The the earliest Aphex Twin shirts in existence, produced to promote Richard’s debut studio album. Printed in extremely limited quantities, only a handful of authentic examples have ever surfaced online. The rumoured production run is around 50 shirts, according to R&S Records founder Renaat Vandepapeliere, although I’m not convinced that figure is entirely accurate. This example was purchased in a record shops in the UK, circa 1992.

Held at the London Astoria on December 3rd 1989, the Sub Pop showcase brought together three of the label’s Seattle bands. Nirvana opened the night, bringing their first European tour in support of Bleach to an end. After weeks of playing small clubs across Europe, the Astoria was a considerable step up and was their biggest show at the time. The event came at a pivotal moment for the Seattle scene, with Sub Pop deliberately showcasing its bands to a British audience just as interest in the region’s music was beginning to grow. The show helped establish Nirvana in the UK well before the wider mainstream success that would follow a few years later with Nevermind. The shirt was sold exclusively at this concert, alongside a hoodie variant. With approximately 2,000 people attending the show, surviving examples are extremely scarce. More than three decades later, it remains an important piece of early Sub Pop and Nirvana history.