Alkaline Trio Designs Shoe for Nike

If you have a new album coming out, what’s the best way to promote it? Viral marketing? Cool videos? Big tour? New pair of Nike shoes? Wait, new shoes?!?!?

Well, it seems that Alkaline Trio thinks the last one is a good idea. The band is releasing a pair of kicks it designed for the swoosh. And making its major-label debut. Alkaline Trio has taken “selling out” to a whole new level.

I can’t wait to get my A3 cereal and A3 action figures. It’s only a matter of time. There’s a video of the band talking about it after the jump.

Written by Sean Cannon

> Music | 10:00 am

35 Responses to “Alkaline Trio Designs Shoe for Nike”

On 06/19/08 12:32 PM, sir jorge said:

that is the epitome of selling out.
On 06/19/08 2:09 PM, Joe said:

it’s funny, Slayer, AFI and Social Distortion all had various shoes with Vans….and they sold in Hot Topic no less……basically just nike and Alkaline doing what’s already been done…(not that band shoes should have ever been made)
On 06/19/08 3:14 PM, Joe said:

almost forgot…nike did a shoe in honor of the melvins…not nearly as blatant as this shoe and a way better band but yeah……
On 06/19/08 4:01 PM, Greg Slattery said:

I have mixed emotions about it but if they are cool kicks and their new CD is good then I’m cool with it
On 06/19/08 4:22 PM, Jay DiNitto said:

ZOMG SELLOUTZ@!!111
On 06/19/08 8:22 PM, Sergio said:

Joe, I’m wearing those Social D Vans RIGHT now. I’ve had these things for yeeeeeeears.
On 06/19/08 11:35 PM, Tim O. said:

*bangs a drum and blasts a trumpet* ALKALINE TRIO SUPPORTS SWEATSHOPS!!! HEAR YE!!! HEAR YE!!!

(P.S. Black, white, and red. Didn’t see that coming.)
On 06/20/08 12:04 PM, rojasdied said:

eh, so they opted for Nike for Vans..big whoop..wanna fight about it?
On 06/20/08 3:27 PM, Joe said:

Yes I do, see you out back at 7pm…no hand grenades…
On 06/22/08 4:00 PM, Ender13 said:

Don’t act like you wouldn’t create shoes if you had the chance to. I’ve been listening to Alk3 forever and their music is still fuckin great!
On 06/22/08 10:24 PM, Cardenio said:

… I wouldn’t design a shoe if I got the chance to. Haha, like that’s a goal in life or something. kids…
On 06/24/08 4:01 PM, Almack’s Dance Hall * » Blog Archive » Redbull & Adderall: Your Afternoon Pick-Me-Up said:

[...] has images of Alkaline Trio’s new shoe designs for Nike. They’re very Alkaline Trio-ish. Tags: after the jump, alkaline trio, bronx, coldplay, creep, cure, cute is what we aim for, lily [...]
On 06/25/08 7:34 PM, Tyler said:

I doubt this was really the ALK3 guys’ idea. Nike probably approached them with it, and they said yes. Besides, it’s not that much different than bands putting their names on clothing.
On 06/27/08 11:36 PM, tino said:

oh, no! marketing >.<

is punk dead?
On 06/28/08 6:05 PM, Kevin said:

Just got back from Jack’s and they said Alkaline Trio is playing a free concert 6/29/08 at the Huntington Beach store.
On 06/28/08 11:30 PM, christopher szopko said:

whatever happened to the days of patches, pins, and t-shirts? i don’t think that slayer, afi, or any other band are better than alkaline trio because they sold out to vans…they ALL went corporate. let’s take a second to realize what it’s really about…THE MUSIC, not the merch.
On 06/29/08 11:16 PM, John said:

1. alkaline is not selling out by doing this

2. the band FLOPS.
On 07/1/08 4:33 PM, Doug said:

They played an acoustic set on the 29th of June at Jack’s in Huntington Beach. After they had a meet and greet. Signed my shoes got to shoot the sh*t with them….Very cool guys. Very fan friendly!
On 07/2/08 4:21 AM, Katie said:

Is it a bad thing I like the style? lol
On 07/5/08 10:51 PM, bakerblake said:

yo i think their prtty sweet.
sure alkie is sellin out a litte, ill admit, i hate to say it but ill admit, but you know what ive been listening to them for years and they still sound good. dont get me wrong goddamnit is unbeatable but still.
ohhh btw does anyone know how much these are supposed to cost?
On 07/24/08 7:04 AM, Nike said:

Do someone know if they are playing during the summer again?
On 08/4/08 2:03 PM, christopher szopko said:

i guess this makes me an anachronism. as a musician, i understand the joy you can get from playing the music you love and selling some swag to fans…but i still think some items are borderline franchise. when i’m not playing shows, i work as a gopher…i work primarily in the art department, but i’ve worked enough in shipping and sales to understand how it works. the corporate reps at nike, vans, etc…they aren’t giving these bands shoe deals because they love their music…they are doing it because it sells. nike for the past several years has been trying to break into the skate department, but without any backing from the skate scene, they didn’t do so well. now that they have signed a deal with alkaline trio, skaters, punks, goths, and all other alternative kids will be stopping by and checking out nike’s newest shipment. it’s all a marketing plot. big business is about selling out and product placement. if you really like a band or artist, do them a favor…only buy stuff at their shows and tell them how you feel about their music. trust me, sporting the newest belt buckle, tennis shoe, or wrist band doesn’t mean you like the band…it means you value status symbols more than the band.
On 08/4/08 2:11 PM, Jay DiNitto said:

Good god…an awful crust punk band setting up their merch table is “selling out and product placement.” It doesn’t matter if it’s big scary men in suits or a garage band. When are we going to get off of this?
On 08/4/08 10:34 PM, Katie said:

I wouldn’t say they’re selling out. The band itself just doesn’t suit my tastes, but I must say I do like the shoes.
On 12/24/08 11:56 AM, Twig said:

What? So t-shirts are fine but shoes aren’t?

Seems a bit strange if you ask me that a band can sell hoods, shirts, posters, but as soon as it’s something like shoes everyone calls it ’selling out’?

Lay off of them, they’re only making a living!
On 12/24/08 12:00 PM, rojas said:

yeah for twig..thanks for commenting 4 months later!
On 01/8/09 12:42 PM, dani said:

THIS BAND IS FUCKING GAY ANYWAYS.. WHO CARES?
On 01/11/09 6:26 PM, emma watts said:

most of you people just don’t get it.
1. just because you don’t like something, don’t call it gay…you’ve just forever soiled your name for this and every other generation to follow.
2. it’s not about selling shirts or shoes, it’s about letting the industry take over, it’s about letting your music take second stage to product, and most importantly proving companies like nike and mtv right.

i guess it is true…music doens’t sell.
that’s why mtv stopped playing music videos and that’s why bands had to start whoring themselves to the corporate fatcats. you people say that you care about music, but you don’t…you only care about scene cred and fashion. having the newest “alk3″ shoes isn’t about supporting your favorite band…it’s about being the 1st kid on your block wearing the newest nike’s.
On 01/11/09 9:23 PM, Jay DiNitto said:

It’s just sneakers.

It will be okay. Just take a deep breath.
On 01/11/09 10:41 PM, emma watts said:

there’s no point. it seems you people just want to kick back in your “la-z-boy” recliners, sip your “bud’s” and watch whatever “fox” shoves down your throat. i know what you’re thinking…”alright bitch, this post is about sneakers…” i know this and honestly, i’m just trying to open your eyes to the big picture. if we sit idly by and buy into shit like this then pretty soon music will become nothing more than something you hear in the background of “the hills” or the latest pepsi commercial.

but like i said, i guess music takes back seat to fashion, scene cred, and good old american comfort.
On 02/24/09 9:41 PM, xitx said:

ya’ll are crazy. They are a great band now they’ve got some extra cash in their pockets and you’re gonna call em sell outs? Whoever said they were against it? They could have a pay per view disney special on tomorrow and i would pre order it. Just because i dont give 2 shits about what you have to say and neither do they. Dont burn your mouth on that half cooked hot pocket that mom picked up for ya
On 02/25/09 9:25 AM, emma watts said:

half cooked hot pocket? i’m not quite sure where you picked that up from, but obviously no one gets it. all i’m saying is, what happened to the good old days when it was about music, not about advertising. but i guess i’m the only one who knows about this. take a couple of classes in advertising, work for an advertising agency for a couple of years, then get back to me. until then, feel free to make references about your mom picking you up hot pockets for “din-din”.
On 02/25/09 9:35 AM, Jay DiNitto said:

All they did was design a shoe and it’s a moral dilemma for people that aren’t affected at all by it.

Besides all that, why can’t “it” be about music as well as fashion equally? Are they mutually exclusive social realms, and if so, how is one more culturally valuable than the other?
On 02/25/09 9:44 AM, christopher szopko said:

finally someone speaks some sense! thank you! jay dinitto, i respect your opinion, even though mine is a little different. see, it’s not that the band has done wrong, almost every band would die to have their own shoe, i’m just not a fan of nike…they are a pretty shady company in my mind. nike didn’t offer them the deal because they wanted to honor them, they wanted to get at a specific target market. but, like i said before, we may have differing opinions, but i can finally leave this post knowing that someone else knows what they are talking about.
On 02/25/09 1:19 PM, Cool dude said:

Ohhhhhh, I want those shoes!