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It's one of the craziest weeks in music (and tech, and drinking, and everything else) as the annual South by Southwest festival goes on in Austin, Texas. As part of the week, our friends at Nice Kicks have hooked up with Vans to open "Vulcanized Vinyl," a combination record-sneaker shop that sounds like our wildest dream and our wallets's worst nightmare. Along with other Vans fare, Vulcanized Vinyl will be selling limited quantities of previous rock and roll band shoes Vans did in years past (check the VV link for a release schedule). Which led us to wonder what exactly the best Vans band tributes were? Click through for The 10 Coolest Vans Rock and Roll Sneakers of All Time.
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10. Vans Old Skool
Band: The Descendents
Year Released: 2006
When Milo went to college, he probably wore Vans. The pack also included an Era done up in the same color scheme. A punk band from Manhattan Beach, Calif., the Descendents originally formed in 1978, and despite several breakups, lineup changes — and Milo actually going to college — are still going strong.
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9. Vans Sk8-Hi
Band: Pearl Jam
Year Released: 2011
Created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pearl Jam's classic album "Ten," these flannel plaid Sk8-His were one of two pairs of Vans celebrating the seminal grunge band. (The others were yellow and green canvas, the colors of the late, lamented Seattle SuperSonics.) Perfect tribute.
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8. Vans Slip-On
Band: KISS
Year Released: 2009
Vans released no shortage of shoes to commemorate various KISS albums, mostly in packs of Sk8-His and Slip-Ons. These Rock and Roll Over Slip-Ons, featuring the album cover spread over both toeboxes, as well as on the heels, was the best of the bunch. Gene Simmons just likes the checks.
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7. Vans Sk8-Hi
Band: Bad Religion
Year Released: 2005
Ripstop nylon and metal eyelets made these Sk8-His unique even before factoring in all the Bad Religion branding. The x-ed out cross logo on the heels might not go over well in the Bible Belt (or, say, at school), but that's rock and roll for you.
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6. Vans Sk8-Hi
Band: Slayer
Year Released: 2009
The Vulcanized Vinyl re-release was an all-black tumbled leather Old Skool with blood-splattered midsoles, but we prefer the war eagle Sk8-Highs as the shoe that best paid tribute to the metal gods.
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5. Vans Geoff Rowley Pro Model
Band: Mötörhead
Year Released: 2008
All black nubuck with subtle Mötörhead branding on the tongue and heel — perfect. And so appropos that the performance shoe of a British pro skater was the base of a tribute to the seminal British rock and roll band. Because Mötörhead won't stop performing until they're dead.
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4. Vans Sk8-Hi
Band: Iron Maiden
Year Released: 2008
Like KISS, Iron Maiden received a plethora of models, featuring the best of Derek Riggs's signature "Eddie" artwork. The Killers models were great, as were the Trooper versions that re-released, but our favorite is the Powerslave Sk8-Hi, done up with that blue suede toebox.
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3. Supreme x Vans Sk8-Hi
Band: Bad Brains
Year Released: 2008
Leave it to Supreme to best pay homage to the premier New York hardcore band (or at least the fastest). The Rastafari trio featured the "Banned in D.C."/ROIR artwork on the tongue, and "COPTIC TIMES" (the first track from 1983's Rock For Light) across the heels.
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2. Vans Rowley Style 99
Band: Sex Pistols
Year Released: 2010
We're guessing Malcolm McLaren, that original rock and roll stylist and raconteur, would love these. Echoing the garish colors of the Sex Pistols's first LP perfectly, these Style 99s are amazing. Geoff Rowley gets all the good stuff.
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1. Vans Era
Band: Suicidal Tendencies
Year Released: 2010
Yeah, fine, they're just a pair of blue Eras. But that's just because you can't see the huge SUICIDAL TENDENCIES embroidery on the heels and the classic L.A.-style artwork on the insoles. (Here you go.) Lead singer Mike Muir likely grew up wearing blue Eras, given his omnipresent blue bandana, and the fact that his older brother Jim was one of the O.G. Dogtown skaters. The best.
