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WELCOME
TO SK BOOTS :
SHORT
FUSED AND
S.H.A.R.P
WHERE
THE
ONLY GOOD NAZI IS A DEAD NAZI
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THE
REAL HISTORY OF SKINHEAD
To most people a skinhead is little more than a fascist thug hell bent
on race hate. Search for the word "SKINHEAD" on the web and this idea will
be reinforced as many Skinhead related pages are the work of white supremacist
fuck ups. However - it would be wrong (and downright insulting to a large
number of skinheads ) to assume all Skinheads are racists. I hope to show
in this short article that historically the two words are not synonymous
and give a little insight into the world of Skinhead from a different perspective
to the one generally accepted.
ROOTS IN BOOTS
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PRINCE BUSTER
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NOT THE ORIGINAL COVER
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LAUREL AITKEN
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The real history of Skinhead is somewhat different from the one
the NAZI SCUM would have us believe. The first Skinheads appeared in the
mid to late 1960's, evolving out of the MOD scene. They came from working
class backgrounds, from the council estates and tower blocks of London.
These were Young working class kids living in harsh environments with no
where to go and very little hope of a decent future. Becoming a skinhead
gave them a sense of identity. A sense of belonging. A sense of pride and
self respect. Skinhead Reggae star Judge Dredd recalls " It was mid 60's
when i first started to see them (Skinheads). Probably about '66 they started
to evolve but by '68/ '69 they were rampant"
Skinhead wasn't simply defined by a style of dress. Skinhead was also
defined by a style of music. A sound - the sound of Ska. Early Skinheads
listened to the likes of PRINCE BUSTER, LAUREL AITKEN, DESMOND DEKKER,
THE MAYTALLS, BABA BROOKS, THE SKATELITES... All purveyors of that finest
of Jamaican musical exports - SKA. A form of music with an exclusively
black history brought to these shores by jamaican immigrants and adopted
by white working class kids.
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THE SKATELITES
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DESMOND DEKKER
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Roddy from OI! band THE OPPRESSED explains " Skinhead was born
out of a mixture of working class cultures - basically being the young
British working class culture, which was like your working class MOD's
who evolved into Skinheads around '68 / '69 who picked up on the Jamaican
music they'd been listening to at Blues party's and took it on as their
own."
By the early 1970's jamaican SKA bands had warmed to this new audience
and began making music aimed directly at Skinheads. As a mark of respect
Reggae musicians recorded tunes like ' SKINHEAD MOON STOMP ' and 'SKINHEAD
GIRL'. SKA and Skinhead grew together.
To many, the song that has always typified being a Skinhead is SIMARYP
'S 'SKINHEAD MOON STOMP'. It first appeared around 1969 - 1970 on an entire
album dedicated to Skinheads. Other tracks on the album included 'SKINHEAD
GIRL' and 'SKINHEAD JAMBOREE'. The album cover was a photograph of a gang
of Skinheads. For a group of Jamaican musicians to actively court
the Skinhead cult, it really emphasized the mixture of British and Jamaican
cultures that had come together to make Skinhead what it was.
THE 2 TONE YEARS
In the late 70's as punk waned and a vicious, anti working class
Tory government came to power, a new style of SKA erupted. Fusing the anger
of punk with the energy and rhythms of jamaican Ska, the music became known
as TWO TONE. The TWO TONE RECORDS logo was notable for it's Black and White
imagery, a powerful symbol of the labels anti racist stance. The bands
were multi racial in their line up. Young West Indians and Inner city white
kids who had grown up together, gone to the same schools and of course-
listened to the same music. Bands like the SPECIALS, THE SELECTER, THE
BEAT, THE BODYSNATCHERS, MADNESS and BAD MANNERS helped create a new generation
of Skinheads..
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THE BEAT
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THE SPECIALS
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BAD MANNERS
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Two Tone gave none racist Skinheads a focus, one which stood in
stark contrast to the crass, moronic thuggery of the Hitlerites. The second
generation Ska bands recorded new versions of classic ska tracks, creating
a link with the past, one which sent some of us on endless trawls through
record shops in search of old SKA 45's. The importance of this cannot be
understated. Ever since the growth in Britain of the National Front in
the mid 1970's and it's recruitment of Skinheads as storm troopers, the
existence of such classic skinhead reggae cuts as SIMARYP 'S 'SKINHEAD
MOON STOMP' was a reminder of the real musical roots of Skinhead. The overall
message of the TWO TONE era was simple : BLACK AND WHITE UNITE AND FIGHT
- BLACK AND WHITE UNITE AND DANCE.
OI!
OI!
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OI! THE ALBUM
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STRENGTH THRU OI!
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OI! OI! THAT 'S YER LOT
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The music most associated with fascist skinheads
is OI!. However, this is yet another of the many myths surrounding the
history of Skinhead. Oi! music originated in the late 1970's - early 1980's.
A fast, raucous, often irreverent musical form that had it's roots in the
punk generation. The lyrics were vehemently anti establishment, often humorous
and very much a celebration of youth. There were literally hundreds of
OI! bands around and few (if any) were affiliated to Nazi organizations.
Nor did their lyrics preach race hatred. There were four major OI! compilations
between 1980 and 1983 featuring bands like THE OPPRESSED, THE BUSINESS,
THE ANGELIC UPSTARTS, COCKNEY REJECTS and THE 4-SKINS. Over fifty
songs and not a single racist reference or lyric.
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THE OPPRESSED : TAKEN FROM
THEIR '84 ALBUM - OI! OI! MUSIC
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Sadly OI! is often confused with the white
noise fascist punk bands. But the Hitler loving BONEHEADS, by their own
admission, were never a part of the OI! scene. They were not welcome! As
some one once said " OI! = WORKING CLASS PROTEST. NOTHING MORE. NOTHING
LESS ".
S.H.A.R.P
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The origins of S.H.A.R.P ( SKINHEADS AGAINST RACIAL PREJUDICE) are
unclear to me (It would be wrong for me to claim otherwise). The idea probably
originated in New York sometime around 1987. It was an idea welcomed by
some British Skinheads who wore the patch with pride. However it never
really took off and it's full potential was never recognized. The idea
of wearing a badge or a patch to define yourself as a none racist didn't
appeal to many Skinheads. They had the attitude of: "Why should we care
what people think, we know we're not racist". But to me, wearing a S.H.A.R.P
patch has nothing to do with seeking the approval
of others. |
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THE SHARP PATCH
IS A DECLARATION OF PRIDE!
PRIDE IN WHO YOU ARE. PRIDE IN BEING ANTI RACIST. PRIDE IN YOUR ROOTS.
IT SAYS LOUD AND CLEAR: US AND THEM! NAZI BONHEAD SCUM ON ONE SIDE. SKINHEADS
SHARP AND TRUE ON THE OTHER.
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CONCLUSION
During the mid to late 1980's Skinhead became
a world wide phenomenon. These days there are Skinheads in just about every
major city throughout europe, america and beyond. Sadly much of the mythology
surrounding Skinhead has tainted the view and stance of many people who
believe themselves to be Skinheads. Their distorted view and far right
ideology disallows them the right to call themselves Skinheads. They have
neither the pride nor the intelligence. They may wear the same boots, the
same braces and the same turned up jeans but their actions make them little
more than twisted, moronic animals.Their race hatred denies the true multi
cultural heritage of Skinhead. They have a name:
BONEHEADS.
On the other hand there are thousands of Skinheads out there listening
to a new generation of SKA and OI! who still know the true meaning
of the word. People who know their roots. Over the last couple of years
there has been a move by many toward a more traditional stance. It
is a move that is to be welcomed and encouraged. It is to these and Anti
Racists everywhere i dedicate this Web Site.
When
i get time i would like to expand SHORT FUSED AND SHARP. Maybe you could
help. Suggestions, Articles and Reviews would be most appreciated. I would
especially like to hear about the 'BONEHEAD' situation in other countries
and what's being done to combat them. It would also be good to hear from
some old timers (like myself!) and ex - Skinheads who remember the good
old days of OI!, 2 TONE and SKINHEAD REGGAE (i'm not that old tho'!).
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RESPECT
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SK BOOT
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CLICK
ON BOOTS TO E - MAIL ME
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