Minor Threat Shirts

Minor Threat Shirts

Postby Mickey » Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:00 pm

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... l-20130731

Ian MacKaye Approves Urban Outfitters' Minor Threat Apparel
'I just don't give a f**k about t-shirts'

By RJ Cubarrubia
July 31, 2013 4:20 PM ET

Minor Threat shirts are now on sale at Urban Outfitters for a cool $28, and frontman Ian MacKaye is fine with it. The hardcore punk tastemaker (who also fronts Fugazi) told Washington City Paper that the store's shirts for the Eighties punks are licensed, legitimate merch.

MacKaye explained that his label, Dischord, doesn't make shirts, but the amount of bootlegged Minor Threat merchandise prompted him to take action. "It's fucking absurd the amount of bootlegs [that] are out there," MacKaye said. So he set up Dischord with California company Tsurt to print official tees; now any bootlegs are Tsurt's problem instead of his. "My time is better spent doing other things," MacKaye said.

Though MacKaye's music has long taken volatile social and economic stands, he said he had different motivations for creating the apparel. "It's not a political thing for me," MacKaye said, adding that he once invested lots of time and energy into tracking down bootleggers only for it to be "a complete waste of time." His reasoning was direct: "I just don't give a fuck about T-shirts," he said.

However, MacKaye made it clear that he and Urban Outfitters don't share similar mindsets. "Do I think it's absurd? Yes, I certainly do," he said. "Motherfuckers pay $28; that's what they wanna pay for their shirts." He compared the shirts to people spending money on shoes. "I guess it makes their feet feel fuckin' rich," he said.

MacKaye has dealt with bootlegs and unauthorized merchandise before; according to Pitchfork, Dischord struck back against Forever 21 for carrying unlicensed Minor Threat shirts in 2009. In 2005, Nike pulled a poster for a skateboarding tour titled Major Threat for its resemblance to Minor Threat album artwork.

Other artists have handled similar situations recently: according to the BBC, Rihanna won a $5 million lawsuit against Topshop and its parent company, Arcadia, for using an image of the singer on a shirt.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby MXV » Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:24 pm

The worst part is those shirts are printed on white shirts. Everyone knows that when it comes to t-shirts once you go black you never go back.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby Knutsen » Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:02 pm

I am currently wearing a little bit too small "Listen to Minor Threat" t-shirt.
white print on black shirt.
Very probably a bootleg, bought 10 years ago or so.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby version sound » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:36 pm

Good for them. At their cut of $28 a shirt, they'll recoup what they've lost to unlicensed shirts in approximately 2313.

And an OOS shirt in black? That's just silly.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby FlexMyHead » Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:53 am

Ah man, Ian makes me laugh, "I guess it makes their feet feel fuckin' rich". I say good for them, if I was in a band and reached out to a company and told them the shirts they were selling weren't legit and they laughed at me or blew me off, I'd get fucking pissed. Of course the obvious solution would have been, years ago, to sell your own shirts, but I love that Ian refuses to change his mind about selling shirts, I know that Jeff has recently been reprinting some D.C. shirts though. (http://www.pedestrianpress.com/). It know it's dumb, but I'd love to rebuy some D.C. related shirts (Soulside, Gray Matter etc) and actually give money to the band. Even Husker Du or something, it's hard to find a non-shitty looking shirt.

I just went to Interpunk.com and saw they are selling 9 Minor Threat shirts (http://www.interpunk.com/search.cfm?vt= ... r%20threat). That one with the paint spray just looks like total shit.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby Chris Shary » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:06 am

I have seen these stories popping up over the past 2 days. Am I missing something, we've all known that MT has legitimately made shirts since the 80's. Why is this suddenly "news"?
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby gregpolard » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:19 am

Chris Shary wrote:I have seen these stories popping up over the past 2 days. Am I missing something, we've all known that MT has legitimately made shirts since the 80's. Why is this suddenly "news"?


I guess the issue is more the fact that they're officially sold for $28 through Urban Outfitters. At least that's my take. I couldn't care less as well and I agree with Ian's stance, to be honest. If people are gonna pay it, so be it.
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby Chris Shary » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:28 am

Stores mark up shirts. Urban Outfitter does it A LOT. I'm confused why people take issue. It's like Henry Rollins said ,"If you oppose gay marriage, don't have one."
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby gregpolard » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:46 am

Chris Shary wrote:Stores mark up shirts. Urban Outfitter does it A LOT. I'm confused why people take issue. It's like Henry Rollins said ,"If you oppose gay marriage, don't have one."


Oh I agree. I think it's more the fact that people just immediately assumed that there's no way this $28 t shirt was legit and then Ian comes out and says "yeah it is"
scannest wrote:It's like a filmmaker saying "Spielberg is my idol. Every time I get behind the camera I think about how I can make my film as good as Hook"
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Re: Minor Threat Shirts

Postby Chris Shary » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:20 am

OK, now I get it.
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