I watched a Documentary Mods and Rockers which was shown on BBC 4 (not too sure on the specific date as I got it from YouTube, will post direct link below).
This film looked at the youth rebellion between the subcultures during 1960's which was when a lot of rivalry between the Mods and Rockers happened, this explores why they hated one another and whether this rebellion was to do with the youth alone or whether other things played a part.
I am going to discuss subcultures in my presentation as I have studied this subject briefly before and find it really interested how people divided themselves based on their music taste, likes and dislikes and their fashion choices, also what their style says to other subcultures and the rest of the public.
There was a baby boom due to people coming home from the war and babies being born in the late 40's and 50's, this means that the teenagers from that baby boom were the youth of the 1960's. This film looked at the fights which happened at sea-side resorts including Clacton-on-sea between the Mods and Rockers.
The Mods famously drove around on their scooters which they saw in Italian cinema films, they also got some of their style inspiration from the Italians themselves. The Rockers were a little more rough around the edges and drove motor cycles and were kitted out in heavy leather jackets and studs.
I learnt that the Teddy Boys were the first subculture to emerge from the working class background, the Bikers were next which found their freedom on motor bikes. The Bikers also identified themselves through music which came from America which was Rock n Roll. Younger people were working and the economy had picked up since the end of the second World War, meaning youngsters had more money to spend on things they wanted.
The Bikers were known for their greasy appearance but in 1954 a new generation of subculture was born who didn't want to be a part of that world, the Modernists were introduced which is what they called themselves hence why the word Mod was born. They were a clean and up to date, they showcased the latest thing. They were into made to measure clothes and music, meaning they had the best of the best, which was very elitist. 1963 was the age of the Mod.
So why did these two subcultures hate one another?
The Mods rode scooters and the Rockers rode bikes, which one Rocker describes as he 'looked down' on people who rode scooters because they were a lot smaller and slow. However to the Mod's it was seen as the urban motorcycle.
Clacton-on-sea was where the trouble between the two tribes began and people still refer to the place as the home of the Mod and Rockers rivalry. In 1964, this was where there was a huge fight, Mods were shouting abuse to the Rockers and it caused more tensions between the groups. The Mods vanalisim and 90 teenagers were arrested, in an interview on the news from the day after the event, a Mod is interviewed and when asked where he was from, Mod or Rocker? He replies 'Look at the way I'm dressed, Mod.' I have the feeling that the Mods were quite arrogant and cocky, because they thought of themselves as having the most up to date clothes, music etc.
The papers made it sound like the new enemy was the youths and published possible punch up's for the next fights between the Mods and Rockers which is serving their purpose to try and start a war between the two gangs. The papers figured that if they were fighting themselves, they weren't fighting the people in charge.
Don't get me wrong, the 1960's had a lot of violence including in the urban areas of the town however causing riots at seaside towns where family's are is what people were shocked about the most. Not to my surprise at all, the media lapped it up. A Mod being interviewed explained that 'reporters gave us money to cause a disturbance, no matter how big or minor. Cause a disturbance, a pound for the Rockers or vice versa.' The press didn't report true things, only small things they reported were true which probably made the tension worse.
'The Mods were hooligans who dressed smarter than their parents' and everyone in the US, Germany and Japan wanted a piece of Mod, due to the huge impact of the 'British Invasion.'
The Mods and Rockers style has still lived on in 2016 - there is still people wearing Levi Jeans and a leather jacket and similar to the Mods.. why? Because it looks smart and timeless.
'The 1960's has a glow around it, but there's something magical about the 1960's. A coming together of popular music and social changes.'
The kick started a cultural revolution and that's something to celebrate, which they will hold a place in 1960's history.
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