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'''Skinheads''', named for their close-cropped or [[Head shaving|shaven heads]], began life as a [[Working class|working-class]] [[subculture]] that originated in the [[United Kingdom]] in the late 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. The first skinheads were greatly influenced by [[West Indies|West Indian]] (specifically [[Jamaican]]) [[rude boy]]s and [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Mod (lifestyle)|mods]], in terms of [[fashion]], [[music]] and [[lifestyle]].<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_1_38/ai_n6234788/pg_1 Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and "Nazi rock" in England and Germany | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=ufKb5M9Uj4E YouTube - Roots of The Skinhead<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not [[politics]] or [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]].<ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=ufKb5M9Uj4E YouTube - Roots of The Skinhead<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Since then, however, attitudes toward race and politics have become factors in which some skinheads align themselves. The political spectrum within the skinhead scene ranges from the [[far right]] to the [[far left]], although many skinheads are [[apolitical]]. Fashion-wise, skinheads range from a clean-cut 1960s mod-influenced style to less-strict [[Punk subculture|punk]]- and [[hardcore punk|hardcore]]-influenced styles. |
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==History== |
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In the late 1950s, the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[Wiktionary:entrenched|entrenched]] [[social class|class system]] limited most working class people's educational, housing, and economic opportunities. However, Britain's post-war [[boom and bust|economic boom]] led to an increase in [[disposable income]] among many young people. Some of those youths spent that income on new fashions popularised by [[United States|American]] [[soul music|soul]] groups, British [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] bands, certain movie actors, and [[Carnaby Street]] clothing merchants.<ref name="Mods">{{cite book |last=Rawlings |first=Terry |title=Mod: A Very British Phenomenon |publisher=Omnibus Press |date=2000 |location=London |id=ISBN 0-7119-6813-6}}</ref><ref>http://www.modculture.co.uk/culture/archive.php?category=modscenepast Articles from Modculture.com</ref> |
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These youths became known as the [[Mod (lifestyle)|mod]]s, a youth subculture noted for its [[consumerism]]—and devotion to fashion, music, and [[scooter (motorcycle)|scooter]]s.<ref name="Mods 2">{{cite book |last=Barnes |first=Richard |title=Mods! |publisher=Eel Pie Publishing Ltd |date=1979 |location=London |id=ISBN 0-85965-173-8}}</ref> Mods of lesser means made do with practical styles that suited their lifestyle and employment circumstances: [[steel-toe boots]], straight-leg [[jeans]] or [[Sta-Prest]] [[trousers]], button-down shirts, and braces (called [[suspenders]] in the USA). When possible, these working-class mods spent their money on suits and other sharp outfits to wear at dancehalls, where they enjoyed [[soul music|soul]], [[ska]], [[Blue Beat Records|bluebeat]] and [[rocksteady]] music.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_1_38/ai_n6234788/pg_1 Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and "Nazi rock" in England and Germany | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name="Mod music">{{cite book |last=Edwards |first=Dave |title=Trojan Mod Reggae Box Set liner notes |publisher=Trojan Records |date= |location=London |id=TJETD020}}</ref> |
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Around 1965, a [[Schism (religion)|schism]] developed between the ''peacock mods'' (also known as ''smooth mods''), who were less violent and always wore the latest expensive clothes, and the ''hard mods'' (also known as ''[[gang]] mods''), who were identified by their shorter hair and more working-class image.<ref name="skinheads">{{cite book |last=Old Skool Jim |first= |title=Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set liner notes |publisher=Trojan Records |date= |location=London |id=TJETD169}}</ref> Also known as ''lemonheads'' and ''peanuts'', these hard mods became commonly known as skinheads by about 1968.<ref name="skinheads 2">{{cite book |last=Marshall |first=George |title=Spirit of '69 - A Skinhead Bible |publisher=S.T. Publishing |date=1991 |location=Dunoon, Scotland |id=ISBN 1-898927-10-3)}}</ref> Their shorter hair may have come about for practical reasons, since long hair can be a liability in industrial jobs and a disadvantage in streetfights. Skinheads may also have cut their hair short in defiance of the more bourgeois [[hippie]] culture popular at the time.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909318,00.html?promoid=googlep The Skinheads - TIME<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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In addition to retaining many mod influences, early skinheads were very interested in [[Jamaica]]n [[rude boy]] styles and culture, especially the music: ska, rocksteady, and early [[reggae]] (before the [[tempo]] slowed down and lyrics became focused on topics like [[black nationalism]] and the [[Rastafari movement]]).<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010219175613/ska.about.com/musicperform/ska/library/1999/aa081699a.htm Smiling Smash: An Interview with Cathal Smyth, a.k.a Chas Smash, of Madness]</ref><ref>[http://www.reggaereggaereggae.com/Special%20Articles.htm Special Articles<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_1_38/ai_n6234788/pg_1 Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and "Nazi rock" in England and Germany | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Skinhead culture became so popular by 1969 that even the rock band [[Slade]] temporarily adopted the look, as a marketing strategy.<ref>[http://www.soundchecks.co.uk/articles/noholder.html Straight From His Own Gob - Noddy Holder interview]</ref><ref>[http://www.brumbeat.net/aslade.htm Ambrose Slade: The Wolverhampton group that became Slade<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A454925 BBC - h2g2 - Slade - the band<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The subculture gained wider notice because of a series of violent and sexually explicit [[novel]]s by [[James Moffat|Richard Allen]], notably ''Skinhead'' and ''Skinhead Escapes''.<ref>http://www.skinhead.no/content/articles/richardallen.asp</ref> |
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<ref>[http://www.stewarthomesociety.org/sex/gensexco.htm British Hell's Angel and Skinhead novels of the 1970s<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Due to largescale British migration to [[Perth, Western Australia]], many British youths in that city joined skinhead/[[sharpies]] gangs in the 1960s and formed their own [[Australia]]n style.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/dimensions/dimensions_in_time/Transcripts/s508106.htm The Sharpies - Cult Gangs of the Sixties and Seventies<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/arts/visual/stories/sharpies_index.htm The Space Visual Arts: Sharpies<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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By the 1970s, the skinhead subculture started to fade from popular culture, and some of the original skins dropped into new categories, such as the ''[[Suedehead (subculture)|suedeheads]]'' (defined by the ability to manipulate one's hair with a comb), ''smoothies'' (often with shoulder-length hairstyles), and ''bootboys'' (with mod-length hair; associated with gangs and [[football hooliganism]]).<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909318,00.html?promoid=googlep The Skinheads - TIME<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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<ref name="Suedeheads">{{cite book |last=de Konigh |first=Michael |title=Suedehead Reggae Box Set liner notes |publisher=Trojan Records |date=2004 |location=London |id=TJETD003}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Bootboys">{{cite book |last=Marshall |first=George |title=Spirit of '69 - A Skinhead Bible |publisher=S.T. Publishing |date=1991 |location=Dunoon, Scotland |id=ISBN 1-898927-10-3)}}</ref><ref>[http://www.filmnoirbuff.com/article/suedeheads Film Noir Buff: Suedeheads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some fashion trends returned to mod roots, reintroducing [[brogues]], [[loafers]], suits, and the [[Trousers|slacks]]-and-[[sweater]] look. |
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In 1977, the skinhead subculture was revived to a notable extent after the introduction of [[punk rock]]. Most of these revival skinheads were a reaction to the commercialism of punk and adopted a sharp, smart look in line with the original look of the 1969 skinheads and included Gary Hodges and [[Hoxton Tom McCourt]] (both later of the band the [[4-Skins]]) and [[Suggs]], later of the band [[Madness]]. From 1979 onwards, skinheads with even shorter hair and less emphasis on traditional styles grew in numbers and grabbed media attention, mostly as a result of their involvement with [[Football (soccer) hooliganism|football hooliganism]]. These skinheads wore [[Punk fashion|punk-influenced ]] styles, like higher boots than before (14-20 eyelets) and tighter jeans (sometimes splattered with [[bleach]]). However, there was still a group of skinheads who preferred the original mod-inspired styles. Eventually different interpretations of the skinhead subculture expanded beyond The UK and Europe. One major example is that in the [[United States]], certain segments of the [[hardcore punk]] scene embraced skinhead style and developed its own version of the subculture.<ref>[http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=1519 Rage with the Machine Article on Stuffmagazine.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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==Racism, anti-racism and politics== |
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{{Repetition|section|date=May 2007}} |
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In the late 1960s, some skinheads (including [[Black people|black]] skinheads) had engaged in violence against random [[Pakistan]]is and other [[South Asia]]n immigrants (an act known as ''Paki bashing'' in common slang).<ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/tilburyskinheads.htm Violence In Our Minds - The Skinhead Nation]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20050929223759/http://www.trojanrecords.net/articles/monty2.htm Monty Montgomery of the Pyramids/Symarip interview]</ref><ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909318,00.html?promoid=googlep The Skinheads - TIME<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although these early skinheads were not part of an organized racist movement, by the early 1970s there were skinheads who aligned themselves with the [[White nationalism|white nationalist]] [[British National Front|National Front]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} However, there had also been [[Anti-racism|anti-racist]] and [[Left-wing politics|leftist]] skinheads from the beginning, especially in areas such as [[Scotland]] and [[northern England]].<ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/glasgowskinheads.htm No Mean City - The Skinhead Nation]</ref> <ref>[http://www.sozialismus-von-unten.de/archiv/text/redskins.htm REDSKINS - The Interview, 1986]</ref> As the 1970s progressed, the [[Racism|racially-motivated]] skinhead violence in the UK became more partisan, and groups such as the National Front and the [[British Movement]] saw a rise in skinheads among their ranks. Although many skinheads rejected political labels being applied to their subculture, some [[working class]] skinheads blamed non-[[White people|white]] [[Immigration|immigrants]] for economic and social problems, and agreed with far right organizations' positions against blacks and [[Asian people|Asians]]. |
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By 1969 the skinhead culture was widespread and thriving. The scene then experienced a drought during the 1970s only to be revived in the 1980s. During its lull, the skinhead culture underwent a massive identity struggle because of growing pressures of xenophobia and violence which was crucial in making the culture synonymous with racism, violence and neo-Nazis. Racial turf battles over skinhead clubs were becoming more and commonplace, and the music itself was reclaiming a new identity which spoke of black liberation and Afro-centrism (Hebdige, 1979, pg 58). Struggling with all these factors, the skinhead culture found itself divided. Confusion about who the skinheads were at this time is understandable because of the hybrid-cultures that were being created as well as division over politics within the group. The division over politics was between skinheads who identified with the white nationalist movement and those who wanted the skinhead image to represent apparel and music tastes (Brown, 2004). These trads, who referred to racist skinheads as “boneheads,” were becoming increasingly intolerant of skinheads who were ''fence walkers''; skinheads that were on neither side of the debate (rudeboy.org). |
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By the late 1970s, some openly [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] groups were largely composed of skinheads, and by this point, the [[mass media]], and subsequently the general public, had largely come to view skinheads exclusively as a subculture promoting white power.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} However, during the late 1970s and early 1980s, many skinheads, [[Suedehead (subculture)|suedeheads]], ex-skinheads and [[Football (soccer)|football]] [[casuals]] in the UK rejected the dogma of both the left and right. This anti-extremist attitude was musically typified by [[Oi!]] bands such as [[Cockney Rejects]], [[The 4-Skins]] and [[The Business (band)|The Business]]. |
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According to Skinheadnation.uk, the mainstream media has been largest player in skewing what most people think the skinhead culture is about. The media looking to sensationalize stories only favours profiling extremists. It was the media that first started using the term skinhead in reports of violence, and has played the largest role in skewing public perception of the culture (Osgerby, 1998, 65). Geoff Pearson describes this simply as society using the skinheads as scapegoats for the latent societal problems of those times: |
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<blockquote> |
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''Paki-bashing has become associated with skinheads...Liberal consciences might ask: “why on earth do kids beat up immigrants?’ But liberal consciences had seen nothing on earth like the Skinhead: the senselessness of his football hooliganism, his violence, and his clothing forced a neat closure to any critical thought. Anyone dressed like that would do anything: it stood to reason. Thus we are left with one of those self-evident truths of a media-induced hypnosis, and there is no longer any reason left to search for the reason why people attack immigrants.''<ref>“’Paki-Bashing’ in a North East Lancashire Cotton Town: A case study and its history.” In Working Class Youth Culture. By Geoff Pearson. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1976.</ref> |
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</blockquote> |
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Bill Osgerby further supports the claim that it is the skinhead fashion which makes them an easy target. Osgerby says that, “the skinheads’ defiant proletariat posture (work boots, braces, prison ‘crop’ hairstyle)” was what ensured that the media would present skinheads as “public enemy number one” <ref>Osgerby, 2004, pg 80</ref>. Television shows like Oprah and Geraldo make skinheads the theme of their shows and further perpetuate the stereotype. “New York TV chat shows regularly flew racist skinheads in from other States to appear on their programmes, while non-racist Skinheads in their own backyard were conveniently ignored,” says Skinheadnation.com. The site also references an HBO program called “Skinheads USA: Soldiers of the Race War,” which portrays skinheads as white supremacists. Media outlets take little care to disambiguate racists skinheads from non-racists ones. The media has also linked skinheads to football hooliganism, while it seems clear that hooliganism was a sort of subculture of its own <ref>Pearson, 1976, pg 106</ref>. However, the pervasive image of skinheads is inevitably tied to mentions of violence, racism and neo-Nazism. |
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Some skinheads countered the neo-Nazi [[stereotype]] by forming anti-racist organizations, such as The Minneapolis Baldies, who started in 1986, [[Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice]] (SHARP), which was founded in [[New York City]] in 1987 and spread to several other countries; and [[Anti-Racist Action]] (ARA), which was founded in the late 1980s by members of the Minneapolis Baldies and other activists.<ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/newyorkskinheads.htm New York skinheads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/oppressed/ BBC - Wales - The Oppressed<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/sharpskinheads.htm SHARP skinheads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/sharpskinheads.htm Neither Red Or Racist - The Skinhead Nation]</ref><ref>[http://articles.citypages.com/2008-02-20/feature/skinheads-at-forty Skinheads at Forty - City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Other less-political skinheads also spoke out against neo-Nazis and in support of [[Trojan skinhead|traditional skinhead]] culture. Two examples of this were the Glasgow Spy Kids in Scotland (who coined the phrase ''Spirit of 69''), and the publishers of the ''Hard As Nails'' [[zine]] in England.<ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/glasgowskinheads.htm No Mean City - The Skinhead Nation]</ref> |
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=== Political categories === |
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There are several different political categories of skinheads. However, many skinheads don't fit into any of these categories. The usefulness of these terms is to explain the dominant forces of skinhead political groupings. There are no reliable statistics documenting how many skinheads have belonged to each category. |
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[[Anti-racism|Anti-racist]] skinheads, sometimes known as [[Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice|SHARPs]] (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice), are aggressively opposed to [[neo-Nazism]] and racism, although not always political in terms of other issues.<ref>[http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/sharpskinheads.htm SHARP skinheads<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/oppressed/ BBC - Wales - The Oppressed<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The label ''SHARP'' is sometimes used to describe all anti-racist skinheads, even if they aren't members of a SHARP organization. Some anti-racist skinheads have been involved with political groups such as [[Anti-Fascist Action]] or [[Anti-Racist Action]]. White power and traditional skinheads (especially in the U.S.) sometimes refer to them as ''baldies''. |
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[[Apolitical]] skinheads either oppose all politics in general, are politically [[moderate]], or keep their personal political views out of the skinhead subculture. Skinheads on either extreme of the political spectrum sometimes refer to this type as a ''fencesitter'' or ''fencewalker''. |
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[[Left-wing politics|Left wing]] skinheads are anti-racist and [[Anti-fascism|anti-fascist]], taking a militant pro-[[working class]] stance. This category includes [[Redskin (subculture)|redskins]] and [[Anarchism|anarchist]] skinheads.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/revolutiontimes/rtint2.htm REVOLUTION TIMES HOMEPAGE - Revolution Times-Interview aus Autonom # 17<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The most well-known organization in this category is [[Red and Anarchist Skinheads]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/lobby/3475/index2.html US RASH News Website<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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[[Right-wing politics|Right wing]] skinheads are [[Conservatism|conservative]] and [[Patriotism|patriotic]], but not necessarily extreme or [[Fascism|fascist]]. This type of skinhead seems to be common in the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=1519 Rage with the Machine Article on Stuffmagazine.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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[[White power skinhead]]s or [[neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] skinheads are [[Racism|racist]], extremely [[Nationalism|nationalist]] and highly political.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_1_38/ai_n6234788/pg_1 Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and "Nazi rock" in England and Germany | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/06/national/main2440306.shtml Immigration Fueling White Supremacists, Study: Ku Klux Klan And Neo-Nazis Are Gaining Members As Immigrants Become More Visible - CBS News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Many Nazi skinheads have no connection to the original 1960s skinhead culture in terms of style or interests. SHARPs and traditional skinheads often refer to them as ''boneheads''. |
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==Style and clothing== |
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In addition to short hair, skinheads are identified by their specific clothing styles. Skinhead fashions have evolved somewhat since the formation of the subculture in the 1960s, and certain clothing styles have been more prevalent in specific geographic locations and time periods. The following list includes many of the clothing articles that have been worn by skinheads.<ref>{{cite book |last=Knight |first=Nick |title=Skinhead |publisher=Omnibus Press |date=1997 |location=London |id=ISBN 0-7119-0052-3)}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Marshall |first=George |title=Spirit of '69 - A Skinhead Bible |publisher=S.T. Publishing |date=1991 |location=Dunoon, Scotland |id=ISBN 1-898927-10-3)}}</ref><ref>[http://members.aol.com/skamelet/ RudeBoy/Skinhead Style - Ruder Than the Web!]</ref> |
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'''Hair:''' |
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*'''Men''': Originally, between a 2 and 3 grade clip-guard (short, but not bald); beginning in the late 1970s, typically shaved closer, with no greater than a number 2 guard. Now some skinheads clip their hair with no guard, and some even shave it with a razor. This started with the introduction of the [[Oi!]] scene. Some skinheads sport [[sideburns]] of various styles, usually neatly trimmed. |
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*'''Women''': In the 1960s, many female skinheads had mod-style haircuts. During the 1980s skinhead revival, many female skinheads had feathercuts (known as a Chelsea in North America). A feathercut is short on the crown, with [[Fringe (hair)|fringes]] at the front, back and sides. Some female skinheads have a shorter punk-style version of the hairstyle; almost entirely shaved, leaving only bangs and fringes at the front. |
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'''Tops:''' |
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*'''Men''': Long Sleeve fitted [[Ben Sherman]] or Jaytex shirts with bracers or fitted [[Ben Sherman]], [[Fred Perry]], Brutus, Jaytex, and other brands of button-up or [[tennis shirt|polo shirts]]; [[Lonsdale (brand)|Lonsdale]] or [[Everlast (boxing)|Everlast]] shirts or sweatshirts; ''grandad'' shirts (collarless shirts); V-neck [[sweater]]s; [[Sleeveless sweater|tank tops]] (known as sweater vests in North America); [[Cardigan (sweater)|cardigan sweaters]]; [[T-shirt]]s (plain white or with text and/or images related to bands or the skinhead subculture); fitted [[blazer]]s. Traditional skinheads sometimes wear suits, usually including a three-button waisted jacket, and often made out of two-tone tonic fabric, by Dormieul, (shiny [[mohair]]-like material that changes colour in different light and angles), or in a Prince of Wales or houndstooth check pattern. Some Oi!! and hardcore-oriented skinheads wear plain white ''[[Sleeveless shirt|wifebeater]]'' [[undershirt]]s, especially in North America. |
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*'''Women''': Same as men, with addition of dress suits—composed of a ¾-length jacket and matching short skirt. |
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'''Coats:''' MA-1 type [[flight jacket]]s (popular brands: [[Alpha Industries|Alpha]] and Warrior), usually black or green; blue-[[denim]] jackets (Levi's or Wrangler); [[Harrington jacket]]s; [[donkey jacket]]s; monkey jackets; [[Crombie (brand)|Crombie]]-style overcoats; short [[Mackintosh|mac]]s; [[sheepskin]] 3/4-length coats; [[donkey jacket]]s; [[Anorak|parka]]s. |
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'''Bottoms:''' |
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*'''Men''': [[Sta-Prest]] flat-fronted slacks and other dress [[trousers]]; [[Jeans]] (normally [[Levi's]], [[Lee (Jeans)|Lee]] or [[Wrangler Jeans|Wrangler]]), parallel leg, with rolled cuffs (turn-ups) to show off boots, or with hem cut off and re-sewn; usually blue; sometimes splattered with [[bleach]] to resemble [[camouflage]] trousers, popular among Oi! skinheads; combat trousers (plain or camouflage), popular among Oi! skins and [[scooterboy]]s. Jeans and slacks are worn deliberately short in order to show off boots (or to show off socks when wearing loafers or brogues). |
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*'''Women''': Same jeans and trousers as men, or skirts and stockings. Some skingirls wear fishnet stockings and mini-skirts, a style introduced during the punk-influenced skinhead revival. |
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[[Image:Dr_martens_boots.jpg|thumb|200px|Skinhead style: [[Dr. Martens]] boots with [[Levi Strauss & Co.|Levi's]] jeans]] |
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'''Footwear:''' |
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*'''Men''': [[boots]], originally army-surplus or generic workboots, then [[Dr. Martens]] (AKA ''Docs'', ''DMs'' or ''Doc Martens'') boots and shoes, and later [[brogues]], [[loafers]], fringed and buckled stompers, and slats (especially among [[Suedehead (subculture)|suedeheads]]). Other brands of boots have become popular, such as [[Solovair]], partly because Dr. Martens and [[Grinders (footwear)|Grinders]] are no longer made in [[England]]. During the 1960s, [[steel-toe boots]] were called ''bovver boots'' derived from the [[Cockney]] pronunciation of ''bother'' (in this context, meaning violence). Suedeheads sometimes wore coloured socks, such as in red, orange or green. [[Adidas]] Samba and Dragon trainer sneakers have been becoming more and more popular in skinhead culture, primarily on the east coast of the United States. |
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*'''Women''': Dr. Martens boots or shoes, monkey boots, [[loafer]]s, or brogues. |
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'''Hats:''' <br /> |
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[[Trilby]] hats; [[pork pie hat]]s; [[flat cap]]s (AKA ''Scally cap'' or ''driver cap'') or [[Tuque|winter woolen hat]]s (without bobble, also known as Benny hats). Less common have been [[bowler hat]]s (mostly among [[Suedehead (subculture)|suedeheads]] and those influenced by the film ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]''). |
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'''[[Suspenders|Braces]]:'''<br /> |
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Various colours, usually no more than ¾ inch in width, clipped to trouser waistband. In some areas, braces much wider than that may identify a skinhead as either unfashionable or [[white power]]. Braces are worn up in an X- or Y-shape at the back. Some Oi!-oriented skinheads wear their braces hanging down, so they can be seen when wearing a jacket. |
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'''Handkerchiefs:'''<br /> |
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Silk handkerchiefs in the breast pocket of the Crombie or tonic jacket, in some cases fastened with an ornate stud. Later, pocket flashes became popular. These were pieces of silk in contrasting colours, mounted on a piece of cardboard and designed to look like an elaborately folded handkerchief. It was common to choose the colours based on one's favourite football club. |
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'''Badges and Scarves:'''<br /> |
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Button badges or sewn-on fabric patches with text and/or images related to bands or the skinhead subculture. Politically-minded skinheads sometimes wear badges related to their ideological views. Striped woollen or printed rayon scarves in football club colours, worn knotted at the neck, wrist, or hanging from a belt loop at the waist. |
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'''Umbrellas''' |
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Some suedeheads carried closed umbrellas with sharpened tips, or a handle with a pull-out blade. This led to the nickname ''brollie boys''. |
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===Style categories=== |
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<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Hiresalanskin.jpg|thumb|Oi!-influenced skinhead in London, England circa 1995]] --> |
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There are several different types of skinheads in terms of style. Some skinheads don't fit into any of these categories, and many display characteristics of more than one category. The usefulness of these terms is to explain the dominant skinhead styles. There are no reliable statistics documenting how many skinheads have belonged to each category. |
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Traditional skinheads, also known as trads or [[Trojan skinhead]]s, identify with the original 1960s skinhead subculture in terms of music, style, culture, and [[working class]] pride. |
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[[Oi!]] skinheads appeared after the development of [[punk rock]] in the 1970s. They often have shorter hair and more [[tattoo]]s than 1960s skinheads, and wear items—such as higher boots, tighter [[jeans]], [[T-shirt]]s, and [[flight jacket]]s—that differ from those of their traditionalist counterparts. |
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[[Hardcore punk|Hardcore]] skinheads originated in the [[United States]] [[hardcore punk]] scene in the late 1970s (with bands such as [[Iron Cross (band)|Iron Cross]], [[Agnostic Front]], [[Cro-mags]], [[Sheer Terror]], [[Warzone (band)|Warzone]], and [[Murphy's Law (band)|Murphy's Law]]). They differ from traditional skinheads by their musical tastes and a style of dress that is less strict. |
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===Colour of laces and braces=== |
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Some skinheads, particularly highly political ones, attach significance to the colour of boot laces to indicate beliefs or affiliations (In some cases red laces symbolise the [[National Front]], and yellow laces the Anti-Paki Leage, or APL for short) braces, and (less commonly) flight jackets may also signify these.. The particular colours used have varied regionally, so only skinheads from the same area are likely to interpret them accurately. The "braces and laces game" has largely fallen into disuse, particularly among traditionalist skinheads, who are more likely to choose their colours for fashion purposes. |
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===Tattoos=== |
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[[Tattoo]]s have been popular among many skinheads since at least the 1970s revival. In 1980s Britain, some skinheads had tattoos on their faces or foreheads, although the practice has since fallen out of favour. Popular skinhead tattoos have included a [[Crucifixion|crucified]] skinhead (designed by Mick Furbank for the Last Resort skinhead shop in [[Aldgate]]); [[bulldog]]s; [[spider web]]s on outer elbows or elsewhere; [[Sailor Jerry]]-style tattoos; [[sparrow]]s; boots; music-related logos; national or regional flags; images related to [[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]; [[laurel wreath]]s; [[rose]]s; crossed [[riveting]] [[hammer]]s (similar to those in the [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] logo); weapons (''e.g.,'' [[brass knuckles]]; [[Baseball bat|bats]]; [[switchblade]]s); and slogans such as: ''[[Oi!]]'', ''ACAB'' (All [[Police|Cops]] Are Bastards), ''SKIN'', ''Skinhead'' or ''Bootboy''. |
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Tattoos popular among anti-racist skinheads include a [[Trojan Records|Trojan]] helmet; anti-[[Nazism|Nazi]] logo; skinhead smashing a [[Racism|racist]] symbol; crucified skinhead (two-tone black and white), images of black and white skinheads together (''e.g.,'' shaking hands); [[Anti-racism|anti-racist]] slogans (e.g. ''Smash Fascism'', ''AFA''; ''SHARP''; ''ANTIFA''). (Note: [[Redskin (subculture)|redskins]] and [[Anarchism|anarchist]] skins may have political symbols, such as [[red star]]s, [[red flag]]s, [[hammer and sickle]]s or [[Anarchist symbolism|anarchy symbols]].) |
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Tattoos common among white-power skinheads include [[Swastika]] or other [[World War II]] [[Nazi]] symbols (such as [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] symbols or the [[iron cross]]); three 7s ([[Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging|Afrikaner Resistance Movement]] logo); flags (''e.g.,'' of the wearer's home country, of [[Nazi Germany]] or of the [[Flags of the Confederate States of America|American Confederacy]]); crossed [[claw hammer]]s or other [[Hammerskins]] symbols,; [[Ku Klux Klan]] symbols; [[White nationalism|white nationalist]] slogans such as: ''White Pride'', ''[[White Power]]'', ''WP'', ''88'' ([[Hitler salute|Heil Hitler]]), ''1488'' ([[Fourteen Words]]/Heil Hitler), ''HFFH'' (Hammerskin Forever, Forever Hammerskin), ''[[Blood & Honour]]'' (or ''B&H'' or ''28''), C18 ([[Combat 18]]); [[Celtic cross]] or other [[Celt]]ic symbols; [[Rune]]s, [[Viking]]s, or other [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] symbols (which white power skins use to symbolize [[White people|white]] culture.) |
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==Music== |
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The skinhead subculture was originally associated with music genres such as [[Soul music|soul]], [[ska]], [[rocksteady]] and early [[reggae]].<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_1_38/ai_n6234788/pg_1 Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and "Nazi rock" in England and Germany | Journal of Social History | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010219175613/ska.about.com/musicperform/ska/library/1999/aa081699a.htm Smiling Smash: An Interview with Cathal Smyth, a.k.a Chas Smash, of Madness - Ska/Reggae - 08/16/99<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The link between skinheads and Jamaican music led to the development of the ''skinhead reggae'' genre; performed by artists such as [[Desmond Dekker]], [[Derrick Morgan]], [[Laurel Aitken]], [[Symarip]] and [[The Pioneers (band)|The Pioneers]].<ref>[http://www.reggaereggaereggae.com/Special%20Articles.htm Special Articles<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the early 1970s, some [[Suedehead (subculture)|Suedeheads]] also listened to British [[glam rock]] bands such as [[Sweet (band)|The Sweet]], [[Slade]] and [[Mott the Hoople]].<ref name="Suedeheads">{{cite book |last=de Konigh |first=Michael |title=Suedehead Reggae Box Set liner notes |publisher=Trojan Records |date=2004 |location=London |id=TJETD003}}</ref><ref>[http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/interviews/rhkiw.htm RICHARD H KIRK Interview<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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The most popular music style for late-1970s skinheads was [[2 Tone]] (also called Two Tone), which was a musical fusion of ska, rocksteady, reggae, [[Pop music|pop]] and [[punk rock]].<ref>[http://2-tone.info The 2-Tone discography]</ref> The 2 Tone genre was named after a [[Coventry, England|Coventry]], [[England]] [[record label]] that featured bands such as [[The Specials]], [[Madness (band)|Madness]] and [[The Selecter]].<ref>[http://2-tone.info/articles/books.html 2 Tone Records - 2 Tone & Related Bibliography<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>Moskowitz, David V. (2006). Caribbean Popular Music. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 270. ISBN 0-313-33158-8</ref><ref>[http://www.thespecials.com/history3.php The Specials.com - Hompepage of British ska legends The Specials. History, lyrics, MP3, 2 Tone, two tone, ska, Jerry Dammers, Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Lynval Golding, Horace Panter, John Brad Bradbury<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The record label scored many top 20 hits, and eventually a number one. |
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During this same time however, reggae music started expressing thoughts of black liberation and awareness, something that white Skinheads could not relate to (Brown, 2004). These shifts in the music was threatening to exclude white youths which created tension between the black and white Skinheads that otherwise got along fairly well (Hebdige, 1979, pg 58). This also means that the music itself started evolving into forms with fewer and fewer reggae components. |
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Some late 1970s skinheads also liked certain [[punk rock]] bands, such as [[The Clash]], [[Sham 69]] and Menace; and by the late 1970s, the [[Oi!]] subgenre was embraced by many skinheads and [[Punk subculture|punks]].<ref>Dalton, Stephen, "Revolution Rock", Vox, June 1993</ref> Musically, Oi! combines elements of punk, [[football chant]]s, [[Pub rock (UK)|pub rock]] and British glam rock.<ref>[http://www.garry-bushell.co.uk/oi/ Oi! – The Truth by Garry Bushell]</ref> |
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The Oi! scene was partly a response to a sense that many participants in the early punk scene were, in the words of [[The Business (band)|The Business]] guitarist Steve Kent, "trendy university people using long words, trying to be artistic...and losing touch".<ref>[[John Robb (musician)|Robb, John]] (2006). ''Punk Rock: An Oral History'' (London: Elbury Press). ISBN 0-09-190511-7</ref> Some forefathers of Oi! were [[Sham 69]], [[Cock Sparrer]], and Menace. The term Oi! as a musical genre is said to come from the band [[Cockney Rejects]] and journalist [[Garry Bushell]], who championed the genre in [[Sounds (magazine)|''Sounds'' magazine]].<ref>Turner, Jeff; Garry Bushell (2005). Cockney Reject. London: John Blake Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1 84454 0545</ref><ref>[http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/1196/rejects.html Cockney Rejects<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.garry-bushell.co.uk/oi/ Oi! – The Truth by Garry Bushell]</ref> Notable Oi! bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s include [[Angelic Upstarts]], [[Blitz (band)|Blitz]], The Business, Last Resort, [[The Burial]], Combat 84 and [[The 4-Skins]].<ref name="Oi!">{{cite book |last=Marshall |first=George |title=Spirit of '69 - A Skinhead Bible |publisher=S.T. Publishing |date=1991 |location=Dunoon, Scotland |id=ISBN 1-898927-10-3)}}</ref> Not exclusively a skinhead genre, many Oi! bands included skins, punks and people who fit into neither category (sometimes called herberts).{{Fact|date=January 2008}} |
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[[United States|American]] Oi! began in the 1980s with bands such as The Press, [[Iron Cross (band)|Iron Cross]], [[The Bruisers]], <!--ANTI-HEROS is the correct spelling!-->Anti-Heros<!--ANTI-HEROS is the correct spelling!--> and Forced Reality.<ref>[http://www.maninblack.org/thepress.html The Press a tribute page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/dc/ironcross_itg2.html Dementlieu Punk Archive: Washington, DC: Iron Cross interview from If This Goes On 2<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/7596/antihero.html Oi! American Oi! : Anti-Heros<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> American skinheads created a link between their subculture and [[hardcore punk]] music, with bands such as [[Warzone (band)|Warzone]], [[Agnostic Front]], and [[Cro-Mags]]. The Oi! style has also spread to other parts of the world, and remains popular with many skinheads. Many later Oi! bands have combined influences from early American hardcore and 1970s British streetpunk. |
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Although many [[white power skinhead]]s listened to Oi! music, they also developed a separate genre known as [[Rock Against Communism]] (RAC).<ref>[http://www.aryanunity.com/memoirs8.html WNP - Memoirs of a Street Soldier Part 8<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The most notable RAC band was [[Skrewdriver]], which started out as a non-political punk band but evolved into a [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] band after the first lineup broke up and a new lineup was formed.<ref>[http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/skrewdriverinterview.htm Skrewdriver- A Fan's View<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/skrewdrivecuttings.htm Skrewdriver- Press Cuttings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.skrewdriver.net/diamond.html Diamond in the Dust - The Ian Stuart Biography<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> RAC started out musically similar to Oi! and punk rock, and has adopted some elements from [[heavy metal]] and other types of [[rock music]]. |
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== Footnotes == |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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==References== |
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*Davis, John. Youth and the Condition of Britain: Images of Adolescent Conflict. Athlone Press, NJ. 1990 |
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*Hebdige, Dick. Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Fletcher & Son ltd, 1979. |
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*Osgerby, Bill. Youth in Britain since 1945. Blackwell Publishers: Malden, Massachusetts, 1998. |
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*Osgerby, Bill. Youth Media London: Routledge, 2004. |
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*Pearson,Geoff. “’Paki-Bashing’ in a North East Lancashire Cotton Town: A case study and its history” Working Class Youth Culture. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London.1976. 50. |
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==External links== |
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{{commonscat|Skinheads}} |
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/20010219175613/ska.about.com/musicperform/ska/library/1999/aa081699a.htm Smiling Smash] Chas Smash of Madness discusses skinhead culture |
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* [http://www.reggaereggaereggae.com/Special%20Articles.htm Reggae, Reggae, Reggae] The skinhead movement and reggae music |
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* [http://www.skinheadnation.co.uk/ Skinhead Nation] Stories from skinhead history in Europe and the US |
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* [http://oioioi.ru/mp3/skinhead/moonstomp.html?english Skinhead Moonstomp] Oi! and reggae MP3 site |
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* [http://www.garry-bushell.co.uk/oi/index.asp Oi! the Truth] History of Oi! according to Garry Bushell |
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* [http://members.aol.com/skamelet/ Skinhead Style] Traditional skinhead fashions |
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* [http://www.trojanrecords.net/ Trojan Records] Site with information about ska and skinheads |
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* [http://2-tone.info/ 2 Tone Info] Information about the 2 Tone scene |
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{{Skinhead}} |
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Revision as of 16:12, 15 May 2008
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