Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
How has the culture of the Modernists ‘Mods’ in the late 1950’s to mid 1960’s Britain influenced and impacted the idea of Subculture in British society and culture today?
This essay will be looking into and discussing the idea of Subcultures in British culture but specifically doing so with an in depth focus on the culture known as the Modernists (Mods). Specifically analysing how much of an impact and influence they had collectively on the idea of subculture and what it means today, posing the question of whether it has indeed had an impact in a contemporary sense in British Society or not. In recent cultural history, mostly of the mid to late 20th Century, there have been many examples of subcultures that have shaped British Culture, through the music and fashion with many variations of ‘street styles’. Up until recently however as in over approximately the past decade there has been a distinct lack of them and the 21st century or the new millennia arguably brought in a decline of the subculture. Notorious cultures such as Punk, Emo, Goth and even ‘Lad’ culture all have their roots among their predecessors more specifically due to the Mod culture and that movement. Even if Mods themselves had their own predecessors of the Teds or Teddy boys it is the real impact culturally that the Mods had on those subsequent subcultures which followed and evolved from the Modernists that is influential and can be viewed as highly important on the idea of British culture today. In order to understand the potential impact that this subculture has had on British society it is therefore imperative to look into who the Mods were and what they stood for or perhaps what they stood against in a societal sense. The Modernists were a British Formed Youth culture of the late 1950’s to mid 1960’s who were focused influence wise predominantly around Music and Fashion. The culture was a male led culture which mainly consisted of London based ‘stylish’ young men. Their musical tastes and influence contributed to their name and of course their overall image. Musically they took influence from a wide variety of genres such as Modern Jazz, Rhythm and Blues and later the music of Northern Soul, Ska and Motown. The women undoubtedly played their part but it is widely credited as a male based culture or at least in terms of who instigated it with only a handful of major female ‘players’ with the movement.
The British Modernists themselves were born also out of many, it seems contributing factors. The generation in which the culture was created was a post second world war generation part of the so called ‘baby boomer generation’, most of them born in the mid to late 1940’s and developed as teenagers in the 1960’s. It was undoubtedly an age of conformity, austerity and poverty. This led to a new wave of youth who
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay wished to exercise their desires to be their own individual people as opposed to following the ways of their parents before them. Many factors within the country itself contributed to this new generation of teen age led subculture. They were the first post war generation that didn’t have to commit to national service. Britain itself was moving in a new direction. There was an aspect of de-colonisation taking place and the title of superpower in a global sense was diminishing. There was a definite questioning of British values and their identity, as well as a definite economic and social change happening. To quote author and theorist Andy Bennett ‘…teddy boys, mods, rockers and skinheads, served as visual statements for pockets of working class resistance to structural changes taking place in post second world war British society. The implication here is that such youth cultures took the musical and stylistic commodities produced by the culture industries and constructed their own meanings around them.’ Bennett (2000: 46) Another factor to take into account is arguably the reason as to why they thrived so well, as well as, the reason that they arguably died out and adapted into other cultures. That is the counterculture or more fittingly there so called rival which were named the ‘Rockers’ or ‘Leather/Ton up boys’. The Rockers were seen as the opposite of what the Modernists stood for. For example, while the Mods had their clean cut image, the rockers were by nature a more rebellious cult in appearance. The rockers like the Mods were influenced musically, particularly through the advent of rock and roll in America. Film also influenced them as it did with the Mods. The Rockers were Inspired by the provoking images of Marlon Brando in the 1953 film ‘The Wild One’ or James Dean in the 1955 film ‘Rebel without a cause’ which both truly gave life to the idea of the free spirited rebellious teen generation. It was through the film title of the Marlon Brando classic that the British media and press latched onto for their coverage of the headline grabbing events that the two sides/cultures are mostly revered for, dubbing them as ‘Wild ones’.
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
Figure 1 - A series of Newspaper front page headlines detailing the clash’s that took place between the Mods and Rockers in 1964 most notably in the seaside areas of Clacton and Margate. L to R: Daily Mirror (March 30th 1964), Daily Mirror (May 18th 1964), Daily Sketch (May 19th 1964). The Media with newspaper headlines such as these used battle like phrases in an attempt to create negative publicity and overthrow the youth culture as well as getting the general public on their side with words such as ‘Invade’ ‘Beat up’, ‘clashes’. As well as this the images were selectively picked as many reports suggested that rather than there being empty beaches because of fears of unruly teens at the seaside towns it was more simply due to bad weather. Their exaggerated accounts of these events contributed to the demise of the original Mod (up until the revival). Due to the publicity that the events and newspapers generated Mod went mainstream and gained an unruly following something which the original followers could simply not be associated with thus leading to them distancing themselves from the culture, growing up and more importantly forming other movements which have in turn resulted in the subcultures more familiar known today such as Skinhead and Punk. Many theorists Such as Stanley Cohen angle their arguments through the aspect of social deviance among youth culture and have meant that labels such as ‘Folk Devils’ and the term ‘Moral Panics’ have become synonymous with idea of discussing youth subcultures especially when representing the idea of ‘status frustration’ as well. Most of the original Mod population became dissolutioned with the direction that the subculture was going, and distanced themselves from the mainstream direction as well as the bad reputation of the fight culture that began to develop particularly between the rockers. ‘Certainly, contemporary versions of youth culture have their roots on socioeconomic and technological developments that occurred during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s’ Bennett (2000: 11,12). This statement by Andy Bennett very much suggests how he believes that youth culture of contemporary Britain owes its existence to the foundations that were set by such cultures as the Modernists. Although it may not directly state it the developments he is alluding to are the Post Blitz housing developments of the capital in which the many different cultures mixed together among the young generation and from that emerged what we know as the subcultures. Subcultures can be created or formed due to many influential factors. A main contributor is music, which in itself draws influences from other areas and in effect is a perpetual cycle in the way that they all feed into one another influence wise. Other factors include fashion, the socio-economic climate and a general need for social
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay reform amongst the ‘youth’. Subcultures often are known to ‘breed’ within a relatively small area geographically and in the case of the modernists they were concentrated around the capital and the areas around London with the first generation Mods emerging in 1958 in London. However, while they may exist and thrive in a localised concentrated area there is always a potential for them to expand within the country but even globally thus telling the impact the culture has as a phenomenon of the time. By the very definition they thrived on the idea of being ‘modern’ and boasted the intention to distance themselves from the idea of conformity particularly away from their parents and their ideals and lifestyle. Perhaps an elitist ideology was befitting of their ideas although they did not carry that idea intentionally. With this idea of conformity, modernism was seen as a youth based rebellion in opposition to the older generation. Music culture in Great Britain has always been a key factor to forming these said subcultures. As long as there has been music there has been cultures and more specifically subcultures which are formed by it, following it and defining it. Subcultures in music are ultimately a manifestation of the music itself. They represent the feeling and tone of the music and often echo what the artists or bands associated with a certain genre aim to represent through their ideas and practice. A reflection of the way in which those certain people live their lives through fashion, drugs. The Social change and cultural theorist Phil Cohen stated in his thesis ‘Subcultural Conflict and Working Class Community’ that ‘Subcultures are seen to form part of an ongoing working class struggle against the socio economic circumstances of their existence’ The Mod culture was born as a result of the cultural deviance that the youth culture had as a result of their boredom for the ways of the parent culture of the period. Mods were heavily fashion based, dressing in custom tailor made suits which was a symbol of the culture in retaliation to the wealth that the upper higher class had at their disposal. Matthew Arnold believed Culture was a study in perfection and is an attempt at making things better. This was definitely an ideology that the Modernists went by. Their style and way of dressing could be viewed as a ‘study in perfection’ with a meticulous and borderline obsessive emphasis on attention to detail and by the terms making things better they definitely believed in that but purely through the fashion and by no the means of revolt. They were very much passive protestors in the sense that their form of rejection was not of a belligerent nature.
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
Figure 2 – Promotional Poster for the cult film ‘Quadrophenia’ released in 1979. Although the 1979 film Quadrophenia was a key instigator for the second wave of mods it is still a highly important factor for the original wave due to its plot being based around the original mod setting in the 1960’s. In this image above with the actor line-up it is evident through their clothes and styles what the expression of the Mod was and still is. There is a breadth of styles for the characters which all carry their own individual styles. “Fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive visual statements about their identities”. Bennett, A. (2005:96) Identity is without doubt the key word in this quote from Bennett. That was the reason that the film struck such a chord at the time with the new generation because the films plot focused on the struggle that Jimmy a young mod had, wrestling with his own sense of identity within the culture and was constantly trying to belong and identify himself. Something that resonated profoundly with the generation of that time and along with the soundtrack or rather the concept album by The Who which the film was based off of there was a soundtrack and the visual motive to kick start the movement again for the Mod revival.
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
Figure 3 – Examples of Advertisements for the popular scooter Lambretta.
Another factor to what gives the Mod the influential role on British culture today was their chosen mode of transport. The scooter was a major symbol and statement of the Mod that represented their freedom and independence. The Vespa and Lambretta were the two most popular makes that the culture embraced due to them being relatively cheap particularly through the higher purchase scheme and their stylish design that resonated with the style conscious culture. Much like how we view the car today in youth terms and how that too represents a symbol of independence especially from the Parents the scooter represented exactly the same.
The young people of the generation were defining their identities, speaking with their own voices, demonstrating ‘status frustration’ and for the first time they had their own means of having a disposable income which was evidenced through the new wave of the fashion and music culture. This disposable income also gave them the means to buy the new trendy Italian made scooters as their accessible and easy mode of transport. The style of the Mod Is still very prevalent today and it can be seen in the styles of many major celebrities and musicians. The style is still a fixture of Men’s High street styles such as with Ben Sherman which was more popularised by the the skinhead culture which was born of the Mod movement. The same with the infamous brand of Fred Perry which is another brand that is very much in the mainstream of available and accessible fashions therefore keeping the style prevalent. Many Major British celebrities and musicians also keep the style of the subculture in the contemporary spotlight. Celebrities such as the cyclist Bradley Wiggins who champions the classic and typical Mod haircut as well as infamous British actor Martin Freeman who
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay epitomises the look. Musically of course is the main factor with an obvious mention of the ‘Mod-father’ Paul Weller who is most notably the man responsible for the band The Jam who are major creditors of the Mod Revival thus setting the wheels back in motion in the the 70s and early 1980’s.
Physical & Visual Investigation The visual exploration through the journal alongside this essay also evidences the influence of The Mod culture and in part it also highlights what influences there were on the people of the culture as well. As in it demonstrates certain types of influential musicians who have changed the landscape of the British, American and indeed the worlds music scene. Through the use of collage and found imagery a visual study is evidenced in the journal which makes examples of certain symbols and aspects of Mod life i.e. the scooter, the style and fashion and alleged rowdy behaviour that the papers broadcasted to the nation. The other section within the journal offers a tenuous link to the subject that has been tackled in this essay however there despite it being tenuous there is definitely a link between them. The section in question within the journal focuses on a series of Influential and pioneering musicians, specifically of the 20th Century. Featuring British and American solo musicians (excluding bands). Some of the musicians featured such as Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder are a couple of examples of the kind of artists that are in the same category genre wise to the kind of music that influenced the Mods but the general list is compiled quite randomly through preference, personal taste and opinion. The illusive link is that as the Mods were an influential culture and group on society and culture, the musicians within the journal have all put their stamp on the world of music and have helped evolve and kept it moving along, influencing new artists as a result of their impact. Just as the Mod culture evolved and adapted and from it emerged a plethora of sub-cultures down the line. The formal elements have been considered within the visual exploration to help highlight the influence that these musicians have had as well as through the Mod visual investigation. Elements such as Shape, Line, Colour and Collage. All of these have been used in a way of reflecting the energy and power that the musicians themselves represent. Basically the elements have been used as devices to reflect and visualise the music, showing passion and emotion and using certain visual aids that can even suggest a genius/visionary nature that the musicians possessed/still do possess with their craft. With the second half of the visual investigation there is the use of another element and that is collage. The collage has been incorporated with Mod related imagery but there is also a mixture of the other elements, infusing hand drawn methods in with the collage which adds an interesting and unique dynamic and overall aesthetic to the images and all form part of a visual, explorative and investigative journey in the process. Overall it is clearly evident through this discussion and exploration into the Mod culture and movement just how influential the culture/movement has been on todays British society and culture. Without doubt the Original Mod predominantly in the early
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay to mid 1960’s Britain has been a clear catalyst for all subcultural movements that have succeeded it and have undoubtedly left a highly influential legacy on both the ideas of British culture and indeed the rest of the world. Without the original generation of Mods there is of course no revival that followed it which in turn set the motion for the Culture rolling after its seemingly dormant stage. There is still without doubt pockets of the Mod influence around today with such examples as the contemporary celebrities that I have mentioned. The Mod of the original generation still I believe encompassed ideologies that can be seen in the youth generation of today however it just does not get ‘exhibited’ in such a quite profound way. The whole ideas of the youth having their own disposable income, a freedom of expression and their desire to express an interest in finding their own identity are all major parts of our society today when looking into the youth teenage culture and they all have their roots in society and more importantly British youth culture thanks to the Mod movement of the late 1950’s and early to mid 1960’s in Britain.
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
Bibliography Books • Baron, Katie. Fashion + Music. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2016. Print. • Bennett, Andy. After Subculture. Basingstoke [u.a.]: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Print. • Bennett, Andy. Popular Music And Youth Culture. Basingstoke [u.a.]: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print. • Cohen, Stanley. Folk Devils And Moral Panics. London: Routledge, 2011. Print. • Feldman, Christine Jacqueline. "We Are The Mods". New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Print. • Gelder, Ken. Subcultures. London: Routledge, 2014. Print. • Gelder, Ken. The Subcultures Reader. London [u.a.]: Routledge, 2005. Print. • Hewitt, Paolo, and Mark Baxter. The A To Z Of Mod. Munich: Prestel Pub., 2012. Print. • McRobbie, Angela. In The Culture Society. Florence: Taylor and Francis, 2013. Print. • Rawlings, Terry. The Story Of Mod. London: Omnibus, 2000. Print. • Redhead, Steve, and Patrick Henry. Subculture To Clubcultures. 1st ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997. Print.
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https://shaunakearney.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/culture-society-and-popularmusic-blog-three-deviance-moral-panic-in-popular-music/
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http://subcultureslist.com/music-subcultures/
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https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/apr/26/modern-mods-music-no-good
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay
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http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/mod-men-but-were-they-anything-morethan-just-sharp-dressers-of-the-sixties-8543862.html
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Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOZIcfUdWMY - Are Subcultures Still Relevant? | Music Discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFL54R9g5Io - #Subculture :Mods and Rockers Rebooted BBC Documentary 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1n0ElIYjVo - 2001 Documentary on 80s Pop & Impact of MTV and Music Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSPloCOMExg - A Fred Perry Subculture Film #1: Born To Be Wild https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuuf_7OFIhE - A Fred Perry Subculture Films #2: This Is A Modern World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRr2_FIux8U - Fred Perry Presents Subculture episode 3 HD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVR4w2zZZU8 - 1960's Mods - The Epitome Of Cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miiopvQDP3M - British Mods and Rockers of the 1960's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ZOKoeAc1o - Our Generation : MODS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoJwqQj_COM - Ska Mods and Scooter boys
Josh Atkinson OUIL501 Context of Practice - Essay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkW05jOzGLU - Paul Weller, ex-leader of The Jam : "The mod culture is always there" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtweBvJbWZc - My Generation: A Brief History of the British Mod Culture