The Loose Connections Recommender #11

On Merch, Meaning & Money

According to various studies, workers in live music take home lower average income and have higher rates of income made from secondary jobs than the rest of the economy. Obviously some people make a fantastic living from music, but many musicians are just getting by or not even getting close to getting by.

One of the best ways you can support your favourite artists is by purchasing their merch - especially direct from them. Many of you may be surprised to learn that all kinds of fees are taken from artist’s merch items - controversially, many venues will insist on taking a cut (I say shame on you!) - there are seller’s fees, taxes, shipping costs, excess baggage charges, on top of the wholesale production. A $30 t-shirt may only yield $5 profit to the artist.

I have a passion for great artist merch - to tick my boxes, it needs to have an element of uniqueness and meaning. Collectability, specificity or usefulness. And I love a pun! Devastated that Chaka Khan’s gourmet Chakalates are no longer available.

Shock value works. I would love a ‘Bettye Layette: She Will Fuck You Up’ t-shirt but they are all gone - however you can still buy a Bettye ‘Crying Hankie’ which is pretty clever too. Years ago I attempted a limited edition collection of homemade iron on teatowels that ended up being very shonky and a weird small size. They weren’t selling and I was out of pocket and disappointed. Homemade merch is time consuming and expensive! My enterprising and helpful friend Leesa managed to sell the lot by fashioning a cigarette girl style merch box and walking around the audience hand selling them as ‘Loene Carmen jizz rags’. Sometimes its the marketing that matters.

I do have a lovely new tea towel in my merchstore, very professionally printed, an excellent size, with a beautiful design featuring roses & butterflies to brighten up any kitchen and dry the finest dishes. Get yourself one here! I also have little original paintings in my store, cos I just like the personal touch. The excellent Musicology magazine has a feature on my artworks in their upcoming issue!

Lo Carmen tea towel

Also, check out the amazing Dawn & Noriko who matched my merch (and Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo’s beautiful looking record) at our show!

My recommendation today in my 11th Loose Connections Recommender is to check out what offerings your favourite musical artist has and consider stocking up on souvenirs or gifts, or just spreading the word - sharing really is caring!

I’ll be going down more merch holes in the future, just like I have in the past, and I’m always ready to compare merch notes with interested readers.

Here are some of my top picks for thoughtful merch this festive season - please do share any special finds you come across with me in the comments!

1.Richard Hawley music boxes & teatowels - I think a music box is quite possibly the perfect merch item; small, meaningful, very specific to the artist.

2. Margo Price - Mom Grass

Margo’s very own line of cannabis treats is a genius collaboration with Dad Grass. Beautiful packaging, thoughtful marketing (good for insomnia, period pains, stress etc). Ten out of ten. A collaboration of jams and joints tuning into the kaleidoscope of deeply personal elements that drive her latest album Strays. Done in the free-spirited key of Grass, of course, it’s got Mom Grass Packs and tins of Flower all wrapped up in special packaging…

3. Catherine Traicos - Hand knitted beanie & vinyl bundle

Any artist that hand knits their own merch wins my gold stamp of approval. Very cool and will keep you warm. Gorgeous album and beautifully knitted beanie.

4. Xylouris White - Raki/teacups

The incredible Jim White and George Xylouris have a small selection of very special handmade merchandise that ships direct from Greece to you, including salt from the Dead Sea, buttons, begleri (lovely decorative stress beads) and this set of 4 raki cups.

5. Robyn Hitchcock - polkadot bandana

Robyn Hitchcock always has impeccable merch - his book of lyrics Somewhere Apart, handwritten lyrics, the occasional painting or cheese knife set - and this classic polkadot bandana, modelled by his stylin’ cat Ringo.

Special shout to Dolly Parton’s fingerless Rockstar gloves for originality and sense of humour - Tim Tok has been going wild with theories about why Dolly is always rocking her fingerless gloves, including tattoos, scars and arthritis. Her stylist says ‘It’s just a woman thing’. Anyway, if you want to get your own Dolly gloves, now you can!

Be like Ronnie, and try some buy some. x