Subject: FAQ: Skinhead (alt.skinheads) Frequently Asked Questions
Date: 9 October 2000
Time: 7:27pm CST
Version: 1.00.a (2000 Update)
Part: 1 of 1
This entire document is undergoing a massive update. All of the information that is no longer valid(bad links, email addy's) and the rest will be weeded out, and parts left out will be filled in. I (papaskin) plan to update this by the year 2001 to the best of my ability with the help of my friends all over the world. I will be keep the information here in and giving mad props to these guys for the valiant effort they put forth in this FAQ...from here on out, it's mine and will be updated through me, and not alt.skinheads. If there is a problem with this, email me and don't cry about it, just let me know what's up.
Special thanks to Stephen Martin (Stephen_Martin@skinnet.jammys.net), former maintainer of this FAQ who collected/compiled most of this material, and db (db@not.at.this.addy) the author of the Skinheads Media List. Furthermore, thanks to the authors of the alt.music.ska FAQ, Oi! the FAQ, and wp FAQ, authors of skinhead related WWW pages, and subscribers of the various related newsgroups. Most of all, thanks to all you SKINHEADS around the world who keep the subculture alive and well!
In response to all of those, "What do white laces mean?", "Why do you people hate
This FAQ file is no longer available for anonymous FTP on the archive site rtfm.mit.edu
The Official alt.skinheads Homepage
is at
http://www.tradskin.org
You may distribute the FAQ freely but if you post it on a website of your own, I encourage you to provide a link back to the Official Website since this will always be the most up to date version. This FAQ will be posted at alt.skinheads and other newsgroups twice a month whether it need be or not for review, criticism, and approval.
If you have any questions, concerns, or corrections about the Skinhead FAQ please contact me at papaskin
Part 1
1.0 Acknowledgments
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Table of Contents
1.3 What is a Skinhead?
1.4 What is a Rudie, Rude Boy, or Rude Girl?
1.5 What is a Mod?
1.6 What is a Chelsea?
1.6.1 Do skinchicks exclusively date skinheads?
1.7 What is a SHARP?
1.8 What is a Bonehead?
1.9 What is an Independent Skin?
1.10 What is White Power?
1.11 What is a Hammerskin?
Part 2
2.0 Why are you a Skinhead?
2.1 How do you become a ("claim") Skinhead?
2.1.1 What is a Freshcut?
2.1.2 Why do new Skins need to get beat in?
2.2 Why don't you get a life?
2.3 Why do you hate?
2.4 Aren't all Skinheads Nazis/White Supremacists?
2.5 Why be a Nazi?
2.6 Aren't all Skinheads violent little motherfuckers just itching to fight?
Part 3
3.0 Skinhead Culture: Culture
3.1 Skinhead Culture: History
3.2 The Great Skinhead/Working-Class Debate
3.3 Skinhead identity crisis
3.4 What is ska music?
3.5 What is Oi!?
3.5.1 OI! IT'S JUST STREET-ROCK'N'ROLL!
3.6 Oi, Oi, Oi, Oi!!!
3.7 Skinheads Media List
3.8 Magazine and Newspaper Articles about Skinheads
3.9 What about 'zines?
3.10 Are there any Skinhead homepages or other Internet resources?
3.11 Skinheads and Education
3.11.1 Skinheads in the Classroom
3.12 Skinhead Jokes
3.13 Skinhead Short Stories
3.14 What is the best dark beer?
3.14.1 Guinness Extra Stout
3.14.2 Murphy's Irish Stout
3.15 Do Skinheads use drugs?
3.16 Skinhead Scenes?
3.17 DONT WANNA BE A VICTIM: SKINHEADS (PART ONE)
Part 4
4.0 Skinhead Fashion
4.1 What colour are your Docs?
4.1.1 Anybody know where I can find DM oxbloods in either 3 or 4i?
4.2 Boots and Braces don't make a Racist
4.2.1 Boot Laces
4.2.2 Braces
4.3 The Late Great Burgundy Flight
4.4 Patches
4.4.1 The Spirit of 69
4.4.2 Crucified Skin
4.5 FREDS!
4.6 What the freak is a "wifebeater"?
4.7 What is a Donkey Jacket?
4.8 Where can I get ???
4.8.1 Anybody have a source for Sta-Prest trouser or Dickies?
Part 5
5.0 About the Newsgroups
5.1 alt.skinheads
5.2 alt.skinheads.moderated
5.3 alt.skinheads.arent.neo.nazis
5.4 alt.music.ska
Part 6
6.0 Requiem for the Dead
6.1 Stephen "Donny The Punk" Donaldson
Following on the heels of their older brothers and sisters, the Mods (See: What is a Mod?), in the 1960's British working class youths adopted a shorter hair style and a more serious attitude towards life and play.
The Skinheads tended towards physical labour and veered away from the overly flamboyant Mod style of dress as spoken of in the Kinks' song "Dedicated Follower of Fashion". The shaved head and steel toed boots has been said to have originated amongst dock workers who required the safety of the steel toes and who shaved their heads as a precaution against head lice.
It is the Skinheads predeliction towards manual labour rather than more intellectual pursuits which has lead to the characterization of Skinheads as being "unintelligent", "Cro-Magnons", "cannon-fodder for the military" and other more or less polite references. This stereotype is just as abhorent as any other stereotype that 'rights' activists campaign against and it is a perfect example of the hypocrisy of these same activists that they are the ones who perpetuate it the most. (See: Skinheads and Education and Skinheads in the Classroom)
After a hard days work the original Skinheads tended to dress in their most respectable clothing and congregate at the mostly Jamaican run dancehalls where they mingled with the West Indian community (See: What is a Rudy?), many of whose members would be their workmates from the docks, and adopted Ska as the musical sound of choice.
Other staples of the Skinhead culture are a love of generous quantities of beer and soccer. (See: What is the best dark beer?)
The early Skins were not necessarily a racist bunch, as shown by the melding of the two cultures and the existence of numerous West Indian Skins. With the continued immigration from Pakistan things changed and a number of Skinheads, both black and white who felt that their jobs were being threatened turned against the Pakistani community while others continued to enjoy the fine curries and other Indian/Pakistani foods.
The high point of the original Skins, sometimes identified as Trojan Skins was the Summer of '69. The passage of time saw many Skins settling down, growing their hair out, and starting families with their girlfriends (See: What is a Chelsea?)
The mid and late 1970's witnessed a resurgence of the Skinhead culture with a violent turn as teens adopted the Skinhead look and took their love of soccer to a fanatical point. These "Football Hooligans" were devoted to their chosen Football (Soccer to the rest of the world) teams and would engage in physical confrontations with the supporters of opposing teams. Often enough innocent bystanders ended up taking the brunt of the aggression.
During this time the British Nazi Party and other minor racist organizations began recruiting their followers from the ranks of these football thugs and skinhead poseurs and thus the Boneheads came into being.
(Gerrard A. Lindsay) writes:
i know plenty of guys who are proud working class joes who are not by any definition skinheads. i know tons of cool people in construction boots and baggy pants who are not skinheads.
this isn't even really directed at you, i'm just seeing lots of people using the 'it's not just a fashion' or 'it's not just music' thing to excuse the fact that they are not really skinheads. if you don't dress like a skinhead and don't like at least some of the music (and that don't mean hc), yer not one.
Richard Collins writes:
Hey you don't gotta claim anything unless you are in a crew. I mean if you are a proud working class kid who knows your roots and believes in yourself you are just as much a skin as the next man. It's not all about what you wear or how close you shave the scalp. If I grew out my hair again I'm no less of a skinhead. Some people look shitty bald, do the world a favor leave your crew cut if you have a funky head. I mean just look at all those bald head NBA players, half of those guys need to grow it back. Skinhead is more than a fashion statement, it's a way of life.
Apparent White Supremist MARKW691 wrote:
Stephen Martin wrote:
Hate is a word commonly associated with SKINHEADs but it's not about hate. Being a SKINHEAD is not about being violent and hating everyone but about just plain living and enjoying life (Beer, Chelseas and Ska anyone?). We are called hate mongers and bigoted bastards by those who are as ignorant as they claim us to be.
SKINHEADs do not roam the streets looking for a fight but work as tradesmen, shopkeepers, and even [sinking as low as] lawyers. Don't be fooled by media brainwashing. We are not out looking for a fight. Things can turn violent but we do not tolerate anyone trying to attack us and will defend ourselves.
People hate us because we are proud, we have respect and honour for ourselves, and for the people who deserve it (remembering when our institutions were something to be proud of, when there was more civilization around us), and they often mistake this pride for hatred of anything that is *non-skinhead*.
We really just don't care. We, as individuals, are proud to be who we are, and if someone else is proud of who they are, why should it be a problem?
I ask you this, do you deem it fair for a person to be hated because they have pride in themselves and want to keep something in this God forsaken world clean? Does it make sense to you to assume that if a person is proud to be a Fireman they don't have equal respect for the Police or Ambulance Attendants, Construction Workers, etc.? Is it really any different than assuming that anyone who is proud of their sub)culture has nothing but disdain and hatred for other (sub)cultures?
Think about it.
Graham Wilson writes:
ARE THEY DIPSHITS OR WHAT. WHO TOLD THEM WHAT A SKINHEAD WAS. THEY NEED TO CHECK INTO KKK, AND NOT SKINHEADS. TRUE SKINHEADS ARE ANTI-RACIST. IT STARTED, BEFORE RACISTS CAME INTO PLAY, IN BRITAIN WITH THE FRIENDSHIP OF JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS AND LOCAL BRITISH YOUTH.
This is where are you wrong. While it is true that outright racist skinheads are not "original" skinheads in the real sense, there were are those skinheads who hold racist ideals. Whether you or anyone else doesn't like it - in terms of political opinion, there is no such thing as a set political stance that provides the "real" definition as to what a "true" skinhead is or was.
Just like there are non-skinheads who are racist and anti-racist, equally there are skinheads who hold racist and anti-racist beliefs. If anything precludes someone from being a "real" skinhead it is someone who becomes skin believing that "real" skin are either specifically racist or anti-racist (bonhead or sharp).
Most skins I know- and it works in both directions- can respect, although they may not agree with a skinhead who is a bonehead or a skinhead who is sharp. Someone who is skin first, politics second (whether it be left or right) most skins can accept.
There is an important distinction between a skinhead who is a bonehead and a bonhead skinhead in the same way there is a distinction between a skin who is sharp and a sharp skinhead.
The defining factor is which comes first - skinhead or politics?
If someone allows their politics (left or right) to be the defining factor as to whether they are a skinhead, then that person is a wannabe - using skin image and culture for their own purely personal ends. Either they are using the way society labels skins either to reinforce the sterotype that a skin is only a skin to be racist (putting aside working class skin history, culture and loyalty in the process) or (in the case of most modern sharps) because they think it is really a bit of a laugh to go around challenging the sterotype image (again skin history, culture and loyalty being put aside).
It is true that some of the first skins were from Jamaca and they were involved in crews with white English skins. Equally, however, some of the first skins were involved in what was loosely called the "APL" (Anti-Paki League) and it cannot be denied that both some West Indian and English skins were involved in - to use the term of the time - "Paki bashing". These combined crews of English and Jamacans objected to what they saw as the influx of alien cultures and beliefs to the UK which was damaging their job prospects and (for want of a better word) personal values.
The organised racism where racists hijacked the skinhead image came about during the late 60s and into the 70s and still exists.
Equally with sharp it came about during the 80s. It's ideals were honest and whether or not most skins accepted what it stood for it was respected. However, in the 1990s it seems to have been hijacked. It now seems more about a society for trendy stereotype challenging more than anything else.
THEY FOLLOWED THEIR FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAMS, AND FOUGHT OPPOSING TEAMS. IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE OF COLOR, AND IT WAS ABOUT UNITY!!!!
In the early days most crews consisted of a cross-range of political / cultural / nationalistic beliefs that included both racist and anti-racist views. However, most were skinheads first and political second and hence respected each other. I remember this being the case even during the mid / late 80s. I can't say that it is so obvious today. Primarily, I think this comes down to the right wing becoming more extreme and the left wing becoming more silly.
It is true what you say that with the first skins, colour was not the defining factor as to whether someone would or would not be accepted. The fact that Afro-Caribbean skins existed alongside and together with white English skins proves that point. However, equally, it is true that racism was there from the outset against certain foreign nationals and cultures, as in the APL example above. With the original skins the racial issue was not a case of all (as bonehead skins would have you believe) or a case of nothing at all (as sharp skins would have you believe).
In reality it was there but aimed at specific groups, not non-white English/British nationals per se.
Rudy is synonymous with Rude Boy and Rude Girl. Of course the only difference is in the sex. Melody Maker described a Rude Boy as a "sort of cool super-hooligan," where 'rude' in Jamaican usage means wild, violent, or reckless. Rude Boys were a product of the mean streets of Shanty Town, as described in Desmond Dekker's "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967), "Rude Boy Train" (1968), and a host of other Dekker releases. Shanty Town refers to Dekker's home, the overcrowded slums of West Kingston, Jamaica. The area was plagued with unemployment, tension, and violence. An Associated Press story noted that it contained "ramshackle dwellings, the majority of them made of cardboard, plywood, corrugated metal or some other discarded material." Dekker: "Them a loot/Them a shoot/Them a wail/At Shanty Town/When rude boy deh 'pon probation/Then rude boy a bomb up the town." Harry Young of Lightning Strikes (The Lou Christie Newsletter) states:
Due to very repressive police policies, only a few "rudies" actually went around looting and shooting. But every teenage male in Trench Town adopted the rude attitude and dress, especially a jaunty cap. In the popular culture, "Rudy" became an outlaw hero figure, like Jesse James, Billy The Kid, or even James Bond.
During the '50s and '60s many Jamaicans and other West Indies immigrated to the UK. In addition to the Mod (see:
What is a Mod?) influence, Skinheads adopted the Rude Boy music (see: What is
ska music?), tough street-level attitude and various aspects of their fashion. These days Rude Boys can be
typically identified wearing a dark suit, thin black tie, and pork-pie hat. Rude Girls appear to have more freedom
in their fashion.
Brian Poust describes the Rude Girl look:
These are pretty much the recognizable looks, but be creative! Don't fall for the checkerboard myth. It's not as cool as everyone thinks. There are more colors in the spectrum than black and white and if I never see a short plaid skirt again in my life, I'll die a happy man. Pleats are right out, and don't underestimate a well fitting double breasted car coat for the colder weather coming up. Flights are functional, but the skinhead crowd more than supplies an ample number of those at shows. Parkas are warm, but most girls I've seen wearing them end up looking like they've raided dad's closet.
Experiment, find something that looks smart that everyone else isn't necessarily wearing. If you've got the flip thing going on, try a scarf a la "That Girl" Marlo Thomas every once in a while, it works!
Harry Lowes writes:
For the record, MODS were *Modernists*. MOD CONS means *Modern Convieniences*. As in "The flat had all *MOD CONS*."
Brian Poust writes:
Mod is a direct outgrowth of Post War Britain, when all of a sudden teenagers had disposable income and a desire for an identity beyond schoolboy or working man. This strive for identity led to using their income to look better, act smarter and have more fun than their elders, and to make it known that they were a force to be reckoned with, and that they had a voice and influence, especially in the marketplace.
James F. Dugan writes:
Mods or modernists were working class youth cult in England in the 60's. They were very fashion concious and a product essentially of the space age bigger better faster culture of the 60's, hence the name. They also were fans of R&B and Soul (as well as some ska). Their counterparts, the Teds or teddy boys or rockers were an older youth cult that by the time the mods came around were essentillly American style greasers. I wouldn't go so far as to call Psychobilly fans teddy boys, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that losts of Psychobilly folks are ex-skins. Watch Quadrophenia.
Chris writes:
There is one problem here. They were on the cutting edge, but frankly, they aren't anymore. That was the only reason to be. Skins on the other hand, have the common working-class bonds and beliefs. That's why we are still legitimate. Mods on the other hand, don't have this reason for existing. They are just living the life that was, not is. These days, a mod would be a fuckin raver (which kind of explains the state of ska today, but that's another matter.) The mods that were the forefathers of skins deserve the respect, but not the ones of to- day.
Brian Poust replies:
Your tired little arguments really are ridiculous. Your implication that skinheads are on the cutting edge and that mods don't have a working class ethic it beyond bullshit.
I think it shows a lot more self respect to have a good work ethic and still care about being clean cut and well dressed than it does to look like some downtrodden aggro loving half-wit. Working class is not about poverty, my friend. Working class is about making a respectable living and pulling your own weight, no matter what your job is.
There are a lot of skinheads who also realize this fact as well, you just seem to have missed the boat. You can be a skinhead and still not talk and look a complete mess. I daresay you'd be terribly laughed at by original skinheads.
You obviously don't have a clue about mods, you only know that you think skinheads are better. If you gave any thought to what you believe before you wrote, whatsoever, you might realize that the only reason to be a mod is NOT to be on the cutting edge, ravers are not mods, ravers aren't on the cutting edge, and I am certainly not illegitimate, thank you very much.
This is getting far too silly as it seems that a lot of skinheads can't get their heads out of their asses to see that they aren't going to take over the world, they aren't going to start some new Worker's Revolution, and they're often just too damn closed minded for their own good.
Chelsea originally refered to the girlfriend of a Skinhead but has since come to refer to females as Skinheads in their own right. Whether the term stems from the name of the fringe, short on top and longer around the sides, they adopted, or whether the hair style was named after the girls remains a mystery to me.
Jennifer J. Jewkes says:
I have a feather cut now...and it needs a trim..I live in Chicago..so a chelsea is out of the question for now... I'm getting tempted to shave it again...only when it get warmer..prolly in a few months..the way Chicago's weather goes. I agree... Chelsea's are stunning...but feather cuts have a bit more class..especially when you are older and have to worry about finding a job.
Gerrard A. Lindsay weighs in stating that:
someone remarked that not many original skinhead girls had short hair. maybe i'm wrong, but most pictures i've seen did feature skingirls with short to cropped hair. maybe not extreme fringe, but i haven't seen any pictures of skingirls with long hair from before the seventies...
even the skinhead bible mentions skingirls going to male barbers for haircuts...
Jenn Starkman replies:
> even the skinhead bible mentions skingirls going to male barbers for haircuts....
Again, mine is obviously not the word of God, but there's a difference between short hair and a shaved head on a female, and a woman in the '60s with a shaved head would've had a hell of a time in public (outrageous hairstyles not being *nearly* as common in those days--unless you count beehives as outrageous).
Besides which, a great many "skingirls" in the beginning (unfortunate though this may be) were pretty much just girlfriends of skinheads, and not quite as apt to shave their heads."
jadec@uno.edu wrote:
noone answered my other hair question, what is a chelsea? is it a fringe of a different name, or what?
Schroedinger Cat writes:
I think Jenn answered this one effectively, but I'll recap... in relation to skinheads, it is both a skinhead girl and a skinhead girl haircut (a ffringe, basically, though I usually hear fringes referred to as just the bits on the front, chelseas go all the way around).
dave gets the final comment:
uhh not sure what's worse? environment with like no skingirls or an environment full of skingirls just too old for you? life sucks below the drinking age ;)"
From: Jenn Starkman
Well, at the moment I'm exclusively dating *a* skinhead...
But generally, I probably *couldn't* only go for skins simply because I'd be very lonely--there are very few skinheads where I live and even fewer single ones (my boyfriend included, now...). If I could, though, I probably would, if only because I find skinhead guys particularly attractive--more so than others, usually.
If I met a guy I really hit it off with who wasn't a skin, though, I'd probably give it a chance.
In the end, though? Yeah, skinheads are always first on my list. :-)"
Todd Ferguson writes:
In the late 1980's a group of skinheads got together in NYC to form the first chapter of Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice. SHARP had three main objectives: to educate the public about true skinhead culture, to expose the bonehead imposters for what they really are and to drive the boneheads out of their communities by any means necessary. The New York chapter was quickly successful and soon chapters sprang up elsewhere as news spread. Today SHARP is the most predominant anti-racist skin group around and you can find SHARP chapters all over the world, as well as other anti-racist skinhead groups like SCAR, SPAR and RASH.
Sir Lawrence of Skarabia writes:
Here in Hawaii the are the HARPS H.awaiianskins A.gainst R.acialP.redjudice. There are japanese and chinese skins here as well.
Bonehead is a derogatory term used by Traditional and other Skins to denote any Skinhead who holds to racist or White Power beliefs, as well as those Neo-Nazis who have adopted the skinhead "look" in an attempt to hijack the movement.
Kali Holloway writes: "Independent" is usually used interchangeably with "traditional".
Stephen "Donny" Donaldson writes: "I thought 'independent' meant 'not in a crew'. I certainly hear it in that sense in NYC."
White Power is an empowering philosophy of White racial nationalism and ethnicity. It refers to a diverse range of philosophies from leftist White racism to National Socialism. Perhaps the simplest imperative about what White Power stands for exists in the "14 words" coined by former Bruder Schweigen member, David Lane:
"We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White children." [WPF]
In the eyes of non-racists, White Power is the modern embodiment of the evils of the Fascist Nazi Party and its belief in the superiority of the "White" or "Aryan" race over the Jews, Blacks and others whom White Power advocates choose to blame for the woes of modern society.
In Pink Floyd's _The Wall_ movie, there is a video segment sung to the tune "Up against the Wall," where Pink takes on the visage of a powerful leader. During this sequence, hundreds of skinheads march through the street and chase the "Pakis" (Pakistanis) out of England. Although the movie is largely opposed to that viewpoint, young skinheads were emboldened by the image of strength and came to call themselves Hammerskins. As these groups spread throughout the U.S. and Canada, they took on regional prefixes like: Western Hammerskins, Northern Hammerskins, Confederate Hammerskins and other such names. [WPF]
Stephen J. Alexander (stephen@coos.dartmouth.edu) writes:
> revolt@execpc.com writes:
>Assuming thier aren't any first generation skinheads on this NG, I'd
>like to know why some of you became skinheads.
>
>-Was it the image?
To some extent, yes. It is a wondrous thing to inspire respect (and sometimes fear, depending on where you are) just because you look a little odd and you stand up straight and proud.
>-The beliefs?
Yes, provided you're not talking about white pride. My take on the reason anyone ought to be a skinhead is a matter of attitude. Basically it's losing the juvenile sophomoric bullshit that most of the world partakes in daily, and getting serious about your life. Of course that means getting serious about having fun too... I guess that's why I have such discriminating taste in beer, heh. Anyway, before I claimed skin I was something of a rebel without a cause. In high school, I was always looking for some way of life to relate to because all the crap I had seen previous to that had got me nowhere... one religion or system of beleifs seemed as empty and stupid as another. I knew what shitheads most of the world is comprised of and I wanted to separate myself from it, but I didn't know how. I don't think I could have at the time either, I was pretty clueless in high school. Be that as it may, I guess it follows that when I met some skins and realized what they were about, I came to know what I was meant to be.
>-An apreciation for the dress, which is one of the strangest things
> about the whole lifestyle, especially in the U.S.
Yes. Boots and braces are rad as hell... I've thought so since I first saw them, at that. I wouldn't say the style of dress is so much strange, as distinctive. My mother thinks it's anachronistic, which makes sense when you consider when the whole skinhead thing started. She also mentioned to me how her father wore thin braces to work when she was a child in the forties and fifties (in the states) so the style really isn't that far from home. There are a few other features of the 'look' which the observer will notice as well, which also suit me just fine.
revolt@execpc.com writes:
-Was it the image?
Stephen J. Alexander (stephen@coos.dartmouth.edu) replies:
To some extent, yes. It is a wondrous thing to inspire respect (and sometimes fear, depending on where you are) just because you look a little odd and you stand up straight and proud.
Jenn comments:
Speak for yourself, kiddo! I don't look even the least *bit* odd... [friendly grin]
Mike (UK) writes:
DREWSKIN has the final say:
I am a skinhead because the pride i feel for my country goes more than skin-deep. I believe skinheads are the people most dedicated to their beliefs in this world today... whether it means being a white power skinhead(bonehead) a traditional skinhead,a SHARP skinhead, etc. etc.... or just a normal guy like me who`s into good music, pride for my country, beer, fine skinhead girls and likes dressing sharp and dancing to good music...
freddfish@smart.net (Frederick N. Crouse) inquires:
Jenn replies:
In other words, there is that period of genesis and learning, but it is not until *after* they feel that they have enough of a grounding in the history of the subculture, and enough to offer to it, that a person will finally "claim skinhead", or start identifying him/herself as an actual *part* of the subculture.
Stephen Martin wrote:
I think you'll find with many people that it is simply a matter of them becoming aware of the fact that they have been, already *are*, and always will be a Skinhead, and then taking that finally step of identifying with "their people".
A Freshcut is someone new to the Skinhead subculture. "When are you no longer a Freshcut?" That's purely subjective, depends on who you ask.
rooster@oi.skin wrote:
Michael Rosencrantz (rosie@interport.net) writes:
mybrkeeper@aol.com (MyBrKeeper) wrote:
I've got a question about new skins in general. Why do they get "beat in"?? Is that just a local thing or do you have to be beat up by older skins to be a skin.
Graham Wilson (grahamr@dircon.co.uk) writes:
See whether you can stand the pace of things.
You certainly don't have to be beat up by older skins to be a skin.
However, when you get to know a group of skins for the first time, if you stand your ground then you end up with far more credibility than you would otherwise have.
Skinheads, regardless of their political, sexual, or religious persuasion, or lack thereof, do have lives which, while they may differ from your own principles and ideals, are no less valid then those of any other member of society at large.
While you may not agree with their lifestyle, keep in mind that there's bound to be someone who doesn't approve of yours either.
While the popular media enjoys its love/hate relationship with Skinheads, almost consistently portraying them as sub-literate, unemployed racists with a fondness for hiring themselves out as bodyguards/storm troopers for the Neo-Nazis, this is a gross distortion of the truth.
Anyone who truly understands the origins of the Skinhead subculture (see: What is a Skinhead?) sees right through that stereotype but, unfortunately, there are those who cannot distinguish between a Skinhead and a Bonehead (see: What is a Bonehead?).
In all fairness to the Boneheads, in his White Power FAQ, Arthur LeBouthillier answers this question saying:
White Power advocates love their race. Because of that, they are strongly opposed to any attempts to harm it by means of loss of territory, loss of economic or political self-determination, disenfranchisement or race mixing. In order to preserve their race and its interests, they are often willing to engage in hostile acts against perceived threats to it.
Well, that's enough of that for now.
No. The term Nazi comes from the name given to Adolph Hitler's National-Socialist German Workers Party, a *form* of Fascism, and thus has had no validity since 1945. The proper term for resurgent Nazis is Neo-Nazis. Supremacy refers to an alleged right to rule over other races. As with Neo-Nazism, although some Boneheads are White Supremacists many are not.
Stephen Martin writes:
While skinheads, racists, and Neo-Nazis are not mutually exclusive, they are not necessarily inclusive and it is just as wrong to tar skinheads with the taint of neo-Naziism or racism as it is to paint any ethnic group as a pack of criminals or what have you.
Please, do try to keep in mind that the original skinheads grew out of the melding of British working class youth, both white and black, with the music and fashions of the immigrant Jamaican community.
While such racialist organizations as the BNP (British Nazi Party), and others have had some success recruiting members who affect the style of dress associated with the skinhead subculture, you will find that these aberrations are minor compared with the number of Traditional skinheads, S.H.A.R.P.s, Gay/Lesbian skinheads, those skinheads of African, Spanish, French, etc. descent, in addition to those skinheads (none of the aforementioned categories being mutually exclusive) running the gamut of political persuasions from Anarchists to Apolitical to Communist to Conservative to Libertarian, etc. and/or religious faiths including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, etc.
Just witness this following posting retrieved from Deja News:
From: James F. Dugan Date: 1996/01/13 MessageID: 4d8g41$n94@pipe1.nyc.pipeline.com#1/1 references: <4d4s6g$ga5@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>; organization: The Pipeline newsgroups: alt.skinheads In article <4d4s6g$ga5@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>;, Dr. Stanley Korobka writes: >Hi there, people. My name is Dr. Stanley Korobka and I am interested in >becoming a skinhead. Although I am an older man (62) I must admit that >I am very attracted to skinhead culture, especially the spirited music and >rebellious fashions. I was always a good boy, did what my Daddy told >me to, went to medical school, invested wisely and such. I suppose this >is a midlife crisis long overdue. But there you have it. By the way, I >am not a racist, I am actually Jewish. Can I still be a skinhead? Could >anyone give me pointers on where to shop? > >Stan > >Dr. Stanley H. Korobka, aspiring skinhead > Well doc, I don't mind saying that this is without a doubt the strangest thing I have ever seen on this newsgroup. Rest assured you don't need to be a racist to be a skinhead, many of the skins here are non-racist and several are also Jewish. However the fact that you don't know this makes me wonder what exactly it is about being a skin that you find attractive. Skinhead is predominantly a working class youth movement, and as you are neither working class nor a youth, it would be a bit of a stretch. This isn't to say you couldn't be a skin, but I think you may be the first 62 year old doctor to ever express intrest. Jim Dugan
Thank you.
BRicha6796 wrote:
I've always wondered why people become nazi skins as opposed to real skins. It seems to be fascists are way more greedy than "the evil jew" I mean Resistance cd's are REALLY expensive. And if you ever read a copy of Resistance most of the shit they preach i obviously untrue. I mean wouldn't it just be better to be non-political? Not necessarily SHARP but just be a skin as opposed to being part of all the bullshit. Look at most nazi bands today. They sound like cock-rock. Is this really skinhead music? I don't think so. I heard the america first committee does not want to work with nazi's in "The Aryan Quest" cuz their are too many gays. I just wanna know what makes hanging out with bikers, gays, longhairs, and white trash look attractive as opposed to hanging out with decent clean working class people.
Ivon Kalalang replies:
I really don't understand either. Maybe, it's the disposition people take in life that resulted from a bad experience, or the in bred desire to harm someone and you're just looking for an excuse. This is how I picture it. The early skins were cockney fuckers. Racism was never their main theology, and racist tendecies were what they were, tendencies. Someone could be, someone couldn't be. So in comes along NF and BNP takes the disenfranchised youth and churns out white power kids.
So years later, the media exploits this. People have gotten so used to seeing skinheads as being racist on TV, that it actually has an odd influence on some people who just want to be a skinhead becuase they are racist, and to them being racist from what they see on TV is what being a skinhead is all about. Music is another topic in itself. WP stuff is expensive, but considering a lot of it was put on R-O-R, and R-O-R stuff is pretty damn rare. That's why I'd buy a WP album. I mean, look at some of the bands from the US before 1990, Allegiance, Arresting Officers, Forced Reality, and etc. They were actually okay to listen to. I mean Arresting Officers has some catchy songs like 'Stop Red Action' and 'United Skins'. Anyways, the point is, it's really too easy falling into the media's view of nazi skinheads. Just look at that one stupid HBO special 'Skinheads USA'.
Richard Collins wrote:
Well assuming that the lot of us are college students or something to that nature, it is safe to say a good number of the regulars out there are of the more intellectual variety, despite their personal beliefs. This brings we to a question about fighting. I'm not saying you can not be smart and also tough at the same time, but people of intelligence have been known to use their minds to avoid fighting. Then again, we all at times get the overwhelming urge to beat the pulp out of some stupid piece of human fieces. So are any of you girls or boys aggro skins?
Do you have some friends that can not go out without ...
B) Suggesting you (as a group) start a fight
C) Looking for any excuse to jump into a fight
Last night at Desmond Dekker this little skin girl told a bunch of us boys that some guy hit her. So a boot party nearly insued. I was just watching being the hippie scum that I am. No, but seriuosly I don't get off on being the sixth guy to boot some one's head in. Fighting to me is not a nessicary part of being a skinhead. I recognize fighting as a part of life we all must face but it doesn't need to be a part of every night on the town.
Graham Wilson replies:
I was when I was younger. I soon realised however that I was going to end up in a lot of shit. What's the point?
If you have to stand your ground then I believe stand it. I don't believe in going out looking for fights though. I realised that if I was going to (to use an old naff but appropriate phrase) live by the sword, then I was going to die by the sword. Eventually you end up getting into a fight with someone who is much stronger and you get the shit kicked out of ya.
These 3. [A, B, and C] I can think of a couple of skins I know that are like it.
The problem is that there are those who like to start a fight on purpose but then leave everyone else to finish it.
I suppose I used to see it as the easy way to solve everything.
CRM94001@UConnVM.UConn.Edu (Chris) replied:
Depends on whether the guy deserves it or not. In the case that you just described, yes, I would. But if some guy just starts talking shit and calling me names, that's no reason. I've been called worse. Sometimes you just get in the mood where you're just waiting for a fight. About a week ago, I was going to hit this crusty that was shooting his mouth off too much, but my friends held me back. They later changed their mind when we found out the next day that the same scumbag had hit this female friend of ours. All in all, it depends on the situation.
Janis Collins writes:
I'd sure like to find the real reason behind this group. If you're so non racist and nonviolent, what's up with all the fighting?
Generalizations have their beginnings in truth even if they tend to get distorted later. 9 time outta 10 if you see red docs with white laces on a skinhead with the famous red suspenders you're looking at trouble. If they're enmasse, you're really looking at a massacre
fluffy@nyc.pipeline.com (James F. Dugan) replies:
What the hell are you talking about?
9 times outa 10 I see oxbloods with white laces, i'm saying "Hi, how are you" to their owner. As for red suspenders, they're really not that popular. Futhermore, 9 times outa 10 when a skin beats someones ass, they deserved it, and 5 times out 10 the other idiot started it and wants to whine about it later. Even accepting all of the things you say as gospel, there is separate and perfectly good reason for your experiences: you and your friends are assholes.
Janis Collins (dallas25@voicenet.com) writes:
Because they're already proving themselves defective so why not expect more negative behaviour?? Are you trying to say that you're just as likely to get a violent response out of a Joe Citizen/well-to-do officeworker as you are a skinhead?
And of course Janis is right. Witness this exchange:
Chris UCB (chrisucb@aol.com) wrote:
I am looking for fellow skins in the S.F. area particularly the east bay. I am tired of always being bored at home please e-mail me or post to this newsgroup.
Richard Collins (richie@netcom.com) writes:
Who are you man? Where do you live?
Note the way Richie immediately starts pumping poor Chris for his address, obviously so he can go over and beat him up. Let's read on...
The scene out here is huge. I live in the east bay in the suburbs but still the city is only minutes away. Are we talkng east back like Livermore? Concord?
Obviously a well veiled threat there, and see how he's still searching for his address?
Even the farthest reachs are accessable to SF.
Yep, Skinhead Fascists. They're the worst and it's obvious that Richie is a member of their crew... (I guess that's enough sarcasm)
J W (no@longer.com) gets the last word with:
'Janis Collins
I'd sure like to find the real reason behind this group.
Janis-
The real reason for this group is so SKINHEADS can "get together," in a virtual sense, and talk about stuff, and meet, complain, rant, etc.
Michelle-
Don't take that personally. What I mean is anyone should be able to post, as long as they know what they're talking about, which you have proven since before I've even been here.
If you're so non racist and nonviolent, what's up with all the fighting?
Janis-
I'm violent, I have a violent attitude, but try to remember that while some of us may not have hair, most of us have proven our high intellectual capacity, and many of us are proven geniuses. From that, you can infer that we do also have brains. We think before doing something stupid, like running out and beating someone up over bullshit.
"we're all skinheads we stand proud, we're working class and shout it out loud, we love our oi! that's what we live for, can't get enough we always want more..." the pride 'the pride'
courtesy of the Lashout Website (http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lashout/skns.html)
Skinhead origins begin in Britain in the mid to late 1960's. Out of a youth cult known as the "Mods," the rougher kids began cutting their hair close, both to aid their fashion and prevent their hair from hindering them in street fights. These working class kids adopted the name "Skinheads" to separate themselves from the more dainty and less violent Mods. Huge groups of these explosive youths would meet every Saturday at the football grounds to support their local teams. The die hard support for a group's team often lead to skirmishes between opposing supporters, leading to Britain's legendary "football violence." When night swept the island, the skinheads would dress in the finest clothes they could afford, and hit the dance halls. It was here they danced to a new sound that was carried to Britain by Jamaican immigrants. This music went by many names including: the ska, jamacian blues, blue beat, rocksteady, and reggae. At these gatherings the skinheads would dance, drink, and laugh with each other and the Jamaican immigrants whom brought the music to Britian.
During the 1970's, there were many changes in the "typical" skinhead. For some fashion went from looking smooth in the best clothes you could afford with a blue-collar job, to looking like you were at home, even when you were out. For others the disco craze of the seventies hit hard, resulting in feathered hair, frilly pants, and those ugly seventies shoes. By the late 70's the National Front, Britain's National Socialist party, had invaded the skinhead movement. Kids were recruited as street soldiers for NF. Since skinheads were already a violent breed, the NF decided that if their young recruits adopted the skinhead appearance, the might benefit from the reputation. It was at this point that racism permeated the skinhead cult without the consent of its members.
Also by the mid 70's punk had put the rebellion back in rock-and-roll, opening a new avenue for street kids to express their frustrations. The shifting mindset brought kids into the skinhead movement as yet another form of expression. By the late 70's punk had been invaded by the colleges, and record labels, letting down kids who truly believed in its rebellion. From the streets came a new kind of punk rock, a type which was meant to be true to the working class and the kids on the street. This new music was called "Oi!" by Gary Bushell, and the name stuck. Oi! revived the breath of the working class kids. Because of Oi! music's working class roots, the media scorned its messages unlike they had done with the first wave of punk. With the change in music came a new kinds of skinheads, and the gaps between the different types widened. Aside from the National Front's skinheads, the movement had been simply a working class struggle, rather than a right-left political struggle. With skinheads forming their own bands, political lines began to be drawn on the basis of right-left and even non-political politics. Politically right groups were often associated with the National Front and had distinct racial messages. Leftist groups looked at the working class struggle through labor politics. Non-political groups often shunned both sides simply because they chose to be political. The Oi! movement consumed most of the 1980's and is still alive today.
Skinheads have spread to every part of the globe. Each country supports an independent history of skinhead goals, values, and appearances. The definition of "skinhead" varies from country to country, which doesn't say too much since it also varies from city to city.
Starting in the late 80's, through present day, there has been a large resurgence back to the "traditional" values and appearance of the 1960's skinhead. This has occurred in Britain, America, as well as most of Europe. This has lead to even more tension, this time between "traditional," and "non-traditional" skins.
PapaSkin wrote:
This is a debate left for flying fists, and will forever be in debate to skins about the globe. The jest of it is, A skinhead is working-class no matter what his position in society or the work place is. It is a way of thinking, a type of personalty that should insue in every skinhead regardless of stature. If you don't feel the pride, if you don't feel the honor in your heart, then simply put, you are not a skinhead.
J.W. wrote:
God forbid the professors find out you are, you have to write papers about it when everyone else can choos the assignment.
"Well, I thought I might suggest that *you* write *your* paper on skinheads. Maybe you could write about the night your whole dorm tried breaking your door down when they found out and how you had to keep yourself locked inside with a parking meter in hand in case they got in you were going to hurl it at the first one's head as a warning to the others."
"Or maybe you could tell us all about the history behind the culture," when everyone else is writing about their familial historical backgrounds.
John M. Stafford replied:
Horse wrote:
And its this dynamic character that separates us from the wankers that try to horn in on the subculture. They try so hard to fit the stereotype that they stick out like sore thumb. And even further more thats why this subculture hasn't gone the way of grunge, or the raver, or any other fad thats was there today then gone the next. The constrictiveness of each little fad wears off and loses its fun after a couple months.
Its the individuality thats keeps it strong, with the respect and tradition at its base.
Ska is dance music, first and foremost. Ska was a Jamaican dance music that swept out of Jamaica in the early 1960s to shake the butts of working- and middle-class Jamaicans before going on, via the West Indian immigrant connection, to the U.K., and then on to the world. In the U.K., ska was also known as `blue beat' music. Rocksteady, and later, reggae sprang from the loins of ska in the late 1960s. Mid-1970s and 1980s/1990s revivals of this popular dance form have kept this music alive and fun through the present. The ska beat on drums and bass, rhythm guitar, lots of horns and maybe a Hammond organ --- that's the ska sound. [AMS]
Ska came to England with immigrants in the early 1960s. Known in the U.K. briefly as ``Jamaican Blues,'' ska inspired the formation of the Blue Beat record company, providing yet another name for the ska sound: `blue beat.' Ska gained popularity in the U.K. with the `Mod' scene, leading to the residual association of small-brimmed trilby (hats) and scooters with ska music. [HSBR] (For scooter talk, check out the alt.scooter Usenet group.) [AMS]
The grandfathers of Oi! are Sham 69. They were one of the first bands to take punk to a level higher than just shock value. They used their music as a working class protest.
The classic Oi! band is the Cockney Rejects (who were the first band to use the chant oi! in their music). Their 'ruck n roll' attitude (we ruck n you roll) pretty much sums up the oi! stance, non-political, working class, proud music.
A lot of bigger punk bands were also originally identified with the oi! movement (i.e. the Exploited who as 'skinhead herberts' are on Oi! the Album).
Oi! is streetpunk, oi! is working class kids winning, oi! is punx and skins together, oi! is oceans of beer and mountains of pride.....
Buy an Oi! comp and it'll change yer life. [OTF]
[written by Gerrard Lindsay (botbskin@akula.com)
"If punk was *real*, then Oi! was *reality*!"
-Laurie Pryor
"No mess. No fuss. Just pure impact..."
-Mick Furbank
Oi! is a melodic type of punk-rock which originated in Britain around 1980 and has since spread throughout the world. The forefathers of Oi! (Sham 69, Menace, The Lurkers, Slaughter And The Dogs, Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer, Angelic Upstarts, etc.) played what some of the smarter press of the time dubbed, "real-punk" (i.e. punk-rock with a message/theme of "social realism"). A lot of the press who courted the original wave of punk-rock, wholly ignored or wrote-off what was soon to be called Oi! as "thug-rock," and thus insured unfair treatment of the genre right from the get-go.
Around 1980, bands like the 4-Skins (East London), Infa Riot (North London), The Last Resort (Herne Bay), Red Alert (Sunderland), The Business (South London) and Blitz (Manchester) began to pop-up all across Great Britain. This phenomenon of strikingly similar-minded, yet unrelated bands was quickly clumped together as "Oi!" by Sounds journalist Gary Bushell, taking the name from the classic Cockney Rejects song, "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Bushell not only gave Oi! its name, he compiled and gave the world the first Oi! compilation, "Oi! The Album" (released by EMI injunction with Sounds magazine). "Oi! The Album" -- though not a truly stellar record or even completely representative of the Oi! genre of the time -- set the precedent for the compilation as an important part of the Oi! movement, as witnessed by the release of countless Oi!-focused compilations world-wide ever since its release. Musically, Oi! is generally distinguished by anthemic melodies, terrace-style backing vocals and a pace/tempo more suitable for pogoing and singing along, than slam-dancing and stage-diving. Together with ska and reggae, Oi! forms the musical focus of the traditional skinhead subculture, and together with hardcore and classic punk-rock, it forms the musical focus of the punk subculture.
The impact of the early '80s, English Oi! scene could be felt the world-over, with Oi! bands and scenes popping-up globally, kick-started by bands like Iron Cross in the U.S., Bohse Onkels in Germany, Komitern Sect in France, Cobra in Japan, Nabat in Italy and so on. This is barely mentioning the huge impact Oi! had on the U.S. hardcore scene, evidenced by such classic American hardcore bands like Agnostic Front, 7 Seconds, Youth Brigade and Negative Approach citing Oi! as a huge influence, as well as covering many brickwall standards.
Sociologically, Oi! is a coalition of street-punks and skinheads, and emphasizes working-class concerns and themes: labor, fighting, shagging, drinking, pride, self-respect and generally having a laugh -- the "politics of life" or the "politics of the street." Being rooted among the working-class, street kids and the powerless, authentic and traditional Oi! rejects the authoritarian and conservative politics of the extreme right as well as the knee-jerk, reactionary politics of the extreme left.
*** Oi! is having a laugh and having a say. Oi! is bigger than any uniform. Oi! is sharp in brain and dress. Oi! is you and me... Winning. Oi! is thinking for yourself. Oi! is pride and self-respect. Oi! is the beat of the street. Oi! is working class protest. Oi! is youth eternal. Oi! is youth enrage. Oi! is a way of life. ***
Select major British Oi! bands (past and present) include: Another Man's Poison, Anti-Establishment, Anti-Social, Attak, The Betrayed, Blitz, Braindance, Boisterous, The Business, Cock Sparrer, Cockney Rejects, Combat 84, Condemned 84, Crashed Out, Criminal Class, Crux, The Ejected, The 4-Skins, The Gonads, Infa-Riot, Indecent Exposure, The Last Resort, Last Rough Cause, Major Accident, The Oppressed, The Partisans, Pressure 28, Prole, Red Alert, Section 5, Short'n'Curlies, Straw Dogs, The Strike & Vicious Rumors.
Select major American Oi! bands (past and present) include: The Anti-Heros (GA), The Authority (CA), Battle Cry (NY), The Bruisers (MA), Boot Party (CA), Bootcamp (NY), Bottom Of The Barrel (NY), Chapter 21 (Chicago) Bovver Wonderland (CA), Broken Heroes (NJ), The Choice (CA), Forced Reality (MA), Headwound (NJ), Iron Cross (DC), Immoral Discipline (DC), Limecell (PA), Lower Class Brats (TX), Moonstomp (GA), Niblick Henbane (NJ), 90 Proof (TX), Oxblood (NY), Patriot (NC), The Press (NY), Pist'n'Broke (MI), The Radicts (NY), The Service (WI), Stars And Stripes (MA), Stormwatch (DE), The Templars (NY), The Toughskins (CA), U.S. Chaos (NJ), Those Unknown (NJ), The Uprise (PA), The Wretched Ones (NJ) & Y.D.L. (NY).
Select major International Oi! bands (past and present) include: Agent Bulldog (Sweden), The Bad Vultures (Japan), Becks Pistols (Germany), Cobra (Japan), Crikey Crew (Japan), Discocks (Japan), Dose Brutal (Brazil), The Fuck Ups (Norway), The Herberts (France), Impact (Canada), Klasse Kriminale (Italy), Kohu-63 (Finland), Komitern Sect (France), The Magnificent (Holland), Mata Ratos (Portugal), Nabat (Italy), Oxymoron (Germany), Pobel Und Gesocks (Germany), The Pride (Holland), Sideburns (Japan), Snix (France), The Stage Bottles (Germany), Die Lokalmatadore (Germany), The Vacant Lot (Canada), Vanilla Muffins (Switzerland), Virus 27 (Brazil), Warrior Kids (France), The West Side Boys (France), Zakarrak (Spain) & Zona A (Slovakia).
Other bands which move on the fringes of Oi! include: The Adicts, Angelic Upstarts, Anti-Nowhere League, Barbed Wire, Blaggers ITA, Blanks 77, The Blood, Casualties, Chron Gen, The Crack, Exploited, Frankie Flame, Lurkers, The Macc Lads, Menace, 999, Oi Polloi, One Way System, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Toy Dolls, Red London, Redskins, Resistance 77, Rose Tattoo, (early)7 Seconds, Sham 69, Slaughter And The Dogs, Splodge, Stiff Little Fingers, Special Duties, The Suspects, The Swingin' Utters, Vice Squad, The Violators & Youth Brigade.
Some Oi!-focused record labels (past and present) include: Bird, Bleach, Bronco Bullfrog, Dim, Dojo, DSS, Force Majeure, GMM, Hammer, Havin' A Laugh, Headache, Helen Of Oi!, Kickback, Knock-Out, Link, Oi! Records, One By One, PunkCore, Scumfuck, Sta-Press, Step-1, S.P.E., Teenage Rebel, Twins, Vulture Rock & Walzwerk.
Some related newsgroups are: alt.punk, alt.punk.europe, alt.skinheads, alt.skinheads.arent.neo.nazis and alt.skinheads.moderated
[written and compiled by Lee 69 (SoundViews@aol.com) of "Do A Runner!" 'zine.
http://members.aol.com/SoundViews/doarunnr.html]
On 6 Mar 1996, Gerrard A. Lindsay wrote:
ever notice how many 'skinhead' songs and songs about skins that there are in the world?
for instance 'skinhead moonstomp', 'skinhead girl', 'skinhead jamboree', 'skinhead speaks his mind', 'skinheads don't fear', 'moonhop in London', 'skinhead moondust','where have all the bootboys gone','bootboy',oi! oi! oi!,'skinheads in stapress', 'resort bootboys', 'bring back the skins', 'chaos', 'clockwork skinhead','boots n braces','back with a bang','crucified' (by iron cross),'skinheads rule,ok', 'fresh and burning','joe hawkins'......
From: am24379@swt.edu (Andy MacLaurin), fluffy@nyc.pipeline.com (James F. Dugan), skh8729@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu (Kali Holloway) (revised in v0.15 with corrections from James F. Dugan)
As for lyrics, here are the complete lyrics for Suburban Rebels as taken from the liner notes of The Business 1979-1989 on Blackout Records.
They're the sons and daughters of well off bankers Tom Robinsons' army of trendy wankers Flared blue jeans and anoracks, With yellow streaks all down their backs Who act so tough when [they're] on TV, But trendy wankers don't scare me Oi Oi Oi Chosen Few, (x2) This is what we think of you Suburban Rebels playing at reds You would-be urban terrorists You don't scare us with your badges and banners You know fuck all about heavy manners. You're the middle class kiddies from public school Who write your slogans on toilet walls Like Tony Benn's clones in plastic macks You wave a hammer and sickle, never Union Jacks Got lots of mouth when you're in a crowd But when you're alone, you don't speak loud!
Of course, I have several versions, where the lyrics are changed but this is the closest to an "official" version I've found. I also have the lyrics to Harry May, Coventry, Shout it Out, No Emotions, Never Been Taken, Out in the Cold, Blind Justice, Do a Runner, Another Rebel Dead, Welcome to the Real World, Frontline, Mortgage Mentality, Handball, Smash the Discos, H-Bomb, Loud Proud and Punk, Real Enemy, Product, and Saturday's Heroes, if anyone is particularly interested. I may post them anyway, if I can scan them.
Jim Dugan
From: j.w@gone.com (JW), Eric Coomer (coomer@nuc.berkeley.edu), baetsch@plains.nodak.edu (The Werewolf of London)
I was walkin' down the road with a dozen friends of mine lookin' for some aggro, just to pass the time we met a stupid hippy, he tried to run away but I punched him in the nose, just to pass the time of day! Great big boots Great white laces Jeans held up by scarlet braces get out of our way or get took for a ride we've just go violence in our minds....
In article <15FEB96. 13777202.0082@IBM.UTM.EDU>, Sylvia Rowe writes:
THE BROWN FIELDS OF BIRMINGHAM
(sung to Skrewdriver's version of "Green Fields of France")
1) Well how do you do, Mr. Bill Riccio Tell me why did you do that damn HBO show And look like a kook to the whole USA We can read 'tween the lines that you're really gay I see by his license he was only 19 When he joined the great call for the Riccio Army And we hope you raped quick, and we hope you raped clean Mr. Bill Riccio you are gross and obscene Do you beat the meat slowly Do you fuck young boys only Do you play the skin flute as you butter them down And did the boys play with your hairy asshole And did the lads play with your big old fat roll 2) Did you leave a spot on his fair white behind In his sore asshole is your memory enshrined Although you should have died when you were 16 In that faithful butt you're forever unclean Or are you a stranger without a name Enclosed in your jail cell behind a glass frame In an old wife beater tattered and stained And faded to yellow from your putrid pit stains (CHORUS) 3) Well the sun now it shines on your dirty ripped pants As the vomit spots make your broken toys dance And look how your sons can down a 12 and a 6 There's no gas, no barbed wire, but we wish you were nixed And here at your compound it's still no-girls land The countless young skinheads passed out in the sand To your blind indifference to your fellow man To a whole group of buys who were raped by your own hand (CHORUS) 4) Mr. Bill Riccio, why'd you do that damn show Do those that live here know why you did blow And did they believe that they wished you're their dad If they did then they're really demented and sad The sorrow and suffering, the disgrace and the shame You know how to give white power a really bad name Mr. Bill Riccio, it'll never happen again If it does we'll know who exactly to blame (CHORUS)
Sylvia
Iron Mountain CHS, Tennessee
BRicha6796 (bricha6796@aol.com) writes:
Vulture Rock POBOX 40687 ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico 87196
And I think you have to send a dollar or something but it's the best Oi! mailorder catalog that I know of with very decent prices.
Books and Films of interest to Skinheads; not necessarily an exhaustive list or required reading/ watching. Neither is this meant to be an indication of the quality of the content!
BOOK Information given, where possible: TITLE AUTHOR YEAR OF PUBLICATION PUBLISHER ISBNSYNOPSIS/COMMENTS
FILM Information given, where possible: TITLE LEAD CAST, DIRECTOR, YEAR OF RELEASE, COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION CATEGORY & RELEASE AVAILABILITY INFO
Additions, corrections, updates, comments and any detail to fill the gaps welcome, please email papaskin
Quoting the author and title (and ISBN where given) at your local bookshop should be able to get you nearly all of the titles available. For those out of print - you'll have to rely on book searchers or your local 2nd Hand bookstores.
ST (Skinhead Times) Publishing in the UK publish a large range of these books and orders can be placed with them direct. They do not have a telephone ordering service, nor do they accept credit/debit cards.
If you want to know what titles they have available and the prices - drop them a line and ask for a catalogue (I'm sure they'd also appreciate a stamped addressed envelope or a little dosh).
Their address is: http://www.stpublishing.co.uk/index.html ST Publishing PO Box 12 Lockerbie Dumfriesshire DG11 3BW SCOTLAND United Kingdom.
N.B.: STP no longer publish the paper 'Skinhead Times' - it ceased being produced back in 1995 and they no longer have any back copies left.
--------------------------------------------------
Soccer (Football) Violence (Factual)
--------------------------------------------------
Everywhere We Go - Behind the Matchday Madness Dougie & Eddy Brimson, 1996, Headline Book Publishing 0747252254 Steaming In (Journal of a Football Fan) Colin Ward, 1989, Pocket Books 0671853651 In Your Blood (Football Culture in the late 1980's & Early 1990's) Richard Turner, 1990, Working Press 1870736079 **Out of print** Among The Thugs Bill Buford, 1991, Mandarin 0749313285 Bloody Casuals (Diary of a Football Hooligan) Jay Allan, 1989, Northern Books 0905489411-1
---------------------
Novels/Fiction
---------------------
One For The Road Kid Stoker Nightshift (Growing Up in and around Wigan Casino 1974-1981) Pete McKenna, 1995, STP England Belongs to me Steve Goodman, Low Life (STP) 1898928002 Red London Stewart Home, 1994, AK Press 1873176120 Saturdays Heroes Joe Mitchell, Low Life (STP) 1898928053 The Complete Richard Allen Volume 1 (Skinhead, Suedehead, Skinhead Escapes) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt), 1992, STP The Complete Richard Allen Volume 2 (Skinhead Girls, Sorts, Knuckle Girls) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt), 1993, STP The Complete Richard Allen Volume 3 (Trouble for Skinhead, Skinhead Farewell, Top Gear Skin) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt), 1994, STP The Complete Richard Allen Volume 4 (Boot Boys, Smoothies, Terrace Terrors) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt), 1995, STP The Complete Richard Allen Volume 5 (Mod Rule, Punk Rock, Dragon Skins) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt), 1995, STP The Complete Richard Allen Volume 6 (Glam, Teeny Bopper Idol, Demo) Richard Allen (aka James Moffatt) ** due to be published late 1996 by STP ** ** The 18 individual Richard Allen novels were originally published in ** the 1970's by New English Library - all are now out of print. Casual Gavin Anderson, 1996, Low Life (STP) 1898928207
---------------------
Graphic Novels
---------------------
Skin Milligan, McCarthy & Swan, 1992, Tundra 1858090008
-----------------
Photobooks
-----------------
Skins Gavin Watson, 1994, STP 1898927057 Public Enemies Leo Regan, 1993, Andre Deutsch 0233988300 Oi! The Photobook A.H van der Sluys, 1993, Double Shot (Roermond, Holland) NO ISBN
-----------------------------------------
Reference - Skin, Ska & Mods
-----------------------------------------
You're Wondering Now (A History of The Specials)
Paul Williams, 1995, STP
1898927251
Skinhead
Nick Knight, 1982, Omnibus Press
0711900523
Total Madness
George Marshall, 1993, STP
0951849743
Spirit of '69 (A Skinhead Bible)
George Marshall, 1991, STP
0951849700
Boss Sounds (Classic Skinhead Reggae)
Marc Griffiths, 1995, STP
Skinhead Nation
George Marshall, 1996, STP
1898927456
Watching the Rich Kids
Arthur Kay, 1992, STP
**Out of print**
Skinhead Street Gangs
Loren Christensen
Bad Manners
George Marshall
**Out of print**
Mods
Richard Barnes
**Out of print**
Scooter Boys
Gareth Brown
The Two Tone Story
George Marshall, 1990, STP
0951849735
**Out of print**
Skinheads Shaved For Battle: a cultural history of American Skinheads
Jack Moore, 1993, Bowling Green (Ohio)
0879725826 (HB), 0879725834 (PB)
- This book has been termed "somewhat 'objective' in their
appraisal of White Power advocates" in the White Power FAQ,
and has been consistently derided by the members of
alt.skinheads. Stephen Martin (iggy@hooknladder.jammys.net).
Loud, Pround 'n' Punk - The Business
Garry Fielding, 1996
The Two Tone Book for Rude Boys
Omnibus Press
** Out of print**
------------------------
Reference - Political
------------------------
Fuhrer-Ex
Ingo Hasselbach, 1996, Chatto & Windus
0701165367
- From the German book: 'Die Abrechnung: Ein Neonazi Steigt Aus'
by same author, 1993 by Aufbau-Verlag GmbH, ISBN: 3746670136
this version contains photos (the English version is text only)
Blood in the Face: "The Klu Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, Nazi Skinheads
and the Rise of a New White Culture"
James Ridgeway, 1990, Thunders Mouth Press
1560250038
------------------------
Reference - Punk
------------------------
Punk Diary (1970-1979) George Gimarc, 1994, Vintage 009952211X Sex Pistols File Ray Stevenson, 1978, Omnibus Press 0860014649 Cranked Up Really High Stewart Home, 1995, Codex 1899598014
-------------------------------------
Soccer (Football) Violence
-------------------------------------
The Firm Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Phil Davis Alan Clarke, 1989, UK * TV FICTION Trouble on the Terraces Narrated by Sean Bean Allan Sharpe, 1994, UK * VIDEO DOCUMENTARY I.D. Reece Dinsdale, Warren Clarke, Sean Pertwee, cameo by Phil Davis Phil Davis, 1995, UK * MOTION PICTURE Hooligan '96 Narrated by Lesley Grantham Sharper Image Productions, 1996, UK * VIDEO DOCUMENTARY
-------------------
Mods & Skins
-------------------
Romper Stomper
Russell Crowe, Daniel Pollock, Jacqueline McKenzie, Alex Scott
Geoffrey Wright, 1992, AUSTRALIA
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
- A cinematic masterpiece, one of only two films
which I have paid to see twice. - Stephen Martin
(iggy@hooknladder.jammys.net)
Quadrophenia
Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Wilcox, Sting, Phil Davis, Mark Wingett
Franc Roddam, 1979, UK
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
Made in Britain
Tim Roth, Terry Richards, Bill Stewart, Eric Richard, Geoffrey Hutchings
Alan Clarke, 1982, UK
* TV FICTION
Meantime
Tim Roth, Phil Daniels, Gary Oldman, Alfred Molina, Marion Bailey
Alan Clarke, 1983, UK
* TV FICTION
A Clockwork Orange
Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, Miriam Carlin
Stanley Kubrick, 1971, UK
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
- This film is not available in UK in cinema or video due to
restrictions placed upon it by the Director.
Skinheads, The Second Coming of Hate
Chuck Connors, Barbara Bain, Jason Culp, Elizabeth Sagal, Brian Brophy
Greydon Clark, 1989, USA
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
- "Skinheads: the Second Coming of Hate", is a nonsensical
film whose only reasons for existence seemed to be to add
to Chuck Connors' bank account, and to bolster the bruised
egos of jocks everywhere. - Stephen Martin
(iggy@hooknladder.jammys.net)
Skins - The Movie
Wings Hauser
Wings Hauser,,USA
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
- Has anyone seen this piece of trash?? If you havent...dont
bother. What a load of bollocks. Its written by, directed
by, and stars one pratt named Wings Hauser. Where the fuck
did they dig up this guy??? Anyway.....obviously this guy
was beaten up by some skins and this movie is his fantasy
of what he wishes he could do if he actually had a set of
testicles. All I can say is save any money hiring it.
About the only good bit in it is the head skin's shirt,
and the room with the giant swastika painted on the floor
(if you're a neo-nazi). Save your money and forget it.
Deth (deth@magna.com.au)
World of Skinhead
Filming by Doug Aubrey
Alan Robertson & Doug Aubrey for Channel 4 Television, 1995, UK
* TV DOCUMENTARY
- George Marshall was consultant on this programme and it is
worth viewing alongside his book 'Skinhead Nation'. STP plan
to release this on video at some point - no details announced
as yet.
Skinhead Farewell
BBC, 1996, UK
* TV DOCUMENTARY
- This TV programme on the life of Richard Allen was transmitted
in the UK in March 1996. It is not available on video, nor is
it planned to be released.
American Skin
1996, USA
* MOTION PICTURE/ FICTION
- Elizabeth Marie Richardson (emr@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu) writes:
American Skin is a piece of shit. It's good to watch if you want
a laugh. No, I take that back, it's never good to watch. Most of
the DC skins went to see it on opening night and we all got up
and left after 15 min or less. First of all it's a bonehead movie.
Now I know Romper Stomper is also, but it was made well.
Second of all, the sound and the cinematography is horrible as
well as the plot. I know someone who saw the whole thing and
said the plot was something about this German (with a HORRIBLE
fake accent, by the way) drug lord who was trying to infect the cities
of America with this drug so he could wipe out the black people and
there were these black drug dealers who would just kill little kids right
and left and the skins were also on this bizarre misssion. The cop
(played by the director, who was oh so tough while he was trying to
sell his T shirts to us) who was chasing them for their hate crimes and
the drug people kept flashing back to Cambodia (or something) and it
turned out in the end that the Nazi guy was some guy that killed all
these kids in Cambodia (Cambodia scenes brought to us by the foliage
of the director's back yard) a long time ago. Every body bad dies. At
least thats what I think he said. I don't know the guy who saw it said
it was pretty confusing and stupid. I think I got up and left when the
German referred to the boneheads as "our diminutive bald soldiers."
One of the reasons we were so pissed (besides the general bad quality
of the film) is because it was marketed as DC skins in general and the
9:30 club supported it and bartenders acted in it.
-------
Punk
-------
Rude Boy Ray Gange, The Clash, Sara Hall, Johnny Green, Terry McQuade, Liz Young, Jack Hazan & David Mingay, 1980, UK * MUSIC FICTION The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle Mary Millington, Liz Frazer, Malcolm McLaren, The Sex Pistols Julian Temple, 1980, UK * MUSIC FICTION Sid and Nancy Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Drew Schofield Alex Cox, 1986, UK * MOTION PICTURE/ BASED ON FACT db@not.at.this.addy
The Werewolf of London (baetsch@plains.nodak.edu) writes:
Check out the Jan. 8th issue of the New Yorker magazine, there's a long article (about 20 pages) by a former member of the German neo-Nazi movement. He has since had a change of heart and wised up to the total bullshit that neo-nazis spew, and now he gives talks at schools and stuff...I thought it was pretty interesting. His name was Ingo Hassebruck (?? Something like that)
inkedsknhd@aol.com (Inkedsknhd) writes:
Check out the article in the new (April 1996) Esquire about "skinheads" in the military! Once again, all skins are neo-nazis! So are guys with shaved heads! Lets hear some positive stuff from military skins for a change.
by the late Stephen Donaldson
June 28, 1995
Letter To The Editor
The New York Times
229 W. 43rd St.
NY NY 10036
The Times has once again (June 28) carried a one-sided report on skinheads, which takes the fund-raising propaganda of one group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), at face value to give readers a totally misleading impression of another group, skinheads.
If the Christian Coalition issued a report demonizing homosexuals you would include a response from gays; if the Environmental Defense Fund issued a report demonizing Western cattle ranchers you would try to put it in perspective. Why does the Times thow the principle of balanced news reporting out the window as soon as the word "skinhead" is uttered?
First you take an already skewed ADL "Survey of Neo-Nazi Skinheads" and then report its findings--not in quotations from an ADL spokesperson, either--as applicable to all skinheads ("skinheads remain....", "skinheads share...they read...they prefer....their disposition" "American skinheads are organized..."). You might as well take a report on "Right-Wing Militia Military Veterans" and then continually tell your readers "veterans favor....; veterans denounce...., etc." as if these militia members represented all veterans.
In fact, the ADL has accepted the preposterous claims of extreme right groups to the skinhead tradition---which actually began among Jamaican blacks in the 1960s, not "in England two decades ago"--and given them currency because having a scary enemy helps the ADL raise money. In so doing they are actually helping the Nazis by giving them legitimacy among working-class youth. Traditional skinheads denounce these imposters as "boneheads" who have no respect for the long tradition of racial integration which in fact has characterized the skinhead movement. Anyone who has attended skinhead music events in New York City can see for themselves that black, Hispanic, Oriental and Jewish skinheads are common. Nationally and internationally traditional working-class skinheads far outnumber the boneheads, financed by wealthy right-wing patrons, who are trying to steal a proud tradition.
All the "skinzine" publications I have seen are determinedly non-rascist, and the main one in New York, "No Escape," is edited by a black skinhead. So is "Carry No Banners," the leading Midwestern skinzine. The ADL report may have "found no discernible national skinhead organization in the United States," but they either didn't do much research or deliberately omitted traditional skinheads, since they omitted the nationally organized non-rascist United Front organization, now headquartered in Ohio. Maybe they couldn't handle the UF's racially integrated logo.
Traditional skinheads often proclaim that they have been crucified by the sensation-seeking mass media. As a former newspaper reporter, I like to defend good papers like The Times. But you continually prove their point. As a responsible paper, you should be talking with real skinheads, especially here in New York where you are published, and report the truth, not just the ADL's propaganda. Why don't you talk to someone from SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP), which has chapters around the nation and in New York, for example?
The writer reported on alternative music for a number of publications, including Maximum Rock & Roll, New York's Under the Volcano, and, in 1994, the Skinhead Times, under the name "Donny the Punk".
Don't forget to check out into alt.music.ska and read the FAQ for more information on Ska and it's relationship with Skinhead culture.
(All apolitical & non-racist!)
Do A Runner! Oi!/Street-punk 'Zine c/o Sound Views 96 Henry St. #5W Brooklyn, NY 11201-1713 USA
email: SoundViews@aol.com
internet: http://members.aol.com/SoundViews/doarunnr.html
$2(US)/$3(World) for issue #1
Price subject to change for issue #2 due out carca May 1st, 1997.
All rates in US funds.
L'ERE BETE fanzine C.P. 27501 Laval, Quebec HYG 4YZ Canada
fax: (514)686-7613
email:lerebete@geocities.com
internet: http://netrover.com/~ricky/lerebete/
Contact for prices.
Oink! Skinzine PO Box 46 Cresskill, NY 07626 USA
tele: (201)801-5515
email: avidday@intac.com
internet: "The Skinternet" http://www.intac.com/~avidday
$2(US)/$3(World) for issue #3
$5(US)/$8(World) for all issues afterwards (each include a 7")
All rates in US funds.
Teenage Warning! Street Music 'Zine
email: bullfrog@arrakis.es
internet: http://www.arrakis.es/~bullfrog/zine.htm
All rates in the above currencies. Accept cash (registrated letter) or IMO (International Money Order). No cheques,
or eurocheques.
voxpop@nyc.pipeline.com (Michelle Chen) writes:
Inverted Magazine c/o Michelle 75 Grand St. #2E New York, NY 10013
Yes, that is my home address. I invite you all to come to my house and kick my ass if you think you did not get what you payed for (though, I'm sure my zine is worth around 32 cents).
Thank you for your time.
Rampage: A Skinhead Voice P.O. Box 19 Coalville Leicester LE67 1DS England SledgeHammer: The Voice of the White Nations, by the Northern Hammer Skins P.O. Box 428 Gatineau Quebec, J8P 7A1 Canada $25.00/yr. (12 issues) in Canada $30.00/yr. U.S. $35.00/yr. Overseas All rates are in Canadian funds
Skinheads On The Internet/The Lashout home page
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lashout/skns.html
Traditional Skinhead
http://pages.prodigy.com/NY/quintskinhead/
Skinheads Rule...OK?!
http://www.op.net/~lambreta/
The American Skinhead Page
http://edlab-www.cs.umass.edu/~mmelillo/
SPiRiT 69's Home Page!
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/1741/
Bottom Of The Barrel
http://www.akula.com/~botbskin/
Oi! the FAQ
http://www.akula.com/~botbskin/whatoi.html
Stephen Martin's FAQ-lette "Dear Doc Martin"
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~aj759/
Bronco Bullfrog Homepage home of Teenage Warning! 'Zine
http://www.arrakis.es/~bullfrog/
The Skinternet home of Oink! Skinzine
http://intac.com/~avidday/index.html
Do A Runner! Oi!/Street-punk 'Zine
http://members.aol.com/SoundViews/doarunnr.html
L'ERE BETEfanzine
http://netrover.com/~ricky/lerebete/
BSSC Home Page
http://www.StudioJohnMStafford.com/BSSC_Home_Page.html
Snag's Homepage
http://www.worldramp.net/~snag/
Razors in the Night
http://www.users.interport.net/~sed/
Stormwatch (stormwatch@gnn.com) Homepage
http://members.gnn.com/stormwatch/stormwatch.htm
Stephen "Donny" Donaldson (sprdon@ix.netcom.com) Homepage
http://www.igc.apc.org/spr/.
Tomas Willis, "The Ska FAQ guy"
tomas@cae.wisc.edu or tomas@F18?-???.net.wisc.edu
ken d barr (jrb11@acpub.duke.edu) homepages
For the band No Cover (formerly Kenny Jones)
http://www.duke.edu/~jrb11/kenjones.html
A Ska page
http://www.duke.edu/~jrb11/viskasity.html
Bootboy (bootboy@airmail.net) For vit musik
http://web2.airmail.net/bootboy/nordl.htm
SkabOi! (skadadle@tiac.net) homepage on the web
http://www.tiac.net/users/skadadle/skadadle.html
Schroedinger Cat's (scat@panix.com) homepage
http://cognac.resnet.upenn.edu/~scat
"AudioWhore, M.D." (mandalo@cs.tufts.edu) homepages
http://www.tufts.edu/~mlo/audiowhore.html
http://www.tufts.edu/~mlo
Mac's (cmmorrison@oxblood.compulink.co.uk) skinhead www page
http://members.aol.com/skinheaduk/
Graham Wilson (grahamr@dircon.co.uk) homepage
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~grahamr
Re: Are you interested in a ska/rude boy-rude girl/skinhead mailing list, Tomas Willis (tomas@cae.wisc.edu) writes:
Lee 69 of "Do A Runner!" Oi!/Street-punk 'Zine maintains the oi-list.
You can reach him by email (SoundViews@aol.com) or visit the homepage
http://members.aol.com/SoundViews/doarunnr.html
TBD
TBD
On 13 Feb 1996, Stephen Donny Donaldson wrote:
Q: There's a skinhead, a punk, and a rudeboy in the back seat of a car. Who's in the front seat?
A: A cop.
From: tony testa
richie@netcom.com (Richard Collins) wrote:
"Dominic Green" (demonicgroin@cix.compulink.co.uk) writes:
Our Man In Brooklyn: 'So, Dave - can I call you Dave?'
Dave: 'That's me name.'
OMIB: 'So, Dave, you - hit people with this Personal Computer thing?'
Dave: 'I do. Ram the screen down straight over their ead. IBM PC's works best, then the ole ead goes right down the cathode tube. Macintoshes only works on folk with small eads, like Children and Creationists.'
OMIB: 'But...why don't you just...hit them. With your hands?'
Dave: 'I'm a child of the Information Age.'
A fellow I know was over in England for a while and sent this back:
Bonnets, Spanners, and Boots... by Mel Pheasant
The language here is quite different. It's almost the same, but enough to make it unintelligible if you are listening to someone speaking slangily in a pub, after having a few. I'm putting together a glossary for myself:
chip 'o larter - a little sausage used for garnish
(not a guy from Ireland)
bonnet - car hood
boot - car trunk
gateau - cake
prawns - shrimp
yorkshire pudding - not pudding at all, but a full coarse meal
minced meat - not a meal at all, but a desert
bangers and mash - disgusting sausage in something or other
clotted cream - unknown, but apparently quite popular
oxtail soup - unfortunately, what you'd think
sweets - deserts
crisps - chips
chips - fries
lunch - usually the meal around noon
dinner - usually the meal around noon
supper - usually the meal around noon
(note no clear word for evening meal)
tea - a fictitious break around 4pm that no one
seems to take
high tea - late night snack I think
low tea - no reference to this, perhaps Sat. morning
tea after a big party?
takeaway - takeout food
drizzle - rain
sleet - rain
rain - rain
blustery - rainy
showers - rain
mist - rain
gales - wind and rain, don't even bother with an
umbrella
fog - slower rain
wind - rain coming in at a slight angle, just
under the umbrella
wet - rain, but they aren't sure what kind, or
a mixture
damp - fog, with some drizzle and rain, perhaps
showers
stormy - blustery rain, with wind
cold front - rain
warm front - rain
occluded front - rain
sun - occasional light poking through the clouds
light - thin clouds with drizzle or rain
dark - think clouds, with any kind of rain
patchy - different kinds of rain, with thin cloud
patches
clear - not describing the sky, but perhaps "rain
clear across England"
weather - rain
dry - the weather man's been on the wagon
widget - strange things put in beer cans to get it
to foam properly
beer - beer
pint - beer
ale - beer
bitter - beer
lager - beer
cider - horribly strong beer/cider
draught - beer
half - a weenie glass of beer
stout - beer you can't see through
real ale - beer made the old way
cheers - like aloha, means almost anything, like hi,
bye, please, thankyou, excuse me, excuse me
for farting, a toast, thanks for the toast,
thanks for stepping on my foot, thanks for
spilling beer on me, thanks for holding the
door open, etc.
sod - "sod it", an expletive suitable for use in
front of youngsters
mate - Canadian equivalent of "guy", American "man"
dodgey - what you'd think, actually, just applied to
more things
fag - cigarette
faggots - large meatballs
In this first attempt, I'm going to try a phrase-translation guide to talking in the UK:
"A hurricane came by and flattened my house, and whisked away all my children and worldly belongings" translates to "we had a bit of a wind".
"The idea was so stupid we laughed it out of the meeting room" translates to "It's not on".
"This soup is so aweful you couldn't even stick a goddamned knife through it" translates to "It's a bit stodgy".
"Two hundred bored fishermen, unable to fish because of bad weather, beat the crap out of each other and busted up a lot of commercial property" tranlates to "there was a bit of a rumble at the pub last night".
(fiction/non-fiction)
Saturday Night Aggro? Hardly... by The Werewolf of London
Ah, College by Zach Archer
Hmm, let's stay up and finish this fucking project that's been due for 10 weeks oh come on I mean I had other things to do and besides I don't like poetry it's stupid anyway TEEEEA-CHER why can't I write a SYMPHONY with parts for people shooting rifles I've always wanted to do that. At the end they point the rifles at the conductor and maim 'em! Ha ha, a stupid pretentious music gimmick! Staying up after sleeping three hours was GOOD idea! I can feel it in my veins! I can feel it wanting to come up through my mouth! Met a skinhead downtown, said he was passing through. Him: "WAnna get a beer?" Me: "Uh... no, I have to go finish.. uh... I'd rather not talk about it." ARGH. Too much pizza is a bad thing. Need go home, soak in neighbor's hot tub. Calgon, take me away! Need to bust heads. Cop followed me around, wanted to kick in his headlights. Almost did. Well, not really. Mmm. Unga. So, is stupid music thing done? FUCK NO. Wrote for 6 hours today, 6 hours the day before that, put it in computer, using horrible MIDI software that crashes every time you play.. an accidental. Sounds like total shit! LifelessBorgPerformance{tm}! Underwater oboe sound replaces pretty female singer! Oh come on just give me ten MORE weeks I swear I can write for symphony or something cool like that just no more FUCKING PIANO MUSIC. Rain is wet! Remember when I did the music for that play? And I had three weeks, or actually two, because I got really sick? Why does this ALWAYS HAPPEN???!! This could have been really cool music. It's incomprefuckinghensible. And so am I. Actually, I'm not nearly as fucked up as I'm pretending to sound... Maybe I'll just go burn down a church and piss a pentagram on the pavement, maybe it'll be linked to a satanic conspiracy and get in the papers and we can re-kindle the Jesus Crusades, right here in Californica. Hot shit.
Where's the Fighin' Jesus when you need him?
Michael Rosencrantz (rosie@interport.net) writes:
Richard Collins (richie@netcom.com) writes:
The best dark beer (stout actually) is Guinness hands down. If stout is a little too thick for you try a porter or lager. And don't overlook Beck's Dark, I know it sounds common but it is really decent stuff. Personally I'll take a stout any day but if it is darker than a cup of Denny's coffee I'll drink it!
From: LAHC Student
I don't think it is dark beer, but I like it (Killians). I think they have red and dark brown. If you haven't already tried it, I suggest you do.
JW (jw@gone.com) writes:
Liz Lopez (paradyning@earthlink.net) writes:
Boddingtons, *the* best Northern Bitter. Brewed in Strangeways. As always, the Mancs do it the best!
On Tue, 2 Apr 1996, Moonstomper wrote:
Cheeky Princess (leah_rochelle@bc.edu) writes:
King K of the Allstonians wanted me to post this too: You are right about Yuengling being America's oldest brewery and I agree that they make some excellent Gevvy's namely the lager and their black&tan is outstanding. But alas, I've not had the porter yet. Even though it is a brown ale, Newcastle is by far better than Becks. I could probably score some of the porter from my future father-in-law who turned me onto Yuengling last year when I visited in Allentown, PA. Let me know through this address. I'm getting some anyway, when he comes up to Boston for our (Cheeky's & my) wedding.
roke@mail.utexas.edu (rokester) writes:
J A Dare writes:
Thus the following....
Fredrick Thornell writes:
And what does a tech student who has just had a Guinnes do? Of course he opens the can to see what the little bubble gizmo in the bottom look like. They only got back like 10% of the Guinness cans...
TBD
Papaskin writes:
To be honest, this is a personal choice and is not one that many skinheads will admit to. I know back 15 years ago, all the skinheads I knew were doing drugs, but not many were addicts. Once a skinhead was pictured an addict it was as if they were immediate punk rockers....and to a skinhead....that's the all time evol evol evol. Drugs are a personal choice and not that of a sub culture. To answer direct, sure .. some do...WE ALMOST ALL DRINK...many of us smoke weed, some do a bit worse, but it's a personal thing, we do not attempt to make it a skinhead thing. We stand for strength and drugs would make one seem weak. It's just not a skinhead thing.
Susan Monaco (smonaco@essential.org) wrote:
smd (wondrboy@eden.com) writes:
PJRmovie (pjrmovie@aol.com) wrote:
smd (wondrboy@eden.com) writes:
Fredrick Thornell writes:
Anyway, if you're not big enough to be a threat _and_ shave your head, you can wear a t-shirt with a crossed over swastika and "nasi's fuck off" printed on it. They are too clueless to realise what it means. You get beaten up none the less. I don't think even you would be safe.
I'm so goddamn tired of all the racism here, both the 'normal' one and the 'reverse'. It ruins a lot!
Finally, somewhere nice!
The Werewolf of London writes:
by Donny the Punk
(may be reprinted freely)
Crucified for Your Skins
Kids of the 80s
Feeling Alright With the Crew
Rebels With a Cause
Warriors
[box text: Skinhead Nation and Spirit of 69 can be ordered from See Hear, the zine store at 59 E. 7th St., NYC 10003; Moonska Records, NYC store at 150 E. 2nd St. (Ave. A) or PO Box 1412, NYC 10276; or ST Publishing, PO Box 12, Dunoon, Argyll, PA23 7BQ, Scotland; STs prices are $30 and $20. For the Oi! list, send the e-mail message: info oi-list to: listserver@nizkor.almanac.bc.ca]
"When a Skinhead has his head shaved, wears a Flight Jacket and big Doc Marten Boots, people notice him" - Loren Christensen
Skinhead fashion is important but shouldn't really be strictly defined. There's label snobbery with skins as much as cult. Skinhead togs are a mix of military, workwear and city gent! Utility and style. The practical cult!
Three distinctive sterotype looks have emerged however.
Everyday Skin: Jeans, Combat Trousers, Boots, Fred Perrys, T-shirts, Button collar or collarless shirts (plain or tartans), MA1 jackets, Levi style jackets, donkey jackets.
Bonehead Skin: High boots(14-22 Holes), black drainpipe jeans, combat/camo trousers, Black MA1's, Union jack / WP T-Shirts.
Of course most skins mix all of the above sterotypes and wear lots more besides
A spin off cult is scooter boys who tend towards the bonehead look, MA1's, camo/combats and boots. Which is more suited to hours spent in the rain on a scooter on route to Morcambe. [SHG]
James F. Dugan (fluffy@nyc.pipeline.com) writes:
From: iggy@hooknladder.jammys.net (Stephen Martin)
I've got a pair of black 8-holes that I wear regularly, a pair of Black Watch Tartan 8-holes that I wear frequently, and a pair of blue 14-holes with red tartan laces that I use as my rain boots. :>
From: dj jurgen
From: skh8729@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu (Kali Holloway)
To tell the truth, I'm a little more partial to Getta Grips than Docs these days, mainly because Getta Grips (in this age of mass-produced Docs) are sturdier than Docs, and last longer. Never go over ten eyelets. Monkey boots look nice on girls too, but I think loafers---not boots--- should be worn with skirts. My favorite pair of shoes that I own, though, are Docs with red Iron Crosses on the side. Doc stopped making them a few years ago, and I used to work in this store that sold Docs (Junkman's Daughter in Atlanta, for those of you that have been there) and they were the last pair to be found. They've actually lasted a good three years thus far...
From: grahamr@dircon.co.uk (Graham Wilson)
From: richie@netcom.com (Richard Collins)
From: modstyle68@aol.com (MODSTYLE68)
From: Michael Rosener
From: baetsch@plains.nodak.edu (The Werewolf of London)
The Werewolf of London (baetsch@plains.nodak.edu) writes:
Yeah, they make white Docs, but they're patent leather (the ones i've seen at least) and have black stitching with black laces.
White Docs, eh? Just the thing if you work in a hospital....or drive a Mr. Softee Ice Cream truck...
From: dave, Oink! 'Zine
JW (jw@gone.com) writes:
Greasy leather, if I'm not mistaken, is just smooth and shiny, right? Well, in any case, i like my boots 10-hole, black, and so shiny you can see yourself in them, until i walk out the door and my showroom shine gets scuffed... I'm also ordering the three-hole oxbloods (cherry red?) from Sheely's soon... rumor has it that they're going to stop making three-hole steel-toes soon, so get 'em while you can -- you never know what's true or not these days! They're only 34.99 in pounds, good deal!
Out of eleven responses the top two most popular styles were the 14 or 8 holes in Black or Oxblood.
Graham Wilson (grahamr@dircon.co.uk) writes:
You can turn cherry reds into oxbloods by putting a fine coat of black polish on them and then a coat of oxblood polish. They don't go black, just darker red.
Bullskn (bullskn@aol.com) writes:
Umm granted i picked mine up like a year and a half ago...im still pretty sure they sell em at the Dr Marten store in chicago..if anyone really wants the address email me..ill have to dig it up
kamui (kam@escape.com) wrote:
Common concensus seems to be that the colour coding of boot laces amongst skinheads is a thing of the distant past. The most sensible post on this subject read:
From: dj jurgen
The funniest posts, however, came from Graham Wilson (grahamr@dircon.co.uk), and jagdwild@ecnet.com (wrath of god), who wrote:
White lace -> White power (or supremacy if you like)
Red lace -> Fascist / Fascism
and yellow laces in red rangers means you're Ronald McDonald....next....
Hey whats wrong with yellow laces in red rangers? Every cool skin is wearing them these days. They look really cool with my rainbow 3" wide braces ( I unfortunately have this urge to wear a red rubber nose every time I wear this outfit).
Bryan
If I had one of those silver flights, I could be a raver also.
Graham did shed this bit of light upon the whole subject:
The original lace thing started when English skins started choosing the colour of their laces depending on which football team they supported.
When I was younger and used to support Watford (I know, we all make mistakes) I used to wear yellow. As a Coventry supporter (known as the 'Sky Blues') if I wear my black docs I have blue laces in them.
Very few English skins do this anymore. I know a few old'uns who do.
As for what they mean today in terms of media perception to your politics it is a load of wank.
The meaning of colours vary from area to area. I've know places in England where white means white pride, but NOT white power (parts of North London). In other places white can mean white power and white can mean gay.
Perhaps the colour thing was true when the laces were first linked to which football team you supported. Some of the football crews did have a particular strong political bias and people there assumed that because you wore "X" colour you ran with "X" crew who, in political terms, were mainly "Y". I guess this is where the politics/lace thing must have started off.
grahamr@dircon.co.uk (Graham Wilson) writes:
gregng@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu (Gregory Gardner) wrote:
Well, back in my day (1980-84), the _ONLY_ color were red laces, and the _ONLY_ boots were 10-hole DM steel-cap "Blackguards", which I don't think Doctor Martens even makes any more.
The named boots like "Blackguards" were made by Joe Hawkins under licence. They also used to make a pair called Blackwatch. Can't recall the name of the 8 or 14 holes.
If you go back in history then you'll find that the only original colours were football team colours.
And you absolutely NEVER laced them in cross-overs (that still annoys me when I see some kid with DM boots laced crossed over. Kind of sad.)
I know of one crew that did. It was done to piss everyone else off...and it worked.
Of course, after a while I started using flourescent orange laces. They seemed original at the time.
...or a Wolvey supporter.... Wolverhampton girls - The essex girls of the midlands (;-)
Y'know, I'm getting tired of this semiotic hair-splitting. Wear what you like.
... so long as it is the colour of the football team you support...
An old man.
I'm getting there
Graham
Common concensus, again, seemed to indicate the following colour codes:
black - You have just bought these boots and the laces aren't worn enough to necessitate
buying a new pair.
white - white power, white pride, Boneheads, nice contrast with black leather/you avoid mud
puddles with admirable dexterity.
red - white power, Nazi, National Front, Boneheads, Communists
yellow/black/blue - S.H.A.R.P. (circa 1990, Sacramento and most of Northern California)
yellow laces/red rangers - you're Ronald McDonald
yellow laces/blue rangers - you're Batman!
pink laces - gay skin or fag-bashing skin
blue laces/black docs - Chelsea/Coventry supporter
blue laces - cop killer, sXe
yellow laces - Columbus Crew/Watford supporter, cop/asian basher
green laces - keep on skanking? Environmentalist? Celtic Pride?
flourescent orange - Wolverhampton supporter
There are some who say that the following codes also exist:
Yellow: Anarchy, looking for ultraviolence Green: Sharp, Gay basher Orange: Biohazard fan
But there has been no colloboration of this.
kamui
From: xxxx@xxxxx (Jenn Starkman)
From: jadec@uno.edu
I don't know of ONE self-respecting guy who would wear a burgundy flight. I think of them as girls flights, as do a lot of people I know. Maybe it's not PC to make gender distinctions, but I like to think that we girls can have something a little feminine that's all ours. We used to have monkey boots, but you men took to wearing them too. BTW, nobody ever said your choices were limited to burgundy or green flights. Why not black or blue?
Well I'm not a big fan of burgundy flights in general, but I never thought of them as a "girl" thing. Now monkey boots on the other hand...
Jim Dugan
NO, no, I'll have to go with Sylvia here about the flight, and Jim about monkey boots.... JOE
From: mrosener@ix.netcom.com(Michael Rosener )
I got a burgundy flight and a black flight and Oxblood Docs and black Getta grips. I dunno Is that cool. I don't wear them all at once. My Burgundy flight has about had it anyway. So have my Getta Grips so I guess it's oxblood Docs and a black flight for me. >
Another dude with a burgandy flight. Some people out there have this strange notion that it is a feminine color. Now maybe, pink, or magenta would be feminine but good old burganday rocks. I dated a girl named Burgandy, but that is another story .. ..
Well hell, if we're all coming out with our burgandyness (is that even a word?) i had one, but it's toast now. I'm going with a good ol' blue now.
sketch
And so everyone started coming out of the "burgundy flight" closet. American President William "Bill" Clinton was even heard to remark: "I had a burgundy flight once, but I didn't wear it."
Chris, CRM94001@UConnVM.UConn.Edu summed it all up best when he said:
BRicha6796 (bricha6796@aol.com) writes:
BEN
JW (jw@gone.com) writes:
"AudioWhore, M.D."
The Werewolf of London
Jen/Ed has a Canadian flag on her left sleeve, a patch with a skin and Oi! on her right sleeve, an Oi button and skinhead girl button on her flight (she can't get her newsgroups anymore so I thought I'd speak for her)
scat@panix.com (Schroedinger Cat) writes:
Michelle Chen (voxpop@nyc.pipeline.com) wrote:
Richard Collins (richie@netcom.com) writes:
The Werewolf of London (baetsch@plains.nodak.edu) writes:
i thought the sham skins started the 69 patch thing. the sham army and so on.
yeah, that's what i thought too....The Sham Army started it...
SmokeyL (smokeyl@aol.com) writes:
please fill in me on what the significance about it is?
napoles lisa m (napoles@students.uiuc.edu) writes:
The crucified skinhead symbol was used by the Oi! band Last Resort, but it's pretty much become a universal skin symbol.
Schroedinger Cat (scat@panix.com) writes:
You get a crucified skins patch when you know you're in it for life; and frankly, no matter how dreamy-eyed you may be at the prospect of boots and braces, after your first month with a shaved head you can't really know if a year from now you'll find it equally appealing.
(booromj1480@cobra.uni.edu) writes:
Last word on "Patches and Pins" goes to paul
Which brings us to:
From the home office in Sioux City Falls, Nebraska (NO, not really), "James F. Dugan"
I suppose I can take a stab at this ... I realize this is way too long, feel free to edit it.
Probably the single most popular "skinhead" shirt around, particlarly in the US. Despite a recent popularity among Ravers, Skaters, and television personalities, that laurel wreath crest is pretty much synonymous with skinheads, and feartures prominantly in zines t-shirts and tattoos.
Fred Perry was arguably the greatest English tennis player of the 20th century. He died last year in Australia, in his early 80's, and despite persistant rumor, was not black. Like many athletes today, he lent his name to a line of tennis related apparel with the ubiqitous laurel wreath, a traditional symbol of victory, as it's logo. The original line were standard tennis shirts, made from an open weave pique knit fabric that "breathed" and absorbed sweat. Contrary to anther rumor, Perry did not "invent" this style of shirt, it was popularized in fact, by Izod Lacoste, as an alternative to playing tennis in long pants, long sleeved shirts and sweaters. Today, the company that owns the trademark makes every thing from wool sweaters to golf shirts, to warm up suits.
The shirts were very popular in the early to mid 60's, particularly in, England, but as English Fashion was dominant at the time, the sold well all over. Sean Connery can be seen wearing a white one on the beach in Dr. No (look closely in this scene and you can also see his tats on his forearm, which are "Scotland Forever" and "Mum and Dad") and they appear often in "period" films such as Air America (a ghastly yellow with an aqua crest) and Quadrophenia (several shirts on Mods and Rude Boys) The shirts, as can be seen in Quadrophenia, were very popular as everyday wear with the fashion concious (obsessed?) mods. As hard mods grew away from their more intellectual and wealthier counterparts, they continued to wear the shirts. This is in part due to the "I'm not going to dress like a peacock all the time" mentality and partly because many of the shirts came in fabric and piping combinations that matched football team colors.
Even when the shirts fell out of mainstream fashion, skins continued to wear them, and they essentially became a part of skinhead culture. Particularly here in the US, they're sort of a status item, because theyre not easy to find, and unless you find one at TJ Maxx, rather expensive due to the exchange rate and import duties. Also, Ben Shermans, the only other contender for an "official" skinhead shirt, are less distinctive, despite stitching the Ben Sherman logo on the newer shirts, more expensive, and harder to find.
Fred Perrys aren't easy to get a hold of, and a shirt can cost you up to $50 when you do find them. Your options are basically: tennis shops, mail order, TJ Maxx, or thrift stores. Things to keep in mind: Your best bet is at TJ Maxx in the early spring. Many get good selections in and they run $12-20 as opposed to $35-50 for a new shirt. This is especially useful if you live in an area with few skins. They don't get bought up and you can often get them on the clearence rack for next to nothing. Conversely, go to tennis stores at the *end* of the summer when they have all of their sales. Thrift stores just require persistance. I personally hate mail order. You have to wait forever, often they send the wrong thing or size and they're expensive. Unfortunately, some people have no other alternative, particularly if you want a sweater, socks or basically anything other than a plain shirt. A few tips, call first and be very specific. If its out of stock, then decide if you want to substitute. Also, keep in mind that if you order from Shelly's or the Merc *you* are responsible for the cusoms duties, its not included in the price, and they *won't* tell you. Its really an unpleasant surprise to have to go to the post office and pay $30 bucks over what you've already paid to ransom your new shirt/suit/hat/whatever from the Government.
In general, be persistant, and buy what you like when you see it, but don't buy something just' cause its got the logo on it. Some of that shit is UGLY and you're not going to get cool points for wearing a black Fred with neon lime green piping (true story) just 'cause its got a crest on it. I've gotten a ton of gear over the years and I think I paid full price for exactly one of the shirts I still have.
James F. Dugan (fluffy@nyc.pipeline.com) writes:
A wifebeater is an "A" shirt (as opposed to a"T" shirt, [yes these names actually mean something]) otherwise known as a ribbed tank top or a "(least favorite ethnic group here) formal shirt" For some reason they are particularly popular with skinheads, and IMHO, the most comfortable undershirt you can get (unless of course you have to worry about tats showing through your shirtsleeves)
kylet (kylet@netwalk.com) wrote:
The Werewolf of London writes:
Charlie Chester (guy@fs1.csu.man.ac.uk) writes:
From the Skinheads on the Internet web page, Skinhead gear web page, TreySkin (voodoo@phatjunkie.net), bigskank@northcoast.com (MIke), Michelle Chen, dj jurgen (jurgen@io.org), Kate Lloyd (kalloyd@lynx.dac.neu.edu), and John M. Stafford (JMStafford@compuserve.com):
Probably the most difficult thing for skinheads, at least those not living in large cities or on the coasts, is finding traditional skinhead clothing. Even in large cities it is sometimes hard to find places that carry a good selection or reasonably priced clothing. This list is to help skins find the clothes they want to wear. It is a little skimpy at the moment, so I hope that people will send me some mail with more places to add to the list. Descriptions/comments by the above people.
99X 84 East 10th St. New York, NY 10003 212-460-8599
A friend of mine went to NY and ordered a bunch of stuff from them. The prices seemed to be a little inflated, but he got a bunch of cool stuff. Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, Lonsdale and various things. The 3/4" braces are sharp (and of good quality). I guess they only do COD for mail order.
Air Wair Chicago 3240 N. Clark Chicago, IL 312-248-6599
Fred Perry's and boots. Probably more stuff but I don't really know.
Army Surplus, Millets
Everywhere, Ideal for good cheap boots, camo & combat trousers and of course MA1 Jackets.
Cole & Decker 1520 Lonsdale ave. P.O. Box 3742 North Vancouver, BC CANADA V5M 3I7 (604) 985-0259
They're currently offering for retail gingham in red, navy and black for short sleeved shirts, $60 Canadian and $45 US. In long sleeve, they have navy blue, mars green, black and white for $65 Canadian and $47.50 US.
Crash And Burn 3184 Roswell Rd. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30329 404-365-8502
From the people I've talked to, this seems to be a complete skinhead store. Some have even compared it to the Last Resort shop. The have everything: Music, Boots, Perry's, Ben Sherman's, donkey jackets, etc. I'm pretty sure they are cool about mail ordering, though I've never done it myself. If you are looking for something, you'll probably find it here.
They have screen printed patches, backpatches and buttons together with a bunch of stuff. I'm not sure about their prices, just call and ask for Frank/Hillary.
D&M Clothing Toronto, Ontario Canada
Doc's Here Toronto, Ontario Canada
Holts Camden Lock London
A small shop that sells a large range of docs and other quality boots / shoes with a skinhead / mod customer base in mind and at good prices.
HORROR SHOW badges Frank Bruno P.O. Box 1095 Chelsea, NY 1011-1095
You can get buttons from HORROR SHOW badges. They mostly have Oi!. There are black/white and also full color. The buttons are $1.00 each and when you buy 5 you get 1 free. Its a minimum of $5.00 for mail orders. Just write and they'll send you a list and information.
ICL Clothing Toronto, Ontario Canada
Le Shoe Store (3 - locations) Toronto, Ontario Canada
The Merc 19-21 Ganton St. London W1V1LA England 071-439-7750 or 071-734-1469 FAX 071-734-1476
The skinhead store. They have everything you could possibly want including Fred's, Ben Sherman's, footwear, T-shirts, etc. I've never ordered anything but everyone that I've talked to says that the service is good. The catalog has some cute girls in it to.
At Ganton St & Camden Lock London A top shop dedicated to skinhead gear at good prices and a range not to be beaten. Own brand suits, exclusive ben sherman gear, hard to find fred perry oddities! Also stocks books, fanzines and cds/tapes. Well Worth a visit.
Scootering International Magazine P.O. Box 46 Weston-super-Mare, Somerset BS23 1AF, England, UK TELE/FAX: (01144) 1-934-414785 EMAIL: 106240.3402@compuserve.com
Skinead Times uses Scootering International magazine as its official mail order outlet. Scootering is open for business 5a-1p EST (2a-10a PST, (9a-5p GMT) M-F. They accept VISA, MasterCard, Access, and EuroCard, as well as checks drawn in pounds sterling.
Sherrys Ganton St, London.
Similar to and across the street from, The Merc. A smaller shop with large range of Freds, Bens and own brand suits, all the usual skinhead gear.
Shellys
Several around central London. Oxford St (2), Covent Garden. A huge range of boots and shoes all at about the best prices available.
SYMS New England
For all you skinheads out there looking for some fine wear that is actually within your budget, check out SYMS. I know it has several depots in New England, I don't know about anywhere else. So if you don't know about it, go there. Shirts run about $10-20 and sweaters are about $20-25, usually a pretty good selection to.
Top Skin Mailorder Top Skin, P.O. Box 20234 Cincinnati, OH 45220
I've never used them, neither had the person who gave me the info. If anyone has ordered from them let me know what they have.
Trash Vaudeville 4 St. Marks Place New York, NY 10003 212-982-3590
From what I understand it is more of a punk store carrying Docs, laces, braces and various other things. I don't have a lot of information about them.
Two-Tone Mailorder 251 Main Ave Passaic, NJ 07055 (201) 778-7478
I don't have the address right now, but you can order Perry's, Sherman's, music, and all kinds of skinhead related stuff from them. I'll put the address and phone number up as soon as I find it.
As to whether or not they are cool to deal with, idunno, i just ordered my first item the other day, and the girl was pretty nice and friendly, sooo....
Er, they carry a fairly good selection of clothing, but it's kind of expensive. They sell Fred Perrys and workpants and porkpie hats. They also have a little leather-bondage section (heh heh). They sell a lot of records, too. More punk than ska, but they have a lot of stuff on vinyl. They also sell books from S.T. publishing, as well.
(CRM94001@UConnVM.UConn.Edu) writes:
Dickies are good pants for really cheap. I've had mine for a while, and the the things have still held their crease without ironing the damn things! Plus they look pretty good, too.
JW (jw@gone.com) writes:
You don't want Sta-Prest. They're such crappy quality now. Get Dickies. they rock.
As the number of mindless crossposts and silly gits with nothing better to do than come trolling onto the newsgroup ground upon my (and a whole heck of a lot of other people's) nerves, I wished that I could use a killfile. Unfortunately, some servers don't allow one that luxury, so I just scan the subjects/authors for those that interest me. And so...
Name Email Address Audiowhore, M.D. mandalo@cs.tufts.edu The Werewolf of London baetsch@plains.nodak.edu Chris CRM94001@UConnVM.UConn.Edu Gerrard A. Lindsay botbskin@akula.com Ivon Kalalang ikalalan@sierra.valleynet.com James Dugan fluffy@nyc.pipeline.com Jennifer Jewkes jewkes@orion.it.luc.edu JW jw@gone.com Jen Lyons/Moonstomper jloyns@emerald.tufts.edu Cheeky Princess leah_rochelle@bc.edu OhioSkin ohioskin@aol.com db db@progeny.demon.co.uk Eric Coomer coomer@nuc.berkeley.edu Michelle Chen voxpop@nyc.pipeline.com Graham Wilson grahamr@dircon.co.uk Jenn Starkman xxx@xxxx Jason M. Garner cd630@freenet.carleton.ca Sylvia Rowe ??? Kali Holloway skh8729@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu Dominic Green demonicgroin@cix.compulink.co.uk DJ Jurgen jurgen@io.org Modstyle68 modstyle68@aol.com Stephen "Donny" Donaldson sprdon@ix.netcom.com Rest In Peace Schroedinger Cat scat@panix.com Elizabeth Marie Richardson emr@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu Horse horse@charm.net JezeByrdx Jezebyrdx@aoe.com John M. Stafford JMStafford@compuserve.com Martina P. McBurney madmarti@total.net SoundViews soundviews@aol.com Paulskin pmarti1@gl.umbc.edu Richie DCRichie@aol.com
Your mileage may vary, but these are the only people posting/who have posted that I make a point of reading and that I could remember off the top of my head. Any additions to the list are encouraged.
Eric Coomer writes:
What is Alt.Skinheads really all about??
It's real simple. Like most newsgroups, alt.skinheads was created by people interested in discussion of a certain topic. Simply SKINHEADS. First and foremost, alt.skinheads was NOT created as a political sounding board. I know, I joined the group shortly after it's inception... Skinheads come in many shapes, sizes, and genders- let's hear it for the ladies! as well as political persuasions etc. But there is an underlying identity of being a skinhead which transects all of these qualities. That is why we are here on this board. There are more appropraite newsgroups to post and beat your chest about whatever political bullshit you want. This just isn't the place.
So to put it real bluntly, feel free to contribute to the discussion if you
1) Are a skinhead 2) Are interested in Skinheads 3) Have something worthwhile to add
It's pretty rude to join in with such pedestrian comments that label all of us nazis, racists, thugs (okay maybe), or of particularly low IQ. Read the rest of this FAQ, decide for yourself if you're still ingorant enough to make such comments, then by all means post your diatribe to some other newsgroup set up for political discussion. Alt.politics.* is a good place to start. Maybe even alt.stuff.it.up.your.ass
Cheers
From the desk of the moderator, db@progeny.demon.co.uk:
Alt.skinheads.moderated was the brainchild of a group of alt.skinheads contributers who found that, as with many Usenet newsgroups, the 'signal to noise ratio' (i.e., the amount of unrelated and off-topic garbage being posted to the group) was making it a difficult forum for Skinhead related discussion between Skinheads.
At present alt.skinheads attracts about 100 new postings per day - a large number of which are crosspostings, spams, get rich quick scams and mass postings of flame baits.
This is not to say that there isn't a platform for discussion somewhere in there - it just makes finding it a lot harder! (the joy of KILLFILES)
So in order to created a group whose postings could be controlled in some manner, alt.skinheads.moderated was created by Graham Wilson in 1994.
It works in the same manner as a regular Usenet group - except that there is a nominated 'moderator' who monitors what is posted to the group. The moderator sees all the messages before they become publicly available. At that point they are either posted intact and unedited to the group or zapped.
Anyone is welcome to post messages too alt.skinheads.moderated and there is no secret censorship or hidden agenda, but in fairness to all, the following obvious guidelines apply to all postings..
The moderator will not post your message if it:
In December 1995 Graham needed a rest from moderating and so a new moderator 'db' took over.
If your service provider doesn't carry the group - then hassle them! It is very low volume and it is not a platform for racist propaganda.
I'm in the dark with this one. I don't even get this newsgroup!
Mainy skinheads who can't bare the mindless ( and endless) spamming of alt.skinheads subscribe to alt.music.ska instead. Of course many skinheads post at alt.music.ska to contribute to the related discussion.
More TBD
New email info from BosonovaBoy:
Chris Wais wrote:
Alex Siegfried (nbeno@itsa.ucsf.edu) writes:
Sources (cited and not):
| [AMS] | alt.music.ska, various postings. |
| [AMSF] | alt.music.ska FAQ, maintained by Tomas Willis |
| [AS] | alt.skinheads, various postings. |
| [HSBR] | "The History of Ska, Blue Beat and Reggae," Various Artists, Esoldun S.A.R.L./Blue Beat REG 101, (1992). Liner notes by Delroy Sion Eccles. |
| [OTF] | Oi! The FAQ, maintained by Gerrard A. Lindsay |
| [SHG] | Skinhead Gear Webpage |
| [SOTN] | Skinheads on the Internet webpage |
| [WPF] | White Power FAQ, maintained by Arthur LeBouthillier |
End of FAQ: Skinhead (alt.skinheads) Frequently Asked Questions
return to alt.skinheads Homepage