Who: Joy Division
What: A shirt that is the cover of the album Unknown Pleasures
When: I have had a few of these...wore the first from 1994-96 or so and then lost it/got it stolen. Got the second and wore it from 1998-2002 before I retired it and got another (pictured above) that I wore until 2004 roughly.
Why: I loved this shirt because of its classic design and because it is the cover of one of my most favorite albums by a band I have loved for a long time. Once I started to see more and more people around town wearing a variation of this shirt I knew the end was nigh. The nail in the coffin was when I noticed it being sold at Urban Outfitters. I'm not knocking the store per se, just saying that buying your Joy Division gear there gets you about as much cred as buying a skateboard from Toys "R" Us.
Status: I still have it but I currently only wear it at home or as an undershirt.
Listen: "Disorder" via Timedoor
03 October 2006
Favorite shirts I no longer wear: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
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9 comments:
There is actually a $40 tie-dyed version floating around. Yeah, that's just what Ian would've wanted.
Even worse....I saw a shirt for New Order's "Movement" @ Urban Outfitters in summer 05. I know very few people who own that album, let alone any that shop at UO
on one of my first dates with my current g/f, she was wearing that shirt...I then said "cool Joy Division shirt." She looked at me like I was crazy. Then I pulled out the album cover and she turned a shade of red and hadn't even heard of the band and had just bought it at Urban Outfitters because she liked the design. I almost ended it right there. Luckily, she took a musical crash course. When I found at they sold those tees at UO, I almost threw up.
I live in Mexico and my favourite band is Joy Division. When I first went to London I think that the shirt with the pic of 'Unknown Pleasures' was the thing I loved the most of the things I bought on that trip, including the pictured vinyl. And when I was on the plane back to Mexico one member of the crew asked me where did I got it, I explained and he told me he hadn't seen one of those in about twenty years. I felt glad.
Great blog. Congrats!
I didn't know where to buy one, and i loved the album, so i made one with a black t-shirt and an iron on transfer.
Yeah, most people don't know what it is; they just say "cool shirt" and walk on by...
I remember once, though, i was at the fair, and a guy working in the NEWSPAPER booth just shouted out "JOY DIVISION!" then smiled, and said "Great band." It's those kind of moments that make the shirt awesome.
I had one in the late 80s at college in England - loved that shirt but it was always on the verge of too small for me. I would love another - especially after seeing 'Control' the other day. I've still got my vinyl copy of U.P. and also an early re-pressing of Warsaw - the one made from the RCA bootleg. I loved the Factory era...sigh - loved my Surfer Rosa t-shirt as well, and my Inspiral Carpets one and all my New Order tour t-shirts...the only older t-shirt I still wear is a Fall tour t-shirt - 'The Infotainment Scan'.
http://www.zazzle.com/unknown_pleasures_shirt-235614044484189568
Another sad reference....
You are all generalizing those who shop at Urban Outfitters. About 80 percent of the clothing I own is from Urban Outfitters, but no, I am not a phony prick nor do I love Incubus. I love Joy Division. They have been a favorite band of mine for many years now. And if I happen to come across the comfiest Joy Division tee I have ever seen for $10 in the Urban Outfitters sale rack, I am going to buy it (and I did). So instead of hating on those who wear Urban Outfitters and assuming that those who shop there are lesser than you, or don't even know who Joy Division is because all they listen to is Incubus, why don't you open your mind and realize that someone who shops at UO might, just might listen to Joy Division, just like you. And if you must hate the company for whatever reason (I'm sure your Joy Division tee shirt was made in a sweat shop as well), do so. But don't hate on those who shop there or assume completely false things. I shop at Urban Outfitters and Joy Division is my favorite band. If you think your better than me for whatever reason, suck yourself. Thank you.
I personally hate this. Joy Division shirts are worn by the same people who listen to terrible rap music. Its Amazon's highest selling band shirt - no Joy Division fan in the 70s would have ever predicted this! You see it in Television shows as a marker that someone is "cool," and yet these people have never heard of New Order, a far more popular band. They can't name 3 Joy Division songs and they've never listened to other post-punk bands in their life. I find it so strange. I've stopped wearing mine because I'm an edgy 20 something and hate being part of the "mainstream." Ok. Rant over.
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