American Reacts to How The Mod Subculture Changed Society Forever!
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- Опубліковано 31 січ 2025
- This is Freewheeling's deep dive into the Mod subculture and its lasting impact on British society! From the sleek fashion and iconic music to the Vespa scooters and wild nights out, the Mod movement revolutionized youth culture and left a mark that echoes to this day. Freewheeling breaks down how this movement shook up traditional values and inspired generations to embrace individuality!
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Now you have to watch Quadrophenia. Excellent film and music (The Who).
Definitely ❤
Awesome film
Exactly what I was gonna comment.!
Must watch
I second this!!
First off, this documentary was very London-centric. Most of the country's youth was not involved in battles. We were more concerned with finding an identity that was different from our parents, finding a tribe and escaping the gloom and austerity that marked post-war Britain.
I was born in 1949 and the evolution shown in the program is an illustration of my life. I was a mod but couldn't afford expensive clothes or a scooter. It took some ingenuity to follow the fashion trends on a budget and seek out cheaper alternatives that embodied the trends. As a short, skinny, spotty, poor boy who miraculously sprouted about 8" in height at about 12, elevating me to the heady position of average height, I used fashion to distract from those things and reinvented myself once I left school and those associations behind. I also changed my name from Alex to the trendier Russ.
As the 60s became the 70s I morphed into a hippie and could add long hair, my best physical attribute and a handy way to distract attention away from my face, to my arsenal. RuPaul's mantra "We're all born naked and the rest is drag" describes my progress although I'd never heard it expressed that way at the time. It was easier being a hippie. There was not the pressure to wear the latest fashions and the hippie philosophy reflected my own. I eventually overcame my lack of confidence by developing my personality and taking my reflection from other people's reaction to me and reverting to short hair so I could avoid mirrors as much as possible. I behaved as if I was confident and it fooled a lot of people a lot of the time. The confidence became real after a while. I recommend it.
Musically my evolution was Ray Charles -> R&B -> The Rolling Stones -> Blues -> Psychedelia -> Jazz -> World music; always adding, not replacing. At 75 I've gven up differentiating and just like what appeals to me from the selection available, which inevitably contains elements of my journey.
That's a long comment but these days I don't get out much so sue me.
Well the first half of that was nearly me.
Except we lived in Croydon (Surrey) and I bought a scooter for 12 quid. I had a Vespa, my best mate Roger had a Lambretta. He was cooler.
I embraced a lot of Beatles era music that superseded what my elder brother liked (Elvis era).
And yes I went hippie. Long hair, but kept the fine style white Levi jeans when I adopted flower-power. More eclectic music than most.
I couldn’t be a Greaser.
@@AlBarzUK I never did get a scooter but Ironically in the 80s I started riding motor bikes. The old associations were gone so it wasn't making any kind of statement. It was just an independent, affordable means of travel. Eventually I remembered my age and moved to cars. These days I ride an electric bike and get exercise along with the convenience.
@@Russ_Keith I really loved your honest,thoughtful comment. I relate heavily to what you said. Its clear you have great taste and style.I lived through all those times with the same strong need to express myself through what I'm wearing. I'm strongly contemplating a part time job at a great boutique where I buy clothes sometimes. My brother made a living here in southeast of US as an artist who painted the local interests and physical views of this area. It was such a great time for visually creative kids to be nourished .
@@Elaine-p3g Thank you for that. I was fortunate to have a teacher in my pre-teen years who was kown to be a bit of a dragon but was kind to me. She told me that I could do anything I set my mind to and I believed her. And it was mostly true. It was because of her that I eventually became a lecturer because I wanted to inspire others with the same message as well as hopefully giving them some tools to help with it.
So I'm saying go for it with your part time job. It could be fun. And then of course there's that staff discount.
@Russ_Keith Sir, it is my pleasure. Yours is a lovely description of the inner architecture and spaces of those who grew up at that time. And oh law honey, working at that little place with their stash of wonderful clothes would be fun and that discount sounds good. I started out as an art major in university but ended up graduating and teaching Special Ed. What subject did you teach at university?
JJ, what it didn't mention was that from the mid to late '60s a splinter movement of 'Mod' started forming in the U.K. and that was, 'Northern Soul', this was from the element of Soul and R 'n' B music and dance in the culture, it came to prevalence in the early '70s and had a resurgence in the late '90s and still continues today. Northern Soul is known for rare Soul and R 'n' B music and artists with stylised dancing, there were certain clubs which hosted "All-Nighters" (8pm until 8am) and "Weekenders" (8pm Friday night until 8am Monday morning) where people would dance to these tracks.
aye, and yes, the dancing went to another level with northern soul.
Northern Soul had absolutely nothing to with Mod. If you talked to any Northern Soul fans back in the day they’d barely even have heard of Mods, all that was ancient history.
@@scotmax8426Yes, it did, and still does.
@@claymor8241No, it wasn't ancient history as you put it, Northern Soul started in the late '60s towards the end of the original Mod movement, I know as I was DJing at the time, I switched to Northern Soul from DJing at Mod events and worked a few of the early clubs, sadly many closed due drugs, like The Twisted Wheel, the last two big ones to go were Blackpool Mecca and then The Casino Club at Wigan, but the music has survived, which is what is important.
@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. yip, there was also a second wave of mods about 1980 ish? when ska and everything appeared. i remember folk with parkas and fishtails all over the place, this lasted for years. the debate about so many bands as to whether they were or weren't mod lol. my first vehicle was a vespa at 16. i was NOT born in the 50's.
JJ as the video said the Rockers had to complete National service ( Compulsory Military service for 2 years) mods came about after national service ended, so instead of leaving school and going into the military for two years they left school and joined the workforce. it was also the boom after the war so employment almost 100%, wages were growing quickly and the working youth had disposable income to spend on what they wanted....
You should watch the film QUADROPHENIA its a must watch.Written by the WHO and featuring their music.
17:52 That's my Uncle Jimmy showing off! He's still with us.
A "hairdryer" was the rockers nickname for a scooter.
@37:02 the narrator says 'Mods weilding scooter chains' bit strange that as Scooters don't have chains, they're direct drive from the engine. Thats one of the reasons they're not called motorcycles but rather Scooter or moped.
A Lambretta is chain driven , the Vespa is direct drive. The last thing a Mod would do is carry round a greasy chain anyway. 🛵
@@mauricerevelle8451 Ahh I've only had Vespas, didn't know that about Lammys. you learn someting new everyday eh ?
@@milton1969able Lol. 😎. Had couple of both back in the day. Best times.🛵
@@mauricerevelle8451you'd have to have big hands to handle a Lammie chain.
@@markhutton6055 Ha, it’ll be to much effort just to remove the chain in first place. I wouldn’t even have attempted it. 🛵.
The rockers didn’t fight in WW2 but were subject to National Service that was later abolished just as the mods hit the scene.
“Hastings, I’ve heard of that…”. Battle of Hastings 😂
'way past "1066, and all that" (a book)
Time to travel for fresh "fish 'n' chips" - from trawler nets (or an angler's hook!!)
Do you mean the first one, Easter 1964, or the second one Whitsun 1964?🛵
@@brigidsingleton1596 Ah yes. "Brest".
@@Ingens_Scherz
What about "Brest" ?
You just have to do a deep dive into NORTHERN SOUL. which was the next sub culture to emerge .
@@vanburger Now this interests me because I live in Tennessee about 30 minutes away from the Smokey Mnts. Ive never liked country music personallybut,.I do feel and sense that funky Appalachian Blues presence deep in my bones. If you'd like, I'd be interested in hearing more information about that Northern Soul 🤔 thing. Was it,in some way, responsible for all that southern blues funkiest in Joe Cocker's voice? He lived in Sheffield, and I'm telling you the incredible wailing grit in that man's throat could make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
"They got... that thing..." - That would be the Helter Skelter, JJ. :-)
Just please watch Quadrophonia. You’ll love it. It’s basically The Who and life in the mod/rocker scene down in Brighton. I’ll pay Patreon to watch Quadrophenia with you
Ooh!! I would too!! Even though I have Quadrophenia on VHS 😂😂😂.
I was there. Fantastic times. Box Hill (suitably named) wasn't mentioned though but the fights were not as intense. For JJ's information this is a beauty spot in Surrey not far from London. Show him on the map.
I've had a few Vespa's and a Lambretta. And to this day, if you see another on the road, the thing to do is give each other a little nod as you pass. The scooter scene has a great community and Sunday meets are still a thing... but with much less fighting.
We do the "2 wheel nod" in the motorcycle community as well. In fact, I can tell if someone is a new rider because if you nod at them, they don't nod back.
I also have 2 Lambrettas. The 1965 LI 125 has been played with so is now a 200 with a top speed of 74mph (or 70mph if you don't want it to shake 😁).
I've also a fully restored 1964 TV 200 (aka GT 200). It has a top end of 65mph. I won it in a competition!!! VERY happy 😊
My dad was a mod!!! His cousin a rocker.. 😮 No fights.. he had wonderful memories. His clothes from his youth..amazing. his photographs from that era.. tell a thousand words.
@@claireoconnor161 I bet your Daddy and and his cousin look great in those photos. That was a lot of fun and excitement to live through. I thank God I grew up then.
My Dad was a Ton Up Boy (proto-Rocker) - I am a Mod.
@@markhutton6055 I love how JJ is reacting to these vids of post modern cultural history.All these eras. It unites people from around the world via their experiences with trends like these. As a very young girl in Tennessee, I have very warm memories of starting junior highschool wearing all my mod clothing. I loved it. A Proto rocker must have been someone who got in on that trend at its earliest phases. How interesting. I'll need to look up what a Ton Up Boy was. ☺
UK mid-1950s lad: My parents with both shell-shocked / PSTD from WW-2. Both seen too many bodies in bits, taken too much bombing, been in deep fear too long, seen the ground bouncing from explosions. And 2nd time around for the country, with many women widowed / unmarried as the dead of WW-1 were the men (in vast numbers), who now could never be husbands. Both those generations didn't want to talk, as that just dragged the memories back up and it was too much.
Omg, I have to break in here as you're pondering austerity in Britain - it was after ww2!!!!! It took us forever to even begin to come back from it, we had precious little to eat, no money and it was pretty grim for a long time. And there was a lot of grief for people (young men) and ways of life that had been stripped away. No wonder new generations wanted to break free.
Yeah! JJ wouldn't get that. He's over analysing things and missing what's been said.
I was born in London in 53, so I grew up when the Mods and Rockers were prevalent. At the time the only difference between these groups was their style, culture, and music. They were both as guilty as the other when it came to the fighting. There were no differences in intelligence or social status, In fact, there were kids from the same area and schools, one would be a Mod and the other a Rocker! but it was a great time to be growing up in London!
Mods & Rockers used to fight at the uk seaside towns. I was a mod & wore a parker with my town name on the back.
I was a mid teenager in the 60's and lived through it.
London to Brighton is 50 miles.
The film Quadrophenia isn't perfect but it is a good reflection of what the mod scene was like and is something you should watch to get an experiance of what it was like.
I think Quadrophenia is an iconic British film I've seen it many times... The soundtrack is amazing.. And it's got a great cast..... I think he'd really enjoy it.... Please watch and review it.. There's a very youthful Sting in it... Spoiler Alert,.. Lol 😂😂😂
Mods forever!I had a restored 1957 lambretta LD & wore my parka badged up in the 90s,I love the MOD scene & always will
I went to carnaby street on the 30th of september 1967 with school, also radio 1 came on air that day, i was very lucky to see that time, i was 13. I was also a skinhead!
That was fascinating and I enjoyed watching it with you. Thank you JJ.
I was just buying some clothes in a boutique today and was amazed how 30-40% of the stuff on the rack looked exactly like mid 60's mod . It was a wonderful time to be young and is still one of the major influences of style.
I worked on a house in Cucklington village, Somerset in the 1980s. Goergie Fame lived there in a large house. My client said he gave a concert in the village hall.
I live in Bournemouth on the South coast and sometimes i see old men riding on bright blue mopeds with about 10 or more mirrors on them, they used to be mods when they were young men!
Hi JJ. great video, I didn't think this would be my cup of tea, but I was glued to the screen for nearly an hour. Keep up the good work.
Quadrophenia is well worth watching. The Who's soundtrack is reason enough but it's a decent film in its own right. Plus it's got some talented actors and er.. Sting.
Show me on a map, get's me every time.
We had mods fighting rockers and rockers fighting skinheads and football hooliganism everywhere, smashing up stuff, and sticking broken glass into the faces of the opposing teams fans! Yet today, everyone thinks it's more dangerous!
I am Hastings born and bred and I should hope you've heard of my hometown. It's one of the most historical towns in the UK.
A lot of the pictures in this video were of Hastings including the duo pic of Mods and Rockers. Our local museum has a whole section dedicated to that weekend.
The open mindness is very much part of it. The UKs acceptance and love of black American music and artists. Listen to many black American artists of the time and their amazement of how welcome they were in the UK playing to big white audiences. The British Invasion of music into the US was basically white bands covering black American music and selling it back to white Americans.
Hi JJ, I think I mentioned this in the comments of another reaction.
Yes, Sting played "Ace Face" in Quadrophenia.
A "Face" is someone of note in the Mod scene.
The Small Faces were Mods but short men. When Steve Marriot left, they changed their name to the Faces, because Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood are tall.
You really need to watch Quadrophenia. Stars Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Sting, Toyah Willcox, even Ray Winstone is in it.
Austerity refers to a period of low spending, living with very little. This one was after WW2. Britain lost the war really. It cost us more than any other country. We lost an empire, Stirling was no longer the international currency (now US dollar). We did not receive compensation from Germany and we had to pay America for everything we got under the "Lend Lease" scheme. We made the final payment to America in 2006 (60 years).
31:26 "That thing" is a "Helter Skelter" - somethig you should know being a Beatles fan 😆You should be punished with "blisters on your fingers".
A Hairdrier was a Rockers derogatory term for the Mods scooter.
My dad fought in the war at El-Alamein and other places, he never spoke about the war, ever.
If anything came up or on the telly, he would turn the telly off or leave to not be part of that conversation.
Awesome find JJ, really not looked into this before, loved it ... I think o would have been a mod, Carnaby Street remains an utterly cool place to go
Georgie Fame was mentioned in the pirate radio station video.
When BBC wouldn't play Georgie Fame, Ronan O'Rahilly started his own radio station to promote Georgie's first record. (Radio Caroline).
It's all tying in nicely. 😊
I'm a decade younger than my oldest sibling and my mum liked to have a radio going nearly constantly, so I got exposed to all sorts of music from a young age. The mods and rockers were before my time but my older brother and sister were mods. (Here, we also had the bodgies and the widgies in that era too). 😅
The Mod look made a comeback in the early 80s with the 2tone and skinhead look. You could still see people on Lambrettas and buy mod patches in 1980 etc. watch Quadrophenia for sure.
I’m a mod, for over 40 years / 79 revival.
Mod really started in the late 50s - term came from modern jazz, as opposed to trad jazz, it was all about dressing. Had gone above ground by 64 teal mod acts / small faces, the action, Georgie fame.
You have to look into the Skinheads, Ska and Two Tone movements :)
At College in the early 80's, I rented a room from Mrs. Scrivens, she also rent out one other room. I arrived on my big, oily Italian bike, all dressed in leather. There, parked next to the garage, was a small black Vespa. He looked at me and I looked at "the enemy". Within 2 weeks we were best mates. If he was going to a Mod concert, I'd drop him off early so none of his 'Dresser' mates would see him getting off a noisy V-twin bike. He did have to call me one night infront of his friends. He had got his pee-pee jammed in his silly tight trouser zipper. I got him to the ER pronto, bloody all over my bike. A week or two later we planned to go to a Snooker club but my bike refused to start. We got on his crappy Vespa. I was riding because I had a full licence. At a round-about the bloody throttle jammed open and we shot across the road and straight into a petrol station, nearly killing both of us. That was the last time I ever went near a scooter. Hmm, Mods and Rockers still have issues.
My great grandad did his hair like the Teddy boys ( he did it until he passed away ) but he called it a 'A Ducks Arse' because of how the back off the head looked like a ducks behind 😂
Later referred to as a "DA" as deemed more polite in company!! I recall being quite surprised when I asked what a "DA" was!!😅
what a great video, loved this. so0o0o glad your journey through it took you to where i ended up too lol. Quadrophenia is defo worth a watch, as is Tommy. the path to the hippy was always happening :D
@8:30 Six-Five Special was a music TV programme on the BBC.
BELL BOY! BELL BOY!
Quadrophenia changed my life in the very early 1980s in, of all places, Winnipeg, Canada. There was a small group of wanna-be prairie mods here who idolized the Who and watched the film at midnight screenings at the little art cinema downtown. The music more than anything never left me. Due to very happy circumstances, I was able to get to Brighton and even have a chat with Phil Daniels, who played the iconic role of Jimmy in the film
That' thing' at the fair is called a Helter Skelter as in the Beatle song. You are welcome.
There's still a scooter rally at clacton every year.
No rockers though 😁
I had a Vespa scooter, loved it!
Due to the 2ww's the lose of at least 1 generation of men had a huge impact on society as a whole especially the young men. Also the moral panic caused by media exacerbated any rivalry between the different cultures. This was overhyped. Saying this it was an exciting time and a time of discovery. These styles/cultures are still seen on the streets and in music today
When the rocker said they can buy hair dryers, he was talking about the scooters. The girl was saying the mod girls looked like men as the fashion was short hair so you wouldn't know if you were looking at the man or the girl. I was a biker from the 1980's to 2000's. Motorbikes are in my blood. My dad had one, my brother had a motorbike business. I hung out with a small group of like minded friends. At the weekends we went for rides and had fun. Go watch motorbike racing, pool rooms, the fair and go to biker pubs or clubs. There were about 20 of us. I remember we walked into a cafe to get something to eat and when I turned around to look for a table, everyone was gathering their things and leaving. I was shocked as we were all a nice bunch but the leather jackets, jeans and motorbike helmets scared them off. Sadly, my bad back prevents me from riding these days.
Clacton, just up the road from Harwich, where the Mayflower was built.
I was part of the Mod revival in the late 70's/80's. Loved the dress sense & Music. The Rockers are still around today, but much older. They like Heavy Music. Her in the UK, we had many fashion trends, after this period. With Skin Heads, Soul Boy's & Punk Rockers. It all seemed to die out in the 90's, but we still have traces of cult fashion today, in the Goths.
Watch Quadrophenia!
Definitely liking longer videos. You're seeing how it all comes together.
It'd be be nice to get your "thoughts so far" on delving into Brit music?
20 or 30 sounds like a lot, but if that was only keeping you up until the next morning...
Brilliant, I really enjoyed this, Thanks :)
As others have said - watch the movie 'Quadrophenia' - great story, great music
I used to live in Clacton and that weekend of fighting was still felt by some.
A quick note on National Service (compulsory Army service of up to 3 years for young men on reaching 18). The annual intake for this continued in the UK until 1960.
Before Top of the Pops there was 65 Special and Juke Box Jury
I don't remember "65 Special" but recall "Ready Steady Go" & "Juke Box Jury"*
("Hit or Miss" that* was presented by David Jacobs, who I always thought was too "square" to be playing / talking about pop music!!)
@@brigidsingleton1596 Totally agree about David Jacobs!! 🤣🤣🤣
@duncanny5848
He was sooo old-fashioned in both dress, attitudes, speech patterns... A real "square"!!
I'm now 74. I've always been a mod. It's now a broad church but wasn't always so. My go to music on Spotify is always 60"s and 70"s mixes.
Bless ya! Most of these are not British problems e.g. the delivery person and the post office. You are worrying too much about what other people think of you. When we see a delivery person approaching, we happily meet him at the door and do just say “I saw you coming” with a smile!
Ace cafe is a cool spot. Theres always something going on there either car or bike related.
My mum's friend had a scooter, in 1963 when I was 6 in South London, he came over and I ended up on the back of the scooter and he took me around the block a few times. So exciting and scary!! I left School at 15 in 72 (hippy/skinhead time), never looked back..I went straight into a high paying job. Loved it, We used to holiday every year in Clacton in the 60s as my aunty lived there,It got quieter at the end of the 60s Margate/Brighton were lovely when I was little before the fights. My family went to Carnaby Street a lot.I live near Hastings now.😆
About austerity…
The video was referring to austerity in terms of economics. The simple definition would be a dramatic reduction of government spending, particularly in non-military social programs. Generally they are referred to as “austerity measures” and are frequently used by governments to reduce spending and pay off government debt. Or to pay for military buildups, such as in the 80s.
You can clearly see the effects of the shifts in British economics in the culture, music, and style the video talks about.
After WWII, Britain was forced into austerity because so much was bombed out and the economy was crippled. There just wasn't money at the time. But as things started to improve the policy - led usually by Labour governments - changed and became what is known as “The Great Consensus.” Lasting until the 70s, this included a lot of government spending on programs such as the NHS, a huge boom in government-sponsored housing construction, the expansion of education to the general public, labor rights, the Arts, scientific research, public transportation and infrastructure, etc. It was also marked by rising GDP and average living standards for the average Joe. Wealth became more evenly distributed.
There were a series of internal and external shocks during the 70s, kicked off by the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, and it became harder to continue supporting these policies. Margaret Thatcher and her neoliberal economic policies, which emphasize unregulated markets, little or no government, privatization of assets, low or no-taxes, trickle-down economics, and which still dominate today, halted the funding and brought an end to the Great Consensus. This was doubled-down upon by the Torries in 2007 under Gordon Brown, resulting in a huge shift of wealth to the top 10% and the shambles that are British public services today.
Im78 in two days and I went through so many styles from beatnik to rocker, to mod.
In 1954 the Scot singer and guitarist Lonnie Donegan "The King of Skiffle", brought to popularity in the UK that former US music style with a modern cover of a 1929 American train song called Rock Island Line, and since then a lot of Brit teenagers, defying the post war austerity, happily bought the less expensive and quicker to learn harmonic instruments, guitars, so forming the shape of what would become the British Invsasion.
You listened to one conversation which was mostly boastful bravado and you made a decision, Rockers were known as greasers and not to fond of the soap. My mind was instantly made up when it became apparent that the best looking girls were invariably Mods
As was said most of the Rockers had done National Service, (Conscription) they hadn't been in WW2. So they were definitely a bit older and had military training, the Mods were inner city youth who are generally tough, there were boxing clubs and gyms near at hand. So the Rockers/Greasers got a shock because they thought they could walk all over them. Also Scooters are a city bike, Lambretta held the UK 100yrd sprint record for over 20yrs, a 175cc Scoot accelerated way faster than a 200cc Bike, so they were ideal in a City.
I have to say I do enjoy your videos and I have a little giggle when you look up SOMETHING ON A MAP. By the way I was born in 1963 and I remember playing in old ww2 bombsights in 1971 1972 that's how long it took London to recover.
I am ten years older than you and definitely remember playing in bomb sites...and was disappointed when new houses were built in their place...had to find new places to play that were still close to home!! (The unthinking selfishness of the very young?!)
I remember school friends living in Prefabs too... Do you?
My older brother born in 1948 was a dyed in the wool rocker. Mods wore suits and rode Vespa and Lambretta scooters that kept their clothes clean. Rockers rode motorcycles and wore oily jeans and leather jackets. Rockers listened to the Rolling Stones, and Mods listened to The Beatles.
Being a Rocker was the cheaper lifestyle, because the market was flooded with cheap motorcycles in the 1960s. As the post war boom in motorcycles as family transport, was being replaced with cheap family cars. So you could pick up a old motorcycle for a pittance.
In the other hand, Mod style was a much more expensive lifestyle. With custom made suits and modern manufactured Italian scooters.
Mods and Rockers used to clash at seaside resorts like Southend. Riots might not be to strong a word. they really really did NOT like each other!
JJ, you HAVE to see Quadrophenia! It is a classic British 70s film which, along with Scum (also 1979) are acquired watching for anybody (of any nationality) who wants to understand youth culture in 1960s and 1970s Britain!
Sting isn’t in the Quadrophenia film much, but he does get to say possibly the film’s best line (which I won’t spoil for you here) but it also had an array of upcoming British TV and film talent in it, the likes of Phil Daniels, Lesley Ash, Phil Davis, Toyah Willcox, Tim Spall and Ray Winstone (who also played the lead in “Scum” and went on to work with Scorsese and Spielberg).
JJ, you need to start reacting to films on your channel, so you can see films like Quadrophenia and Scum and which will definitely increase the number of your subscribers and patreon members.
We should probably mention that around the same time, in the "uncut" version of The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Sting played the leader of the gang that abducts and rapes Paul Cook. Versatile actor no, good villain yes (see also Brimstone, Stormy, Gorm).
If you can find this move somewhere on the World Wide Web you have got to watch it.
It is a British 1979 movie about the English Mods and Rockers.
The movie title is
Quadrophenia.
It stars, Phil Daniels, Sting (of the band Police) and Leslie Ash.
Got my bottle of wine. Mods is something very close to me, with Ska formed my early years...
Clacton, my step nan lived there it is an utter rundown DUMP now,, what a place to pick so far from London (83 miles!) for a massive punch up, margate 76 miles from London why the seaside stuff ? Brighton ... why thats a fab place... all the seaside places ? why ?
Georgie Fame had a big hit with "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" in the 60's. Not sure if it was used in the movie (with Warren Beatty) so it may have been played in US too.
No, not in the movie. I fact it was written after the movie came out.
I used to go to the 59 club as a kid. My dad was a rocker
Clacton..."looks like a good place for a riot". 😂
Think of it like spring break - ride your scooter or bike out of London for a bank holiday weekend.
The 'Mocker' thing, my Parents were Mods in the late 60s, but i grew up liking rock music, leather and denim and motorbikes, basically the enemy of a Mod lol. but i do like the world my parents come from too, the style, the music like Motown and the beatles, and scooters with all the mirrors on, so i guess i could be called a Mocker.
It is sad that Lonnie Donegan, who is the grandfather of British rock, is remembered for a novelty song - My Old Man's A Dustman.
There was a mod revival in 70s and 80s and guys were travelling the length of the country on scooters
Vespas and Lambrettas were cheaper than big motorcycles and also followed the "Italian" or Continental vibe like their clothes. The Mods also added multiple mirrors and lights to dress up their rides.
I live in Brighton born mid 50s i witnessed some of these fights my mother would try to get us home as soon as she saw the bikes and scooters but we would hide until we could get
Coastal towns were where the British used to have their summer holidays, until the advent of cheap flights to sunny southern Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. But many of the towns remain popular for short breaks or a bit of rare British sun, they still have the hotel and tourist infrastructure. The mods and rockers ended up in those sorts of towns because they are popular destinations for Bank Holidays, somewhere to have fun.
Many of them these days though are rather run down, not least Clacton mentioned in the video. Brighton is still a huge tourist destination though.
Quick clarification- the Teddy Boys didn't serve in WWII - but they had undergone 'National Service' after the war. By the time the Mods came along, National Service was no longer compulsory- it ended in 1960 (with the last cohorts ending their service in 1963)
The tensions between the Mods and Rockers were hugely exagerated by the media- because drama sells news! Obviously, the more it was reported on, the more tension grew. Nothing changes!
There is still a fairly large 'Mod' culture in existence - some are the people who were young in its heyday but others are young people who have embraced the whole culture- music, fashion, and scooters. Every year there is a huge Scooter Rally on The Isle of Wight over August Bank Holiday, attracting over 10,000 riders., who all dress in mid-inspired gear, and listen to 1960's music. It is certainly something to behold!
Quadrophenia has got to be one of the best films about British Sub-Culture
Quadrophenia! Please listen to the whole album, several times, and then enjoy the movie. The double album was part of the soundtrack of my life in the 70s. A crazy thing I noticed, much later in life, is that the director of the hugely enjoyable film, Franc Roddam, is also the creator of the worldwide phenomenum Masterchef, a show I've also loved since its modest start in 1990, but not so much its hyper reality TV US version with Gordon Ramsay. When the seriesfirst started, there was no emotion jangling soundtrack or voice over.
I was absolutely a rocker
I was an eighties mod you have got to listen to the Quadrophonia Album first then watch the Film.
Note they slipped in at least a couple of photos from the 1979 Mod revival. At least two pics of the Merton Parkas.
Quadraphenia is a movie that is the mod and rocker experience. Really good movie
In the UK music is at the core of every trend of culture.
You have to watch quadrophenia, a great movie with a certain young Sting making his acting debut.
Scooters (Vespas and Lambrettas) were made in Italy, like the suits the Mods preferred.
I remember watching on the News the Mods and Rockers fighting on the beaches at weekends and bank holidays ! I think those Rocker girls were saying if you go out with a Mod , people wouldn't know if he was a man or a woman.
I remember the fighting in Hastings, East Sussex...it was on our television news and semi-scary, semi-exciting!! I used to like visiting Hastings but at that time it was less attractive to me as a mere 16_ year o!d minus both a boyfriend and a vehicle by which to travel anywhere (unless with my Mum and stepdad, the latter being our sole car driver!) Travelling alone by trains which might also be used by some older Mods and / or Rockers was _not encouraged_ by my Mum! (I led a sheltered life, growing up!)
I was like you, a teenager then , I was stopped from doing a lot of things 🙄
you showed me on a map 🤣🤣🤣 i live in worthing near brighton...i watched quadrophenia when i was 11 and have been a mod ever since....carnaby street in the early 80's was excellent,full of mods and skin heads..there was a gang of skins that had one half of their faces completely tattooed...40 years ago that really stood out.........when the rocker was being interviewed he said the mods have their hair dryers...that what everyone calls a vespa/lambretta
It was not only bombed out buildings kids played in during the 60’s and even the 70’s, there were also Many Empty Derelict houses. The reason for that is mainly due to the fact they were occupied by couples and families where the man was called up to go to war leaving the women behind with No way of paying for the house, so the houses were abandoned. :(
Quadrophenia is a good film
My Hubby worked on the fashion shows on Carnaby Street