Someone asked me today if I was ever going to post about something in a positive nature, which i was going to…until I was reminded of something that I literally cannot stand.
As the title states there is something that is wrong with our generation, and it is a problem I come across on a daily basis and it is frankly very annoying. I’m referring to those who purchase and furthermore wear t-shirts with a band logo sprawled across the front of it, but without actually knowing or indeed appreciating the music.
Sounds like a stupid concept when somebody says it out loud, but as we all know it’s even worse when somebody puts it into practice. I constantly see amazing and influential bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, The Beatles and Guns’n’Roses splattered across the shirts of young teenagers, posing like a six year old with a camera combined with a duck who somehow managed to find hair extensions. It wouldn’t bother me, if they actually knew who the bands were, and appreciated their music. But they don’t know them. And they don’t appreciate them. So these bands have masterfully molded themselves to the industry with their iconic music, all to be hollowed out like a Turkey at Christmas, and used as part of these idiots’ image to look “cool”. It’s like taking everything a band has ever stood for and binning it, leaving a hollowed out shell of an image that they can exploit to get likes on their profile picture. Which for fans of these bands, such as myself, it’s very offensive.
It just goes to show how much image means to the youngsters of the today, that they are willing to use the image of a classical band without actually appreciating the strong messages and significance behind their work in order to look cool. However it’s not fair for me to place the blame solely on young people because I know there are people of my age that still do so. Yes that’s right folks, there are people taking their A Levels who would happily buy a Guns’n’Roses shirt but not know who Slash is, or buy a Rolling Stones shirt thinking their logo and name was a fashion brand (both of which are unfortunately true examples).
But it gets worse still, looking through shops recently I found that there are pink shirts with the Rolling Stones name and logo slapped on the front of them, for eight year old girls. Now I’m sorry, but do the designers of these products think that a child who prances around their bedroom dancing and singing to Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj, will have even heard of Mick Jagger or Ronnie Wood? No. So they need to stop.
Of course I’m not complaining about those who do have a genuine knowledge of classic music and appreciate it because they’re not in the wrong. I mean when I was fourteen I had AC DC and Led Zeppelin blasting through my headphone every waking moment. This rant is specifically aimed at those who don’t know who the bands are. You the know the ones who wear a Rolling Stones shirt in their profile picture and yet on their likes list under ‘music’ is artists like Justin Bieber. I don’t know the technical term for them but their is a popular word used to describe them. I won’t say what it is but it’ll suffice to say it’s a derogatory term for the female reproductive system.
It’s interesting actually, a friend of mine once raised a rather thought provoking point; should there be a test on the band that has to be passed before the person can purchase the item? Admittedly it does sound a little extreme, but if you do question someone with a band t shirt on that you’re a bit suspicious of, the answer is usually golden. For example asking someone with a Rolling Stones shirt “Do you know who Mick Jagger is?” and they reply with no. Now call me pedantic or picky, but I’m sorry, you cannot say you like the Stones but then not know who Jagger is. He is one of the most iconic front men for a band and has been performing for fifty years now. In the words of Stewie Griffin “Educate yourself fool”.
The cream is put on top of the cake for me however, when somebody goes to buy either a Slash or Jimi Hendrix t shirt, without knowing that either of them are guitarists. Now that is stupidity on a high level, and even more stupidly those are both true examples as well. Examples of people who make walking out into the the middle of the road very tempting. And those clever people who wear Nirvana shirts without knowing Kurt Cobain was in Nirvana. Painful.
If these people want to use the image of a band to look cool, then I’m sure KISS are more than happy for them to circle their image like hungry Vultures, it’s pretty much what the band was designed for. It’s a rock band that has merchandise that expands into a Hello Kitty section, they’re basically inviting childish and immature people to buy their items.
I am yet to see one of these silly people with a Bob Dylan t shirt on, but the day it happens will be the day I loose my faith in our generation entirely. Because it will show me that the work he did and everything he ever stood for has been brushed under the sofa to make way for those who just want to look cool. Which is near enough a crime considering what an absolute legend he is and how inspiring his songs are. I hope no one attempts to take away how symbolic he is.
To close this post I would just like to say, if you ever see someone of a young age with band t shirt on, go up to them an question them. There are only two questions needed. 1. “do you actually know who that band are?” and 2. “do you still have the receipt for that?”.
Adam Lester. 