Amazing Reproductions/ Re-Issues and Customs

[Brazoo]

Ah - okay - so you're replacing shirts you use to own. I guess I can see how you'd want them to be exactly the same.

When it comes down to it - if you can afford it and it makes you happy go for it!

[Joe90]

You nailed it! I never saw Nirvana in '89, BUT I had the shirt for the Bleach album in '89 from the record store.

I saw Nirvana at a small Club here in Edmonton back in March, 1991. Nevermind hadn't been released to explode onto the charts yet, and there weren't more than 30 people there. The band didn't seem to care, and they played as if they were at a practice session -- at one point, mid-song, Cobain bummed a cigarette from someone in the crowd. Like I said, it was like they were just hanging out, jamming. They did a mix of songs from Bleach and songs from the album they were working on... I can't remember which songs they played from Nevermind, but it's one of those moments where I wish I had smuggled in a video-recorder.

Oh, to have had the foresight...

[Bill]

and here my ex got rid of all her band t-shirts. Her best friend is Nils Bernstein from old Sub Pop so she(we) got a lot of rare old stuff that was tossed. I've seen all this old stuff just be tossed and trashed. Funny how much it's worth now. At least I got her rare vinyl. Even have the first pressing of Bleach on white vinyl. Not the reissue or bootleg from the UK, but the actual small run they did when it came out. And a bunch of rare 7" stuff.

Ed

It's not worth a damn but still hard as hell to find, but if you happen to have Steven Jesse Bernstein "Prison" on vinyl I'd gladly send you some Megos. Bernstein was the last of the beat poets and the music mixed into the background really makes the album. I've heard his spoken word, but without the music his grating voice is, well, grating...

I tried to pick up 7"s again; after a few I quickly remembered how annoying they were, having to go back to the turntable after three minutes.

[Bill]

Ah - okay - so you're replacing shirts you use to own. I guess I can see how you'd want them to be exactly the same.

When it comes down to it - if you can afford it and it makes you happy go for it!

I can justify my own stupidity, that comes very easily. I honestly just don't know why it has to be a certain way with us collectors, no matter what it is we collect. There's the easy, inexpensive out that should be enough, but for some reason we have to buy the old stuff, even though it takes more time and money. That's the part that interests me, the why.

[cjefferys]

An example of awesome.

Me- Cool nirvana t-shirt, where'd ya get it?
You- Hell, I've had this since I caught them opening for Big Chief back in the day.

An example of lame.

Me- cool Tad t-shirt, where'd ya get it?
You- Um, the mall.

It's been touched on, but how would you rate:

Me- Cool Melvins t-shirt, where'd ya get it?
You- I bought it on ebay for $60. It's vintage though.

In between, but somewhat closer to the "awesome" end of the graph, right?

I definitely get the whole wanting vintage deal, toys, t-shirts, whatever. I don't care how close the repros look to original, they just leave me cold. There's nothing "special" about them to me.

[goldenryan]

The quality of reissues and reproductions that are available today are amazing, and the pricing makes it so that just about anyone can have as much as they want. I remember Cotswold GI Joe figures and uniforms in the early 90's and the high prices that they commanded, and of course the late 90's custom figures from Flatt.
I've been collecting skateboards for the past five years and now dabble more in vinyl and T-shirts, again, the repros and reissues are so amazing now that unless you really, really study the item you can't even tell that it's not original.

So my question is, if there's so much quality stuff out there at low prices, why the hell are we still buying the old stuff? I just won a T-shirt from an old Sub Pop band, The Dwarves, and scored what I thought was a great deal at $46 for a used shirt. Modern, completely legit Sub Pop Dwarves shirts are $16-$19. I know collecting is the farthest thing from logical, but it just struck me as kinda odd, as I was placing a bid on a vintage, sweat-stained, Nirvana shirt, which is also available new for under $20. I lost the auction, it went for $81. I've be pondering a seriously over-priced Rollins shirt, but can't bring myself to fork over $75 for an old shirt, yet...

i never understood paying $80 for an old shirt and wearing it. 80's shirts do have a cool feel to them tho, a lighter fabric and tighter fitting.

[SeattleEd]

In regards to repo tees, they are NOT like the originals at all. Most of the them are printed overseas with low quality.
Most of the tees that were made by local bands here back in the day were from local american made materials. Remember those days? Materials are much different and most were silk screened as well in the garages. You CAN'T repo those and I've seen a lot of the originals first hand. Even some of the people I've hung out, met and played with at shows showed their merch to us, me. Great DIY stuff back when it wasn't so hip. It was the only way to make money for booze, food, rent, drugs, gear and recording time.
Now all the repo stuff does not benefit the band one bit. Stuff you see hanging on the walls of your local Hot Topic goes to bootlegging companies since they THINK the bands are no longer around.

On the flip side, it's good they have these tees of old bands since it expose younger generations to bands that they never experienced, like I did when I went to my first record back on Hollywood Blvd in L.A. PEACHES. I saw the tees and posters of bands that were intriguing and made me want to check them out. Glad I did

This also applies to other areas like toys, vehicles, foods or entertainment. Technology as well. Turntables, 8 track and cassettes are en vouge.
I'm glad they reissued some albums again that have been remastered. Grant it it may not be pure analog since the multi-tracks have been digitized at high resolution and remastered back to analog to burn to vinyl. Like the first Doors album in mono with the words not being edited out. Still good to hear on DVD and vinyl. Or the Beatles catalog that was just remastered and will be issued on high gram vinyl.

I say just perpetuate the legacy and if you feel elitist about your philosophical views on the original vs repo then so be it. As long as it's still breeding the legacy.

Just like the neu megos, some people hate it because they aren't like the old, but at least they are back and as someone put it on another thread, in the time of advance toy making with all the high details, it's good to see the basics still exist and cast attention to those that appreciate it.

..and yet I still wear all my original band tees from back in the 80's and 90's. Even my daughter wears the small ones now.

[Brazoo]

It's not worth a damn but still hard as hell to find, but if you happen to have Steven Jesse Bernstein "Prison" on vinyl I'd gladly send you some Megos. Bernstein was the last of the beat poets and the music mixed into the background really makes the album. I've heard his spoken word, but without the music his grating voice is, well, grating...

I tried to pick up 7"s again; after a few I quickly remembered how annoying they were, having to go back to the turntable after three minutes.

That album is still mind blowing now! If I ever find one I'll let you know.

Yeah, I love my 45s, but I only bother with them once in a couple of years. To be honest I can't be bothered even listening to my LPs anymore - I'm just too lazy and my ipod is too convenient.

[Bill]

I say just perpetuate the legacy and if you feel elitist about your philosophical views on the original vs repo then so be it. As long as it's still breeding the legacy.

I like this.



Had to pop in my Prison CD, a little coffee and SJB in the morning. My dog Barko is currently looking at the speaker, growling and barking. Even he is offended by Bernstein's voice.

I've picked up a few modern albums, but the price of originals is cheaper than the reissues, so most of the time I'll just buy stuff off of eBay. The Hot Topic in the mall carries a small amount of vinyl, and I was pleasantly surprised to find Dischord still sells their albums for next to nothing. $7.99 for Minor Threat and Fugazi, pretty cool score for a mall store. I bought the double album re-release of Nirvana's Bleach and wasn't really all that impressed with the quality. Reminded me of early Caroline records.

[Bill]

That first step is a doozy...
Now the Henry Rollins shirt is on sale for a mere $67, doesn't seem that bad all of a sudden. I need help...


SUPER RARE VINTAGE 1989 NIRVANA SUB POP PROMO T-SHIRT - eBay (item 390132035512 end time Dec-19-09 09:39:59 PST)

[Thor]

I've bought reproduction accessories for some of my old 3.75 inch GI joes. I just can't afforf to pay 5 or more dollars for small parts. That goes for figure vehicle parts and Transformer accessories also.

[TrueDave]

Its an actual piece of history. It took me al LONG time to finish the ENTIRE run of Captain AMerica and the Hulk. But When I opened one It was a piece of history. that book was at a drug store years before we landed on the moon or I was born. And the ads! Kiss Army! KIDS! Sell Grit!
You get to see ads for Spiderman bike horns. The NEW Towering Inferno movie.

You get to read the letters pages. And I'm telling you in the early 70s the letterpages on Captain A and the Falcon were high brow colleg thesis kinda stuff.

I like spotting an old Spagettios stain and the smell of the old pulp.

I can just appreciate the past.

What I REALLY love is sociology. I would go and start in the early 60s Tals to astonish and see the ads for what kids did and played with. The prizes for selling seeds or greeting cards.

It starts out with camping gear science kits and AM Radios and bit by bit moves up to Video games and uh . . well, more video games.

Its work to get something old and you alweays wonder what its past was.
Right after I filled in the last of the Hulk the DVD Rom came out with the whole series . Im told that it reprints everything but I dont trust political correctness. PC just cant resist.

But think about it. Think about the HUGE impact on culture some of these characters have had. Before that book that very thing you are holding was printed they didnt exist.

I like to call reading my old comics time travelling.

Thanks for asking !!! This was fun!