Category: Interview

Meet Gary “X”. By the way – the suspicious-looking guy above isn’t him. He’s just some random vintage dude whose face we blackbar’d to make this article more cloak and dagger-like. The photo is fake but Gary and his pioneering career as a bootlegger are legit. He began bootlegging as a teenager back in the 70s. He traveled throughout the U.S. learning the ins and outs of the intellectual property piracy trade. He knew when to hold ’em, when to fold ’em, knew when to walk away and when to run. Regardless of whether or not the artists received financial ... Read more

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 ... Read more

Meet Bad Otis Link, aka Greg Link. That’s him (in 1983) to the right of Keith Morris of Black Flag and Circle Jerks fame. We tracked him down for an interview because of his decorated career in t-shirts. But as this epic interview unfolds, you’ll discover he’s also a musician, artist, clothing designer, seamstress, author, publisher, and pot-stirrer. The photo above was taken in front of his t-shirt stand at a Circle Jerks gig. You see, Otis was the early hardcore punk scene’s all-in-one, go-to-guy for tees. He designed, screen-printed, and manned the merch booth during jams. His consistent offerings ... Read more

Meet DJ AM, aka Adam Goldstein. Here he is with Gene Simmons from KISS. Gene doesn’t look very impressed, probably because DJ AM is wearing a vintage Axl Rose t-shirt and not a Gene Simmons one. DJ AM was a member of the band Crazy Town best known for “Butterfly”; and in modern times is world renowned for his abilities on the ones and twos. His talents frequently land him gigs at private parties for celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Leo DiCaprio and collaborations with artists like Madonna and Will Smith. He even guest starred on Entourage, yadda, yadda, yadda. The ... Read more

Meet costume designer Susan Matheson, Tinseltown’s go-to gal when a flick calls for a vintage t-shirt wardrobe. Her recent work on Step Brothers caused a frenzy of fans searching for the vintage Converse t-shirt John C. Reilly wore throughout the movie. Wondering where you can get one? Read on. I first met Susan while she was browsing through our store a few years ago. Yes, we’re happy at least one shirt we provided made a 15-second cameo in the film. Oh, and Susan has many times seen Will Ferrell in his undies, but then again, who hasn’t? What’s the rarest ... Read more