n' chips and then dowsed myself in.

Around February 2011 'that' letter arrived and fell on the hall way mat. I'd been called for jury service. The days passed by rather quickly and suddenly it was the eve of going to court. I'd not done much washing that week and hadn't really considered what I should wear, eyes turned to the pile of t-shirts on the side, most of the washed ones were film or music based which seemed highly inappropriate to wear to court. Within the pile though was the now faded tomatoey stained camera tee. Relief! A t-shirt that might be jury service worthy. It was only later that evening that I started to think that the shirt might not be so appropriate because of it's nature, they might think that I might be spying or that the cameras might be suggestive of me photographing things that I shouldn't in the court house? Would they think that I could actually take pictures with the printed cameras? I convinced myself of the security breach that wearing the Camera T-Shirt might lead too. I told Miss Russell of my fears to which she laughed herself silly... I opted for a patterned shirt.

It's time for this weeks T-Shirt Friday Quiz Conundrum! Which is: What is Fat Face's company motto?

The Stain Of Doom!
(In 'Padstow' otherwise known as 'Padstein' or in this case 'PadStain!')

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 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?!