Haha, Super Cool

[Frank Giaramita]

Below is what Hot Topic had to say in response to MC Lars (www.myspace.com/mclars)' new song "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock".
Question: Are you aware of the MC Lars song that is out there called "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock" and if so, what are you going to do about it?

Answer: Yes we are aware of it, and we think it is pretty dang funny!!! In fact we have already contacted his manager and let him know that we are okay with it and that we are even going to buy the CD for the release on 3/21, they were suprised and very pleased!

When the CD comes out we are going to try it in about 200 stores and we thought it would be great to pull and end cap together in our stores with all the items that he is referring to in the song!!! If you haven't heard the song he has a huge list of all the items that he thinks is not punk rock, items like Tinkerbell pillowcases, Led Zeppelin air freshners, ICP throws, Misfits candle tins, etc... We are also thinking about doing an email blast featuring all the same items online along with this CD!

We feel we should be a little flattered that there is an entire song about us and that is is actually getting airplay in certain parts of the country. We have never defended ourselves as it relates to carrying punk in the mall, the fact that we are not going to "ban" him from our stores and take the typical "corporate" route makes a statement about our punk attitude in itself.

Submitted by: mylastnerv

[veronabryce]

haha, awesome.

[Kif]

Talk about milking a song in which they are humiliated.

[rmenteer14]

hot topic is owned by the same company that owns abercrombie and hollister, that just makes me laugh so hard, haha.

[nachoabalaffa]

i mean, i realize that it is cool to hate on hot topic and i dont even shop at this store personally, but i think they picked a good way to go with this. they chose to laugh at themselves and play along like the fat kid in grade school who chooses to poke fun at himself before the other kids do. hot topic could have gone down the other paths and either denied knowledge of the song or been bitter, but they turned the other cheek and supported the artist...kudos, ht! due to my approval of said actions taken by your company, i make you a promise that if i ever need some neon flamed floormats to trash-ify my car, i will go to you first.

joe

[TJ Wells]

"we have already contacted his manager and let him know that we are okay with it"

cause if they weren't ok with it, lars would get rid of the song from his album :)

[eldude9482]

CD's are way too expensive at Hot Topic. that's all I gots to say about it.

[TheNameIsJohnny]

hot topic is owned by the same company that owns abercrombie and hollister, that just makes me laugh so hard, haha.


This is not true.

[Melie]

i think i'll listen to this song.

[alexwohl29_90]

I'd never bash hot-topic


sure Bondage pants are a little ***gish,

but

they have some sweet shit in there(mainly band tee's.)

[AutomatorJosh]

So Lars tries to make a song bashing Hot Topic, naming names of some of the stupid products that they sell (some of which that shouldnt exist), and they are responding by advertising those stupid products more heavily.

The sad part is, those misfit candle tins and led zeppelin air fresheners will be huge in a few months. Because MC lars said they were stupid.

[Tony Pascarella]

Nice marketing strategy, actually. Someone doesn't have their head up their ass in the corporate meetings, I see.

[gregplaysdrums]

So Lars tries to make a song bashing Hot Topic, naming names of some of the stupid products that they sell (some of which that shouldnt exist), and they are responding by advertising those stupid products more heavily.

The sad part is, those misfit candle tins and led zeppelin air fresheners will be huge in a few months. Because MC lars said they were stupid.

exactly. Not only does the corporate giant laugh at the attempt of defamation, it also spits out more crap to its consumers lol

[DeadPoetic]

Way to make money.

[jawkneephighv]

What a bunch of retards. They get made fun of, so they carry it on? And then make money off of it? Well, I guess it's better than being sued.

[Frequency]

Bad publicity works.

[albatrossxivy]

I'd never bash hot-topic


sure Bondage pants are a little ***gish,

but

they have some sweet shit in there(mainly band tee's.)


sure if you like poser bands who 15 year old girls are into


if you want shirts go to a) a show b) online

its that simple.

[badstarsfall]

hot topic is owned by the same company that owns abercrombie and hollister, that just makes me laugh so hard, haha.

do you have some evidence of this? or are you just repeating something you overheard? this is untrue.

[thewebguy]

someone said they had sweet shirts, but most of them are pretty crappy. there are a few good ones usually but most seem like weak b-sides.

[TheNumberOneFan]

"we have already contacted his manager and let him know that we are okay with it"

cause if they weren't ok with it, lars would get rid of the song from his album :)


i think he would have to, wouldn't he?? That is, if Hot Topic was "not ok with it." For copywrite reasons, ect...?

[GreenDayIdiot]

if you buy a shirt from hot topic, there is always a good chance 435345342 people have that same shirt

[shermanology]

if you buy a shirt from hot topic, there is always a good chance 435345342 people have that same shirt
because god forbid you have something someone else has..

I for one love hot topic. I got the punchline cd for about 4 bucks (yes four!!) and the military discount they give is awesome. And actually, at least at my mall, hot topic has some of the cheapest cd prices around (sam goody over charges like nothing). Plus all the random comps for like 5 bucks? thats the best place to get birthday presents.

Now if you will excuse, I must go get the last Bob Marely poetry book to finish my collection.

[k0d1ak]

route makes a statement about our punk attitude in itself
reminds me of the Simpsons episodee where Homer and Marge try to say they are cool, and Lisa and Bart explain (kind of) how they are not.

[ohsweetirony]

hot topic has so much god damn money, they don't care about that shit. if i was super rich and married to some hot model girl, i wouldn't care if she fucked my friends cuz fuck, i'm rich and i can find another hot model girl.

[daaann mhmm]

hot topic and mc lars both suck

[PlaCracktheSky]

this whole thing is priceless

[Flags of Dawn]

they're actually owned by the same company as gap, banana republic, old navy, etc. At least according to a business class i took last year.

[Sureshot182]

hot topic is easily the grossest store around. i'm not bashing it, just my personal opinion.

[splitsecond]

Well, did Hot Topic ever claim to be punk? I dont ever remember seeing that ad. Id laugh at MC Lars too if I were them. Hell, I laugh at him now, and I don't even like Hot Topic.

[Awake&Dreaming]

the only thing thats funny is how they're still takin' everyones money

[-Aaron-]

I totally by bondage pants there. Oh lets not forget my pink X underoath shirt;)

[drink me alice]

wonderful.

i would totally have hot sex with whoever wrote that.

[mylastnerv]

wonderful.

i would totally have hot sex with whoever wrote that.

Um, I'm gonna need to see some pictures . . . hopefully of the "real" you. A valid photo I.D. (age verification). A Doctor's statement on your health records . . . . . .

then we'll work on that.

[recycledAIR]

Bad publicity works.

no such thing as bad publicity.

[shermanology]

I think people are totally missing Lars' point of the song. He isn't bashing Hot Topic itself, but the kids that think that by buyinh all of their clothes from Hot Topic they are being "punk rock" Punk (atleast to me) has always been about going against society's norms to do what you want to do. But when Hot Topic has you by the sack, and you think you can only be cool by shopping there, thats when the endless loop of contradiction begins.


In a totally unrelated statement, pretty much every hot topic whore I know is socially akward and would be made fun of regardless of their clothing choice.

[goddamngourd]

they chose to laugh at themselves and play along like the fat kid in grade school who chooses to poke fun at himself before the other kids do.

something about this comparison, put as positively as it was, just makes me feel really sad inside. not for hot topic. just for fat kids.

"good job fat kid, you'd better be funny, or we will all hate you."

i need to sleep more.

[DroppedUrPocket]

lol, I think Lars got pwnd.

Anyways, I don't mind Hot Topic. I've gotten some sweet ass stuff from there. The trick is to scour the clearence rack. I also caught a sale where the clearence rack was 50% off. I got some sweet stuff.

[mylastnerv]

Yeah, usually those extra 50% off sales come on the last weekend of each month :)

It's sweet cause you can usually pick up some cool band tee's for $5. That's how I got my new Thrice and Reggie shirts.

*oh, and as a note, pretty much all the shirts in HT are their cause the bands want them there. The designs and shirt has be approved by the band in order for us to carry them. If they have any problems with the design or whatever, they can send the shirt back, and they don't have to send it out until they are happy. So if you see a shitty shirt, don't blame us, the band thought it was cool. Maybe they just weren't trying so hard.*

[DroppedUrPocket]

Yeah, usually those extra 50% off sales come on the last weekend of each month :)

It's sweet cause you can usually pick up some cool band tee's for $5. That's how I got my new Thrice and Reggie shirts.

*oh, and as a note, pretty much all the shirts in HT are their cause the bands want them there. The designs and shirt has be approved by the band in order for us to carry them. If they have any problems with the design or whatever, they can send the shirt back, and they don't have to send it out until they are happy. So if you see a shitty shirt, don't blame us, the band thought it was cool. Maybe they just weren't trying so hard.*
I haven't bought a band shirt from there in a while, though I did get a Wonder Showzen shirt for like 4 bucks and a Nintendo shirt and $25 Family Guy action figures for $5.

[Jentheoptimist]

hot topic is owned by the same company that owns abercrombie and hollister, that just makes me laugh so hard, haha.
Disney doesn't own Abercrombie and Hollister. So they aren't owned by the same company. Mickey Mouse's likeness is nearly impossible to get or fuck with, (they sued a pre-school for painting it on their wall) so what makes you think they are gonna allow a fucking "punk store" to make a "punk rock mickey" they used to sell in reference to that one song. They sell alice in wonderland crap, peter pan, and various other disney owned products. What other store do you see "real" shit like that other then the disney store?

Edit: if you need iron clad proof check out the list of walt disney corp. subsidiaries.

[FightingFate]

I think people are totally missing Lars' point of the song. He isn't bashing Hot Topic itself, but the kids that think that by buyinh all of their clothes from Hot Topic they are being "punk rock" Punk (atleast to me) has always been about going against society's norms to do what you want to do. But when Hot Topic has you by the sack, and you think you can only be cool by shopping there, thats when the endless loop of contradiction begins.


In a totally unrelated statement, pretty much every hot topic whore I know is socially akward and would be made fun of regardless of their clothing choice.

Exactly, It's a shot at the kids that think shopping at Hot Topic makes them Punk Rock. Hot Topic never claimed To be a "Punk" store.

[TheGoodnightMoon]

they're actually owned by the same company as gap, banana republic, old navy, etc. At least according to a business class i took last year.


False, otherwise I'd be getting a discount there too.

[MonkeyBars]

I respected what they were saying and thought it was a good plan, but they lost all respect when they touted how "punk rock" they are for supporting him. Maybe it was a joke, but it fell flat for me.

[UndertheTELE]

I feel filthy if i have to walk into hot topic for one reason or another.

[Driveitthrough]

Public Relations, baby. Funny to think I go to school to learn how to release statements like that.

[badstarsfall]

I feel filthy if i have to walk into hot topic for one reason or another.

you'll never know how truly filthy it is until you work for them. i can say without the slightest exaggeration, that those were the most depressing ten months of my life. needless to say, they no longer get my business.

[sweetmik]

False, otherwise I'd be getting a discount there too.

They only give discounts to people from torrid, and thats it.

I used to work there. It's not punk rock, but it's a good store for clearance. Especially the extra 50% off stuff. That's all I buy if I buy stuff at all.

Plus they ordered 6000 of my shirt, so I don't really care if they're punk or not.

[sweetmik]

you'll never know how truly filthy it is until you work for them. i can say without the slightest exaggeration, that those were the most depressing ten months of my life. needless to say, they no longer get my business.

I know! They only care about sales! "Your not selling enough. Please try harder." So you do, you improve your sales, and they want more improvement.

I was working at an indie record store before that, and the enviornment was so different. I felt appreciated at my previous job, but at hot topic I felt like I was just there. That's probably my "problem" I guess, but i think deserved more than getting yelled at by some fat southern lady or a fourteen year old about how D.A.R.E. shirts shouldn't sold in our stores. ("Those never worked !" Irony is the point, bitch!)

[ClemTiger0408]

I honestly don't think Hot Topic is choosing to "laugh" at themselves. What I think they are doing is almost sarcastically fighting him. Honestly, I can see them selling MC Lars' album in Hot Topic. Wouldn't that be sort of ironic if the very place he sings and complains about sells his album? I think Hot Topic is almost trying to make a hypocrate out of MC Lars.

I could be way off, thats just the impression I got from their response. It seemed kind of insencere and sarcastic.

[thebestkylever]

stores can talk?

[DroppedUrPocket]

stores can talk?
The world may never know.

Are you from around Chicago?

[romantic rights]

hot topic is owned by the same company that owns abercrombie and hollister, that just makes me laugh so hard, haha.

actually they are owned by a company that owns banana republic, gap and old navy. Not abercrombie and hollister.

[Rock Cowboy]

Actually they are independently owned. They aren't owned by Disney, the Gap, Hollister, Abercrombie, or any of those stores...

Trust me.

[sell the sunris]

no offense, but Hot Topic is a retail store, of course they're concerned about sales! it is a business after all. not only that, but managers have to be concerned about numbers or else they get shit for corporate. indie shops don't have that going against them so they can afford a more personality based atmosphere. i've had both really great and soul crushingly bad experiences working with retail/corporate. i had the decimal point productivity checking b/c it often doesn't reflect upon the productivity of the employee.

I don't really think Hot Topic is being sarcastic towards Lars. As previously stated, Lars' song isn't meant to be an attack on the store.

[romantic rights]

Actually they are independently owned. They aren't owned by Disney, the Gap, Hollister, Abercrombie, or any of those stores...

Trust me.

trust you, some random kid. Or trust me, some random kid who happens to work at hot topic.... hmmm

[thebestkylever]

The world may never know.

Are you from around Chicago?

i'm from peoria, but i go to illinois state which is in normal. i'm about 2 hours south of chicago off 55.

[Rock Cowboy]

trust you, some random kid. Or trust me, some random kid who happens to work at hot topic.... hmmm

yes sir, you are correct.

[forumreader]

yes sir, you are correct.

but he still works at hot topic...

[Rock Cowboy]

but he still works at hot topic...

Yes sir, you are correct as well. And I love my job.

[romantic rights]

but he still works at hot topic...

does it make much of a difference if me or him work at hot topic? does that automatically make us "typical emo kids" and automatically mean we love all the kind of music that hot topic sells?

[DroppedUrPocket]

i'm from peoria, but i go to illinois state which is in normal. i'm about 2 hours south of chicago off 55.
Yeah, I know where Peoria is. I live right by Midway Airport.

So I trust you are going to get your ass up to the Beat Kitchen to see Say Anything on April 7th?

[thebestkylever]

Yeah, I know where Peoria is. I live right by Midway Airport.

So I trust you are going to get your ass up to the Beat Kitchen to see Say Anything on April 7th?

yes sir. and i plan on hoppin on the el at the station right by midway to take me there.

[avitabully]

I'd never bash hot-topic


sure Bondage pants are a little ***gish,

but

they have some sweet shit in there(mainly band tee's.)

Holy crap i was gonna make fun of you but your profile said you were born in 1990. They let people your age use the internet?!

[Russ Hockenbury]

I'm not sure if this has been said already, but what is extremely ironic ($$$) about this is that if MC Lars really was against Hot Topic he'd be against them carrying his cd in their stores. Thus, who's to say he was ever REALLY against Hot Topic.

Further, it's just an even sadder (depends on who you ask) comment that it really is about money with the majority of people...and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. The object of a career is to be successful, why not give yourself every opportunity for success.

Remember when Gabe from Midtown was supposedly sooooo against Hot Topic because they "ruined his scene" in New Jersey?

[lovenotwar_rx]

And when are they supposed to market this whole thing?
I honestly doubt it would boost sales.
But the whole idea funny but I'm not quite sure who to laugh at.

[mylastnerv]

I don't think Hot Topic is bad. I used to poke fun at it all the time. That's until I came back from tour and needed a job. Then I was really shocked at how awesome our store is.

I put on shows around here, and they totally work with my schedule so I can continue to do this. That's even with a keyholder position. They work with me so I can continue to do what I love. With our new Neighborhood Noise section, I get to carry all my friends' bands and sell them in our stores. It's cool. It helps alot of people out. This is a company where you get out of it what you put into it. I'm shooting for the regional music rep position hardcore.

*another note* Alk 3 did a song on a comp along time ago (actually, it was another band, with Matt Skiba doing the vocal chorus about buying stuff at Hot Topic) and we sell tons of Alk 3 merch. Matt Skiba may of layed those lines down, and said shit about all the kids getting their parents to buy them stuff from HT, but THEIR band had to approve us carrying their stuff in our stores. We have it there cause they want it there. I still love Alk3."

[artistntheamb]

hot topic is not owned by any conglomerate. it is its on company. how do i know this you might ask? because i worked there for a while a couple years ago between college and touring. lame i know, but not many places will let you have facial piercings or tattoos and arent jobs a a cook at mcdonalds.

the upper managment of the company is actually run really well and you can get in contact with anyone of the higher ups by email through the company computer system. i've had a lot of jobs that were owned by coperations, jobs like blockbuster who were untill recently under the viacom umbrella, and have no idea what the eff is going on with their customers. as dumb as 99% of the crap in hot topic is they know how to run a business.

i love how a lot of people on this site act like they're better than everyone else and like they've been how they are right now (whatever that might be) since they were born. new's flash: you weren't

[Ms.Jinx22]

actually they are owned by a company that owns banana republic, gap and old navy. Not abercrombie and hollister.

Trust me I've been with Gap Inc for 4 1/2 yrs and can tell you that in no way shape or form does Gap Inc own Hot Topic and Torrid, Otherwise I would have transferred to Torrid when they opened a store in my hometown instead of working at the Old Navy Distribution Center.

[KidLightning]

Yeah, I know where Peoria is. I live right by Midway Airport.

So I trust you are going to get your ass up to the Beat Kitchen to see Say Anything on April 7th?
i'll be there...and i have an extra ticket if anyone needs one...

[LPMagic]

We're finally getting a Hot Topic in our mall. It's all about the band t-shirts, I don't care what else they sell in there.

[DroppedUrPocket]

yes sir. and i plan on hoppin on the el at the station right by midway to take me there.
Awesome. I will see you there.

[DroppedUrPocket]

i'll be there...and i have an extra ticket if anyone needs one...
I will see you there as well.

Not that I know what either of you look like...

But I will be there.

I will also be at all three Alkaline Trio shows.

[KidLightning]

I will also be at all three Alkaline Trio shows.
I want to go to any or all of those but they're right smack dab in the middle of my finals, so alas i can't...man to still be an undergrad student when i didn't give a fuck about finals, but here they're my only grade and thus kind of important :(

[DroppedUrPocket]

I want to go to any or all of those but they're right smack dab in the middle of my finals, so alas i can't...man to still be an undergrad student when i didn't give a fuck about finals, but here they're my only grade and thus kind of important :(
Man, that sucks so bad.

I would probably go to at least one anyways. Haha.

[thebestkylever]

Awesome. I will see you there.

it's gona be a party. are the alkaline trio shows sold out yet?

[KidLightning]

Man, that sucks so bad.

I would probably go to at least one anyways. Haha.
i've thought long and hard about it and i still might, but i have seen them a bunch of times already and i really need to get straight A's or else i lose my scholarship and then no more school and then i'm a bum for the rest of my life so...priorities...fuck i'm getting old...

[DroppedUrPocket]

i've thought long and hard about it and i still might, but i have seen them a bunch of times already and i really need to get straight A's or else i lose my scholarship and then no more school and then i'm a bum for the rest of my life so...priorities...fuck i'm getting old...
Man, that's fucking rough.

[DroppedUrPocket]

it's gona be a party. are the alkaline trio shows sold out yet?
The first two are, I believe, hence they added the third show.

[KidLightning]

Man, that's fucking rough.
yeah, no shit...here's a little life lesson...never go to law school, it will eat your soul and then vomit it up and make you eat it...

it is the devil.

[thebestkylever]

The first two are, I believe, hence they added the third show.

i better get on that then. thanks for the info.

[Shatter_Glass]

What's wrong with America.....

[justanact]

Oh man, Hot Topic is so awesome. They're such a great representation of a social movement! If it weren't for them, I'd never be punk! hooray!

but seriously...for a moment there, I thought they were gonna say that they never said they were a representation for punk. But of course they didn't, which isn't surprising, because then they would lose money. I'm done with the hate and disgust for hot topic. I just choose to ignore them and not shop there.

[Kyner]

Excellent route to take.

[Oeightyfour]

They are only okay with it cause they know it will sell.
The record is good so kids will want it so if they carry it, they get more money.

Hot Topic is a joke.

<3

[A picasso blue]

CD's are way too expensive at Hot Topic. that's all I gots to say about it.
i was not aware that Hot Topic sold CDS. the two around me don't

[jeweltosparkle]

sure if you like poser bands who 15 year old girls are into


if you want shirts go to a) a show b) online

its that simple.


a) I would hardly call bands like Slayer or Iron Maiden poser bands
b) I don't know many 15 yr. old girls who go to Hot Topic to buy those bands shirts ;)

[Take Heart]

This is not true.


No, they're not owned by Abercrombie, they ARE owned by the company that owns Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, etc.

[Rock Cowboy]

No, they're not owned by Abercrombie, they ARE owned by the company that owns Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, etc.

Read the rest of the thread. You'll see that you are very wrong.

[CorporateFish]

Nice marketing strategy, actually. Someone doesn't have their head up their ass in the corporate meetings, I see.
No lie.

[XpunkXroutineX]

Burn down Hot Topic! And the Warped Tour! Seriously, who needs them anyway? It's just bullshit consumerism.

[unholy_amanda]

It's only humiliation if you choose to suffer. I happen to like Hot Topic.

[garlicgirl1210]

*another note* Alk 3 did a song on a comp along time ago (actually, it was another band, with Matt Skiba doing the vocal chorus about buying stuff at Hot Topic) and we sell tons of Alk 3 merch. Matt Skiba may of layed those lines down, and said shit about all the kids getting their parents to buy them stuff from HT, but THEIR band had to approve us carrying their stuff in our stores. We have it there cause they want it there. I still love Alk3." pop punk band....avoid one thing w/matt skiba on the 2003 warped tour comp.
i like that song....makes me laugh: prepackaged punk conformity


also, there is a HOT TOPIC ROCK at ontario mills here in california and they just sell music. there is still a regular hot topic though....but they sell the random shit that mclars talks about... you know, the stuff that people buy to have in order to 'prove' they are punk.

that mc lars song is pretty sweet.