It’s said that somewhere deep below the streets of London lies a secret chamber that houses a vast collection of iconic t-shirts from yesteryear. A hidden treasure trove, precise location known only to a few and admittance limited to fewer still. This carefully curated horde of classic tees, preserved for posterity, is rumoured to contain a wealth of rare and influential pieces. To be specific, the earliest works of a group of gifted friends destined to become the renowned garment printers, Fifth Column.
Urban legend, the fanciful musings of those inclined to mystery and myth? We couldn’t possibly comment. Other than to say, the gaffer here at Fifth Column has an awfully big bunch of keys and some of them are odd shapes and kind of archaic looking. All of which has probably given you a pretty good clue as to the nature of this article. Yes, you’ve guessed, it’s time for more vintage punk t-shirts from the Fifth Column vault!
One point worthy of mention before getting into the vintage punk t-shirts. We no longer print any of these tees. This is strictly for fun, a little stroll down memory lane.
1. Iggy Pop
Dubbed the Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop went solo in 1977 (Lust for Life is an album of note). That year also has significance for us. By which we mean it was when Fifth Column was officially formed. Iggy has incredible presence and a face that was always going to get the Fifth t-shirt treatment.
2. The Clash
1982 saw The Clash release their Combat Rock album which included the song (and single) Know Your Rights. The latter takes a sideways look at the rights of the poor and disenfranchised and how they’re abused by the British establishment. No big surprise that Fifth thought it worthy of a t-shirt.
3. Mo-dettes
The Mo-dettes found each other a little after us. They were formed in 1979. An all-female band, they are usually described as ‘Post-punk’ – a genre which takes the raw energy of punk and mixes in lots of avant-garde influences. There’s plenty of detail on this tee, a serious slice of retro printing magic.
4. The Psychedelic Furs
Anyone remember the song Pretty in Pink from the film of the same name? The Psychedelic Furs are another post-punk outfit and, like us, they were formed in 1977. And just like us, they’re still going. This tee is an edgy piece of artistic endeavour, well-deserving of a place in vintage punk t-shirts post.
5. Marilyn Monroe
And talking of edgy and vintage, let’s not forget our classic Marilyn Monroe t-shirt, Some Like it Hot. This fabulous tee brings together pop art stylistic elements printed with punk sensibility. The result is a harshly beautiful homage to a fallen idol. A distinctly Fifth take on sex and stardom.
6. Dead Kennedys
What would punk have been without two of its great cornerstones, irreverence and rebellion? Formed in 1978, the American punk rock band, Dead Kennedys, had both in abundance. As does this attractively anarchic statement t-shirt. We’re pleased to say that they’re still playing to this day.
7. Talking Heads
Often classified as post-punk, Talking Heads released their first album in 1977 and before that were active in the New York punk scene of the 1970s. Despite critical acclaim and commercial success, Talking Heads have never lost that somehow ‘cult’ aura. A satisfactory state of affairs, as far as we’re concerned.
8. With Love Since 1977
There we go, another instalment of vintage punk t-shirts. Precious items from the Fifth Column vault. More than that, memories and emotion rendered in ink and cotton. Times have changed. Nowadays, we prefer vegan ink and organic cotton. But the passion remains. We love what we do.
Fifth Column, t-shirt printing in the UK since 1977. We offer a comprehensive range of garment decoration services and we love what do.
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