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November 20, 2007

Rock Shirts In The $4,000 Or "No Really It's Up To You" Variety

For the rock fan that has everything and is looking for new and exciting ways to piss his/her money away, we direct you to Christie's auction house in NYC where you can play your part in a story that's making roadies from the '70s cry even louder about their life choices. Via AP:

Once relegated to the backs of roadies and the bottoms of closets, the rock and roll T-shirt is hanging around some nicer venues these days like Christie's auction house, where they're expected to sell for up to $4,500 apiece.

A collection of 30 vintage T-shirts goes on the block this month at the Rockefeller Center locale, featuring gear from the biggest bands of the '60s and '70s: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Doors and Pink Floyd, among others.

Several performers at the Monterey Pop Festival have not survived, but a Yardbirds T-shirt from the event did. Rock journalist Greg Shaw wore the yellow shirt to the famed 1967 concert, and it's expected to bring up to $4,000 at the Nov. 30 auction. The shirts, all featured in the Johan Kugelberg book "What Comes Around Goes Around: Vintage Rock T-Shirts," were displayed Friday for a crowd that included former 'N Sync singer Lance Bass.

To explain the prices, Christies' entertainment memorabilia specialist Simeon Lipman says, "The fact that these T-shirts exist in such pristine condition is remarkable because most people didn't keep these shirts. They were worn out and thrown out." Others rock garments on the auction block include a long-sleeve Rolling Stones sweater from '73 for the Goat's Head Soup album, expected to fetch $4,500, a John Lennon "War Is Over! If You Want It!" tee ($2,000 pre-sale estimate), and a tour crew only maroon Led Zep shirt from '73, expected to sell at $1,500.

Accumulated smell from 30+ years in the possession of a Led Zep crew member comes free with purchase. So of course you could spend a couple of grand on band tee, or you could just buy this third-party In Rainbows tee. Price? It's up to you...

No really, it's up to you.

But after you get it, be prepared to come clean about how much you spent on the LP. Just like the box set, they're made to order. Unlike the Led Zep shirt, it's free of odor.

Also, Radiohead loves Kings Of Leon. More particularly, Ed O'Brien loves Kings Of Leon. Maybe you remember Ed giving "My Party" a big ol' thumbs_down. He recently told NME:

I don't get jealous when I see other bands but when I see them I think, 'Man, I'd love to be in that band'. They're young...they remind me of... the Bunnymen or something like that. They're growing, they're evolving... They're amazing players, the drummer, he's amazing. They're all great but he's really special.
The Followills have one more thing to toast this Thanksgiving.

Posted at 1:56 PM
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4 Comments

I've got a sleeveless Loverboy shirt from their 1981 Everybody's Working For The Weekend tour. Anyone interested? I'm asking $1500 and I'll throw in the faggy headband too.

Posted by: Clete at 11/20/07 2:51 PM  | Reply
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i've got a white ringer-t from Radiohead's 1998 tour. Ed wore it onstage and gave it to me after the show. it still smells like him that evening, (not sure if that depreciates the value or adds to it!).

Posted by: ms pie at 11/20/07 3:48 PM  | Reply
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When did Stereogum start putting Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, and Kenny Chesney on the Heavy Rotation list? Then I realized it was just an ad. Carry on!

Posted by: volume-addict at 11/20/07 4:04 PM  | Reply
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um, my mom has the john and yoko "war is over" shirt. i better tell her to seal that shit up in a bag and preserve it. $2,000?!

Posted by: kevin at 11/20/07 10:43 PM  | Reply
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