Encyclopedia
Skinheads, named after their shaven heads, are members of a working class subculture that originated in
Britain in the 1960s, where they were heavily influenced by the rude boys of the
West Indies and the mods of the
UK.
In subsequent decades, the skinhead subculture spread to other parts of
Europe,
North America and other
continents. Politically, they range from far-right
racist to far-left
anti-fascist — and everything in between . Fashion-wise, they range from the more cleancut mod-influenced 1960s image to the less-strict
punk- and hardcore-influenced styles.
History
Mod origins
In the early 1960s,
Great Britain's entrenched
class system limited most working class people's educational, housing and economic opportunities. However, Britain's post-war economic boom led to an increase in disposable income among many young people. Some of those youths invested in new fashions popularized by
American soul groups, British
R&B bands, certain movie actors, and
Carnaby Street clothing merchants.
These youths became known as the mods, a youth subculture noted for its consumerism — and devotion to fashion, music and scooters. Mods of lesser means made do with practical styles that suited their lifestyle and employment circumstances: steel-toe boots, straight-leg
jeans or Sta-Prest
trousers, button-up shirts, and braces . When possible, these working-class mods spent their money on suits and other sharp outfits to wear at dancehalls, where they enjoyed
soul, ska, bluebeat and rocksteady music.
Split with the mods
Around 1965, a schism developed between the
peacock mods, who were less violent and always wore the latest expensive clothes, and the
hard mods , who were identified by their shorter hair and more working-class image. Also known as
lemonheads and
peanuts, these hard mods became commonly known as skinheads by about 1968. Their shorter hair may have come about for practical reasons, since long hair can be a liability in industrial jobs and a disadvantage in streetfights. Skinheads may also have cut their hair short in defiance of the more bourgeois
hippie culture popular at the time. In addition to retaining many mod influences, early skinheads were interested in
Jamaican rude boy styles and culture, especially the music: ska, rocksteady and early
reggae .
Skinhead culture became so popular by 1969 that even the rock band
Slade temporarily adopted the look, as a marketing strategy. The subculture gained wider notice because of a series of violent and sexually explicit
novels by Richard Allen, notably
Skinhead and
Skinhead Escapes.
Offshoots and revivals
By the 1970s, the skinhead subculture started to fade from popular culture, and some of the original skins dropped into new categories, such as the
suedeheads ,
smoothies , and
bootboys . Some fashion trends returned to mod roots, reintroducing brogues, loafers, suits, and the
slacks-and-
sweater look.
In the mid-1970s, the skinhead subculture was revived to a notable extent after the introduction of
punk rock. Skinheads with even shorter hair and less emphasis on traditional styles grew in numbers and grabbed media attention, mostly as a result of hooliganism during
football matches. These skinheads wore
punk-influenced styles like higher boots than before and tighter jeans . However, there were still several skinheads who preferred the original mod-inspired styles. Eventually different interpretations of the skinhead subculture expanded beyond The UK and Europe. One major example is that in the
United States, certain segments of the hardcore punk scene embraced skinhead style and developed its own version of the subculture.
Racism and anti-racism
In the late 1960s, some skinheads had engaged in
Paki-bashing . However, there had also been anti-racist and leftist skinheads from the beginning, especially in areas such as
Scotland and
Northern England. In the 1970s, the
racist violence became more politicized, with the involvement of far right organizations like the National Front and British Movement, which included some skinheads among their ranks. Those organizations' positions against blacks and
Asians appealed to some working class skinheads who blamed immigrants for economic and social problems. This led to the public's misconception that all skinheads are
neo-Nazis.
In an attempt to counter this negative stereotype, some skinheads formed anti-racist organizations. Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice started in the USA in 1987, and
Anti-Racist Action began in 1988. SHARP spread to the UK and beyond, and other less-political skinheads also spoke out against neo-Nazis and in support of traditional skinhead culture. Two examples are the Glasgow Spy Kids in Scotland , and the publishers of the
Hard As Nails zine in England.
Music
Originally, the skinhead subculture was associated with ska and reggae music, such as that of
Desmond Dekker,
Laurel Aitken, Symarip and Joe the Boss. The link between skinheads and reggae led to a sub-genre known as skinhead reggae. Other music genres popular with early skinheads were
Motown, Northern Soul, Rocksteady,and mod
RnB. Suedeheads of the 1970s were also known to listen to British glam rock bands like The Sweet and Mott the Hoople.
The most popular music style for late-1970s skinheads was 2 Tone , named after a
Coventry, England record label featuring bands such as
The Specials, Madness, and
The Selecter. Two Tone was the musical integration of ska, rocksteady and punk rock. The label scored many top 20 hits, and eventually a number one. During this time , skinheads were a common sight on the UK
high streets.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Oi! music became accepted by many skinheads and
punks. Oi! continues to be one of the most popular genres among skinheads. Musically, it combines elements of
punk rock, football chants, pub rock and British glam rock. Some forefathers of Oi! were
Sham 69,
Skrewdriver, Cock Sparrer, and Menace. The term Oi! as a musical genre is said to come from the band Cockney Rejects and journalist
Garry Bushell, who championed the genre in
Sounds magazine. Well-known Oi! bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s include Angelic Upstarts, Blitz, The Business, Last Resort, Combat 84 and 4-Skins. Not exclusively a skinhead genre, many Oi! bands included both skins, punks and people who fit into neither category .
White power skinheads developed a separate musical culture known as
Rock Against Communism , which features bands such as
Skrewdriver, Brutal Attack and Bound for Glory. It started out musically similar to Oi! and punk rock, and has adopted some elements from
heavy metal and rock music.
U.S. Oi! began in the 1980s with bands such as The Bruisers , Anti-Heros , and
Iron Cross. American skinheads also welcomed hardcore punk into the skinhead subculture, with bands like Warzone, Agnostic Front, and Cro-mags. Contemporary American Oi! bands are often closer musically to hardcore than to early British streetpunk.
Style and clothing
Hair:- Men: Originally, between a 2 and 4 grade clip-guard ; beginning in the late 1970s, typically shaved closer, with no greater than a number 2 guard. Now some skinheads clip their hair with no guard, and some even shave it with a razor. This started with the introduction of the Oi! scene. Some skinheads sport sideburns of various styles, usually neatly trimmed.
- Women: In the 1960s, many female skinheads had normal or mod-influenced hairstyles. During the revival, many started wearing a Chelsea hairstyle — short on top, with fringes at the front, back and sides.
Tops:- Men: fitted Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Brutus, Jaytex, Arnold Palmer and other brands of button-up or polo shirts; Lonsdale shirts or sweatshirts; V-neck sweaters; cardigan sweaters; sweater vests; T-shirts; fitted blazers. Traditional skinheads sometimes wear tailored suits — particularly tonic suits, so named for the shiny material.
- Women: Same as men, with addition of dress suits — comprised of a ¾ length jacket and matching short skirt.
Coats:- MA-1 type flight jackets , usually black or green; blue denim jackets ; Harrington jackets; monkey jackets; Crombie-style overcoats; sheepskin 3/4 length coats; donkey jackets; parkas.
Bottoms:- Men: Levi's, Lee or Wrangler jeans , straight leg with rolled cuffs to show off boots, often with hem cut off and sewn to give neater, flatter turn-up; Sta-Prest flat-fronted slacks and other trousers; bleachers , popular among punk-influenced Oi! skins; combat trousers , popular among Oi! skins and scooter boys.
- Women: Same jeans and trousers as men, or skirts and stockings. Some skingirls wear fishnet stockings and mini-skirts, a style introduced during the skinhead revival.
Footwear:- Men: boots, originally army surplus or generic workboots, then Dr. Martens
...
boots and shoes, and later brogues and loafers . Grinders and other brands of boots have become popular, partly because Dr. Martens footwear is no longer made in England. During the 1960s, steel-toe boots were called
bovver boots — thought to derive from the Cockney pronunciation of
bother .
- Women: Dr. Martens boots or shoes, monkey boots, loafers or brogues.
Hats: Trilby hats;
pork pie hats;
flat caps . Less common have been
bowler hats , mostly among suedeheads and those influenced by the film
A Clockwork Orange.
Braces: Various colours, usually no more than ¾ inch in width. In some areas, wider braces may identify a skinhead as either white power or a wanna-be.
Tattoos
Including :
| name = Bulldog
...
;
sparrows; boots; band and music-related logos; national or regional flags; images related to
A Clockwork Orange;
laurel wreath;
rose; crossed
riveting hammers ; weapons ; slogans such as:
Oi!,
ACAB ,
SKIN,
Skinhead or
Bootboys.
- Anti-racist: Trojan helmet; anti-Nazi logo; skinhead smashing racist symbol; crucified skinhead , images of black and white skinheads together ; anti-racist slogans .
...
symbols,;
Ku Klux Klan symbols; racist slogans such as:
White Pride,
WP,
88 ,
1488 ,
HFFH ,
Blood & Honour ;
Celtic cross or other Celtic symbols;
Runes,
Vikings or other
Nordic symbols.
Laces and braces
Some skinheads, particularly highly political ones, attach significance to the color of boot laces, braces, and flight jackets. Some use them to indicate beliefs or affiliations. The particular colors used have varied regionally, so only skinheads from the same area are likely to interpret them accurately. In many areas laces must be 'laddered' - arranged with the outside laces horizontal and parallel, resembling a ladder - to be considered of any significance. The "braces and laces game" has largely fallen into disuse, particularly among traditionalist skinheads, who are more likely to choose their colors for fashion purposes.
Categories
There are several different types of skinheads, in terms of style and political beliefs. Some skinheads don't fit into any of these categories, and many display characteristics of more than one category. The usefulness of these terms is to explain the dominant forces of skinhead social structure. There are no reliable statistics documenting how many skinheads have belonged to each category.
Style categories
- Traditional skinheads - They identify with the original skinhead movement in terms of music, style, culture and working class pride. Unlike the other categories, traditionalist skinheads often do not regard attitudes toward racism as central to the subculture.
- Oi! skins and Punk-skinheads - Originating after the development of punk rock, they prefer Oi! and punk music. They often have shorter hair and more tattoos — and wear items such as high boots, tight jeans, T-Shirts and flight jackets. Although the original Oi! bands advocated a pro-worker populist stance, the Oi! fanbase includes a wide range of political beliefs.
- Hardcore skins - A United States-based version of skinheads, part of the hardcore punk music scene associated with bands such as Iron Cross, Agnostic Front, Cro-mags, Sheer Terror, Warzone and Murphy's Law. Originating in the early 1980s, they differ from traditional skinheads by their musical tastes and a style of dress that is less strict. Political views vary, and are not essential to this group.
Political categories
- White Power, Nazi-Skinheads - Racist, extremely nationalistic and highly political. Despite the common moniker, many Nazi-Skinheads have no connection to the original skinhead culture in terms of style or interests. SHARPs and traditional skinheads often refer to them as Boneheads.
- Anti-racist - Aggressively opposed to neo-Nazism and racism, although not always political in terms of other issues. The label SHARP is sometimes used to describe all anti-racist skinheads, even if they aren't members of a SHARP organization. Some anti-racist skins have been involved with political groups such as Anti-Fascist Action or Anti-Racist Action .
...
, taking a militant pro-worker stance. This category includes Redskins and Anarcho-Skinheads. The most well-known organization in this category is
RASH.
- Apolitical or Centrist - Anti-political skinheads, politically moderate skinheads, or skinheads that keep their political views out of the skinhead subculture. Skinheads on either extreme of the political spectrum sometimes refer to this type as a fencewalker.
Glossary of terms
- Leather shoes or boots, referring to the number of rows of lace eyelets. Other common numbers are 10, 12, 14, 18, and 20.
- Blue jeans treated with household bleach to create a military camouflage-like pattern. They were popular among punk-influenced Oi! skins of the late 1970s and the 1980s.
- A derisive term used by traditional and anti-racist skinheads for a neo-nazi skinhead.
- A derisive term used by traditional skinheads for punk-influenced Oi! skinheads.
- Another word for skinhead.
- A specific rural-based gang-oriented skinhead offshoot in the late 1960s/early 1970s, involving a longer hairstyle and mod appearance, but still wearing boots.
- Euphemism for a skinhead fight involving kicking, especially when one side outnumbers the other.
- Another term for skinhead, specifically one who frequently seeks out enemies to fight. Opponents are usually members of rival subcultures or football firms. Bovver is Cockney dialect for bother .
- A fashion accessory for holding up trousers, consisting of a pair of elasticized bands which go over the shoulders and fasten to the trousers . In North America they are commonly called suspenders, although many skinheads use the British term.
- A female skinhead .
- The usual haircut of a female skinhead, consisting of short hair on the crown, sides and back; with a longer fringe in the front and on the neck. Also known as a feathercut.
- An image depicting a skinhead suspended from a cross; often seen on T-shirts and patches, or as a tattoo. It symbolizes the hardships of the skinhead lifestyle .
- A derisive term used by political skinheads for those who refuse to take sides, or who will associate with opposing groups.
- A skinhead who is new to the subculture. There is no consensus about how long one must be part of the skinhead subculture before this label no longer applies.
- A slow, exaggerated dance style associated with ska music.
- Acts of extreme violence, often random, with no clear justification. It comes from the fictional Nadsat dialect featured in the Anthony Burgess novel A Clockwork Orange.
References
- Trojan Mod Reggae Box Set liner notes
- Skinhead : Nick Knight
- Skinhead Nation : George Marshall
- Skins : Gavin Watson
- Spirit of '69 - A Skinhead Bible : George Marshall
- Suedehead Reggae Box Set liner notes
- Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set liner notes
External links
- Chas Smash of Madness discusses skinhead culture
- The skinhead movement and reggae music
- Stories from skinhead history in Europe and the US
- Oi! and reggae MP3 site
- History of Oi! according to Garry Bushell
- Traditional skinhead fashions
- Site with information about ska and skinheads
