T-Shirt

I found this in a drawer the other day: a pink, kid’s size Green Day shirt, complete with a disconcertingly cute hand-grenade motif.

It was a present to my daughter from a friend who went to the band’s concert at the National Bowl, Milton Keynes, in the summer of 2005.

It’s faded, full of holes, and way too small for her now.

I looked at it and I remembered her excitement when she got it. I remembered playing Green Day's track Basket Case, so she could hear what they sounded like. I remembered taking this picture of her seconds before she launched into an impromptu pogo session (similar to the Sheena episode). I remember realising too late that the song included the word ‘whore’ (tricky third verse, that), and wondering how I was going to explain that one to her when she asked. As she obviously would.

I remember also thinking, God Green Day really did nick this stuff wholesale from Stiff Little Fingers, didn’t they?

By the way, if you want to read a whole host of stories about people's love affairs with band T-shirts, check out the rather splendid My Band T-Shirt blog.

Video is Green Day - Basket Case (Live)

Video is Stiff Little Fingers - Gotta Getaway (Live)