Below, you will find our translation of an article that was first published in the German news weekly Der Spiegel on 8 June 1970. As far as we’re aware, it’s the only time the press in that country reported on the original skinhead wave. It would be eight years before skinheads made another appearance in Der Spiegel, once again in connection with racism and street thuggery in the East End of London. Continue reading
Let’s kick off with a 16 July 1969 article about a bunch of Somers Town skinhead kids, originally published in Rolling Stone magazine and transcribed by persons unknown. Here, the usual tales of bovver, aggro, and tribal warfare are interspersed with obscure stylistic references to “spade haircuts”, “Cherry Boots with steel toe caps and a yellow trimming” – supposedly not Dr Martens – and “Stomper boots” with “high backs, big steel toe cap, and everything”. Note also that the article claims boots were “still worn” with mohair suits on the weekends, albeit highly polished – a combination whose existence many 1969 veterans steadfastly deny. Continue reading
Creases Like Knives 