Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep20 - Counterflip Apparel
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Counterflip absolutely makes the best pinball t-shirts... Shea sits down with us and we get into everything from his pinball favorites to why making a genuinely good T-shirt feels like a boss battle. We talk about how printing goes wrong, how his first business attempt at 15 tanked spectacularly, and how he rebuilt it into Counterflip by focusing on real quality instead of the disposable stuff most people print on.
We dig into what it takes to find reliable sources, good blanks, and partners who don’t cut corners when you’re trying to build a brand identity through design. Shea also shares how working at Revenge Of shaped his love of pinball, how his history in bands and music artwork fed into his style, and why the pinball scene ended up being the perfect place to bring all of that together. A full mix of creative process, merch reality, and general pinball chaos. Join Us.
🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid:
📡 Twitch – twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball
📺 YouTube – youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball
📷 Instagram – instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball
📘 Facebook – facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball
🔺 Counterflip / Shea:
🛒 counterflip.bigcartel.com
📷 instagram.com/counterflip_apparel
🛒 dispersehomemedia.bigcartel.com
📷 instagram.com/disperse_homemedia
🌐 revengeof.com
Enjoy the subtle pyramid signal throughout. (by that I mean the battery pack noise... oops)
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:02 - Settling into the in person setup and getting started
00:01:15 - Opening the talk with Counterflip shirts on the table
00:03:35 - Shea explaining early art roots and first encouragement
00:04:40 - py▒ ΔΔ ▒d.join: “hol d st i l l”
00:05:05 - Chicago basement shows and learning design through bands
00:06:55 - J cards tapes and the cassette layout grind
00:08:35 - Moving to LA and shifting from music into film
00:10:15 - Whole Foods sign artist years and the Amazon wipeout
00:12:05 - Making early bootleg movie shirts starting with The Lighthouse
00:13:55 - The Fog vs The Mist and arguing coastal horror loyalty
00:15:30 - Building the first small run of shirts and early experiments
00:17:00 - How Counterflip designs are rebuilt pieces not traced assets
00:18:20 - Digging through manuals flyers and archives to stay accurate
00:20:00 - Discovering pinball through Revenge Of and falling in fast
00:21:10 - Zoning out on world under glass and aesthetic obsession
00:22:20 - Describing Revenge Of as a sci fi comic book bodega
00:23:55 - Seeing branding blown up on walls booths and full spaces
00:25:50 - Revenge Of keeping a mixed lineup not just Stern games
00:27:20 - Indie vs major manufacturers and how variety helps pinball
00:28:50 - Revenge Of championing boutique games and weirder designs
00:30:05 - Building the Revenge Of identity with trust and loose direction
00:31:55 - Opening the coffee shop and overlap with players and creatives
00:32:34 - ╣ted… frame_Δ▒▒ d all.praise.
00:33:05 - Games Shea would own someday and not forcing a collection
00:34:30 - Vintage game picks turning into full Raven enthusiasm
00:36:10 - The future of Counterflip balancing shirts films and freelance
00:37:20 - Choosing which games become shirts and what artwork works
00:38:50 - Xenon talk and wanting maximum tube energy on a shirt
00:40:20 - Best sellers and why Counterflip Fishtails keeps moving
00:41:55 - Holiday market plans and Counterflip showing up with both booths
00:43:00 - Shirt sizes shipping and grabbing designs in person
00:43:55 - Least played games and closing with praise of the pyramid
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No links were found in this episode’s notes.
- 0:00Intro
- 0:02Settling into the in person setup and getting started
- 1:15Opening the talk with Counterflip shirts on the table
- 3:35Shea explaining early art roots and first encouragement
- 4:40py▒ ΔΔ ▒d.join: “hol d st i l l”
- 5:05Chicago basement shows and learning design through bands
- 6:55J cards tapes and the cassette layout grind
- 8:35Moving to LA and shifting from music into film
- 10:15Whole Foods sign artist years and the Amazon wipeout
- 12:05Making early bootleg movie shirts starting with The Lighthouse
- 13:55The Fog vs The Mist and arguing coastal horror loyalty
- 15:30Building the first small run of shirts and early experiments
- 17:00How Counterflip designs are rebuilt pieces not traced assets
- 18:20Digging through manuals flyers and archives to stay accurate
- 20:00Discovering pinball through Revenge Of and falling in fast
- 21:10Zoning out on world under glass and aesthetic obsession
- 22:20Describing Revenge Of as a sci fi comic book bodega
- 23:55Seeing branding blown up on walls booths and full spaces
- 25:50Revenge Of keeping a mixed lineup not just Stern games
- 27:20Indie vs major manufacturers and how variety helps pinball
- 28:50Revenge Of championing boutique games and weirder designs
- 30:05Building the Revenge Of identity with trust and loose direction
- 31:55Opening the coffee shop and overlap with players and creatives
- 32:34ted… frame_Δ▒▒ d all.praise.
- 33:05Games Shea would own someday and not forcing a collection
- 34:30Vintage game picks turning into full Raven enthusiasm
- 36:10The future of Counterflip balancing shirts films and freelance
- 37:20Choosing which games become shirts and what artwork works
- 38:50Xenon talk and wanting maximum tube energy on a shirt
- 40:20Best sellers and why Counterflip Fishtails keeps moving
- 41:55Holiday market plans and Counterflip showing up with both booths
- 43:00Shirt sizes shipping and grabbing designs in person
- 43:55Least played games and closing with praise of the pyramid