Skinhead: Encyclopedia II - Skinhead - History

Skinhead - History

London in the early 1960s was experiencing a growing class separation between the working class - struggling, relegated to substandard housing, and increasingly neglected by their political representatives - and the middle class. Those youths who could afford it, invested in new fashions popularized by American soul groups, British RnB bands and certain movie actors, as well as Carnaby Street merchants (clothing). These were the Mods, a youth subculture noted for its consumerism and affection for style, music and scooters. Those of lesser means, such as the dock workers, made do with the practical styles that suited their employment - steel-toed boots, straight-legged denim jeans, and shirts and braces (suspenders in the US) often handed down by their fathers. When possible, their limited funds were spent on smart outfits worn in the evenings to the dancehalls, where they danced to ska, reggae, and rocksteady beats.

Around 1965 a group of "hard" or "gang" mods, who could be identified by their shorter hair and working-class image, emerged from the larger mod scene. This resulted in a schism between "peacock mods" and skinheads, commonly known by that name by around 1968. (Other early nicknames included "lemons", "peanuts" and "suits"). Early followers were mainly interested in and influenced by Jamaican Reggae and Ska music (aka, The Spirit of 69), Jamaican Rude Boy culture.

Skinhead culture exploded in the year 1969, to the extent that even the rock band Slade adopted the look, after which the original skinheads slowly dropped into new categories, including the "Suede-head" (defined by the ability to manipulate one's hair with a comb) and the next-stage "Smoothies" (often with hairstyles down to shoulder length). Fashions within both groups returned to their mod roots, reintroducing the common wearing of brogues or loafers, suits, and the slacks-and-sweater look.

During the mid-1970s in the UK, the skinhead movement was reborn in an unexpected way. With the introduction of Punk Rock to the public, kids were looking for the next great shock-rockers. Skinheads with shorter hair, less emphasis on style, and a new sound grew in numbers and grabbed the attention of the media as a result of repeated incidents of hooliganism during football matches, often to the point of rioting between rival groups of supporters.

Skinheads gained a great deal of media attention after some of them were recruited by far right political parties like the National Front. The party's position against blacks and Asians appealled to some working class skinheads who blamed immigrants for economic and social problems. The mainstream media focused on these particular skinheads' racist stance and on their frequent use of violence. This led to the public's common perception that skinheads are neo-Nazis.

In an attempt to counter this negative stereotype, some anti-racist skinhead organizations were formed: Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) in 1987, and Anti-Racist Action (ARA) in 1988. Other less political skinheads, such as the Glasgow Spy Kids in Scotland, and the publishers of the Hard As Nails zine in England also spoke out against the neo-Nazis and promoted traditional skinhead style and culture.

The Skinhead culture has since spread around the world, and there are many different kinds of skinheads.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki