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The T-Shirts of
Heavy Metal Parking Lot

About

Heavy Metal Parking Lot was a 1986 short film made by Jeff Krulik and John Heyn, filmed in the parking lot of a Judas Priest concert in Maryland. Much has been written about it. You can watch the film below.

I first saw it sometime in the late 90s and started telling all my friends about it. Crushes would vaporize when a girl I liked would sit bored through the entire thing and summarize their review as: "uh, you found that funny?" Thankfully the girl I married not only had seen the film, she had her own bootleg VHS copy which had a completely awesome homemade VHS box cover.

During one of the zillionth times of watching it I started focusing on the periphery. After I saw the fourth ZZ Top Afterburner t-shirt, I began to wonder what other shirts showed up in the film.

Sometime around 2011 I imported the official DVD into Adobe Premiere and went though ~30,000 frames of the entire film, one by one. The frames that had the clearest shot of a t-shirt are displayed and accounted for below.

Life got in the way and I forgot about this project. I did show HMPL to other hikers when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2013 though!

When I read a recent and very detailed Deadspin article on the film by Dave McKenna, I realized I needed to finish this project in celebration of the 30th anniversary of that May 31st, 1986 Judas Priest concert.

Although I was able to identify several shirts, down near the bottom of this page are several shirts I have not been able to identify, feel free to drop me an email along with the shirt ID number if you have any ideas or write me on Twitter. You can also click on the photo and leave a comment.

(As for this ace webpage design: I dug up an old 3.5" floppy disk I had from 1995 that contained a bunch of mid 90's graphics that were essential to any web page made back then...who could forget the rainbow horizontal line!)

5/20/16 update:
I talked to Keith of Scratch Records fame in Vancouver BC (who my wife Cora got the HMPL VHS tape from). He says:
"As for the Heavy Metal Parking Lot bootlegs, yes, it was I believe my friend Justice who made them, we sold/gave away/distributed them, and Lester Smolenski did the graphic. Lester did all of the gig posters for dozens (if not hundreds) of shows through the 90's...Also band logos, he came up with the Lil' Scratchie logo I used as well."

5/24/16 update:
Jay Hughen (#87) dropped by to say hello. I didn't know he was "Alumni #1" according to this LA Times article from 2001.

5/26/16 update:
There is a reunion+screening of Heavy Metal Parking Lot at the University of Maryland this Friday. I will be attending too!

I got all the stills from the Heavy Metal Parking Lot: The Lost Footage online. The Lost Footage is available on the Official DVD. There are some clearer shots of people who show up in the main film, plus plenty of other folks (and their shirts) exclusive to the outtakes. I've marked any still that came from the outtakes with the word "outtake" in yellow.

Finally, Cori (Robert Plant shirt) and James (Live Aid Shirt) wrote in to say hello.

5/27/16 update:
Thanks to metalsucks.net and Dangerous Minds for the nice words.

5/28/16:
I had a really great time at the screening last night. I have a ton of photos and video to get online. It was really good to meet John and Jeff who made the film, along with Dave who wrote the Deadspin article mentioned above. I also got to meet Leopard Woman!

7/12/16:
I added a page with some photos and video from when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2013 and showed HMPL to other hikers.

...and also!, I am "Best Heavy Metal Stenographer" in Willamette Week's "Best of 2016".

4/11/18:
I wrote a running commentary of HMPL for Willammete Week.


Known Shirts

Click on shirt to comment!
x Judas Priest (18) x
Well, it would make sense that we would see a lot of these.

#171

Screaming for Vengeance
#174

Destruction?
vio
Judas Priest
Kearby
Judas Priest '84 World Tour shirt. [link]
Sean
Rob on Harley, Defenders of the Faith
Definitely Preist! That's me!
Shawn
#116

Defenders of the Faith
Thin Lizzy?
Gigi
Looks like Thin Lizzy to me.
Zach
Definitely Thin Lizzy
Brody
Nope not Lizzy Judas Priest
metal mike
Looks like Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith
Kearby
Likely NOT an official Thin Lizzy concert shirt since Thin Lizzy's last U.S. tour was in 1980 for their Chinatown album, and they didn't play big arenas
Maestro
The Metallian, Defenders of the Faith
#52

Another Priest, Image Here
Suki
#145

Judas Priest -- 1982 Screaming for Vengeance baseball style tour shirt (with sleeves either rolled up or cut off)
Maestro
That looks like it could be Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith.
PAULIE
Don't recognize the shirt, but it looks like the first letters of the Judas Priest logo.
FWG
Screaming for Cengeance cover (the hellion eagle)
#83

Priest - Defenders of the Faith Tour red longsleeve shirt with sleeves and neck cut.
Fuggle74
#82

Judas Priest, "Defenders of the Faith "
selim
Looks like a b/w version of The Defenders tour shirt with just the face on it. Link Here.
Suki
#22

Fuel for Life Tour (1986)
#20

Priest - Defenders Tour black T.
Fuggle74
#12

Couldn't figure this one out originally but Mr. Boom Box also shows up on the outtakes reel and he is clearly wearing a Judas Priest shirt.
Judas Priest
Jim Powell
That looks like a bootleg parking lot shirt with the "Point of Entry" album artwork on it. Likely made after the 1981 album and tour...
Maestro
#87

hey, that's me. I just pulled this shirt out of a storage trunk last month. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, hit me up!
jay hughen
#169

1982 Screaming for Vengeance tour shirt.
Maestro
#121

Thanks to Sean for pointing out an earlier image of this guy.
The metallian face logo, from the defenders album cover
Just watched HMPL last night and realized I know the guy to the right with the sunglasses. He confirmed it was him after I sent him a small clip. He had no idea he was in the movie. He also named the two other guys in the video with him...including the guy in the blue and black Priest shirt that is pictured.
#139

I am not entirely convinced that this is a Judas Priest shirt.
Looks like an illegal bootleg of their faces. never seen this one before
#24

Priest - Defenders red longsleeve tour T, with sleeves cut off.
Fuggle74
#23

Ok, from a bit of looking on the net this appears to be a Defenders of the Faith tour from 1984. This was only made for the Washington DC Shows on June 16th and 17th, 1984. More info can be found here.
#130

Judas Priest
Kearby
Spinal Tap?
LP
Judas Priest -- Defenders of the Faith tour shirt
Maestro
#60

x Harley-Davidson (12) x

#72

It was already figured out to be a Harley-Davidson shirt, but the letters are much clearer on a still from the outtakes reel.
Hagar??
Ian Christe
That right there is a Harley-Davidson shirt. "Sink Your Claws Into Something Good." link
Bob M.
#69

Nick R. says this is Harley Davidson. link here
Harley-Davidson
DC
#84

Harley Davidson
Suki
#90

That's a Harley Davidson t-shirt.
Fern
That's got to be a Harley shirt, right?
Mike
#94

possible Harley shirt
Suki
Agreed, probably a HD shirt.
Fern
Harley-Davidson
DC
Journey?
Dean
#91

I accidentally had this guy in twice, then after looking at the outtakes reel I nearly included him a third time. He seems to have won the award for "most traveled" in the parking lot since he shows up in at least three different places.
#74

Not Queensryche or Bocephus...
Ian Christe
That's got an Aerosmith vibe to the logo but seems a little off.
Bob M.
I know that's an Ezekiel's Wheel Harley shirt...I used to work there from '85 to '88. He used to sell Harley shirts and concert t's
Cyril Charles
#166

Harley-Davidson
Same as #168...definitely Harley
Zoot Horn Rollo
#76

I thought this was maybe Stryper at first. More shorts of her show up on the outtakes reel.
It's another Harley Davidson shirt..."Sworn To Fun, Loyal To None"...check out the same motif here.
Zoot Hornrollo
#97

Including this guy because I never noticed he shows up twice, with and without his glasses.
#48

#168

Although it is in the outtakes, this is officially the clearest and most easily readable t-shirt in the entire project.
x Dokken (8) x
Dokken was opening up for Judas Priest at this show

#29

The shirt on the right looks like a Dokken shirt from the Tooth and Nail (1984) album. Possibly from that tour.
PAULIE
Dokken
Ian Christe
#150

with bonus handmade sign!
Back for the attack '86-'87 tour
Chris jimenez
#146

Into the Fire cover art.
Chris jimenez
I do believe that’s Dokken - Under Lock And Key.
Eric Jenkins
Under Lock And Key album artwork, sold on that tour.
Glen U
#33

Back for the attack '86-'87 tour?
Chris jimenez
#134

Back for the attack '86-'87 tour?
Chris jimenez
#81

Back for the attack '86-'87 tour.
Dave Mustaine?
Dr. Jones
Dave would never wear a Dokken shirt!
Vic
#75

#11

Under Lock and Key Tour. This one was already easy to figure out but shows up a lot closer on the outtakes reel.
Back for the attack '86-'87 tour
Chris jimenez
x Metallica (6) x

#156

Back of Damage Inc.
Lars
#115

Master of Puppets
#104

Damage Inc.
#63

Metallica-metal up your ass Old old shurt
Cyril Charles
#141

Damage Inc.
#110

There is just a tiny faint shot of this guy (top right photo) in the main film, but he shows up a bit more clearly when he walks behind Kelly Getawayfrommeplease.
Asia?
Zoo Thornrollo
Looks like a Metallica logo. Possibly a Damage Inc. shirt.
PAULIE
The back of Damage Inc.
Lars
x Ozzy Osbourne (6) x

#173

Chris Jimenez - This has got to be an Ultimate Sin t-shirt!
Ozzy, ultimate sin
Timothy
OZZY
AJ
#157

#153

Ozzy Osborne
Mike
Definitely Ozzy. Probably the Ultimate Sin Tour from that same year.
thebeastmobile
definitely ozzy osbourne
stevo
Ozzy Osbourne
Kearby
Looks like an Ozzy logo to me.
Beau
Ozzy Osbourne
gjhead
Definitely an Ozzy shirt.
Art
Ozzy Osbourne?
Dave Gibson
This one and #157 are probably The Ultimate Tour variations
Chris jimenez
#151

The Ultimate Ozzy
Chris jimenez
#128

Ultimate Sin Tour
Ozzy---Ultimate sin
ejk
#71

x ZZ Top (5) x
Afterburner Tour! According to Wikipedia, there were four ZZ Top shows starting a week before at the Capital Centre. Looks like some folks brought their fresh shirts to Judas Priest a few days later.

#54

Definitely from the MOM JEANS tour!
McQ
#108

#140

Afterburner
ZZ top - sleeping bag
daafe
#2

#80

x Iron Maiden (5) x

#57

Iron Maiden?
Could be Maiden. Not sure of the graphic.
PAULIE
Definitely Piece of Mind Maiden shirt
Ellen
#88

#105

#38

This is the little t-shirt that really hasn't tried hard.
Iron-On Maiden!
Zoot Hornrollo
#39

x DC / 101 (3) x
WWDC FM out of Washington DC

#53

#14

Look at that cool dude right there! (me)
Sam Varias
#16

x Dio (3) x

#37

#120

#172

x Capital Centre (2) x
With a bonus employee hat too!

#89

#1

Well, someone has to work in the actual parking lot.
x Led Zeppelin (2) x

#18

#34

Swan Song
x Robert Plant (2) x

#176

Confirmed from the owner himself, Cori.
#21

Robert Plant - 1985 Tour Link Here
Chris Penn
Robert Plant, Shaken n' Stirred tour 1985.
Chris Milazzo
Robert Plant Shaken 'n' Stirred
PAULIE
Robert Plant '82 tour
Dean
x Ratt (2) x

#55

#61

Definitely looks like RATT.
PAULIE
Ratt!
Ian Christe
Looks like Ramones behind him, under the arm.
BB
x Ocean Pacific (2) x

#112

Ocean Pacific!
Suki
#62

x Polo Shirt (2) x

#64

Including this guy just cause he is so out of place.
#175

From Justin Norton: So, I went to high school in Maryland in the mid-80s. One of my good friends Chris Donahue was at the Priest concert the night of HMPL but was watching Dokken during the filming. His brother, David, is in the movie but didn't make your site. He truly must be recognized for being audacious enough to wear a fucking red Oxford to the show!
David unsubspecting victims Donahue, this was your life!
J Appleseed
x Animal Inspired Clothing (2) x

#178

Leopardwoman aka Maureen Maxwell, who I got to meet!
#78

Well, we gotta include Zebraman regardless!
x Motley Crue (2) x

#79

#92

x Live Aid (1) x

#4

I was working at Echo Hill Camp on the Eastern Shore. One of the other counselorside was from Philly. We went up to J.F.K. stadium the night before tripping on 'shroops. We stayed up all night trying to score tickets with no luck. The next morning, we climbed a gate that lead to a back way into the stadium. It was so hot the Philly fire department had to bring in hoses to spray us down. Judas Priest was a must see show for metal heads. I remember seeing the guys with a camera going around interviewing people, but they never stopped to speak to us. The shame of that was my best friend Cori Coates was one of the few black guys at the show. His perspective would have been a great addition to the movie. This film is as genuine as you can possibly get in showing the world what American heavy metal culture was. Many years from now college kids will study this film in an attempt to understand who we were and what made '80s culture so unique.
James Hennessy
x Fuck Off (1) x

#5

I noticed someone is selling this "HMPL Inspired" t-shirt online.
x Accept (1) x

#6

From the Metal Heart (1985) tour.
x Krokus (1) x

#8

This is another that was figured out but he also shows up on the outtakes reel a bit closer to the camera.
Krokus, "Eat the Rich"
selim
Krokus Tour '83 shirt! Link here.
Suki
x Aerosmith (1) x

#9

A closer shot of him appears on the outtakes reel.
Aerosmith Aeroforce one shirt! See Here (link is for tour 87 shirt but looks like the same design...)
Suki
x Rolling Stones (1) x

#10

x Drunken State (1) x

#13

Can't make out what school this shirt is that David Helvey is wearing, but he also shows up on the outtakes reel much closer...so I'm going with "Drunken State" since the letters and the spacing looks about right.
"DRUNKEN STATE"
Fern
I'm going with Inebriated State
Ian Christe
Illinois state?
Mark g
This looks like one of those novelty "Drunken State" shirts, I had a similar one in grey way back when... Kind of like this modern one: [link]. P.S. I love this page so, so much! AMAZING thank you!
Erica
x Slayer (1) x

#15

Slayer-Show No Mercy album cover
Cyril Charles
The only real thrash shirt of the video, and a guy into Dokken is wearing it hahaha
BobbyKhan
Not a Show No Mercy shirt, more like a 1985 hell awaits North American tour shirt.
Merlin
x Foreigner (1) x

#25

x Twisted Sister (1) x

#26

Looks like a "Come Out and Play" shirt.
Dan
x Kiss (1) x

#28

Kiss Asylum Tour
Cyril Charles
x Don't Get Mad, Nuke the Bastards! (1) x

#31

x Gold's Gym (1) x

#35

x Rush (1) x

#36

This is a Rush Grace Under Pressure shirt. link
Ian Christe
That's one of the many shirts from the 1984 Rush tour, Grace under Pressure.
barbecuesteve
x Labatt's Beer (1) x

#40

x Busch Beer (1) x

#42

x Budweiser Beer (1) x

#43

x Wild West Music Record Store (1) x

#49

Is that the head of a snake? Whitesnake?
george
That's my friend, Brian. He lived in the area as a teen but is from new mexico. The tshirt is from a local music store here in Albuquerque where my dad and i worked called Wild West Music. The name is written in the design which is a skull. I still have my shirt!
Carlo Johnson
x Lynyrd Skynyrd (1) x

#50

Isn't this a Lynryd Skynyrd shirt in the JD label style?
Mike Kenneally
Yep, that is a Lynyrd Skynyrd "Florida Whiskey" shirt. Just like this one. [link].
Puptentacle
x AC / DC (1) x

#59

x Kansas (1) x

#67

Meanest looking guy ever!
AJ
Kansas?
george
Def. a Kansas 1982 Tour shirt...as seen here.
Zoot Hornrollo
x Union Jack (1) x

#73

You could justifiably attribute this to Def Leppard, as Joe Elliot used to wear a full Union Jack cut off like this..
Spastic Lab Rat
x Black Sabbath (1) x

#99

Mob Rules
heavily worn Black Sabbath "mob rules"?
Jason
Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
Ian Christe
Bootleg Mob Rules shirt. It's why it's so ragged and falling apart. Bootleg shirts rarely lasted very long!
Maestro
x Rock & Roll Forever (1) x

#101

Motörhead maybe? No idea.
mika
It says "Rock and roll for life"
Matt
Rock N' Roll Forever...see image [here]
Zoot Horn Rollo
Looks like it says "Rock and Roll Forever"? Not sure if that's a band shirt or just a generic tribute to the existence and longevity of rock and roll. I hope the latter.
Eric Witz
142 101Don A flaming skull with 2 guitars and the words "Rock'n'Roll Forever"
Don
Appears to say Rock and Roll Forever
Kearby
Looks like Rock'n'roll Forever
Adir
"Rock and Roll Forever"
G$
x Seagram's (1) x

#109

Seagram's
Greg
Seagram's
John
x Nike (1) x

#111

x Jack Daniels (1) x

#122

x Confederate Flag (1) x

#126

x The Greaseman (1) x

#137

According to google, HA BA DO GA GA was a catchphrase of DC/101 DJ Nino "The Greaseman" Mannelli, so this is probably an official or unofficial t-shirt in the Greaseman's honor. Looks like he is still active online too. [link]
Ed Halter
looks like a shirt from DC 101 for The Greaseman.
frank
Appears to be a phrase from a radio personality named "The Greaseman" who was on DC 10
Sean
This is a t-shirt for the WWDC DJ 'The Greaseman'. Ha Ba Do Ga Ga was one of his many euphemistic phrases for sex.
James Stephens
HA BA DO GA GA, duh.
LP
This one may have something to do with the Greaseman. Was he on DC 101 at the time? Variation on his "hobble and gobble."
george
I believe this is an official shirt. If you look closely at the small script in the lower-right of the shirt is says "The Greaseman DC 101"
Zoothorn Rollo
x Coors Light (1) x

#138

in bonus half-shirt version!
x Randy Rhoads (1) x

#142

Randy Rhoads?
Randy Rhodes
Mike D
Definitely Randy Rhoads
Kearby
Randy Rhodes [link]
Def Randy Rhoads
Sean
"Rock and Roll Forever"
G$
Randy Rhodes!
gjhead
Randy Rhoads
Art
Randy, yes
Timothy
Definitely Randy Rhoads shirt
Rich
Absolutely a Randy Rhodes shirt, look at the guitar!!
AJ
x Police (1) x

#165


Unknown Shirts, need help identifying! /blink>

Please email me along with the shirt ID number if you have any ideas as to what the shirt might be. You can also click the photo and leave a comment if you are into that sort of thing.
x Unidentified Mysteries! (46) x

#161

Looks like RUSH logo, w/ man in the star.
#162

#148

#160

Ratt?
Kearby
#164

don't know about the girl, but behind her the man is wearing a Prince George's County Police uniform
B
#66

#27

That looks like a Kiss shirt.
Devin
#158

Metallica?
Kearby
Metallica,not sure what tour
Nate
Looks like Metallica to me , just from the shape of the logo
Blake
Metallica!
Bobby
Metallica, Harvester of Sorrow?
Lars
#152

#114

#19

#144

Seems to be a Harley shirt--shield with wings
greaser dude
#133

#155

It looks like the letters HM from Heavy Metal magazine? You know the illustrated fantasy mag.
bleepingdeadalien
This looks like it might be the logo from 'Heavy Metal' Magazine.
Don
Looks like a Heavy Metal movie/mag shirt
Sean
#123

Misfits?
Nat
Perhaps the back of the Foreigner shirt?
I like the back of Foreigner theory, and it looks like a bootleg shirt to me.
Glen U
#149

#41

First letter looks like 'D,' which suggests Dio.
Bob M.
#132

#46

#154

#65

4WD Something?
Looks like 4WD MUD
Mike D.
#147

#159

#118

Dio?
Looks like AC/DC. Baseball style.
PAULIE
No, this is AC/DC
Ian Christe
AC/DC
paul
Saxon?
Eric
#98

This looks like the Yes Logo
Darren
#124

Looks like a Priest logo.
PAULIE
I think that's Dokken, but he's folded up his shirt to cover the logo portion.
Fern
Almost surely Judas Priest
Ian Christe
#93

Honorable mention just because I've never noticed this guy before.
Richard Ramirez!
Suki
#113

Someone's US Tour
Definitely a band that went on a U.S. tour.
Ian Christe
#135

Iron Maiden for sure.
Andy
#143

#58

oh hello there!
Yeah, she's kinda hot.
Greg
Def the hottest in the vid
Sean
#170

#131

I'm interested in the guy on the right, but included Mr. Blue Shirt simply because he reminds me of a scene in Dazed & Confused.
Blue. It's blue.
AJ
#125

#107

Looks like an airbrushed design, like you get at the swap meet.
Lana
This looks like those personalized airbrush art shirts you'd get at a monster truck rally
zoothornrollo
Not at truck rally, I can guarantee that shirt was airbrushed in Ocean City MD on the Boardwalk! Given that this was filmed at the Cap Center!
ElDuce
I'd bet one of these two slogans is on there somewhere: "Suckin' gas an Haulin' ass!" or possibly, "Cash, Grass, or Ass, no one rides for free"?
theimann
#85

I've always called this guy "Will Oldham Guy". Maybe it is a Hooters shirt?
That's a poon shirt. That dude loves him some poon.
Fern
I think this a Doug Henning shirt...says "Poof" with Henning laying on the word Poof
Craaaaaig
#167

#127

"Rock"
Loooks a little like the original Cream magazine logo
Robyn
#102

AC/DC
Greg
possibly AC/DC
Suki
#136

#177

#100

AC/DC
Greg
Heavy Metal Harley Davidson?
DC
#117

If that's a stupid looking dragon, it's probably DIO.....probably.
Fern
This is a Harley Davisdon shirt. I have the same design on an enamel pin.
M E T A L ! ! !
#51

I'm guessing it's nada....maybe a t-shirt for a local bar? LA GUNS used a logo/banner sometimes like that.
Fern
Some tourist trap in Myrtle Beach, SC
Ian Christe
#32

Ancient Japanese traditional T-shirt
Ian Christe
#86




Heavy Metal Parking Lot Bootleg Box scans courtesy of @pantiesinapinch





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