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Showco Showcase Pt. II
February 1, 2012 by Max · 2 Comments
Interview with Jason Sprinzen continued from Part 1.
Give us a history lesson on Showco rock t-shirts and let us know what sparked your interest in them.
The shirts were made by an enigma known only as “Denton” Tom. It would have been a great honor to have met the man that created this iconic piece of ephemera, but sadly he passed away. I’m sure he would be amused. He owned a small custom tee shirt shop called Denton Monogram in Denton, Texas.
“Denton” Tom had a nice relationship with Showco from the beginning. The tour would get organized and an order would be placed for the crew and band. Most of the time the band would choose the color scheme and artwork design. I’ve heard stories from crew members that a few bands got into major arguments over the shirt design more often than their actual stage, sound, and lighting rig setup.
I’ve interviewed a few musicians for the book that toured with Showco. I asked, “So why did you guys go with Showco over another production company?”Often the reply was,” they had the coolest shirt.” So I guess if a shirt can cause a band breakup or tour postponement, it’s got be interesting.
How many t-shirts do you own, and how did you obtain most of them?
Currently, I’m the caretaker of 126 Showco shirts, and I hope it grows more. I don’t like to think I own them. I didn’t put my time in on the road and the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to earn and own it. These folks are my heroes, and with that comes a deep respect and harmony to tell their story as these shirts do just that.
For example; by the mid 70′s Showco was growing so fast that most of the time they didn’t document the tours they produced. Everything was hand written, typed, and firmed up with a handshake. Once talking (while) with crew members I came to find that tours they often worked get mixed together, some forgotten entirely. That must have been a heavy time, man! These shirts prove that the tour took place and Showco produced it. The shirts were invaluable in my research once I started the book. I couldn’t have done it without them.
I AM the curator of the largest and most comprehensive collection of this sort in the world. Period. Acquiring them…I have sources…you’ve got to. Honestly, at this point I have been searching for these shirts for so long that people think of me when they have one they would like to part with. That’s an honor, man. They understand I would never resell these artifacts. Their name and story will always be attached with them and all will be pictured in the book and credited to the individual.
I find it amazing where some of these shirts turn up, from every corner of the world. Actually, not long ago I found one right down the street from where I live. A cool 1979 Bee Gee’s. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Unique and sharp! It turns out this gentleman worked for a small Brooklyn sound company in the late 70′s. They did a little side work with Showco when the big tours came to town. An extra monitor, speaker, or power amp if needed. At the end of the show he got hooked up with the shirt, a warm can of TAB soda, and half an eaten sandwich that they scrounged up from a backstage dressing room.
The real honor for me is when members of the Showco family kindly donate their shirts to the cause. These shirts are extremely dear to me as I know these people personally and know how hard they worked while wearing them.
What’s the most you’ve sold (or bought) for a single tee for and which one was it?
I’ve made a concerted effort to never sell any items which I acquire. I mean they’re hard enough to come by already right? However, I have bought a few large collections and sometimes I end up with doubles. I really scrutinize them to make sure there is no visible detail that stands out more so one over the other. Otherwise I keep ‘em both. A while back I did sell a double to a “vintage dealer” who was very passionate about this particular shirt. He courted me for months. “Jason man…it’s for my private collection never to leave my closet.”
You know the story. Anyway, I negotiated a nice price, took care of him and guess what? It’s online the next day with a ticket price of almost four times the original sale. And that’s fine; just be honest with your intentions.
I have sold a double here and there, but I always roll the money into something I don’t have or want and that’s a nice treat. When a super rare item comes up, look out man! I go strong. I will not be outbid or undersold. A lot of heart goes into this, right? I’m sure we all feel as passionate about the things we love and admire.
As a rule, I try to keep my business dealings private, but sometimes this is unavoidable. The first is a Led Zeppelin 1973 tour Showco shirt. I purchased it at Christie’s in New York for their Rock and Pop Memorabilia Auction in 2007. This shirt was pictured all over the world to promote the sale in every music and fashion magazine. Tons of national and international news papers (fact….I purchased every one of them). Oh, it was on tv too…Good Morning America did a spot on it.
This was a first for Christie’s in their history. They finally acknowledged a vintage rock tee shirt as an important piece of rock and pop ephemera. Congratulations vintage collectors!
The shirt was even selected as the cover shot for the auction catalogue (fact…I purchased twenty of them…(laughing) I’m fucking crazy). You must realize there were hundreds of items going on the auction block that day that were quite rare…heavy John Lennon, Elvis, and Jimi Hendrix’s personal items, but this tiny maroon shirt with simple, undeniable logos worn at one time by a hard working roadie- made the grade. Fuck yeah, right? I invite everyone to do some research on this shirt so you can see what I mean.
Lately, everyone has been talking about that Zeppelin 1979 Knebworth shirt that went for $10,000. Yeah…awesome…yeah, but I believe this one has a bit more flamboyancy as it caused a fashion movement, lots of excitement, press, and more than ten thousand smiles. Oh…the closing price $1,625.00 worth every penny.
Check out what else Jason has to say in Part III.
Showco Showcase Pt. 1
January 28, 2012 by Max · 2 Comments
Showco shirts. We’ve all seen these legendary tops that were a staple at any given rock concert in the 70s. Their gritty quality and blue collar wearers helped amplify bands worldwide. All the road warriors proudly wore these shirts and occasionally you would see a band member wearing one as well. But where did they come from? Who made them? Why in the world are they so expensive collectible?
Meet Jason Sprinzen. He’s a native New Yorker, Led Zeppelin junkie, guitar playing music lover. Oh yeah, he also owns the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Showco shirts. His knowledge and dedication to preserving these illustrious shirts are unparallelled.
Tell us about you, your music tees and interest in collecting?
I’m the author of a book yet to be released documenting the history of Showco 1965-1981, the legendary concert sound and lighting company from Dallas, Texas. I also play guitar in two bands, the first is CABB; an all original outfit with an amazing actress fronting the group, and second is Electric Magic, my Led Zeppelin tribute band.
I also have a deep interest in vintage clothing. Rock n’ roll swag and Vietnam War era military uniforms are where it’s at for me. As far back as I can remember I always wanted to dress like the rock stars whose posters hung on the wall of my room. There was a photo and poster that for years when I was a kid always grabbed my attention: A shot of Led Zeppelin’s mighty drummer John Bonham aboard their private jet Caesar’s Chariot in 1977, a converted Boeing 720. “A fookin’ flyin’ shag carpeted gin palace”, according to one Led Zeppelin inner circle member I interviewed.
The other was a sepia poster of Lynyrd Skynyrd. You know the one…Ronnie Van Zant, southern rock’s “Simple man” seated directly in front. Looking confident, focused and in control, he was flanked by his confederate band of bad assed, hell raising, bar brawling rabble rousers. I came to realize over time that Bonzo and Ronnie were resplendently wearing the same shirt with SHOWCO emblazoned proudly across their chests.
What’s Showco??? Was it a club? A bar? A gang? I needed to find this out. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered Showco from Dallas, Texas was the premier sound, lighting, and full rock n’ roll production company that started the concert touring industry. So yes, I was right. They were a gang. A gang of engineers, roadies, truck drivers, logistics staff, shop technicians, and visionaries that had a lot of swagger. That’s how it started for me.
Jason Sprinzen photo courtesy of Jonathan Troll.
- Check out Part II….
Who the F*ck is Nicky Panicci, Anyway?
January 3, 2012 by Jimmy J · 3 Comments
Who cares? You should. Nicky Panicci is an L.A.-based collector of vintage clothing (among other things) who became the gatekeeper to the the rarest collection of vintage t-shirts in the world. The relics were once the property of record entrepreneur, Charlie Blue, and former partner of Bill Graham (Filmore East, Filmore West, Winterland Ballroom,etc.) and concert promoter Barry Fey. Panicci acquired the 1800-piece collection after Blue passed away in 2001 and quickly realized the tees told a unique history of Blue and of rock ‘n roll.
“I had so many t-shirts that it was unbelievable. I separated them into categories, such as English Rock, American Rock, European Rock; or by venue, such as nightclubs, concert halls or stadiums. You name it… It was there and I had it.”
Charlie Blue was loved by many rock stars and their supporting cast because he facilitated their illicit desires. Prostitution, drugs, gambling and everything else record execs didn’t want to officially involve themselves with but knew rockers couldn’t live without. The Stones were among Blue’s biggest fans – they even made a shirt in honor of him (above) and Blue is rumored to be the inspiration for a few of their tunes. Despite catering to appetites for destruction, once the storm settled, Blue always made sure to neatly tuck away a t-shirt as a memento. If only these t-shirts could talk.
Once the collection was in Nicky’s hands (and quite often on his torso) he started photographing each piece for inclusion in his book, titled Vintage Rock T.
“I remember the first weeks of going through these t-shirts, recognizing that I had something nobody in the world had ever seen in one place, at one time. I knew it was an extremely special cache of historical artifacts that would tell the most incredible story, based on Charlie Blue’s life, just told by the t-shirt itself, almost saying no words at all,” Panicci explained.
As Nicky sold off doubles and scored record-breaking prices for a handful of his most prized pieces, word about his “Holy Grail of t-shirt collections” spread like wildfire through the community. With all eyes on his goods, Panicci alleges greed resulted in the hijacking of his original book concept (below) and photography by a well-known vintage clothing store based in NYC.
The mess that ensued can best be explained by the man himself:
“You know you’re doing something right when people steal your ideas. This book had nothing to do with What Goes Around Comes Around. I just sold them 250 of my middle-of-the-road t-shirts a year-and-a-half after I shot the book.
“While I was in there, selling them these shirts, I showed them the concept of the book that I had written, with Mike Rosen, who pinned the first Led Zeppelin interview for Cream Magazine, and wrote the book on Black Sabbath in 1971. They offered to buy a position on the cover of the book, which was never confirmed by me.
“I was in the middle of negotiations with various publishers, everybody wanted to do this book. I signed legal contracts regarding the 250 shirts that What Goes Around Comes Around bought from me, stating they were never to be used in book form – only to be used in print and/or resale. This was agreed upon, only to be reneged, which resulted in a legal battle, which eventually saw me as the victor.
“After all, when I walked into their office – and I kid you not – I had to explain 90-percent of who the rock bands were on these t-shirts to the owners of that store, such as Believe It or Not, Roxy Music, the sensational Alex Harvey band, Gentle Giant, Sweet and many more. They knew nothing, but now presented themselves as leading experts. This I found very humorous.
“At the end of the day, all I ever wanted to do was shine light on these beautiful t-shirts and the extremely unique career of Charlie Blue, one of the most beloved people in the record industry.”
In 2010, Defunkd broke the story on the record-setting $10k sale of an uber-rare Zeppelin back-stage pass tee (below.) But that transaction was specific to eBay – Nicky has surpassed that amount numerous times with private sales.
“I have set record prices that nobody has ever hit, reaching $16,000 for Mick Jagger’s Ritva Man goat’s head soup sweater, or $12,000 for a Tattoo You, signed Andy Warhol T-Shirt, just to name a few.”
And speaking of that Zeppelin tee? Panicci owns it, of course. He recently listed it on Defunkd for $10,000 but is willing to consider reasonable offers. It’s the first of many rarities that Nicky will be showcasing exclusively through our Collective.
Bad Otis Link Part 11: Killer Line-Ups
November 7, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
Interview with Greg Link aka Bad Otis Link continued from part 10.
Did Any of Your Tees Provoke Media Attention?
Yeah, tons, especially when Punk was still shocking, not so safe like today. I saw a news show once on some psycho that slaughtered a bunch of people. They were going through the guy’s house showing all of the disturbing junk in his house. I saw a few of my shirts hanging on his walls.
People were pissed all the time, but that’s what we were trying to do back then, it was PUNK rock!!! While I was doing the shirt stuff I was always also publishing and doing art for magazines, books, etc. The one project I did, that really pissed people off, was a set of trading cards on True Serial Killers. I published those in 1989. That caused global outrage and the media went nuts, laws were changed, politicians used them for a reason to get on TV, I got sued by everyone, censored and hassled by the feds. It is a hate crime in Canada to own them. “DOA” was busted at the border for having them in their tour van. I later followed up with a set on True Cannibals, designed by me, Chuck Biscuits, and Rob Zombie. Glenn Danzig also published my ABC book of serial killers in the early ’90s (“The Alphabet of Murder”).
So yeah, I guess, I rubbed some people the wrong way now and then. After the ’92 LA riots hit, it all slowed down. Most of my bands had signed giant merch deals, the shit eaters were back, and I decided it was time to shut it down. I moved to Seattle and started a company with my old friend, Mike Vraney, called “Made by Monks” (Below) and “Something Weird Products” no more punk rock. I was merchandising old smut films and oddball stuff, freaks, vintage drug movies, etc. Chuck followed me a year later and he’s still up there. I moved back to LA in 1998.
Bad Otis Link Part 10: Battle of the Brands
October 27, 2011 by Jimmy J · 2 Comments
Interview with Greg Link aka Bad Otis Link continued from part 9.
Was Screen Stars Your Brand of Choice?
Really, I hated Screen Stars, but they were the budget promo shirt of the time. The only thing worse than a Screen Stars was a Pakistani import that came in bales like hay. Screen Stars were cheap, so we used them if the bands wanted to save money (or in most cases didn’t have any.) Sometimes they were all you could get, too. There were t-shirt shortages in the ’80s. Companies like Disney were hoarding and buying all that the mills could produce.
I could get nice shirts cheaper than Screen Stars, direct from the mills, no labels – so we printed our labels in the shirt. I learned this from Terry at Faden in the 70s. He did it on promo shirts when he was presenting new shirt ideas to bands, record companies etc. I saw Rick Griffen do it too at super tees in the 70s. I thought it was a cool idea. I’m surprised it took till the 90s for others to catch on. I used to hand sign some too, especially for the store stuff. We did some printed labels for the Peppers fan club and for the Goldenvoice crew shirts too. I have some stashed away. It was easier and less expensive to print the labels than have tags made and sewn in like a lot of others were doing. They were massive print contractors, running dozens of precision screen printing presses 24/7. they put tags in for OP (Ocean Pacific) Village mews, Levis and all of the others they contract printed and supplied. I got them on and off all through the 80s whenever I could afford to buy them.
I had a lot of artist friends designing at OP – one being Scott Angle, he became art director for OP and Village Mews until he went freelance in the 90s. I would send jobs too big for my shop to them and they would hook me up with shirts in return. Most of those companies folded by the 90s when all of the t-shirt manufacturing left the country. I had to buy minimums of 100 dozen. when I couldn’t afford to buy bulk so I would use whatever I could get, Beltons, Screen Stars etc. That is also where I got the Gesim french brand used for a lot of the early Chili Peppers stuff. I got a ton of those at a pretty good price because they had tags and they didn’t want to remove them and re-sew. I think when I left the Peppers, Giant used Gold Coast for a while as their first print house. As I recall The Peppers were Giants’ first band to merchandise. Giant is Warner Bros. run by Peter Lubin, or was when I was around.
My favorite 50/50 was the Beltons, much nicer than Screen Stars. Don’t get me wrong, I printed thousands on Screen Stars. I tried to keep nicer stuff in my stores though and would always print extras on nice shirts. I would even buy shirts at department stores even when they had sales, sometime 3 shirts for 5 bucks. JC Penny, Sears. We would also use the cool blank t-shirts that I bought used by the pound. Those we would custom print and do art on for the stores and for screen set ups. They all came out pretty cool.
- Bad Otis dishes more details in Part 11.