Publisher Description

I thought it was a great cultural movement, the music, the look, they're things that have shaped who I am... Paul WellerThe skin-suede era was the most rigorously smart and pedantically correct in the history of working class street style. Robert ElmsLevis, Ben Sherman, Crombie. Reggae, rocksteady, soul. The look and sound of Suedeheads - instantly recognisable in the sixties and early seventies - had a long-lasting impact on British style.Scorcha!: Skins, Suedes and Style from the Streets 1967—73 delves into the roots, rise and fall of the Suedeheads and their close companions the Skinheads. Covering topics from fashion and football to the influence of black music and culture, the book draws on first-hand accounts from the original skin-suede generation and later adopters, such as Paul Weller and Norman Jay MBE.Featuring a foreword by Suggs and jam-packed with iconic images, this is the definitive visual history of the Suedehead way of life.

Author Biography

Paul 'Smiler' Anderson has been a DJ since 1985. He has written fanzines, books, magazine articles and record sleeves throughout this time, including the best-selling book Mods The New Religion and Mod Art, both also published by Omnibus. He has a monthly radio show called 'Get Yourself Together' on Totally Wired Radio. Other than family and friends, Paul loves clobber, records, vintage scooters, proper boozers and West Ham United Football Club.Mark Baxter has been writing full time since 2008. This is his seventeenth book and he also makes films with Lee Cogswell for Mono Media Films. He loves his wife Lou, red wine, Tubby Hayes and Millwall Football Club in that order.

Review

'Hundreds of archival pictures contribute to this richly evocative examination of styles' Record Collector, 4*This brilliantly realised volume outlines the facts, fashions and foibles [of the suedehead group]. The layout is superb and the time spent meticulously researching the music, media and memories of those involved superlative, as is the standard of production making this if not the Bible for the period, then at least, in deference to the scooter owners within, the Haynes manual' Shindig!

Long Description

The suedehead subculture was an early-1970s offshoot of skinhead subculture in the UK and Ireland. Although sharing similarities to 1960s skinheads, suedeheads grew their hair longer and dressed more formally, and although often working class like skinheads, some had white collar jobs, which bred a more formal attire such as brogues or loafers instead of heavy boots. Though there were similarities in musical taste at the beginning, by the late 1970's Suedeheads were listening to 2-Tone artists such 'The Beat', and glam rock bands such as 'Slade' and 'Mott The Hoople'. Beautifully illustrated throughout and with a foreword from none other than Paul Weller, this is the definitive visual history of one of Britain's subcultures from the 1970's.

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