# The Skinhead



## Brideshead

Following the discussion about the Skinhead movement (in the thread about evolving away from Trad) and the article posted by Doctor Damage, I did promise to write a bit on the start of the movement in Britain in the late 1960's, and of which I am proud to say I was part. In particular I wanted to examine the 'snobbish' statements contained in the article.

Although I was very much there, my memory could be a bit hazy in some details and I needed to peruse 'The Way We Wore - A life in Threads' by Robert Elms which I recommend to you (published by Picador 2005 - www.panmacmillan.com) for his recollection of the 1969/70 period.

Unlike the genesis of Mod, the start of the Skinhead era seems little documented. And as the wikipedia item confirms, the movement has not been well served by the various tattooed revivalists over the years.

Living a few miles from London in 1969 and being about 16, my mates and I were drawn into the movement fairly early on. I still cannot recall when the term 'Skinhead' was actually coined. What little research seems to have been done confirms that the movement was an evolution of the Mod look, appropriating many of the stylistic traits, but reproduced with a much harder edge. Mods with their longer hair, paisley scarves and scooters were quite effeminate by comparison.

Robert Elms describes three callers at his house who had come to see his older brother and he is agog at their style - which he says probably came from the Ivy Shop in Richmond. Immaculate 3B mohair suits, crisp BD shirts, superb Royal Brogues or 'Smooths' and hair that looked like it had been cut that day and every day. A real discipline was called for to achieve and maintain that look.

It almost certainly emerged from the East End of London and probably spread through the Saturday afternoon football matches at West Ham, Arsenal, Tottenham. I recall visiting the 'North Bank' at Arsenal on one such afternoon and was amazed to find that these 'supporters' were taking scant interest in the match but standing, often with their backs to the pitch, talking about and comparing clothes! And of course posing! Despite popular belief there was little violence - they did not want to mark their brand new sheepskin coats!

This brings me to the accusation that Skinheads in the first (and IMO only true) wave were somehow snobs. And that you can still be a Skin without having the complete look. This misses the whole point. It was a very competitive time. The lengths we went to to get the latest look and to always stay one step ahead were often of questionable legality! They certainly meant going without many things - no car, no personal transport in fact, often no girlfriend, no going out even unless you had the right 'gear'. If you did have a brief flirtation the girl had to be a 'tasty sort' (a Skinhead girl) who would 'understand'.

The look kept moving on and we attempted different innovations in our desperate bid to stay sharp - a tie stud through the breast pocket to secure the silk square; wearing our American BDs outside our trousers to reveal a very un-English stamp like ''soil-release' fabric'; pairing a lime green and mint coloured short sleeve BD shirt with socks in a coordinating shade, etc&#8230;.All the time, though we knew that someone, somewhere was moving further ahead. We got the answer on holiday in Clacton on the North Sea coast at a holiday camp in July 1970. A group of Chelsea supporters had moved onto the next level. Still unmistakably Skins, they had nevertheless adopted a more Mod look again. Their trousers were very slightly flared and their shirts - shock horror - were quite fitted and in one case appeared to be almost lacy! But their hair! It was getting longer. Quite long in a couple of cases.

We were excited and dismayed at the same time. What should we do? What could we do there with no shops worth talking about? We needed to evolve and fast.

That's another story really, but it was the beginning of the end and we only got started in early '69.

Just a personal recollection of one trend that has shaped my whole life since.

Brideshead or Skinhead?


----------



## Doctor Damage

Nice recollections, will add that to my files.
Got any photos?


----------



## rip

How very sad the name "skinhead" has either been appropriated by or applied to the various hooligan gangs roaming the streets of many of our cities, both here and in Europe. They are particularly notorious in eastern Europe and Russia, where they are used by the police as strongarm thugs to raid Gypsy and immigrant camps, to disposess unwelcome tenants, etc. On their own they attack blacks, Indians, Gypsies and almost anyone else with a darker skin, right on the streets, often in full view and without interference from the police. There and in the US, they are frequently attached to neo-nazi and other white supremacist groups. What an ignominious descent from those described by Brideshead.


----------



## paper clip

I, too, only knew the recent bad about skinheads. I never realized their origins as a fashion statement!

Thank you for the fascinating info - just another reason why I love this Forum!


----------



## crs

There is a type of non-racist skinhead in the United States that focuses on disrupting that activities of the racist skinheads. Some of them belong to SHARP, Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice.


----------



## crazyquik

Perhaps this would be a time to touch on Mods? I never understood that look, and what was the Mod style?

It was always my understanding that Skinheads came from a merging of the (black) Jamacian Rude Boys who immigrated to the UK and the domestic Mod styles?


----------



## JDDY

crazyquik said:


> Perhaps this would be a time to touch on Mods? I never understood that look, and what was the Mod style?
> 
> It was always my understanding that Skinheads came from a merging of the (black) Jamacian Rude Boys who immigrated to the UK and the domestic Mod styles?


I know little of the Mod look, but those guys sure played some great music. The rude boys, too. I never realized American clothing played a role in England until reading this forum. Thanks for sharing, BH.


----------



## Daniele

*Mods!*



crazyquik said:


> Perhaps this would be a time to touch on Mods? I never understood that look, and what was the Mod style?
> 
> It was always my understanding that Skinheads came from a merging of the (black) Jamacian Rude Boys who immigrated to the UK and the domestic Mod styles?


What IS the Mod Style, I daresay, we still exist...;-)
Seriously, I'll try to write something about this later, even if there's a friend of mine on here that might say far more valuable and interesting things than me about this topic.
As for your understanding of the Skinheads origins, it's correct; in their turn Mods had been influenced by the American Ivy League style (in different extent between late 50s and 1966 circa), so that's basicly where the American factor in Skinhead style came from. 
I'll be more specific soon.

Brideshead, thanks for your post, I liked the freshness of exposition, typical of who had a firsthand sight and role in the thing. Absolutely spot-on the accent on 'steppin' up' anybody else as for new styles etc, so typical of the Mods, and very interesting the description of the dawn of Suedhead cult in 1970. Glad also to know you are proud of your experience, and that is so important for your life.


----------



## Daniele

*Mods*

This article maybe could be of some use:

Talking of 'Mod style' as a 'unicum' is somehow a bit of an abstaction, since many influences came to form it, and none of these kept its pure character for long (one of the most known aphorism about Mods is 'Adopt, adapt, improve'). There were difference from period to period, from area to area, and also internal, almost 'gerarchical' differences between people who set the trend (the so called Faces), and those who followed it.
But if we try to identify the main guidelines of the look, we can spot basicly three: 
The Ivy League look: in the mid-late 50s the young, mainly London based, fans of Modern Jazz (hence 'Modernists', later 'Mods') took ispiration from jazz musicians who had adopted this Look. It seems to their eyes even more fascinating 'cause it was 'exotic' and difficult to find (except for the few who travelled to the US, the only way to get the right stuff were few specialized shops in London or G-Is based in UK smugglering and selling Levi's, Baracuta G9, BD shirts etc from their PX stores). 
The Continental-Italian look: interest for everything was coming from abroad (concerning clothes, music, means of transportations, culture etc.) took Mods to discover, around the turn of the decade, Italian (Roman) style sported by French and Italian movies' characters (French Nouvelle vague, La dolce vita, etc.). Short boxy jackets (sometimes shortened to extreme, till to gain the nickname 'bumfreezers'), narrow trousers, short pointed collared/slim fitting shirts, sleek pointy shoes came in, along with the American gear, often with tasteful mix-and-match.
The City Gent look: the British revenge against imported styles, came in in 1962 (even if still with Continental influences) and sided the other two till 66-67; including neo Edwardian/neo Regency influences and becoming more and more flamboyant, it kickstarted the 'Swingin London' period's excesses. I experienced that, expecially in the USA, the Swinging London (and post Swinging London) thing is the style generally known as 'Mod'. 
The 'effeminated' mod look with longer hair and paisley scarves Brideshead referred to in his post, induced many to re-discover the basic Ivy League outfit (that never disappear actually). These were either guys who were looking for a more 'adult' but totaly sharp look, or younger Mods who reacted to the exagerations that would have eventually lead the mainstream to the 'flower power'. Accentuating some working class characteristics, they were soon defined as Hard Mods, the Skinheads direct forerunners.
More laters (if you're not already sick


----------



## Brideshead

*Keep it coming Daniele....*

....its good stuff.

Glad I could offer some insight into the Skin thing. I'm not sure about photos but will see if I can track some down.

I have often been critical of the revivalist Skins on these boards. However I would have to admit that some of my contemporaries were a bit hard. For some it was about the fight on a Saturday night - but not for many. One issue was belonging to the right group or 'Crew'. One local Crew were distinguished by a tiny rose tattoo on the right or left ear lobe. They were led by a very large man called (by us) 'Big Beefy Leader'!


----------



## LondonFogey

Is anyone familiar with the books of Mr Richard Allen, who wrote 'Skinhead' and 'Suedehead' and a lot of other 'yoof culture' pulp fiction in the seventies. One saw these books in charity shops a lot in the 80s, but they now seem available only at places like Amazon. They may give more insight into the phenomena. 

My personal understanding is that skinheads evolved partly from the early mod look as it was felt that around 66-67, mod had lost its way and gone hippy (and therefore soft, poncey and above all, middle class). The skinhead look fitted better with the working class tradition. Certainly if one looks at pictures of football fans in the late sixties and very early seventies, they have a skinhead/mod look, but by the mid seventies and the days of Charlie George and the other hairies, this had given way to the 'long haired lout' who probably listened to Bay City Rollers and Kenny rather than obscure ska bands. 

Sadly the late seventies/early eighties saw the revival of both mod, skin and ted fashions, but in a bastardised seventies form. Mods were simply scruffy youths who wore parkas, forgetting that the parka was intended as merely a functional overall for sharp suits while riding scooters, and skins were just neo-nazi thugs with spider web tatoos and doc marten boots. 

It's interesting that skin style also had links with the preppy look. It's an amusing fact that Italian football supporters in the eighties wore the 'casual' look, which was an attempt to emulate the British hooligan style, which was in itself a variant on the American preppy style, which we all know was based on the Ivy League 'anglo' style...anyone still with me???


----------



## ashie259

What a great thread - this is really interesting stuff. I was only on the periphery at best of the fashion scenes growing up, but nonetheless was quite aware of them.

I was at school during the ska revival times of The Specials, Madness et al. By then anyone aspiring to be a skin needed to be clear that it was very much about fighting and causing mayhem. I particularly remember a terrifying night in Kingston (upon-Thames) when Sham 69 were playing and the entire population was running for its life to escape hundreds of rampaging nutters. And of course going to football was a risky business - just getting the Tube there could be a pretty scary experience. Who would be lurking at Mile End?

So for the rest of us, our nod to the times meant sta-prest trousers (powder blue, burgundy or light grey), a Fred Perry polo shirt, white socks and tasselled loafers. To turn this into our local (low-rent) interpretation of mod style, you just threw on a parka and some Jam shoes and away you went, to be terrorised by the soul boys.

From there it was a short step to the 'casual' look - again, though, I wasn't into the aggro (or the music), so I limited myself to the Lacoste cardies and Lois jeans. I used to go to West Ham home and away, which gave me the opportunity to travel the country and see some pretty horrendous styles, haircuts (eg the wedge) and colour combinations (in a single garment).

As for the mods, I understand Luke's in Canning Town are still very popular with them and do a pretty useful job.


----------



## LondonFogey

Indeed - people who complain about our town centres being no go areas after 11pm due to binge drinking would do well to remember that up until 20 years ago, most town centres (and major railway lines) were 'no go' areas every Saturday afternoon, due to the hordes of drunken, violent football fans.


----------



## Daniele

*Hard Mods and Skinheads: Pics*

Some pics, thanks to search engines; unfortunately all of these report only the 'daytime' casual look, not the 'nightclubbing' attire. All date back to the 1969-1971 circa period.

A crew in relaxed mood. Cheers!

Controlled by the Old Bill before or after a footy match (nice smart overcoats, expecially the sheepskin coat - second from left)

Good looking Skingirls.

Transition phase between a Hard Mod type (on the right) and the Levi's-braces-boots Skinhead look. Though the most remarkable thing is the lovely chick in between..

The Suedehead connection: 1972, flared trousers and penny round collared shirts (like seen in 'Bronco Bullfrog' movie).

Longer hair, but Harrington jackets and Madras BD are still the thing.

My favourite: 1969, a gang of Mod-influenced young Skinheads is chasing a greaser, likely at some seaside resort. Notice how the bloke in white trousers and boots is getting ready to... kick the penalty

These pics aren't appropriate to illustrate the original post about the smart Skinhead style, but this is what the web offers...


----------



## Trimmer

LondonFogey said:


> Indeed - people who complain about our town centres being no go areas after 11pm due to binge drinking would do well to remember that up until 20 years ago, most town centres (and major railway lines) were 'no go' areas every Saturday afternoon, due to the hordes of drunken, violent football fans.


Not much more than twenty years ago town centres were no-go areas after 11pm because eveything had closed by then. I used to get the last train home _after_ a party at about 11. Young Trimmer is still deciding which of my clothes to 'borrow' at that time before going out.

I used to value the 90 minutes window when the local team was playing at home to do some trouble-free shopping, but I made sure I was well out of the way by the time the whistle blew and the hordes descended.

Trimmer


----------



## Daniele

LondonFogey said:


> Sadly the late seventies/early eighties saw the revival of both mod, skin and ted fashions, but in a bastardised seventies form. Mods were simply scruffy youths who wore parkas, forgetting that the parka was intended as merely a functional overall for sharp suits while riding scooters,


Yep. In UK style conscious people inside 'the movement' got quickly aware of this, so that in the early-mid 80s you could see smart dressed blokes hitting the roads and the dancefloors at R&B does etc. In Italy it took AGES for most Mods to get rid of certain 'cliches', and some still stick to them nowadays.



LondonFogey said:


> It's interesting that skin style also had links with the preppy look. It's an amusing fact that Italian football supporters in the eighties wore the 'casual' look, which was an attempt to emulate the British hooligan style, which was in itself a variant on the American preppy style, which we all know was based on the Ivy League 'anglo' style...anyone still with me???


 It becomes even more confusing if we think that British 80s Casuals dressed like "they supposed" the Italians did, while most Italian footy supporters in the same years looked like UK 'scarfers'; 'terrace styles' emerged later here: the vulgarized 'skinhead' types (shaven head-high boots-flight jackets-camo) in the mid 80s and the Casual ten years later.

Daniele


----------



## Brideshead

*Paninari?*



Daniele said:


> Yep. In UK style conscious people inside 'the movement' got quickly aware of this, so that in the early-mid 80s you could see smart dressed blokes hitting the roads and the dancefloors at R&B does etc. In Italy it took AGES for most Mods to get rid of certain 'cliches', and some still stick to them nowadays.
> 
> It becomes even more confusing if we think that British 80s Casuals dressed like "they supposed" the Italians did, while most Italian footy supporters in the same years looked like UK 'scarfers'; 'terrace styles' emerged later here: the vulgarized 'skinhead' types (shaven head-high boots-flight jackets-camo) in the mid 80s and the Casual ten years later.
> 
> Daniele


Daniele - Am I right in thinking the Paninaro developed a look that appropriated Trad, Mod, Casual, Italian Designer cues and ended up with a knd of (very successful) Mid-Atlantic image? I recall L'Uomo Vogue doing a few pieces on this movement in the late 80's, I think.

Fascinating how intertwined our styles become.


----------



## Daniele

*Paninari and preppy look*



Brideshead said:


> Daniele - Am I right in thinking the Paninaro developed a look that appropriated Trad, Mod, Casual, Italian Designer cues and ended up with a knd of (very successful) Mid-Atlantic image? I recall L'Uomo Vogue doing a few pieces on this movement in the late 80's, I think.
> 
> Fascinating how intertwined our styles become.


Fascinating indeed!

Re: Paninari- I remember we happened to fight them every now and about, typically on Saturdays afternoon, and generally ended up chasing them till their stronghold, a burger-bar in central Milan (hence the name, 'panino' meaning 'sandwich' or 'hamburger'. Flattering, eh?
Paninaro, basicly a Milanese phenomenon, was kinda caricatural preppy wearing some good things in the wrong way, resulting quite vulgar and exxagerated. Example: Lacoste polo shirt (good), burlington argyle socks (good), Levi's 501 (good) BUT...with flower-printed patches on the pockets (bad), heavy Timberland yellow boots (utterly bad) and orange Moncler sleeveless quilted ski windcheater (totally bad. Believe me, the outcome was a punch in your eye. 
In the same period (early-mid 80s) in Italy took over a more proper preppy look, much closer to co-eval American models, and that was fine. I bought my first pair of Sebago pennies at a now long bygone 'prep' shop that stocked button downs, sack 3/2 blazers, nantucket reds, argyle tops etc. The 'proper' prep look seemed to me (even if wasn't yet fully aware of all the links, the Modern jazz/Ivy League connection, etc) more suitable the Mod 'philosophy' than the streetstyle approach many local soi-disant 'mods' adopted in those days (sneakers, sweatshirts, white socks, narrow jeans and target-patched fishtails parkas also in the hot weather).
Backing to the topic, paninari's outlook watered down and disappeared by the late 80s, but with the add of Italian designer items (mainly Armani at the beginning) contributed to create the basic mainstream teenage look that counts so many followers nowadys (with slight variations season after season). Nothing to be proud of, actually...;-) 
As for Casual influences, I wouldn't know... they used to worship Continental and Italian brands like Fila and Ellesse, that here were confined to their original role of sport gear. We had to wait till early 90s, with the Acid Jazz influence, to see tracking suits' tops in clubs and around.
Cheers,
Daniele


----------



## LondonFogey

I quite like the outfit on the first cover, but on 'Skinhead escapes' he seems to have morphed into the typical oafish British pub-waster look. 

I dread to think what a 'smoothy girl' is....


----------



## Daniele

*Richard Allen's covers*

Here's a complete collection. The Mod picture isn't very flattering for the cathegory, btw..
There's a Smoothie too (curiously enough, the same guy is also on the Boot Boys book....).
I've never seen one in person, but think that Smoothies were another offspring of the Skinhead style (even if by the 74-75 hair were well grown up..) I've read and heard they wore knitted tank tops or ski jumpers, penny round collars shirts, slightly flared 'Ruperts' (loudly checked trousers named from a cartoon character, Rupert the bear), colored socks, brogues, norwegian split-toes derby/boots, chunky Frank Wright loafers.
Music-wise, still Soul but also Glam Rock bands.


----------



## Brideshead

*No such thing...*



LondonFogey said:


> I quite like the outfit on the first cover, but on 'Skinhead escapes' he seems to have morphed into the typical oafish British pub-waster look.
> 
> I dread to think what a 'smoothy girl' is....


I agree with your comments. Even on the first pic the look is rather expected, with no attempt at embracing some of the more subtle elements I described.

As for the 'smoothy girl' I don't believe there was any such thing. By this stage things had moved on well beyond the kind of grotesque image shown on the cover (which I am pleased to say I never actually witnessed).

As ever, by the time any movement achieves sufficient attention for a book to be written about it, the originators of the style have long gone...


----------



## Brideshead

Daniele said:


> Here's a complete collection. The Mod picture isn't very flattering for the cathegory, btw..
> There's a Smoothie too (curiously enough, the same guy is also on the Boot Boys book....).
> I've never seen one in person, but think that Smoothies were another offspring of the Skinhead style (even if by the 74-75 hair were well grown up..) I've read and heard they wore knitted tank tops or ski jumpers, penny round collars shirts, slightly flared 'Ruperts' (loudly checked trousers named from a cartoon character, Rupert the bear), colored socks, brogues, norwegian split-toes derby/boots, chunky Frank Wright loafers.
> Music-wise, still Soul but also Glam Rock bands.


Daniele, good description of the Smoothie - although the tag was hardly used I recall. The 'Smoothies' were that group that began to take shape around mid 1970 (as per my first post above) and were an evolution of the later, smarter skinhead style. The clothes could still be purchased from the Squire Shop and the other J Simons emporium of that era 'The Village Gate'. Another great shop for this look was Jones of the Kings Road and Brewer Street, Soho. It was a look, when done well, that carried over some of the better Mod and Skinhead influences, and I always felt you could tell if someone had come into the movement from a Mod/Skin background.

You mention Glam Rock and I suppose Mr Bryan Ferry was one of the best exponents of the look.


----------



## Daniele

*More about Smoothies*

Brideshead, reading your last post it came to mind that a guy I met at a do and that was a SW London Skinhead in 1970 told me that the term Smoothes in his area indicated a very smart style, resuming as you wrote the better of Mod and Skinhead (Ivy influences, tonic suits, Crombie coats, brogues etc.; maybe the same cult that elsewhere was named Suedehead?) and that what I described as Smoothie in my post was a totally different thing, a fad that came out later in the 70s and lasted for very short time.

More and more intriguing...


----------



## Daniele

*American 'conservatives' and Londoner 'subversives'...*

Here is what mr Kevin Rowland, singer of Dexy's Midnight Runners, wrote about our topic a couple of years ago:

"......then, in January 1983 I was walking down Madison Avenue
dressed in a heavy overcoat with my beret with a feather sticking
out of it. I stopped outside Brooks Brothers and saw the clothes we
had worn yers ago, before the media ruined it and started the
skinhead thing: raised stitching on the seams, hook or off-centre
vents in the jackets, patch and pockets. The jackets were so
suitable it was untrue, because at first look they looked very
square.
I kept on looking at the clothes people were wearing. In Texas
outside a restaurant I saw these two guys. They had parallel
trousers on, with plain cap shoes and button shirts with their hand
in their pockets, standin around. To me they looked like a couple of
hard cases from Harrow in 1969. Of course they were just office-
workers......they looked great. I'm still amazed that the coolest
London suburban kids in the late 60s were wearing the clothes of
middle-aged, conservative America, deliberately flying against
everything we were led to belive the 1960s were supposed to be
about. Subversive or what?" 
(Let's make this precious - The best of
Dexys Midnight Runners, paul Gorman, Londra, 2003)


----------



## LondonFogey

I had to laugh at the 'Punk' book cover. As someone just about old enough to remember punks, I certainly don't recall any that were about 35 years old with swastikas crayoned onto their faces! :icon_smile_big:


----------



## Brideshead

Daniele said:


> Brideshead, reading your last post it came to mind that a guy I met at a do and that was a SW London Skinhead in 1970 told me that the term Smoothes in his area indicated a very smart style, resuming as you wrote the better of Mod and Skinhead (Ivy influences, tonic suits, Crombie coats, brogues etc.; maybe the same cult that elsewhere was named Suedehead?) and that what I described as Smoothie in my post was a totally different thing, a fad that came out later in the 70s and lasted for very short time.
> 
> More and more intriguing...


I agree with this summary completely. Although in my very first post I said I was a Skinhead, by 1970 the hair was getting longer and the clothes more subtle so 'suedehead' and smoothie were alternative appellations for this new breed. The clothes were as you describe and came mainly from J Simons shops plus one or two in the East End.


----------



## Doctor Damage

Highly recommend the following book:
DR MARTENS by Martin Roach
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1...102-3575868-1636149?s=books&v=glance&n=283155


----------



## Daniele

Doctor Damage said:


> Here's a great bit about the evolution of skinhead clothing. It's a Russian site, so you'll have to use an on-line translator. When I get time, I'll post the illustrations here.
> 
> https://oioioi.ru/history/rocksteady/rttw/clothing.html


Well done Doc, very detailed illustrations! I think they come from a book called 'Skinhead' (but I'm not sure) that was around many years ago. I'd be curious to read the cirillic text.
Cheers


----------



## Doctor Damage

Okay, here's the full text translated by Altavista Babelfish, with illustrations. The translation is less than perfect. (Moderators: if there are copyright concerns please let me know and I'll delete the text, but I think the illustrations should be okay.)

Trads will be particularly interested in the third and fourth illustrations: a skinhead-preppy-trad connection should be clear. Classic American style has obviously had a world-wide impact, more than its detractors would have us believe!

DD

-------------------------------------

_*Sovereigns Of The Jungle*
(Jim Ferguson, "Ruder than the Web: Fashion Notebook")

Each time, when 4 anything I write, I think - from what to me to begin story. I give to its story very long name - "Ruder than the Web", and this is why: I frequently see on the hands of the young children of nakolki in the form of stars and cobweb, and, although no one of them after the lattice not was never, they consider this something "steep" and bring to themselves such figures. I is ready to refute such views the tattooing, which they began to bear now, is called "web tattoo", whereas 4 I call my story "rougher than cobweb", because those, about anyone I here tell, in reality "ruder than the web".

Most important here - figures. I sketched well from the childhood, and was studied not only the structure of human body - me always drew clothing, more accurate, then, as it appears for each of us. I could become the designer of clothing, if in this peace place for this remained. But sooner or later I had to ascertain that it there does not exist - people worry not about the beauty of clothing, but only about the price. And I threw this undertaking, it began to make figures for the books. But now I achieve its old dream. I was assembled with the spirit and decided to draw all first, in that I could dress other people, and that that 4 itself bore. It seems me, this is the best clothing for the children, what can be found.

I sketch that the fact that it saw. That that it memorized. If in the first two figures you see skinheads - it is good, let they be called then for you. If someone says to you that this "hard mods" or "peanuts" - let this will be then. After glancing at other two figures, they will say many - these are fans from the football tribune, and here "smoothies" and "suits". It can be, can be but this not they. In reality this 4 and my friends. Yes, yes, on one of these figures 4 also there is, but where precisely - I will not say. greatly it did not want me along the streets to dangle the doubles Of dzhima Of fergyusona. They will begin to divide glass and to sketch on the fences, and they will indicate that they learned this 4 - and indeed 4 it is wonderfully brought up. Followers are not necessary to me. Each is free to bear that which pleases itself it. And point.

All, whom I here sketch, occur from the working class of society. In the first two figures you will see suspenders. Contemporary skinheads tell me: "this all began in the docks", but my father remembers well that its father, my grandfather, dressed so even before the war, in the twentieth years or it is still earlier. Then this clothing substituted contemporary overalls, with the fact that jeans in the beginning of century did not have loops for the belt - they were held on the suspenders, which moreover did not give to jacket to be soiled or to be hooked on anything. Possibly, docks preserved this clothing, and to the suspenders were added high boots and short pants. I would name those, who appeared so by words "hard citizen workers". These were people, which carried out the hardest and dirtiest work, from the building of buildings to the repairing of roads, yes even work in the docks it was not possible to name very already clean. In order to work there, it was necessary to possess big enough force.

Someone will say: "well, and not on what here to look". That zh, then you do not look. 4 I attempt no one nothing to impose. Yes, I sketch simple workers. My parents were similar. And such, as they, are many. And nevertheless I sketch not entirely usual people, and further I will try to explain, why they for me not the same as everything.

Thus, here is my the first figure. I frequently saw such fellows in the 60's. I remember, they were very strong and they were held very quietly. In my figure they and their girl friend stand next to the fence made of the bricks. Then we had fully these destroyed walls, we through them climbed. As you already surmised, 4 my friends then even smaller were.

To girl to the left not so there are many years, not more than fifteen. Then no one pulled with the children as now, and you be it twenty five, it would sit house with the child. Its friends are older it - in the middle of the 60th to such children it was already far beyond twenty. But they appeared younger years to ten, as if time not was imperious above them. Life pulled them - into five years to see war, to live in constant stress. It can be, this did put imprint on them? I do not know. I would name their exterior view words "state of alert", i.e., the "state of the alarming- stressed attention", and I try to transmit this thickening motion, readiness for any action. This is not "pride", as it could seem at first glance, something it was be proud of it. I cannot explain, from where this is taken, but this precisely attention - and force.

4 would begin the enumeration of their clothing from the high boots. Both fellows in the figure bear the dark red Dr. Martens Astronauts, in them eight holes for it is string, which correspond to today's of ten or eleven. We called them "Moon Hop Astronauts", i.e., "moon rovers", in the honor of similar song, which sang Derrick Morgan. In the beginning its stuchat drums, then goes the melody of rokstedi, and the words:

Do the Moon Hop, Jump to the Moon, 
Do the Moon Hop, Jump directly to the Moon, 
The mix it with the Kangaroo jump, Add leap as in kangaroo, 
The mix it with the Kangaroo jump, Add leap as in kangaroo.

It is a new dance, This is new dance, 
It is a new dance, This is your new dance, 
Comma make it jump-AP- Pa, Make it necessary to fly all around itself, 
Comma make it jump-AP- Pa. Make it necessary to fly all around itself.

And so endlessly. Under this song it was necessary to strike by feet into the wooden floor, and the louder in you it was obtained, the better. Precisely dark red boots was required for this dance. Black, like those that bore the policemen and servicemen, that be suitable were not considered - only "astronauts", rubbed to the luster.

Their girl friend I dressed into the boots "monkey boots". They was called this name in the honor of song "Monkey Man", which Paley Maytals. Since "monkey man" indicates "dark-skinned", these boots, possibly, bore Rude Boys, they were cheaper than "astronauts", and they proved to be more accessible for the black fellows. A difference in such boots from Dr. Martens consisted in the fact that they had two sidewalls and noses as sneakers. These were emphasized rough boots, they have strong sole. Now they no longer are let out.

Several words about jeans. By the best they were counted Levis 501. Made from the rigid cloth, they were painted with the easily convergent paint "indigo denim" and after several washings of fold on them created the outlines of strong body. Such jeans were called "bleach", i.e., faded. They were cut and rolled to the upper hole on the boots - this arrived from the the dark-skinned Rude Boys. Beautiful were considered for some reason "thin rollups", thin podvoroty. They were done in such a case, when the wrong side of jeans was brighter external than the side.

Suspenders - thin with the bright fastenings, one color, as a rule, black or dark red as boots. They fastened, where muscles of trunk and muscle along the sides of body and where must be hardly noticeable vpadinki, converge on the stomach. Their jacket was shut, but suspenders restored they again. After dressing so, it was necessary to straighten arms as that fellow, that it was drawn in the middle. This produced strong impression. At the end of the 60th is annual thus they began to dress and Rude Boys.

Jackets. In spite of your expectations, you will not see Ben Sherman in the first figure - I sketch simply flannelette jackets, "Sherman" they entered into the use only later, into the imitation im. I think, sense was not in bearing precisely "Sherman", but in the fact that flannelette jacket together with the suspenders emphasizes the presence in you of strong muscles of body, necessary so that that surrounding would recognize your merit. I frequently saw these jackets with the rolled sleeves - it is higher than the elbow or below, as it pleased itself whom. Rolling the jacket of higher than the elbow it was possible to emphasize muscle- flexors, it is lower than the elbow - to bare hands, to show readiness for the action, as is evident in the figure.

The main reaching Ben Sherman consisted in the fact that they selected the best arrangement for the cover plate on the arms, called "yoke", and they improved collar, after fastening it with the aid of the buttons along the edges, called "button downs". This collar made it possible to create section in front in the form of the triangle, which was called "V -neck" and it was pleasant addition to the boots and the suspenders.

Girls also bore flannelette jackets, but 4 not to camp to dress her into this jacket. 4 never saw the girl, in whom would be strongly developed surface muscles, as in fellows, and to emphasize them unnecessarily. Collar in the form of letter BY "V" by it also to nothing. So that dress- kA of 4 it into the woolen "cardy", which it is pleasant to be touched by hand. In the manner that me very it pleases itself. But you appoint your girl friends into the fact that is suitable for your hands: -)

I a little will describe about the outer clothing. However that may be today, 4 I do not remember any nylon jackets in the middle and in the beginning of the 60th it is annual. Skinheads bore the clothing, which closes from the wind, but in this case sufficiently free and not troubling motion. To put on military jacket for them was nevertheless that to fasten peasant coat with the door knob on the spin - and that, etc. completely distorts the proportions of body. I know that the jacket -bomber is suitable in order to be protection, armor on the football platforms, it it can be clothing for the scooters, but dress so each day - this already too. There is nothing sadder than to see the army of robots in the identical clothing, furthermore the serviceman.

I will dress immediately two its heroes in that clothing, which I saw in the times of the glorious days of the sixtieth it was annual. In the fact that was intended not for the senseless violence on the streets, but in order to change the attitude of surrounding to itself, including girls. 4 he would say: for the beauty, the force and the glory.

I remember well jackets with the square pockets and the wide collar, for which them they called "shawl collar jacket". This collar created on the breast noticeable triangle in addition to the triangle "V -neck" shermanovskoy jacket - it remained to only slightly straighten arms. Usually this jacket remained unbuttoned and hands were held on the belt, which indicated readiness for the action, just as the rolled sleeves of jacket. The section of collar was selected depending on increase and widths of arms.

In the beginning of the seventieth is annual into the imitation to this jacket they appeared dublenki "sheepskin" with the wide collar, warm winter coats "shawl collar coat" with the same collar, short autumnal coats "crombie" with the section and much other.

Here is even more blackly hat with the short fields. At first thus dressed jamaica Rude Boys, but at the end of the 60th it was annual hat it became the part of the appearance of skinheads. Bore two varieties of hats - one-color "pork-pie hat" and "stinge" with the strip on the crown of a hat. Hat made you above, only it was necessary to know as it to bear. It does not look without the long jacket, and it must be a little moved the back of the head, leaving face open.

Girl bears hair-do "feather weight", today known as "chelsea". Fellow in the middle is cut briefly and has whiskers - they show that to it it is already more than twenty years. This hair-do was called "skiffle". Fellow to the right cut off entire hearth cap. His hair-do is called "crew cut", word "crew" in this case indicates "nozzle for the machine for the hair-cutting".

Everything, which is shown in this figure, and exist "original skinhead style". Specifically, about this clothing tells the jamaica group Symarip in the song "Skinhead Jamboree". The present name of this group was Pyramids, and song had to be called "Train Tour to the Rainbow City", but they re-played it anew for their English listeners and replaced their name, as usually this was done in Jamaica. This is what they Paley:

Remember Me? I am your boss, skin! 31, you do remember me? 4 here most important! 
Speaking to you. I speak to you. 
You know, hailing, You understood that here 
Your boss, skinhead. Your sovereign, skin. 
We're going to the Jamboree tonight! We will go to the party today. 
Right. And this is good.

Song glorified not only clothing, boots, suspenders and everything else, but also very means of life - dances, beer, fight, and something elusive, which flickered at the end of the song and was named words "unite together". To me familiarly this feeling of the strongest attachment - when you stood somewhere on the cross-road, it began to lead you and you came into action together. 4 I cannot explain by simple words that this such, but he would want to say that the skinheads in my time were not conducted one by one how now, they were always guard, tribe, "crew". I also sketch several immediately, by such 4 they memorized.

But here is the second figure. At the end of the 60th it is annual young people it adopted this exterior view, having a little simplified and diversifying it. New things appeared, and I could name several different it was specific skinheads at the end of the 60th it was annual. But, following Symarip, I sketch together their all - let they cost somewhere on the street. But far away I will draw adult, dressed differently. Let they have the clothing for the cold weather. Thus:

I will describe to you only about the children, who stand in front. Concerning adult, which were shown in the previous figure - try to understand themselves, why by them pleased themselves precisely such coats, knowledge for this in you it is already sufficient. I would want to note only that the dark red boots bore in autumn, but not in winter - frost for them was dangerous, since if the drops of water freeze on the surface of boots, the skin rapidly is destroyed. For the winter it was necessary to search for boots from the strong skin.

After in 1962 Levis they let out to jeans even and jacket 557xx, it began to flicker on the streets each day. It it is possible to see on the cover of plate Symarip, and 4 in no way could leave this jacket without the attention. It had both the cover plate on the arms and lines in front - best selection for the skinhead in every respect. The amateurs of music bore it in essence. They were similar to the first generation of skinheads, they tried in everything to resemble on them, in exactly the same manner shortened jeans and bore accurately the same suspenders. Soon appeared boots "Air Wair", that was called name from the words "air wear" - these were the same dark red "astronauts", but with the improved sole "bouncing soil" and the high lift of foot. At one time they were considered as the large rarity, since cost more expensive than other boots, but the one who greatly wanted to bear them, it could them itself allow. They were always rubbed to the luster.

I sketch the fellow, who stands to the right similar. 4 it would give to it 22/24 years. Children like it adopted not only the clothing of the first skinheads, but also their behavior - they could grasp and reproduce the state, about which I spoke. This was a good example, and so began to dress skinheads at the end of the 70th it was annual, this appearance flickered on concerts Oi! and to 2-.Tone of ska. Furthermore, followers to 2-.Tone bore sweaters Fred Perry and Scottish jackets Harrington, which will be shown in the following figure. Here there are not, because kharringtonovskiye jackets appeared in the south with the retardation for two years.

Fellow, who stands in the middle, not younger than 18 and is not older than 20 years. His clothing - jacket "donkey" from the closely woven cloth, discolored jeans and strong boots. It not of those, who give much attention to their appearance - he does not have available a sufficient time for this. He occurs from the working class, his view is serious - it cannot be said that it is contented by its life. And it is ready to defend its rights. 4 would be named such children words "working class kids". Their views in many respects are reflected in music Oi!

Fellow to the left - one of the football hooligans, 4 would not give to it more than 16 years. It is confident, that many learn in it itself. Noise of platforms was the best music for them, by the best dance - fight. The scarf, painted in the colors of the dear command and dressed so that it cannot be torn away, dark green field shirt and the frightening black boots with the steel nose, soon forbidden by the police. In the middle of the 70th it is annual the distinctive clothing of similar villains they became the pilot jackets, put on, most likely, into the imitation to field shirts, since their color was at first the same. Boots were always black color.

Further I will try to show, as young people in the operating regions still dressed. An increase in the incomes led to an improvement in the clothing - during the weekends on the streets it was possible to meet young people, dressed in good suits, expensive and very convenient jackets and decent pants. I will try to show this clothing in the following figure, although it is confident, that suit with three buttons saw everything.

And again my story begins from the boots. Those that bears the fellow in the middle, were called "brogues", while those that bears the fellow to the right - "leather uppers". Almost weightless, from the bright skin and from greatly grow prettier by sole - remarkable foot-wear. Fellow to the left bears shoes Dr. Martens, known as "Air Wair shoes". They cost more cheaply, but on the quality they did not be inferior to rest. This clothing was the luxury of altogether only for several years thus far.

Two children in the middle are to the right dressed in good pants. Produced Levis, they were called "Sta-Prest" and did not require smoothing. This was very conveniently, since people, which bought this clothing, were ready to bear its each day. I dress them into the jackets with the wide open collar. Usually the color of jacket did not correspond to the color of suit so that it would become more noticeably.

4 never it bore suits, but they pleased themselves me always. You will look, as appears collar and as arms are finished. They as if disperse, it visually seems that man, which is so dressed, it is wider in the arms than in reality. Of course to this clothing was relied straight carriage and confident gait. And the children, whom I met in this clothing, were sufficiently strong. Their age was about 20 years. They worked entire week and could allow themselves to appear thus.

Fellow is to the left dressed more poorly: his jeans were torn on the knees and patched. But it nevertheless bears the expensive sweater Fred Perry with the triangular collar "V -neck" and jacket Ben Sherman. This appearance was known as "street style". Here when arrived opportunely small buttons on the collar of jacket - with them it was not knocked out from under the sweater, so that was obtained small letter "v" inside large "V". This fellow is very young, 4 he would give to it 15/16 years. I assume, to it there is no need for worry about its appearance, but when to it it will be carried out by 22, it will appear better.

And here is finally last figure. In the beginning and in first half of the 70th it was possible to meet such strange dressed people which remained to only be surprised, why they this made. Furthermore, appeared the clothing, intended not to emphasize the merit of that, who it bears, but capable of hiding any deficiencies. This is how this appeared:

Thin neck led to the appearance of "vodolazok" - woolen sweaters with the high collar, which was called name "polo neck". The same purpose served the circular strip of cloth, sewn on the arms - "Fair Isle yoke", nosimaya with the elongated collar of jacket. Jeans became wider, almost more dimensionless. Among entire other things, they shut shin - it no longer they bared, emphasizing force, as in the middle of the 60th it was annual, and jeans reached it was boundary shoes. At the same time colored jackets and pants appeared. Only, what I could name grow prettier by finding those years - convenient shoes "loafers", cross-linked like the Indian moccassins, and medium altitude boots "norwegians" with the woven top.

Urban population created its appearance, and 4 he did not say that it was better than that, about which I spoke at the very beginning. Far from all dandies of the 70th were annual well developed, indeed everything that they could obtain, there were the school lessons of gymnastics. I sketch by their such, such as I remember, and I must say that I see no force in such tele-. They little were in air and were not occupied by sport. To 20 years they collected weight, but not force.

I will say nothing new: itself clothing creates nothing and it cannot create. She only emphasizes that which must be, also, without the clothing. But indeed to be - do not mean to seem... this 4 and he would want to show by his last figure.

It altogether only one of four, and 4 with the confidence look in the future. The one who carries out much time on the street, it is selected to nature, is occupied by any form of sport, has the possibility to appear in the manner that children in the first figure.

Each of us could become similar._

-------------------------------------

I kind of liked the statement "itself clothing creates nothing and it cannot create". Once you get through the translation syntax difficulties, it has wisdom. Anyway, with regard to the illustrations, I've just come across another website, in English, which describes the four illustrations as follows: (1) early skin style, (2) late skin style, (3) suedehead style, and (4) smooth style. This may be a more accessible description than the main text.


----------



## Brideshead

*Thank you Doctor*

That evolution in style that I attempted to describe in my very first post above is illustrated superbly in the four drawings.

Regrettably neither drawings nor indeed many photos really convey just how immaculate many skins, suedeheads or smooths actually were. The sharpness of the trouser crease, the shine of the tonic mohair or the highly polished brogue, the perfect pocket square - these details do not really come across. Good to see all the same.


----------



## Daniele

*Lack of quality photos*



Brideshead said:


> That evolution in style that I attempted to describe in my very first post above is illustrated superbly in the four drawings.
> 
> Regrettably neither drawings nor indeed many photos really convey just how immaculate many skins, suedeheads or smooths actually were. The sharpness of the trouser crease, the shine of the tonic mohair or the highly polished brogue, the perfect pocket square - these details do not really come across. Good to see all the same.


You're right once more, very seldom photos can catch certain 'killer' details.
I've read on www.modculture.com of a London photographer, Dean Belcher, who's carrying on a project including pictures of today's Mods (maybe for an exhibition or a book). Some of the pics are online on his website, 
I can't see them, since I haven't the proper software, but comments I've heard around are very positive.
Cheers,
D.


----------



## Doctor Damage

Found this somewhere on the internet entitled "skinhead suit". I particularly like the tie length and the use of the tie pin to make it arch.



Not sure if The Specials were considered skinheads, but here's some photos anyway. Certainly a very natty bunch.


----------



## Daniele

*Drawings*

Here are some drawings of Max Galli, an emerging Italian illustrator and comics-artist.
Clicking on the various categories (Original-Swinging-Hard Mods) and/or 'Uomo' - 'Donna' you can see some examples.


----------



## Brideshead

Daniele said:


> Here are some drawings of Max Galli, an emerging Italian illustrator and comics-artist.
> Clicking on the various categories (Original-Swinging-Hard Mods) and/or 'Uomo' - 'Donna' you can see some examples.


I love the drawings of 'Uomo' e 'Donna'.

The music of 'Mod '79' would have embraced bands like the Specials, Madness, etc. I do recall a British Vogue feature of that time that started 'I have seen the future - and it's Mod!' The Mod style certainly made a strong return over here but did not seem to last for long. Obviously people like Paul Weller have stayed fairly true to the 'cause'.

I have found a couple of pics of my 'smooth' days in 1971 and will try to get them into a format so that I can post them here.

cheers


----------



## Daniele

Brideshead said:


> I love the drawings of 'Uomo' e 'Donna'.
> 
> The music of 'Mod '79' would have embraced bands like the Specials, Madness, etc. I do recall a British Vogue feature of that time that started 'I have seen the future - and it's Mod!' The Mod style certainly made a strong return over here but did not seem to last for long. Obviously people like Paul Weller have stayed fairly true to the 'cause'.
> 
> I have found a couple of pics of my 'smooth' days in 1971 and will try to get them into a format so that I can post them here.
> 
> cheers


The 1979 Mod revival! It reached Italy (as for I was concerned) a couple of years later or so. Clothes-wise, we often were a bit 'naive' back then; I was quite lucky to find a shop that had never had sales for 2 decades so it was stuffed with NOS 60s jackets, raincoats, etc. (I still have and use many of them). So I had to go bespoke only for trousers at the beginning, that was a big relief, financially speaking. Those among us that had the opportunity to travel to London (not an everyday business 25 years ago if you were 17 years old or so) came back sometimes with some useful clues about 'the last Mod thing', more often with crap stuff from carnaby's nonsense shops.
In UK the scene improved quickly, even if numbers shrunk after many kids took other routes; clubs like The Sneakers helped to bring back attention to proper Mod sounds and styles (I regret never having been able to attend it). In Italy it took much more time to reach a decent level of quality awareness.

Brideshead, hope you'll post the pics soon!

Cheers,

Daniele


----------



## nicksull

Not sure what year Allens book came out but being old enough to have been very much into it in 76-77, i do recall that real punk was far more home-made a look - like this in fact - than the later organised punk bands with their stylists and record company marketeers would have suggested.

Look at the Undertones for how it was at the beginning 
https://robbie.blogg.se/images/undertones_162826426.jpg

Arguably the first band to define punk muisic. but they just look like a bunch of normal scruffy kids with slight mod/skin tendencies. 
Actually Allens book cover looks a but pretty and spookily like it could be George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in a punk-embryonic version of Wham. Ugh.


----------



## Old Brompton

What was the most common clipper setting to achieve the 'skinhead' look? A couple of friends at school used a #4 or #5 all over, which was short enough to attract the attention of the hippies and long hairs, yet long enough for the hair to grow out fairly quickly and appease the disapproving priests/teachers.


----------



## kitonbrioni

Didn't the mods and their Vespars start in the early 1960s?


----------



## Brideshead

Old Brompton said:


> What was the most common clipper setting to achieve the 'skinhead' look? A couple of friends at school used a #4 or #5 all over, which was short enough to attract the attention of the hippies and long hairs, yet long enough for the hair to grow out fairly quickly and appease the disapproving priests/teachers.


In my day the barber used to place what he called a 'bat' on your head. This was a flattish wide bat with fine teeth cut into it. It was a tapered design so that the hair could be clipped a little shorter at back and sides rather than a uniform length. I suppose it would have equated to about a no. 3 or 4. Rather a complicated approach I always thought...

Depending on the fashion at the time he would finish by cutting in a 'parting'!


----------



## Brideshead

kitonbrioni said:


> Didn't the mods and their Vespars start in the early 1960s?


They did. We really need Daniele to give us a definitive statement. Where is he I wonder?


----------



## ashie259

Here's a reminder that the skin/suedehead influence lasted well into the late '70s, even among the avowedly unfashionable (in, in this case, Derry):


----------



## outrigger

kitonbrioni said:


> Didn't the mods and their Vespars start in the early 1960s?


Yes 1962 is seen as the year Mod started, although there was the Modernist movement in the 50's. That scene centred around ivy League clothing and modern jazz music, it's often stated that Mod was a progression of Modernist. Also in the 50's were the scooter boys who wore english waisted jackets (similar to Savile Row). And the coffe bar cats who were into all things continental, Mod probably was a blending together of all those styles.


----------



## sunnisalafi

Doctor Damage, you should be the curator at a traditional clothing museum!


----------



## going grey

*skinhead memories*

Are these the same skinheads who used to regularly terrorise me and my scoolmates at our private school in the North of England in the 60's? I remember them being violent and working class with few prospects (hence their actions to us -who had a bright future)..they were feared disliked and reviled by all..how differently you all remember them


----------



## Daniele

Brideshead said:


> They did. We really need Daniele to give us a definitive statement. Where is he I wonder?


Hi, I'm here. New Company's server has a device aimed to spot and notify 'unappropriate' internet activities like this. I'm expecting an alarm siren will sound quickly and a unit of Comany's Psycho-Police will pass that door and arrest me.
By the way, I basicly agree with what was said above: from the 50's Modernists loving Jazz and Ivy League derive Mods, thanks to an injection of Continental styles. By 1958-59 Mods aren't by any way a 'movement' but small scattered groups of young clothes-obsessed style devotees (at the very beginning almost unaware ones of each others) Attending jazz clubs and cafes in the West End allowed guys (it was primarily a male style, like-minded girls seemed being scarce in early years) to get in touch with other area's 'faces', and this gradually created links and put the basis for the birth of a more shared style. This was true not only for clothes but also for music, with R&B coming alongside with jazz.
First media coverage came in 1962, thanks to 'Town' magazine that interviewed three young faces (one was later to became famous as Marc Bolan of glam-rock memory); 1962-63 are generally the years during wich Mod takes shape as a well-defined style. 1964-65 see the 'globalization' (and in many cases also the watering-down) of the style: those were the years of the 'cliche' Mod imagery that remained in 'men-of-the-street's memories, i.e. Army's parkas covered with writings, scooters loaded with mirrors and headlamps and Bank Holidays riots. A cliche from wich earlier Mods kept far away, stopping calling themselves 'Mods' and finding refuge in jazz clubs like the Ronnie Scott's, ideally re-joining their Modernist predecessors.
By 1966-67 the thing stopped to be 'under the spotlights', even if some individuals continued on their own road (sometimes re-discovering the Ivy League roots of the style, and always keeping a firm bound to black music -jazz, R&B, soul).
New breeds, originated by the Mod, were ready to take over the scene..


----------

