By Joaquin Carcass
Patches are cool. Technically I’m in the patch club — however there is no battle vest to present. I wear patches on neckties. If you’re still reading, then this next paragraph will provide some historical context. Skip ahead past that to read about patches if you’d like.
Need All Exchange initially wanted and decided to incorporate a uniformed aesthetic. Our intention was a throwback to pay tribute to the old school rock n roll movement. Rock bands back in the day all dressed in matching attire. All of our band members dressed up wearing the same color shirt, tie and pants. Our first live performance was in Mexico, and at least one the attendees asked us if we were Mormons. I’m pretty sure someone yelled out “Mormons” during our set. So, I’m not saying we are or aren’t LDS affiliated, but it was funny nonetheless. That “gimmick” sort of fell out of style quickly with the other members.
I’ve fully embraced the business theme as my stage persona, and continue to play most indoor shows wearing the business look. I’ll change some of the color schemes, but usually I’ll wear a tie with a patch affixed. Wearing a necktie helps me get into business mode, because Need All Exchange is a serious band as far as the music goes.
I choose patches that represent the things that interest me. Most of the patched ties used have imagery or characters from anime or manga, however I also wear patched ties of other nerdy things, as well as the bands that I really enjoy. I’m a song guy, so it really means a lot if I’m wearing a band logo.
Finding the right patch can be struggle, mostly because it has to be a relatively small patch to fit on a tie. It should also be big enough to be recognizable. Here’s the part where I talk about patches that I don’t have on ties, such as Godflesh and Death. Those logos are too big, but there’s a CFH logo that looks promising. There are some patches that I’ve ordered recently online that are in shipment limbo, due to the current state of affairs. (The worldwide pandemic has been in effect for several months at the time of this writing.) On a brighter note, I’ve recently procured a perfect sized Poppy logo patch that I’ve been hunting down for over a year, and I am looking forward to the next live performance or scene appearance to wear it.
That’s it. I like wearing neckties with patches, and I hope everyone in the patch club enjoys their journey. I’m always looking for the perfect patches online, at shows, flea markets and record shops. I will continue to share my personal patch club status on all the socials for @joaquincarcass & @needallexchange.
🎤🐲🤙
*The worldwide pandemic has been in effect for several months at the time of this writing.
Enjoyed this opportunity, and hope to write more in the future!