OT: rock-n-roll T-shirts and Gen Z

[msugrad2003]

Okay. So has anyone else noticed all these young kids (Gen Z, teenagers, mostly females) wearing t-shirts of rock-n-roll bands? I’ve seen a lot and even proceeded to ask them if they liked the band. The two I have asked don’t know who the band is, they just “like the T-shirt”. The young girl cashier at Kroger had on a Nirvana t-shirt. I asked her if she liked their music. She didn’t know who they were but liked the shirt. Today, I asked the same if a girl on my daughter’s volleyball team who was wearing a Def Leppard Tshirt. She had no clue who they were.
what’s wrong with these kids?

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

So back in the day when you rocked that Bill Haley and the Comets T-shirt you knew all their tunes.

Of course in 1999 you did not have a super computer in your hands all day that has every song ever recorded on it.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I think the Nirvana fans are Buddhists… **

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

My 23 yo daughter (no pics) wears them and has her whole life. She was raised on classic rock though.

 

[patdog]

Girl that cuts my hair has worn a Queen Night at the Opra shirt a couple of times. I asked her if she'd actually heard the album or just like the shirt. Of course she just liked the shirt. And she's in her 30s. I guess it's better than just ignoring classic bands though.

 

[hdogg]

I am a music purist dickhead snob. And my daughter had an acdc shirt from her cousin from For Those About To Rock. Neither have heard the album. I lost the battle of whether she can wear it or not... not happy
At least my daughter likes TnT.
Let's just say : My 16 year old self hates my 49 year old self. At least I admit it?!?

 

[The Peeper]

Slight hijack, having lunch today at Stagger In and Karma Chameleon by Culture Club came over the speakers and the 21 yr old bar tender commented about Boy George and how he dressed. I asked todays Boy George or 1982 Boy George? She couldn't believe he had been around that long, had no idea. She recently saw a video and thought he was "new on the scene". And for the record I'm not endorsing Culture Club, not that there's anything wrong with that but...

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I saw a 20ish year old kid a few weeks ago rocking a mullet and driving around in an obviously restored to mint condition early 90's Chrysler LeBaron convertible.

I see kids wearing umbros.

Lots of mullets being rocked.

They're wearing the Brian Bosworth style Oakley's everywhere.

It seems like the douchebaggery of 30 years ago has found a new generation of D-bags to bring it back. Much like the bell bottoms and Beatles love of the 90's kids probably felt to the old Hippies and non hippies of the 60's.

 

[tired]

Hey easy Joe. Brian B was the best linebacker to never tackle Bo Jackson.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

I guess the 21st century killed curiosity.

 

[fang]

Got me a Kiss Destroyer T at wallymart in Dayton Tn a couple weeks ago - 5 bucks. 18yo daughter said “that’s cool” and picked one up too. I said, “yeah, I used to be cool”……..

ETA, Gene STILL working the brand.

 

[MStateU]

Mine wears them and listens to their music. A lot. I think it’s cool to see kids wearing them. I certainly don’t understand it bothering someone just because they are younger. I see by your user name you are in your early 40’s, what if a 40 year old was being weird to you in 1996 because you had Beatles/Stones shirt on?

 

[msugrad2003]

Mine wears them and listens to their music. A lot. I think it’s cool to see kids wearing them. I certainly don’t understand it bothering someone just because they are younger. I see by your user name you are in your early 40’s, what if a 40 year old was being weird to you in 1996 because you had Beatles/Stones shirt on?

It doesn’t bother me one bit they are wearing them; I’m just amazed, shocked, gee wiz’ed, whatever you want to call it that they sport the shirt but never heard of the band nor their music.

 

[aTotal360]

My kids wear them. All the bands of our time are enjoying the licensing money from Target and other big box stores. They know that us old folks don't mind buying them.

 

[AlCoDog]

Same.”Stranger Things” has had a big influence too. My middle (13) told me the other day he wishes he grew up in the 80’s before internet and social media. He said it seems cooler, and I assured him it was.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

My niece now listens to Metallica because of Eddie.

Also this was pretty cool at a Metallica concert:

[TWEET]1552863153733648384[/TWEET]

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I wish my dumb *** had saved all the concert T-shirts that I had actually gotten at the concert when I was younger. Vintage Van Halen, 38 special, Kansas, Toto, Molly Hatchet, Scorpions, Willie Nelson on the Road again tour, Heart, etc. I imagine in spite of a few beer and cigarettes stains that they probably will be worth something by now. If not they would definitely make some great frames to hang around the house.

Being able to afford to attend shows was one of the biggest things about the 80s that actually rocked. There were a lot of things that sucked but not the concerts.

 

[GloryDawg]

There was a young black lady wearing a Pink Floyd T shirt at the gym. She was in her early 20"s. I asked her did she know who they were and surprising she knew exactly who they were. She said her boy friend is a fan. To be fair to them I have replica Marine Corps PT T shirts from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and 80's I wear all the time.

 

[Dawgbite]

I wish my dumb *** had saved all the concert T-shirts that I had actually gotten at the concert when I was younger. Vintage Van Halen, 38 special, Kansas, Toto, Molly Hatchet, Scorpions, Willie Nelson on the Road again tour, Heart, etc. I imagine in spite of a few beer and cigarettes stains that they probably will be worth something by now. If not they would definitely make some great frames to hang around the house.

Being able to afford to attend shows was one of the biggest things about the 80s that actually rocked. There were a lot of things that sucked but not the concerts.

I had them all too. I think most of them became dust rags. A buddy of mine wouldn’t give his up even years after he outgrew them. His wife took them and had a quilt made from them or his birthday one year. It was pretty cool, last time I was there it was on the bed in the guest bedroom.

 

[Dawgpile]

Great thread! My 19 y-old wears a bunch of old school rock shirts and actually listens to them all... Motorhead, Pantera, Ozzy, AC/DC, The Damned, GnR, Social Distortion, etc., and of course Metallica.

He said yesterday that he wished he'd been his age now back in the 80's; Almost brought a tear to my eye.

I'd give myself a pat on the back and say I'd done good with him, but I can't get him to expand his music beyond heavy metal and punk.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I just wish rock would make an actual comeback. Is there one true rock band out there right now that’s not over 50 and going through an identity crisis?

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

My daughters went through my attic about 18 years ago and got all mine and my wifes shirts when she went off to MSU. Not sure if she still has them.

 

[dog12]

My 23 yo daughter (no pics) wears them and has her whole life. She was raised on classic rock though.

Same for my 15-year old daughter.

She has a Guns n Roses "Appetite for Destruction" t-shirt, and she knows their music well.

We listen to Sirius Radio in the car . . . 70s, 80s, 90s channels.

 

[dog12]

Got me a Kiss Destroyer T at wallymart in Dayton Tn a couple weeks ago - 5 bucks. 18yo daughter said “that’s cool” and picked one up too. I said, “yeah, I used to be cool”……..

ETA, Gene STILL working the brand.

First concert I ever attended: Kiss at the Jackson Coliseum in 1979.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Yes, last weekend I told a 16 year old girl she was at least 25 years too young to be wearing a Korn tshirt.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I just wish rock would make an actual comeback. Is there one true rock band out there right now that’s not over 50 and going through an identity crisis?

There is still good metal being made. Mostly european

https://shop.nuclearblast.com/en/shop/index.html

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

There's other metal out there being produced

you have to go off the beaten path a little bit. Try Beast in Black, Unleash the Archers, Arion, Last Days of Eden and Frozen Crown. Looks like 80s glam metal run is going to die out with the founders of the movement, but stranger things have happened.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Unleash the Archers,

God the singer for them is so damn hot.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Last Days of Eden

Yeah, watching my first video of them and I am in love.

 

[tacodawg]

Jesus H. This is a terrible talking point on social media that has lasted for years now.

Let the dumb kids wear whatever they want. You were a dumb kid once.

 

[HWY51dog]

My 14Yr old son told me a few days ago that so
many kids on his 9th grade football team are now listening to Metallica because of Stranger Things. He said I thought everyone listened to Metallica, proud dad moment.

 

[patdog]

I think this could be a band to keep an eye on. They turned up on my YouTube feed a few days ago. I remembered seeing them years ago when they were 3 little Mexican girls that went viral with a killer cover of Enter Sandman. Turns out they started writing their own music, grew up, and signed a record deal. I've listened to their new album and it's good.

 

[Digging dog]

I wish my dumb *** had saved all the concert T-shirts that I had actually gotten at the concert when I was younger. Vintage Van Halen, 38 special, Kansas, Toto, Molly Hatchet, Scorpions, Willie Nelson on the Road again tour, Heart, etc. I imagine in spite of a few beer and cigarettes stains that they probably will be worth something by now. If not they would definitely make some great frames to hang around the house.

Being able to afford to attend shows was one of the biggest things about the 80s that actually rocked. There were a lot of things that sucked but not the concerts.

I had one survivor. My daughter (soon to be senior at State) considered my old Stevie Nicks - Wild Heart tour 83 T-shirt one of her prized possessions.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

God the singer for them is so damn hot.

Great pipes. Metal lead singers don’t get enough props for vocal ability and range

 

[willi13]

Just back from visiting my 26 year old daughter in Chicago. While there she took me to Billy Corbin’s restaurant in Highland Park. Kinda proud that my daughter knew who he was and that she also wanted to take me to a lot of musical sites there.

I know Smashing Pumpkins isn’t that old, but still proud of her.

 

[Nunya.sixpack]

My son used to wear iron maiden, kiss, cheap trick and a few others. Of course he got them all at concerts all between the ages of 14 and 21. Now, his former girlfriend wears them because they were his and she likes the way they look....with little knowledge of who the bands are.

 

[ckDOG]

I'm wearing a polo shirt right now

But I'm sitting at the airport and not playing polo. Guess I'm doing it wrong...

 

[Awwhellnaw]

I had a Winger T-shirt back in my high school days.*