In the late-60s the likes of British psych-folk bands like Traffic gravitated toward suede hippie vests. I often find myself scratching my head when considering the possible practical applications of the vest, but in the Great Unwashed Festival Era it’s possible to imagine that the suede hippie vest served many useful purposes.
Let’s face it, the vest’s appeal is undeniable. Well, almost always. The vest even made it into the punk era. Who can forget Johnny Rotten sporting a hippie-ish leather vest for the Sex Pistols‘ final performance?
In the ’80s, the garage rock revival and Paisley Pop scenes reinvigorated the sales of vests. Remember the cool vests that Peter Buck and Bill Berry wore in the days when Michael Stipe had hair? So what led to the demise of the vest as a suitable foundation of a cool rock ensemble? The answer follows the jump!
Pretty good article, Mr. Mod, especially since I like to wear sweater vests to work when it’s cold out.
Here’s a picture of the Stones wearning leather vests back in 1963
http://www.irememberjfk.com/mt/graphics/rolling_stones_in_the_60s.jpg
How did I forget that shot, diskojoe? Good one! There are few things more satisfying than being corrected by a fellow Townsperson. That ensures much satisfaction in my life.
I’m glad, too, you raised the issue of sweater vests, a Look I’m also a big fan of and find puzzling that some folks think sweater vests are NOT cool. I left them out of this discussion because I’m not sure that they’re really vests. I think a vest needs to have buttons and be almost completely nonfunctional. Perhaps the rock sweater vest will be the way to move beyond the creepy old guy with the tightly pulled ponytail in the sleeveless leather vest dead end.
Dylan sported a biker chic/middle age crisis look with leather pants and sleeveless leather vest (often with sleeveless Triumph t-shirt underneath–I mean Triump the bike not the band) when he toured with Petty in 1986. http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/75943842/Michael-Ochs-Archives
Did I mention the fingerless leather gloves?
The sweater vest is different because it has a function, i.e., helping to keep you warm. In general a vest is pure adornment. It says “I’m wearing this solely in order to show you how cool I am.” If you’re wearing it without a shirt it says “My arms haven’t gone fat and floppy (yet).” It’s like one step beyond the sleeveless t-shirt, because it shows more cleavage.
The only other functional vest I can think of is this one:
http://www.julianrubinstein.com/images/popper4.gif
I am wearing a sweater vest as I type! Love ’em. Not sure they rock, though.
I always figured people wore sweater vests because sweater armlength is notoriously unreliable.
Thanks for bringing Popper’s harmonica holster/deep sea fishing vest into the discussion, BigSteve. A bit like that thing Eric Burdon’s wearing, I wasn’t sure if that fell within our definition of a vest.
Among many other things, one of the shirtless vest outfit’s key problems is that everyone who wears one looks like he must reek. This is a problem that the Rock Poncho shares, but I bet the poncho could make a comeback thanks to the development of Febreeze.
Burdon’s unique scarf/vest/shawl/poncho hybrid is interesting. I wonder if he invented that himself? I’m gonna go check some patent filings for his name.
You brought up the two vest enthusiasts I immediately thought of, Bono and Bono (coincidence?). I never quite got what the whole furry caveman vest that Sonny Bono pioneered was all about, but it seemed to have a shortlived peak in California in the early 60s. I vaguely recall seeing it pop up on guest stars on Gilligan’s Island or The Monkees, or maybe in cheesy late ’60s biker movies.
That photo of Bono on page five is very disconcerting. The shirtless vest, the lack of hat, the guitar, the wide-legged stance and that weird expression on his face…what was going on there? If I’m not mistaken, this would have been right before he remade his Look for the Achtung Baby era and entered his Crazy Sunglasses period. I bet this photo had something to do with that. And I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the revamp in his Look led to some needed musical changes.
Spot on Mr Moderator, but you forgot Mick Fleetwood: http://www.amoeba.com/dynamic-images/blog/Sarah/mick-fleetwood-2
Burt Reynolds could have sculpted his chest hair into the shape of a vest. LOL!
Not everyone can rock the vest like Clem Cattini…
In German Kutte = metal/punk vest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutte
Sweater vest fan here — unfortunately, the band that comes to mind is Haircut 100. They loved sweater vests (and sweaters in general).
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GSBWKqkC85Q/SdTMO5-dXCI/AAAAAAAACno/sSt0-bYKBa0/s400/Haircut-100-Love-Plus-One-46838.jpg
Paul McCartney would like to remind everyone who the avant garde pioneer was in breaking the sweater vest into the world of rock:
http://bit.ly/cdxAH2
and
http://bit.ly/cNT0P0
The Stones have never feared the vest, esp. Wyman. Check out Keith’s leopard-skin vest in the first photo.
http://rollingstonesuniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Stones-20.jpg
http://www.philiptownsend.com/images/limitededition/limited_117.jpg
http://images.npg.org.uk/264_325/8/0/mw12080.jpg
http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/richmond-64-wyman.jpg
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cF8a2SCY6vM/0.jpg
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/85055859.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA5486C2900086F97583BDCC2DD76D43B8FE670A86B82C4E57D0D
Welcome aboard, nanker! Boy, our friend Ronnie Wood sure likes his flair.
Fun article and comments (especially “Bono and Bono!”). This might be what Mr. Mod was thinking of as per The Beatles.
http://www.beatlesebooks.com/files/1619622/uploaded/Beatles%20EMI%20studio%20Martin%2063.jpg
Now here’s a bloke who could pull off the vest-sans-shirt look.
http://www.the-who.eu/RD.htm
But he could also do it shirted. (Scroll down.)
http://www.the-who.eu/1974.htm
pplist, THAT’S the Beatles’ shot I had etched in my brain! Thanks for posting that link.
You’re most welcome, Mr. Mod. It took awhile, but along the way I found a bunch of interesting others. I didn’t want to overdo it in the comment I posted, but if anyone’s interested, here’s a link to some of the other pics I found. Most are of John Lennon in an assortment of vests and sweater vests.
http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddmfb2rc_172g3cjmqg7
When watching this video on John Entwistle last night, I noticed The Ox seemed to fancy vests as well.
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/john_entwistle_an_oxs_tale/
(I kind of feel like I’m wearing this topic out, but I’ve noticed the habitues of this blog seem to have a healthy tetch of the OCD.)
FANTASTIC WORK, pplist. The compilation of Lennon shots truly sets the record straight, and really, isn’t that part of the reason we gather in these hallowed halls?
Per your OCD comment, you’re spot on. I’m not sure we’ve ever met a dead horse worth beating. (My apologies to our animal lovers – I can assure you that horses are by far my favorite animals and I would never beat one dead or alive.)
Then there’s this fashion plate: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/74295240/Michael-Ochs-Archives
and
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r184462_684987.jpg
Mod: in doing some online research for an upcoming Thrifty Music post, I came across this, which is REQUIRED VIEWING for anyone looking to, uh, flesh out the rock vest issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haYvrO5D_Yo
THAT, hrrundi, may best uphold the ideal that Burt Reynolds set in Deliverance! Did Lou Christie sport rock’ best chest hair? I love “Lightning Strikes” – I hope your next Thrifty Music post contains some cheap, scratchy Christie!
Holy Moses. Lou Christie, twistin’ by the pool, more or less. That’s something to see. “I’m Gonna Make You Mine,” “Lightning Strikes,” “Two Faces Have I”–this is the extent of my Lou Christie knowledge. But–I think–they are all great-ish.
So I ask you: should Lou Christie be a subject for further research, or is this as good as it’s going to get and taking it further will only spoil a good thing?