Remembering Vexed Generation

Artrockers,

Pre-Artrocker I worked for a couple of years for a clothing brand called Vexed Generation. I ran the shop in Soho's Berwick Street. Many of our customers were from the world of music, off the top of my head I recall Ian Astbury, Ian Broudie,Michael Stipe, Marc Almond, even a certain Mr Bowie, but he sent his PA into the shop while he waited in the car... the list is a long one. I particularly remember Mr Stipe's visits, he'd slip in quietly, pick out the best stuff and queue to be served like he was a normal human being or something. Which, of course, he is.

Occasionally there'd be a dark haired young man, looking for Vexed's riot wear I have no doubt, chatting on a mobile. He was clearly somebody, but I didn't know who 'til I asked a colleague: 'That's Alec Empire'. Of course I knew the name, in fact I owned some Empire records (this was in my Techno period and Alec was banging out some of the best). The circle was completed when Artrocker presented Atari Teenage Riot at The Academy, and now we're doing it again, this time at The Garage on Feb 29th - FOR A FIVER!! I'd get your tickets sorted now if I were you. Just click HERE.

Atari Teenage Riot are a stylish bunch, maybe Alec still wears his Vexed parka or Ninja fleece, I'll ask him on the 29th.The same cannot, in all honesty, be said about The Black Keys. If they'd walked into the Vexed shop it would have been for the T-shirts, not the high-end fashion items. Black Keys don't really care about how they look, they break the second law of rock'n'roll (the look is as important as the sound) with impunity, and they've paid the price for their cavalier attitude by becoming enormous all over the world. We catch up with the sartorially challenged duo in the new issue of Artrocker - having promoted their first London gig eight years ago we've always felt a parental pride at their success, a success born of quality, no BS and a clear sight of what is and what isn't rock'n'roll. We love them, we always have, and maybe they have a little affection for us - we got the exclusive after all as you'll see in the brand new issue out today.

By the mag here, get your ticks to ATR here, watch out for the snow, keep your nose clean and love your mother.

That's all you need to know really.

Tom Artrocker Editor In Chief
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