Mod to Suedehead

Originally Posted by browniecj

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I am not confused with words Caff and Gaff(Gaff is also used in Street Market Terminology)

Maybe you weren't, but the journo from the Oberver was!

They lead a very sheltered Life,you understand

Originally Posted by Man-of-Mystery

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I still think Marriott looked better in a whistle than Rod.

[Baldry had to wear double-breasted jackets or he would have looked like a bloody pipe-cleaner]


rod has same shoes on as marriot does in pic above

Originally Posted by Alex Roest

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Perhaps the most interesting pic from Nick Knight's book:

Early skin with mods, April 1967

looks like the guy on the left of the skin has same style of turn-ups in his levis-quite big and wearing them short again (looks like he has some kind of boots on also).And the guy next to him just looks like roland form grange hill.

Originally Posted by Man-of-Mystery

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I think you must start from the premise that media folk are always going to get something fundamental wrong.

Kevin Rowland:

I think the first newspaper article about all this was in The Daily Mirror in late summer 1969. I'd left school by this time and one of my work colleagues told me about it. at first I was really excited and proud that we were getting recognition. I'd only heard the name skinhead once previously. A really well-dressed kid from Richmond said it to another short-haired youth. It was a jokey, slightly derogatory term, not serious. But the numbskull caricature - courtesy initially of The Mirror - irked. A cartoon figure dressed in a white T-shirt, braces, jeans and big boots (we only wore boots occasionally) featured in the article headed something like "This Is A Skinhead". While it was nice to be recognised as part of something, it was misrepresented and that ruined it basically. Just like The Sex Pistols after the bill Grundy show - where do you go from there?
It was still fun, but I felt self-conscious. I'd feel embarrassed at work when colleagues identified me as a skinhead. same thing with uncles and aunts, I'd feel it necessary to go into an explanation. By this time loads of skinheads had given interviews in the national press and I was later told by a friend from Harrow that all the interviewees had been subsequently kicked to f*ck. This puzzled and upset me, because more than anything, however snobbish I was, I was glad of the recognition and dreamed they would interview me. It's only with hindsight that I can see how the publicity f*cked things up.

Taken from 'The Look' page 92/93

Originally Posted by Alex Roest

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Kevin Rowland:

I think the first newspaper article about all this was in The Daily Mirror in late summer 1969. I'd left school by this time and one of my work colleagues told me about it. at first I was really excited and proud that we were getting recognition. I'd only heard the name skinhead once previously. A really well-dressed kid from Richmond said it to another short-haired youth. It was a jokey, slightly derogatory term, not serious. But the numbskull caricature - courtesy initially of The Mirror - irked. A cartoon figure dressed in a white T-shirt, braces, jeans and big boots (we only wore boots occasionally) featured in the article headed something like "This Is A Skinhead". While it was nice to be recognised as part of something, it was misrepresented and that ruined it basically. Just like The Sex Pistols after the bill Grundy show - where do you go from there?
It was still fun, but I felt self-conscious. I'd feel embarrassed at work when colleagues identified me as a skinhead. same thing with uncles and aunts, I'd feel it necessary to go into an explanation. By this time loads of skinheads had given interviews in the national press and I was later told by a friend from Harrow that all the interviewees had been subsequently kicked to f*ck. This puzzled and upset me, because more than anything, however snobbish I was, I was glad of the recognition and dreamed they would interview me. It's only with hindsight that I can see how the publicity f*cked things up.

Taken from 'The Look' page 92/93
I think(regarding the fact about all the Interviewees got kicked)was not quite right.Do not forget Roys` Kilburn Mob were interviewed on TV and I don`t think there was any reprisals against them.Roy has said,he dodged out of the way and to be honest when there were any Cameras or Journalists about-I made myself invisible.Camera shy,if you like.

Originally Posted by dopeman

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rod has same shoes on as marriot does in pic above
Those Shoes were quite common the.They were a light Suede,with a Leather strip down the middle.They were one of my first pair of Mod shoes(cost a bit though).

Originally Posted by browniecj

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I think(regarding the fact about all the Interviewees got kicked)was not quite right.Do not forget Roys` Kilburn Mob were interviewed on TV and I don`t think there was any reprisals against them.Roy has said,he dodged out of the way and to be honest when there were any Cameras or Journalists about-I made myself invisible.Camera shy,if you like.

I think it may have been wishful thinking, Colin i.e. the bloke who said that was just angry because he feared that something that was so precious to him would indeed be f*cked up by the media attention?

Originally Posted by browniecj

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I think(regarding the fact about all the Interviewees got kicked)was not quite right.Do not forget Roys` Kilburn Mob were interviewed on TV and I don`t think there was any reprisals against them.

I nearly got kicked. I laughed my way out of it because the article was so bloody ridiculous even I couldn't take it seriously. That taught me something, though!

Hey MOM or GS-
I'm all grown up...close to 40, but looking like a health 25yr. old. I was all into traditional ska back in the early 90's when Hep-cat, Yeska, and see-spot were up in playing. Kinda like GS, an asian guy (to many of you anglos, i'm asain; to many that are japanese and chinese....maybe islander....i'm filipino-hahaha). I always adopted a traditional skin look. I had a bunch BS, and a couple of FP shirts, brouges, DMs and the such. What's your take of Munsingwear's An Original Penguin? As that was my staple of many of my outfits really.
thanks in advance

Originally Posted by rufio

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What's your take of Munsingwear's An Original Penguin?
is it a skinhead shirt that the skinternet fashion police would approve of? no, but if you like it wear it. following all the "approved" fashion rules is fine when you are a teenager getting into it, but as grown men (who hopefully have been into skinhead since we were teens) I like to think we're capable of wearing whatever we want without caring if some self appointed skinhead fashion guru approves of it or not. I know it was different for the originals, who werent as into music as us "new breed" types, and it was more about clothes...but in my day (from 80s onward) we always placed more importance on the music than clothes. of course having the identifiable look was important, but if you couldnt hold a good conversation about the latest bands, music etc, you were thought of as being a bit phony

Kevin Rowland:

As I said, after that one day in October 1968 I would see the occasional guy who had this subtle American look, but then it all came together in the summer of 1969. We knew we were part of something big and powerful. It was one of those things like punk or acid house, where all the factors came together at the right time: the beautiful clothes, the explosion of all those great reggae records, which we listened to exclusively. That's when I felt alive, part of something. I was aware this was my time. We danced good - often all in a line, wearing Harringtons with collars up over American-style shirts, Sta-Prest trousers with braces and brogues, loafers and Gibsons, all boys, no girls - to Return of Django, The Liquidator, Driven Back by The Pioneers and Je t'Aime.

Kevin Rowland:

But what really pisses me off is that the cool and more subtle all-out American look I mentioned above died before it had been given a chance to grow. This was the great lost look. The caricatures of skinhead had prevented natural development and destroyed all subtlety, so I guess the whole progression had to fizzle and die. The other media term was suedehead, but the above would be my definition.

Originally Posted by Alex Roest

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Kevin Rowland:

But what really pisses me off is that the cool and more subtle all-out American look I mentioned above died before it had been given a chance to grow. This was the great lost look. The caricatures of skinhead had prevented natural development and destroyed all subtlety, so I guess the whole progression had to fizzle and die. The other media term was suedehead, but the above would be my definition.
To be honest,I think a lot of the Originals dress similar to the "American Look"today.Bit old to wear Braces and Jeans-halfway up your leg.

I know it was different for the originals, who werent as into music as us "new breed" types, and it was more about clothes...but in my day (from 80s onward) we always placed more importance on the music than clothes. of course having the identifiable look was important, but if you couldnt hold a good conversation about the latest bands, music etc, you were thought of as being a bit phony

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For me, it was from 1990 onwards. Music music music, alot of my friends were into the re-revival of the two tone scene, but for me, it was all about the traditional jazz based rude-boy ska. That is where my heart is. I dont know how many times i've seen the Skatalites and their "last" concert. At ska/mod concerts and gigs, all my boys were wearing their three button blazers and skinny ties, while I was in my shirt jacks and a straw tribly. In fact, I'm going to the big MOD/Scooter event in Santa Monica this weekend where all the hard n soft mods will hang out for scooter riding and great Music. I'll post pics of the event next week.