Mods
Post-war Britain saw teenagers embrace a more lavish lifestyle with increased disposable income; Mods were a product of this. This new generation took more pride in their appearance, borrowing fashion ideas likened to American jazz and various Italian styles. Mods could be spotted by their scooters, often Vespas and Lambrettas. Pete Townshend of The Who would later encapsulate the essence of Mod life in rock opera, Quadrophenia, which became a cult classic for Mods. Mods were associated with nightclubs and sharp suits, a stark antithesis to their rivals, Rockers. The angst between these two sides was revealed during the notorious Battle of Brighton in 1964 in which both groups took their struggle to the pebbled beach of Brighton, the media described this tension as ‘moral panic’. As for women, they wore shift dresses sporting geometric print, along with A-line skirts and bold accessories, and famous model Twiggy was dubbed ‘the Queen of Mod’. A revival of modernism occurred in the late 1970s as new band The Jam burst onto the scene, where Paul Weller would later become de facto ‘Modfather’.
Popular artists: The Who, The Jam, Small Faces, The Kinks
Rockers
Drawing inspiration from Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One’, Rockers (or Ton Up Boys, in reference to them tearing down the streets of London) could be detected by their jet black leather jackets, tight jeans and heavy boots, never too far away from their motorbikes. Styled hair was also imperative, with Rockers modelling themselves on their music idols like Elvis Presley; it was American culture like Elvis and various Westerns that formed the Rocker identity. Into the 1950s/60s, the Conservative values of Britain from the war were still rife, and due to this Rockers were not entirely tolerated at pubs and dance halls. They also curated a bad name for themselves by the establishment of ‘café races’ in which groups of rockers raced from café to café. Similar to Mods, Rockers were also a product of the end of WW2 rationing and an increase in prosperity, and as the production of motorcycles skyrocketed, the working-class youth indulged.
Popular artists: Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard
Teddy Boys
1950s London was the birthplace of Teddy Boys. Separating themselves from typical teenagers, Teddy Boys were smartly dressed and clean kept, enjoyed American culture but were overtly controversial with their gang-led philosophy. Many Teddy Boys gained a bad name for their involvement in the Notting Hill race riots of 1958. Along with this, Teddy Boys continuously stirred up trouble with ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Riots’ which consisted of disrupting the general public in petty ways. Teddy Boys became so much of a nuisance to the rest of society that when Harold Macmillan won the general election in 1957, there was immense pressure for him to do something about these ‘teenage tearaways’. Into the late 1950s and 60s, many Teddy Boys turned into Rockers, due to the increased influx of American culture. However, it is important to note that Teddy Boys were a reflection of the instability of Britain at the time.
Popular artists: Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley, Guy Mitchell, Frankie Laine
Skinheads
Skinheads are said to be one of the most misunderstood subcultures and this can partly be put down to their portrayal in 2006 film ‘This Is England’. Skinheads came about in the late 60s very quietly, where working class kids began embracing their background like a revolution amongst the disenfranchised. Skinheads earned the name due to their particularly short hair, and this was the same for women too. They often wore standard shirts with jeans and heavy work boots - Harrington jackets were also popular. Other subcultures like Teddy Boys and Mods wanted to reflect the upper class while Skinheads remained undeniably true to their roots. Skinheads were massively influenced by the influx of Jamaican culture in England which was a result of the increased immigration, and the so called ‘rude boy’ attitude was then adopted by British skinheads. They also began listening to reggae and ska as it became popular. The skinhead movement also experienced a resurgence in the late 1970s and 80s but this time it was more interconnected with punk.
Popular artists: The Specials, Desmond Dekker, Derrick Morgan, early Madness
