Disney Is Selling a Joy Division Mickey Mouse Shirt

c-one

c-one

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
http://www.pitchfork.com/news/45193-disney-is-selling-a-joy-division-mickey-mouse-shirt/

So I'm gonna guess that there aren't too many other Joy Division fans on this board... but! Isn't this just a completely strange thing? Nothing says family-friendly and pixie-dust like an incredibly dark and morbid post-punk band from the 70s...one whose singer just happened to have killed himself. Doesn't a bureaucratic corporation like Disney have layers of middle-managers who are supposed to catch this?

My guess: some merchandise manager saw an "Unknown Pleasures" shirt in his/her local Urban Outfitters shop, thought it would be a good way to make Mickey hip. Close enough, I guess.

I do wonder what's next: a Mickey Mouse shirt inspired by the cover of Nirvana's "Nevermind"? Maybe we can replace Aerosmith with the ______ Pistols on Rock n Roller Coaster?
 
MichelleMaBelle

MichelleMaBelle

Member
I saw that shirt over on Tumblr and got really excited. If I see it in the parks next month it will be mine! I've noticed that Disney has been reaching out to the "hip" audience a lot more lately, and I've liked most of the merchandise I've seen so I'm not going to complain!
 
Tigger1988

Tigger1988

Well-Known Member
If they're trying to be hip they failed. The shirt is being widely mocked across the internet. People are pointing out how out of touch Disney must be if they think Joy Division fits their image in any way.
 
Pan

Pan

Member
As a huge Joy Division fan, I find this very cool. However, my teenage daughter will correctly point out that I'm definately not hip.
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
They sell that shirt in the parks. My friend has one!

Tigger1988 said:
If they're trying to be hip they failed. The shirt is being widely mocked across the internet. People are pointing out how out of touch Disney must be if they think Joy Division fits their image in any way.
Click to expand...
Where?
 
Tigger1988

Tigger1988

Well-Known Member
It was a trending topic on Twitter this afternoon, people were less than complimentary. And if you google "Disney Joy Division" you'll find plenty of links on it.

I wonder if Disney knows where the name Joy Division even came from...
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
Haha. A lot of people seem to think it was greenlit by a clueless higher up. But they acknowledge that its "inspired by Joy Division" on the product page.
 
greebomusic

greebomusic

Well-Known Member
There is a Kraftwerk influenced Mickey shirt also!

http://www.disneystore.com/tees-clothes-men-computer-mickey-mouse-tee-for-adults/mp/1295652/1000228+1000764/

Heh, Disney removed the Kraftwerk influenced comment from the page overnight.

About time they started marketing to me directly! :lol:


For the people complaining about the Joy Division "ripoff" (as some claim it to be): "before you run off and complain about disney ripping off JOY DIVISION. know that the original art was in scientific american in 1971 and the used in the cambridge encyclopedia of astronomy where peter saville stole the art and used it for the joy division album cover. Plus Disney has been having goth day for years now. Mickey was into sorcery..."
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Tigger1988 said:
It was a trending topic on Twitter this afternoon, people were less than complimentary. And if you google "Disney Joy Division" you'll find plenty of links on it.

I wonder if Disney knows where the name Joy Division even came from...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately you will find people who do not like anything about everything that Disney does.

As a fan of JD's music AND Disney, I like it also.
 
Hoop Raeb

Hoop Raeb

Formerly known as...
I saw this in the park and wondered if it was truly Joy Division inspired or just a weird coincidence. Very strange shirt indeed. Need to pick one up now.
 
jonnyc

jonnyc

Well-Known Member
Joy Divison's second album certainly sums up my mood when forced to ride IASW, so maybe that is where the inspiration for the t-shirt came from.
 
c-one

c-one

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tom Morrow said:
Haha. A lot of people seem to think it was greenlit by a clueless higher up. But they acknowledge that its "inspired by Joy Division" on the product page.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying it's a ripoff. I'm just saying it's an odd choice. More like the clueless higher up -- said "Joy Division! A classic band with hipster cred! Perfect!" without actually understanding what Joy Division is, i.e. a very dark, depressing band with a singer who put his neck through a noose.

As much as I like Joy Division, I do think it's a bit crass to try to capitalize off of them this way. I felt the same way when I saw a shirt at Urban Outfitters that featured the original, unaltered album artwork.

Having said all that, if the Mouse wants to start bombarding me with Joy Division instead of trashy pop music, I'm all for it!
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
c-one said:
I'm not saying it's a ripoff. I'm just saying it's an odd choice. More like the clueless higher up -- said "Joy Division! A classic band with hipster cred! Perfect!" without actually understanding what Joy Division is, i.e. a very dark, depressing band with a singer who put his neck through a noose.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but Aerosmith's music is all about ______, but that didn't stop Disney from having them star in an attraction.

I do agree though that it was probably an attempt at hipster cred, the irony being that a corporation, especially Disney doing this is exactly what they would be against anyway.
 
M

MickeyPeace

Well-Known Member
Tom Morrow said:
Yeah, but Aerosmith's music is all about ______, but that didn't stop Disney from having them star in an attraction.

I do agree though that it was probably an attempt at hipster cred, the irony being that a corporation, especially Disney doing this is exactly what they would be against anyway.
Click to expand...

This is an odd choice of graphic and is most likely aimed at the hipster crowd but as you point out-Disney has made many odd decisions.

Aerosmith being one of them. Every time I hear "Love in an Elevator" on Rock and Roller Coster I wonder why families aren't running to guest relations to complain. Not exactly kosher.
Sorcery is being pushed in Disney's latest attraction. Not sure if that is a traditional family value.

The t shirt is meant to be tongue in cheek. I would wear one while singing about ______ in an elevator on a coaster and casting magic spells on evil villains.
 

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