My Frank Zappa T-Shirt Collection

I have 100 shirts in my collection so far.  I arranged them below by date, if known.  Others are listed at the bottom.  If you don't see a picture of the back shown, that means there were no graphics on the back to photograph.  While most shirts pictured below are official releases, I don't limit myself to official releases only, as I am attempting to preserve any and all memorabilia from the Zappa era.  If you're looking to purchase a Zappa shirt, sorry, none of these are for sale, but good luck in your search!

You might also enjoy seeing The Music Machine, the art car I designed and airbrushed, dedicated to Frank.  Click on the photo below to visit my Art Cars Page for more info and pics.

 

Click on each thumbnail to see the larger view.

1965 Freak out front.jpg (69668 bytes)
Says 1965, but I don't know if it is really that old.
 
 
 
 
 
"200 Motels" 1971
This actual shirt once belonged to Howard Kaylan.
 
 
 
 
10-29-1976.jpg (133756 bytes)
Spectrum Theater 10-29-76

 

new york xmas 76 front.jpg (162489 bytes)  new york xmas 76.jpg (113806 bytes)
New York Christmas 1976

 

 
torture 1976 front.jpg (121508 bytes)  torture 1976.jpg (103508 bytes)
Torture Never Stops 1976
 
 

 

77 78 crew front.jpg (120493 bytes)  77 78 crew front cropped.jpg (145401 bytes)

77 78 crew back.jpg (130366 bytes)
Lather Tour Crew Hooded Sweatshirt 1977-1978
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1978 US Tour
 
 
 
 
 
 
we don't mess around front.jpg (129627 bytes)  we don't mess around back.jpg (128211 bytes)
We Don't Mess Around, 1978
with music from measure 14 or 15 from "The Black Page"
(thanks to Fred Klatz for the info)
 
 
 

 

florida 1978.jpg (139683 bytes)
The Zapping of Florida
September 1978

 

 

 

 

palladium front.jpg (141740 bytes)  palladium.jpg (138382 bytes)
The Palladium, Mateus, NY
1978?
(FZ portrait by Jim Ceravolo, taken from a 7-foot tall oil-on-canvas portrait of Frank that hung in the lobby of the Palladium Theatre.  Logo designed by David Byrd.  More of their artistic creations can be seen at ARDTgallery.com)
 
 
 
 
 
unknown snake woman front.jpg (116316 bytes)  unknown snake woman back.jpg (122793 bytes)
Woman with Serpent
Fall 1978
 
 
 
 
 
1978 Buffalo front.jpg (104665 bytes)  1978 Buffalo back.jpg (84047 bytes)
10-20-78 Buffalo, NY
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
winter 78.jpg (128895 bytes)
Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
November 13, 1978
 
 

 

unknown black the best front.jpg (89504 bytes)  unknown black the best back.jpg (95344 bytes)  unknown white the best front.jpg (88345 bytes)  unknown white the best back.jpg (101897 bytes) 
Zappa.  The Best.  Two short-sleeved t-shirts and one 3/4 length sleeved t-shirt (same design on back)
1978-1980
 
 
 
 
the best front.jpg (126300 bytes)  the best back.jpg (106947 bytes)
Zappa.  The Best.
1978-1980
 

 

1979 sheik yer bouti.jpg (100193 bytes)  1979 sheik yer bouti back.jpg (89912 bytes)
Sheik Yerbouti 1979
 
 
 
sheik yer bouti front.jpg (128345 bytes)  sheik yer bouti back.jpg (130875 bytes)
Sheik Yerbouti 1979
 

 

 

1979 music is the best.jpg (99980 bytes)
1979 Music is the Best

 

 

paramount 1980 front.jpg (143594 bytes)  paramount 1980 back.jpg (144127 bytes)
Paramount Theatre, Portland, Oregon
March 29, 1980

 

 

berkeley front 1980.jpg (145378 bytes)  berkeley back.jpg (123430 bytes)
Berkeley Community Theater
April 1, 1980
 

 

celebrity theater.jpg (131801 bytes)
Celebrity Theater
Phoenix, Arizona 
4-8-80
 

 

zappa florida.jpg (138463 bytes)
Tampa Jai-Alai Fronton, 4-17-80
Sunrise Musical Theater, 4-18-80
Florida Field, U of F, 4-19-80
 
 
 

 

syracuse 1980.jpg (161356 bytes)
Manley Field House, Syracuse, NY
April 24, 1980
 

 

 

april may 1980.jpg (127273 bytes)
April 29-May 10 1980
 
 
 

 

orange theater june 80 front.jpg (120593 bytes)  orange theater june 80 back.jpg (139382 bytes)
Orange Theatre Antique
June 1980
 
 
 

 

1980 sheik yer bouti.jpg (112525 bytes)  1980 sheik yer bouti back.jpg (122659 bytes)
1980 Sheik Yerbouti
 

 

 
nov 10 1980 front.jpg (147379 bytes)  nov 10 1980 back.jpg (125501 bytes)
Coliseum in Richfield, OH
November 10, 1980
 
 

 

stanley 1980 front.jpg (132335 bytes)  stanley 1980 back.jpg (137309 bytes)
Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
November 13, 1980

 

 

1980 crush all boxes front.jpg (96757 bytes)  1980 crush all boxes back.jpg (103711 bytes)
1980 Crush All Boxes Tour
 

 

 

1980 cab zappa crew front.jpg (103323 bytes)  1980 cab zappa crew back.jpg (101148 bytes)
1980 Crush All Boxes Tour, Zappa Crew

 

 

 

1980 CAB chicago front.jpg (84804 bytes)  1980 CAB chicago back.jpg (85417 bytes)
1980 Crush All Boxes Tour
Nov. 28 and 29, Uptown Theater, Chicago

 

 

 

1980 cab front.jpg (117781 bytes)  1980 cab back.jpg (126506 bytes)
Nov. 28 and 29, Uptown Theater, Chicago

 

 

 

 
1980 Crush All Boxes Tour
 
 
 
 
 

 

klos 95 and a half front.jpg (126340 bytes)  klos 95 and a half back.jpg (133816 bytes)
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
December 11, 1980

 

 

 
Tinseltown Rebellion
1981

 

 

unknown north american tour.jpg (98642 bytes)  unknown north american tour back.jpg (99765 bytes)
North American Tour
1981
 
 

 

north american tour front.jpg (122099 bytes)  north american tour back.jpg (139050 bytes)
North American Tour
1981

 

 

you are what you is barking pumpkin front.jpg (142203 bytes)  you are what you is barking pumpkin back.jpg (138651 bytes)
Barking Pumpkin Records with You Are What You Is Logo on back
1981

 

shut up and play front.jpg (117516 bytes)  shut up and play back.jpg (146708 bytes)
1981
 
 
1980 shut up and play front.jpg (91730 bytes)  1980 shut up and play back.jpg (91667 bytes)
1981
 
 
 
 
 
1981 Halloween front.jpg (78360 bytes)  1981 Halloween back.jpg (82431 bytes)
1981 MTV Halloween Concert

 

 

 
 
unknown barking pumpkin promo.jpg (93548 bytes)
Barking Pumpkin Records
  1981
 
 
 
 
1981 portland front.jpg (76031 bytes)  1981 portland back.jpg (90645 bytes)
10-2-81 Portland, Oregon longsleeve
 
 
 
 
1982 German tour front.jpg (109007 bytes)  1982 German tour back.jpg (110886 bytes)  
1982 German Tour

 

 

1983 Baby Snakes.jpg (88859 bytes)  1983 Baby Snakes back.jpg (99077 bytes)
1983 Baby Snakes Film
 
 
 

 

1984 longsleeve tour ny.jpg (81995 bytes)
1984 New York longsleeve
 
 
 
 

 

1984 moon artwork.jpg (92316 bytes)
1984 Moon Zappa artwork

 

 

1984 Thingfish.jpg (87280 bytes)  1984 Thingfish back.jpg (70056 bytes)
 1984 Thing-Fish
 
 

 

 
1984 20th Anniversary Tour
(bootleg shirt)
 
 
 
 
1984 red tour front.jpg (95001 bytes)  1984 red tour back.jpg (80750 bytes)
1984 Them Or Us Tour
 
 

 

1984 tour warning front.jpg (99581 bytes)  1984 tour warning back.jpg (100509 bytes)
1984 Them Or Us Tour
 
 
 
1984 Them Or Us Tour

 

 

1984 tour.jpg (90574 bytes)
1984 Them Or Us Tour
 
 
 
 
 

 

1984 torture front.jpg (91850 bytes)  1984 torture back.jpg (96483 bytes)
1984 Them or Us Tour
Bootleg shirt designed by Beau Daignant,
Screen-printed in the shop belonging to the late Jules Cowles and vended by a guy named Chris"Birdman" Burnett (this info provided by Mr. Daignant himself).  Later, I was contacted by Birdman, who told me that there were 72 shirts made and he sold them on Aug 1 in Santa Fe, Aug 2 and 4 in Denver and Aug 5 in Omaha.  There weren't any concession shirts sold by Frank at Santa Fe or Denver.  In Omaha, the first official shirts appeared and this is when he stopped selling these.
 

 

1985 i want the box.jpg (109423 bytes)
1985 I Want the Box (Old Masters)

 

 

1985 porn wars front.jpg (114897 bytes)  1985 porn wars back.jpg (107504 bytes)
1985 Porn Wars
 
 
 
1986 i bought the box .jpg (111610 bytes)
1986 I Bought the Box (Old Masters)

 

 

 

Electronic Music Performance at California State University Northridge
November 5, 1986

 

 

1987 Ruben and the jets front.jpg (97300 bytes) 1987 Ruben and the jets back.jpg (83243 bytes)
1987 Ruben & the Jets
 
 
 

 

 
1988 Porn Wars
 
 

 

1988 for president front.jpg (113278 bytes)  1988 for president back.jpg (99480 bytes)
1988 Zappa for President

 

 

voting front.jpg (118358 bytes)  voting back.jpg (103399 bytes)
Registered Voter shirt
from 1988 Broadway the Hard Way Tour

 

 

1988 Broadway the hard way sweatshirt.jpg (106129 bytes)
1988 Broadway the Hard Way Sweatshirt
 
 

 

 

1988 tour front.jpg (105414 bytes)  1988 tour back.jpg (105817 bytes)
1988 Tour

 

 

 

honker home videos front.jpg (129554 bytes)  honker home videos back.jpg (132395 bytes)
1988 Honker Home Video
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1988 Man from utopia front.jpg (90695 bytes)  1988 Man from utopia back.jpg (96875 bytes)
1988 Man From Utopia

 

 

 

1990 25th anniversary.jpg (98137 bytes)
1990 25th Anniversary
 
 
 
 
 
 
beat the boots front.jpg (100255 bytes)  beat the boots back.jpg (72790 bytes)
Beat the Boots, 1991/1992
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1992 ensemble modern longsleeve front.jpg (109006 bytes)  1992 ensemble modern longsleeve back.jpg (83945 bytes)
1992 Ensemble Modern Yellow Shark Tour longsleeve
 
 
 
 
 
 
1992 Ensemble modern yellow shark front.jpg (94295 bytes)
1992 Ensemble Modern Yellow Shark Tour
 
 
 
 
 

 

1992 yellow shark plate front.jpg (113200 bytes)  1992 yellow shark plate back.jpg (97742 bytes)
1992 Ensemble Modern Yellow Shark Tour

 

1994 Zappa shirt great artwork front.jpg (150455 bytes)  1994 Zappa shirt great artwork back.jpg (135154 bytes)
1994

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
schenkel red front.jpg (82297 bytes)  schenkel red back.jpg (70025 bytes)     cal schenkel spider front.jpg (80686 bytes)  cal schenkel spider.jpg (87064 bytes)
 
schenkel artwork.jpg (86536 bytes)     cal shenkel skeleton front.jpg (165419 bytes)  cal shenkel skeleton back.jpg (151852 bytes)
 
 
Cal Schenkel Artwerks
shirts sold on Cal's website in 1999-2000
 
 
 
 
This unique shirt was sold to benefit Frank's brother, Carl, when their mom died.  It was kindly donated to my collection by my friend, John Kaminski.
 

 

 

Shirts with unknown dates are below.  If you can help me label any of them, please e-mail me at kozmicdreams@ymail.com.

 
unknown pipco front.jpg (72074 bytes)  pipco back.jpg (76893 bytes)
Pipco promo shirt for "Lumpy Gravy" album
 
 

 

unknown toilet shirt front.jpg (90011 bytes)  unknown toilet shirt back.jpg (92831 bytes)
Zappa coming out of toilet
 
 
 
 
 
 
eat chain front.jpg (124246 bytes)
 
eat chain back.jpg (106981 bytes)
Eat Chain.  Anyone know what is actually meant by these words?---I know Zappa says this in a song about the people who won't stand up and participate, but what does it mean to eat chain?
 

 

chungas revenge front.jpg (129277 bytes)  chungas revenge back.jpg (92670 bytes)
Chunga's Revenge, donated to my collection by the generous Gina Kotz.
 
 
chungas front.jpg (147018 bytes)  chungas back.jpg (113253 bytes)
Chunga's Revenge version 2
 

 

lather front.jpg (129104 bytes)  lather back.jpg (131818 bytes)
Lather
 
 
 
 
phydeaux front.jpg (131526 bytes)  phydeaux back.jpg (126339 bytes)
Phydeaux Transit
(Phydeaux III is mentioned in Joe's Garage as being the name of the tour bus)

 

khaahx.jpg (142728 bytes)        khaahx nyc front copy.jpg (130161 bytes)  khaahx nyc back copy.jpg (126199 bytes)
Khaahx.  Cedric Kushner Productions.
I'm pretty sure these are related to Zappa---they were with a collection of Zappa shirts I bought.  Please e-mail me at kozmicdreams@ymail.com if you have any information about them.

 

 
unknown black portrait.jpg (102564 bytes)  unknown zappa portrait.jpg (94845 bytes)  unknown Christmas shirt.jpg (102186 bytes)
 
unknown red portrait.jpg (87480 bytes)  unknown caricature.jpg (155639 bytes)  orange shirt.jpg (150242 bytes) 
Misc. (graphics on front only)
 
 

 

I thought I'd also include these three Turtles shirts on this page.  Howard Kaylan was their original owner.

Over Australia, July 1976
 
 
 
 
Only American Tour 1979
 
 
 
Raiders of the Lost Rock Band
American Tour 1979

 

 

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