Ratboy on the Youth Of Today "Josh says MOSH!" t-shirt

Original Youth Of Today - "Josh Says Mosh" shirt

If you look through enough old HC photos circa 1985-1989, you may end up eventually seeing a very strange Youth Of Today shirt that has a never before used handwritten Youth Of Today logo, and some strange art basically featuring a moshing bodybuilder cartoon character literally breaking down the walls. It actually even says "MOSH" on it..."Josh says MOSH" to be exact. On paper, this is perhaps the greatest t-shirt ever. The actual execution is a little strange and juvenile, but it's still pretty much awesome, and the first real Youth Of Today shirt.

Sources have led us to decipher that CTHC legend Ratboy, real name John Hancock (yes, real name), was the one behind this artwork. You may also be aware that he wrote some early YOT lyrics, as well as Straight Edge Revenge, which will be a later topic. For now, enjoy some of the backstory and I will allow Tim to discuss his ownership of the original shirt. But first, here's what Ratboy had to say… MOSH!!!!! -Gordo DCXX


"Josh Says Mosh" came from a flyer that I made for an AF/ YOT show at a VFW someplace. The dude in the art was holding a globe on his back Atlas style, or was he pulling a Y apart like he was behind bars, I can't remember which one it was. Anyhow, Ray liked it and asked me to make something for a t-shirt that he could give as a gift to one of CTHC's most prominent but perhaps at the time under appreciated characters, Mr. Jeff "Spaz" Coleman.

Jeff I believe had just started the band Seizure, it was his birthday, and I was MORE than happy to help Ray support Spaz. To me, Spaz always did, and still does embody what HC or Punk Rock was and what it should mean to be HC or Punk Rock. I'm pretty sure Jeff wasn't Straight Edge and technically neither was I, but what both Ray and I recognized was Jeff's deep sense of honor, devotion, and undying enthusiasm for the scene as true hearted, and it mattered not if he had an X on his hand.

I don't think I ever saw the shirt or know if Jeff even liked it, as I was jumping back and forth to LA/SF to live with a couple Pro Skaters, regularly sending photos and gig reports back to Jim Spad for the Connecticut Underground Dispatch (CUD).

It was a complete shock for me to only recently find out that there was more than one shirt even made. I was even more surprised to find out that lyrics which I had written had gone on to become Youth Crew, Straight Edge Revenge, and We Just Might. We will get back to that later. - With peace, John Hancock


Steve Reddy rocks the YOT "Josh Says Mosh" shirt in front of CBGB, NYC, photo from: Making A Scene

I remember the first time I saw the Youth Of Today "Josh Says Mosh" shirt, it was in the New York Hardcore book, "Making A Scene". There's a photo of Steve Reddy (Wolf Pack/Equal Vision Records) wearing it, hanging out in front of CBGB's with an X'ed up Tommy Carroll of Straight Ahead. That was really the only time I'd seen it until coming across a photo that Tom from Significant Records took of Drew from BOLD wearing it during a BOLD set at the Safari Club in Washington, DC, 1989. Aside from seeing those two photos, I'd never seen one in person, that was until a friend of mine tracked one down on eBay a few years ago.

So, said friend couldn't resist the power of "Josh" and fell prey to an impulse purchase and spent more money than he really could afford. In turn, said friend came to me, knowing that I was a huge YOT fan and avid collector of all things YOT, shirts included, and asked if I'd be down to buy it from him. After going back and forth we settled on a deal and "Josh" moshed on into my collection.

Now after two years of owning the shirt myself, I myself have decided to sell it. Part of the reason I'm selling it is because I've never worn it. As cool and rare as this shirt is and as great of condition that it is in, right now I could really use the money. I figure considering that I've never worn the shirt and have kept it folded up in the exact clear plastic bag that my friend received it in, I might as well unload. As they say on eBay, my loss, your gain. It's time for Josh to mosh himself right into someone else's collection! -Tim DCXX

Check out the eBay auction here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200488795981&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1154


Drew busts out the sleeveless "Josh" shirt with BOLD at the Safari Club, DC, Photo: Tom Significant