the whole nasty image started with Brian, because Brian was a bitch

pile of music bios here - thanks to wilfofhove for the tip

“Our rhythm guitarist was Brian Pendleton. He wasn’t popular, poor guy. But anyway, Pendleton and me went shopping in Carnaby Street for a pile of new gear. Pendleton bought this black and white striped jersey. Next day Brian spotted it in the flat. ‘Oh, that’s real nice!’ says Brian. ‘We’re doin’ RSG! live tonight. Do you think anybody would mind if I borrowed it?’ I laughed and said, ‘Yeah, go on and take it.’ Poor Pendleton never saw it again. But you know the best bit? We were all sitting in the flat that night, before the telly, and on comes Brian, you know, like wearing this jersey. ‘Oh, look!’ cries Pendleton. ‘Brian’s got a jersey just like mine!’ Well! We all fell about laughing. He didn’t twig. He never twigged! He kept saying, ‘I wonder whatever happened to my jersey like Brian’s?’ And I wouldn’t mind, but every boy in the land the next day went out and copied Brian’s jersey. He was photographed in it too, so many times. “ About that jersey, Phil May says, ‘There’s no way Brian would like a jersey and go out and buy one like it. He’d just nick it. That was just Jones.’