Top 20 Band Tees
*For the record, these are not my photos, I have just nicked them off of google when researching all these great shirts.
20. BLACK FLAG - LOGO
I have to include this even though i’m bored of all the bootlegs and parodies of it. It ran the risk of turning into the hardcore version of The Ramones shirt at one point (although i haven’t seen one in a while) I remember a story of Gallows refusing to serve people that were wearing it at their Merch desk if they couldn't tell them their favourite BF song (that wasn’t Rise Above) haha.
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19. JOY DIVISION - UNKNOWN PLEASURES
This was always going to make an appearance, even though (like Black Flags entry) it has been parodied and bootlegged to death (see above) but you can’t deny Peter Savilles iconic album artwork looks pretty damn cool on a shirt.
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18. CRADLE OF FILTH - JESUS IS A CUNT
Never been a fan of Cradle of Filth, but I’ve got to hand it to them, they sure know how to sell some shirts and get some press.
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17. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - NUNS WITH GUNS
One of my older sisters mates had this shirt and i always thought it was just amazing.
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16. HUSKER DU - LOGO
When a logo looks this good why have anything else on the shirt?
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15. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN - PEPSI
I’ve always liked this shirt too, I think Sub Pops Tad also did a Pepsi parody, not sure who did it first, but yeah its great.
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14. GREEN DAY - KERPLUNK
I have tried not to include album cover artwork on shirts in this run down, but.. Its another shirt i used to own and loved to death, Its important to remember that Green Day weren't always the Green day we know today. Kerplunk was put out on legendary Lookout! label in 1992 and i love everything about the artwork and album.
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13. IRON MAIDEN -FEAR OF THE DARK
Ok, so this is an other album cover reworking i know! but i bought it in HMV Kingston when i was 11 and it was always a few sizes too big (you had to take what you could get back then haha) lot of love for Maiden still, and all their early record covers stuck in my mind and spurred my imagination.
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12. MCLUSKY- FUCK THIS BAND
One of the funniest and angriest bands of the last 10 years, Fuck this band is a song off ‘Mclusky do Dallas’ which if you don’t already know, then what is wrong with you?
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11. GUNS N ROSES - SKULL TOP HAT
When i was 10 GNR were my first love, but i was told by my parents that i wasn’t allowed this shirt. I ended up making my own d.i.y version by drawing the design onto a white plain t-shirt. (i’m sure it looked terrible but i wore it with pride until it washed off haha)
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10. DRIVE LIKE JEHU - GAFFA TAPE
DLJ split up in 95 so i never got to see them (they recently reformed for some shows so theres hope!)
I’ve actually made friends with people at shows before just from approaching them to talk about DLJ when they’ve been wearing this shirt.
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9. THE JESUS LIZARD - MOUSE BOMB
I love everything about this suicidal Minnie Mouse, just how i love everything about The Jesus Lizard.
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7. MORRISSEY - BE KIND TO ANIMALS
I’m sure we all know Mozz doesn’t beat around the bush, and what better way to show your compassion for fellow living beings than wearing this rad shirt?
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6. BLACK SABBATH - VOLUME 4
The last good Sabbath album? lets not get onto that controversial subject right now. It’s just awesome classic artwork and has nearly been parodied as much as Unknown pleasures and The Black Flag Bars.
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5. MARILYN MANSON - PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY
When i first saw this shirt i must have been 13 or 14 it was probably a bootleg in Kensington or camden Market, but the image just stuck with me. Anyway i became pretty obsessed with MM for a little while, its such a powerful image, freaky, simple and lairey. Its based on the artwork from Portrait of an American family which is a just incredible album and worth checking out of you only know later Manson.
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4. AT THE DRIVE IN - STEREO
This is a shirt that I and pretty much anyone else into post-hardcore circa 2000/01 owned, but yeah its nice and simple and a proper classic.
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3. THE SMITHS - THE QUEEN IS DEAD
I know its another album cover shirt! but its my favourite Smiths album. Its based on a still from the film L' Insoumis. The Green and pink will never not be an amazing colour palette. Its just a beautiful record cover.
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2. HOT SNAKES - JAVIER
This is just a shirt that I’ve wore to death over the last 10 years. One of my favourite bands and a design by one of my favourite artists (& Lead singer of HS) Rick Froberg.
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1. NIRVANA - VESTIBULE
I’ve had this shirt a couple of times in my life, and its such a classic. I have to admit that when i first owned it when i was 13 one of my favourite things about it was the back-print Fudge packing, cracksmoking, satan worshipping, mother fucker.
The image is from an original diagram depicting the 7 levels of hell which I’ve heard Kurt had just seen in a book and thought it was cool. Not dissimilar to how Peter Saville re-appropriated the Unknown Pleasures artwork from The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Astronomy.
Often overshadowed by the Other Nirvana classic ‘Smiley’ But this ones always been the best.