| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Contents | ||
Skinheads may be categorized into three main factions:
Some have said that the skinhead subculture originated in Jamaica, among the "rude boys" who ran drug and prostitution rackets on the impoverished streets of cities like Kingston. It is true that Jamaican immigrants to Britain, who emulated the rude boys as folk heros, joined the London working class youth as dock workers, and that their music and culture provided a nucleus around which the skinhead subculture coalesced. However, this theory neglects the strong, home-grown British influences that were instrumental in the rise of the skinheads.
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 the Beatles (haircuts) and 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) often handed down by their fathers. When possible, their limited funds were spent on smart outfits worn in the evenings to the dance halls, where they danced to ska, reggae, and rocksteady beats alongside their Jamaican coworkers.
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 that produced "peacock mods" ( The WhoThe Who is a British rock band. They were noted for the dynamism of their live performances and for their thoughtful music, including Tommy one of the first rock operas. While not a heavy metal band themselves, their distorted guitars, epic songwriting, a, The KinksThe Kinks a British Invasion pop/ rock band, were formed in London in 1963 by Dave Davies and Peter Quaife. The lineup with which they began their recording career was Dave Davies (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting); his brother Ray Davies (primary songwri) and skinheads, commonly known by that name by around 1968. (Other early nicknames included "lemons" 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 and a dislike of those perceived as the 'ruling classes'. They had an extreme dislike for the government and many larger businesses as both appeared to lack sympathy for the increasingly desperate straits of the working class.
Skinhead culture exploded in the year 1969, 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 regressed to their mod roots, reintroducing the common wearing of brogues (originally an identifier once boots became too conspicuous) as well as the slacks-and-sweater look. Here was a far cry from the singularly blue-jeaned and typically steel-toe booted skins of the past.
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 hooliganismUltras at FC Twente SC Heerenveen in 2002 Hooliganism is unruly and destructive behaviour, usually by gangs of young men. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it is known that it appeared in a 1898 London police report. One theory has the name coming during football (soccer) matches, often to the point of rioting between rival groups of supporters. Whether these riots were, in fact, initiated by skinheads or by overzealous fans in general is the subject of some controversy, but it is clear that skinheads were eager participants.
So-called "Punk skins" also gained a great deal of media attention after they were recruited by the anti-immigration political group, the National Front, which used the skinheads' reputation for violence to intimidate its opposition. Most skinheads deny that their group was recruited to engage in racist and criminal activity by this organization, claiming that the National Front recruited street youth, shaved their heads to give them the appearance of skinheads, and paid them to bully, threaten and even commit violence upon immigrant workers. The negative press generated concerning skinheads caused a decrease in their numbers.
American skinheads were also being recruited (or created, depending on one's point of view) for similar purposes by racist groups around this time. After a number of brutal attacks were reported in the media, they received the same spin as their British counterparts. Fueled by sensationalist television, all skinheads were stereotyped as mindless, violent, and racist, with little attempt made to discriminate one subgroup from another. In an attempt to counter this negative stereotype, the 1980s saw the birth of the SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) organization in New York. The group claims to be opposed all forms of bigotry. In addition, Anti-Racist Action (ARA), a militant anti-racist organization, also has its roots in skinhead culture.The Third wave of ska brought a resurgence in skinhead subculture in the early 1990s, and the popularity of the group continues to grow. Today, skinheads can be found in all of North America and Europe, as well as in scattered places worldwide such as Japan, Brazil, and Israel.