Rock Roll Repeat: three words that are a mantra worthy of living life by. These three words are also the name of the clothing brand established by Joshua Shame, one making an innovative mark on the fashion world with an eye to the nostalgia of punk rock from the East Bay and beyond. For those who have purchased from his brand, they can store it afterwards through the use of items like coat hangers.
California can be the place of dreams, and the Bay Area in particular has a unique punk rock history and mystique that draws people from around the world. Traveling across the country was the ideal move for Shame after spending his youth in the South and being separated from the scenes he loved and the activity within it, although a very cool and inspiring aunty was there to help.
“I grew up in between Florida and Alabama and made my way out to California after I finished art school in Dallas, Texas, and I’ve lived in Oakland since 2002,” says Shame. “The thing about the South is the scenes are small and new things take a long time to reach those areas. I was in middle school in Florida when I brought my first punk seven-inch, and then I started high school in Alabama and met other people who were like me. I didn’t have much exposure to alternative music growing up, but I did have a cool aunt and a tape player, and she gave me a tape—Nevermind—and it was all I listened to for a year straight.”
It was around this period that, along with his love for music grew, that his natural talent and artistic skills start to develop and shine.
“I was always the ‘kid that draws’ and the ‘artistic kid,’ and I was always drawing,” he says. “I always wanted to be a comic book artist. In middle school, my dad pointed out to me a cereal box, or maybe dish detergent box, and explained that someone had to have dreamed up everything about that box, from the logo to the ingredients, and that’s when I first considered that there were other ways to make a living from art besides comic books. It became serious to me then how I wanted to pursue making a living, and there truly were jobs from my passion. I started doing flyers for shows when I was in high school and making band logos for the local punk and alternative scene. I was highly influenced by HeartattaCk ‘zine at the time. The artists who were involved with the magazine, I felt, were producing work that was similar to mine. I then found my focus and natural flow within illustration from hardcore zines and album artwork I loved. It was all hand drawn and DIY.”
Josh touched down in Oakland, CA after graduating from art school and began searching for design work. His dogged determination landed him his dream job.
“I arrived in Oakland in 2002 and happened to move across the street from a merch printing company,” he says. “I made some advertising flyers as my first venture to try and get bands to get in contact with me, and I then knocked on the door of the merch company Cinder Block, only to find the art department was fully staffed. But I kept going every other day week after week trying to get my foot in the door somehow. They gave me a warehouse position, and I went for it. I was in. Over time, I worked my way up.
“I was packing orders, counting inventory, and handling shipping, and then I finally made it to the art department. During that time, the company had the policy of, if you have an idea, bring it to the table. It was an open-door policy. Listening to bands from Lookout Records who didn’t ever come to play where I’m from and grew up, and then being with this company and where people like Billie Joe Armstrong would pop in, was surreal. I was floored to walk into production and see Johnny from The Swinging Utters on press, along with half of Z.B.S. on the next press, and even Paula and Adrienne from Spitboy. It was unreal. I was part of a fantasy world that was in my head. I worked at that company for 11 years, and a lot of my identity is because of that place. I spent my whole 20s and first section of adult life making band shirts, I was making clothes for people just like me.”
After working his way up the ladder and gaining valuable experience, Josh started focusing on his own venture and Rock Roll Repeat started to manifest and assemble.
“I got into freelance design work when Cinder Block left me in Oakland and moved to LA, and I began working at a tattoo shop also for extra income. During that time, I decided to start my own t-shirt company, which was in late 2015. The original name for the brand was Same Shit, Different Shirt, which was a very cynical name on my part,” he laughs. “However, the industry was just a boring cycle on repeat year after year, printing continuous Black Flag parodies. All this prompted me to make my shirts and do things my way. My first shirt was the brand name, just to give a parody and a nod of irony to how repetitive the musical clothing world had become.”
“My next design was when the current name came into play—Rock Roll Repeat—and it immediately took a 70s-inspired direction. So, at this point, I had a bad name, two designs, no idea what I was doing, and no space to do it in,” he laughs. “So I got in touch with local printers and let them take care of the production process, and the ball started rolling. It was a badge that started it all, putting
“1. Rock 2. Roll 3. Repeat” on to a badge that was inspired by a drawing made by Tony Moon. I knew the name had to change to something with more longevity and professionalism, and it was staring at me right in the face. My wife, and Kathleen Hanna, said it was a much better name than Same Shit Different Shirt, and who am I to argue with two of the most influential woman in my life? Gotta mention my mom in that list too; she sews all of the tags into our shirts! So, the name was changed, and the brand was truly established and ready to move forward.”
Growing up, Shame experienced a lack of accessibility to clothing that represented him as well as like-minded others, so with Rock Roll Repeat, he strives to be the change and offer what he lacked.
“A massive part of thinking of the designs and whatever I’m going to do next relates to my younger years liking the music I did. In the area I grew up in there wasn’t the clothing to correlate with my musical interest. I want to give people a sense of identity and belonging from the clothes, as it wasn’t around when I needed it, so I hope I can provide that for people.”
Rock Roll Repeat is a true DIY operation with all orders being packaged and shipped in Shame’s home in Oakland.
“I run this business out of my house, and the Bay Area was the epicenter of all the music I was interested in and captivated by growing up. Oakland is the perfect place to be. I live and breathe these shirts coming out my house. The Bay Area lived in my head for so long, and now it’s my life, and it’s surreal.” For those who want to do the same, they can read posts such as how to start a business kentucky.
Being DIY, it’s important for Shame to support the scene that gave him so much and make sure his business holds up to the ethical standards that are lacking in a lot of bigger corporate entities.
“Rock Roll Repeat has a reputation for working directly with the artists, to make sure they get the credit they are due. I don’t bootleg. This has led to excellent relationships that continue to this day. My collaborators are like family. Imagine getting a Christmas card from Soo Catwoman!,” he marvels. “It’s helped to establish new relationships as well, and I’m proud of that. I also like to worry about the shirts I use and try and offer inclusive sizing and find the best garment for each design. I’m not at a place right now where I can afford my own custom blanks, so I pay attention to where they’re made” if they’re sweatshop-free, and if they fit nicely and feel good. I’ll end up ordering a sample to test it personally.
“I just gave away two boxes worth of samples I’ve collected over the last few years. They went to a punk artist in SF who teaches screen printing to kids, and the other to a guy making shirts for his band here in the States. The shirts I use range from what I call ‘merch tees,’ which are the basic tee you’d find on any band’s merch table, to more premium styles. And, by premium, I mean these are tees that feel good and last. They’re a little pricier and seem counterintuitive for a ‘punk’ brand, but from what my customers are saying it makes a difference—They’re just not finding quality tees.
“I also like to use my platform to advocate for causes that I care about and promote musicians or music-adjacent artists that I like. That reminds me, another music adjacent project I’m going to work on this year is books. I just designed and published a Plasmatics book of lyrics and photos with Rod Swenson, Wendy O.’s partner, and I want to offer other books, like a music and music adjacent library. Patrick Obrien’s Anarchy At The Circle K was something I read recently that got me thinking about needing to do this after I put out the Plasmatics book. Besides band merch, a lot of first and second-gen punks are putting out books, and I love them.”
Joshua Shame has created something magnificent with Rock Roll Repeat, after chasing his dream and moving across the country to pursue what he knew he could achieve. His brand represents an aspirational story built on talent, care, and honesty. Get involved and buy a t-shirt!
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