Happy Thanksgiving: A Low-Key Merch Drop
As we approach the end of our first year, I wanted to mark the occasion with a physical touch—and a thank-you exclusive for paid subscribers.
Thanksgiving week is upon us and I’m not a psychopath so I will not be publishing an interview on Thanksgiving Day. (Heads up: I’ll be taking a similar breather around Christmas.) Our regular publishing schedule will resume next week, so I hope you’ll take the time to spend your Thursday with friends and family and use the occasion to reflect on the year with gratitude. (If you need to catch up, of course, the archives are always here.)
I, for one, have a lot to be thankful for this year. When 2023 began I had no idea that I’d be able to rebuild a new version of Anti-Matter and a community of thousands of readers in only four months. And I certainly did not expect to be the subject of a glowing feature in Pitchfork. But more crucially, to the paid subscribers who are showing active support and truly keeping this project alive, I cannot thank you enough. And the more our paid subscriber roll increases, the more time I can dedicate to bringing other Anti-Matter initiatives into the world—including a revised and expanded second edition of the Anti-Matter book and (fingers crossed) a potential reissue of the Anti-Matter compilation album. I’m excited to get there in 2024.
In the meantime, I wanted to mark the end of this year with some sort of physical representation of what we’re doing here. (I admit that I’m “old school” and I still like things I can touch.) So for the first time since 1995, and for ten days only, I am putting up a selection of Anti-Matter t-shirts, crewnecks, and hoodies. Presale will be open from today (November 19) until the end of Tuesday November 28, after which the shop will close, and all merchandise will be made to order and delivered to your home. Any proceeds from this drop will continue to sustain my ability to invest the time and effort I need to provide quality contemplation and hardcore conversation, week in and week out—and this is truly a labor of love.
This collection was designed by the incredible Jesse Reed, who is also the artist behind Anti-Matter’s 21st century visual identity. It really conveys the tone and the aesthetic of what the zine might have looked like today, and I love it so much. I wanted to thank him, too.
Finally, I wanted to give a special thanks to paid subscribers with an exclusive t-shirt design just for you. After the fold, paid subscribers will find a password you can use to purchase this exclusive “We believe that hardcore is more than music” design, as well as a discount code that will also give you an extra 15% off the entire drop. (If you’ve been on the fence about going paid for a while, now is a good time!) For real, you’re all amazing and I am working on more incentives and perks to show my appreciation for your continued support.
I’ll be back here next Sunday with the latest edition of AM Radio, but until then, have an incredible holiday week and I hope you’ll accept my sincere thanks for allowing me into your inbox every week.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends. x
Norman