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Skinhead Moonstomp - Original Skinheads Early 1970

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This is a Soul Source exclusive, from Horace Ove's film "Reggae", shot in 1970, shown once on the BBC in 1972 and then reported missing in action. It's never been reshown or released on video or dvd. I'll put some clips of Desmond Dekker and The Maytals up later, but this is my favourite bit of the film, shot at some youth club by the looks of it. Older viewers may especially enjoy this clip.

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That is truly fantastic - thanks Pete!

genius

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Really pleased you all like this one, I love seeing original footage of the great youth cults but there seems to be so little of it, and the clips they use on the tv are the same ones over and over again.

Really pleased you all like this one, I love seeing original footage of the great youth cults but there seems to be so little of it, and the clips they use on the tv are the same ones over and over again.

So do i pete and you are right it is always the same cliched 'media comfortable' clips that get shown all the time. Delxx

a great clip, nice to see original skinhead footage!

Oh, to be 15 again!

I think it was about March '69 that the first specific programme (Panorama, I think) was broadcast on "the aggro boys" as they put it.

It resulted in a rash of newly cropped heads at school over the next few days.

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Oh, to be 15 again!

I think it was about March '69 that the first specific programme (Panorama, I think) was broadcast on "the aggro boys" as they put it.

It resulted in a rash of newly cropped heads at school over the next few days.

Yep thats one of the things they keep showing, a clip of some lads at a youth club and playing pool, with Elizabethan Reggae playing on the soundtrack

Oh, to be 15 again!

I think it was about March '69 that the first specific programme (Panorama, I think) was broadcast on "the aggro boys" as they put it.

It resulted in a rash of newly cropped heads at school over the next few days.

yeah I was a skin in the 70s

levi jacket

white bakers

hawkins airwair boots--couldnt afford propper dms

orange braces

tie dyed grandad shirt

then a suade

then a scooter boy/soulie

plum tonic staypress

li 150 special

bottle green crombie

brogues or loafers (Porkies)

happy days

then went torch friday nights

changed it all for me

Brilliant Pete , it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Also remined me of some of the shoeings we used to get of the local soapdodgers (grebos)

Love the footage and for years I hunted for every clip I could find, setting videos for the middle of the night - record fairs everything.

I've now come to accept that the short and sometimes vague clips, combined with my memories and those that have written about it paint a far more romantic picture than the reality. More often than not the kids who wanted to be filmed ranked lower than those I would really like to have seen filmed (I know there are exceptions)- They just didn't want such exposure, they knew they where the business. When ever I've been present when a cameras doing the rounds it was nearly always the younger or less cool kids chucking their face in front of it.

But this is lovely footage none the less - Do you have the whole film Pete?

Edited by simonb

Great footage Pete,

Sure takes me back, especially seeing the Ben Sherman shirts and suits.

I remember getting them made to measure with ridiculous centre vents that were 15 deep( halfway up your back), parallel trouses sometimes two tone material with ox blood comos. Trousers were always slightly too short to show of your boots or shoes. Then jeans - turn up, or no turn up - who could decide. A lot depended on which part of the country you lived in

Oh and remember those other shirts - "Jaytex" I think they were called. Boots were dm's and I remember also having some other boots called "monkey boots" can't remember who made them though! did them in navy blue, ox blood and black.

Wrangler and Levi denim jackets also in cord. White decorators trousers called "KD's" were also popular.

The thing that sticks in my mind the most was my mum saying things like - "You're not going out looking like that, are you"

Off to the Top Rank in Liverpool or The Mardis Gras

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Love the footage and for years I hunted for every clip I could find, setting videos for the middle of the night - record fairs everything.

I've now come to accept that the short and sometimes vague clips, combined with my memories and those that have written about it paint a far more romantic picture than the reality. More often than not the kids who wanted to be filmed ranked lower than those I would really like to have seen filmed (I know there are exceptions)- They just didn't want such exposure, they knew they where the business. When ever I've been present when a cameras doing the rounds it was nearly always the younger or less cool kids chucking their face in front of it.

But this is lovely footage none the less - Do you have the whole film Pete?

Hi Simon

Yes, I've got the whole film. I can go through it find more audience / outdoors clips if you like, the majority is from inside Wembley Arena plus lots of interview footage, not much of 'the kids' really

It is a classic film alright. I can remember it getting a cinema release in 1970 and the trailers were shown on ITV in the commercial breaks.

Unfortunately it did not reach my home town so I had to wait another 35 years to see it. Well worth it though.

The streets in Horace Ove's film are the Avenues in South Kilburn: pretty much a twee middle class enclave these days, but back then a really tough place. This footage is brilliant: interesting when the camera zooms in on a record the deejay is playing that it's a Uk Stax job on the yellow label, rather than a reggae record: wonder what it was?

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The streets in Horace Ove's film are the Avenues in South Kilburn: pretty much a twee middle class enclave these days, but back then a really tough place. This footage is brilliant: interesting when the camera zooms in on a record the deejay is playing that it's a Uk Stax job on the yellow label, rather than a reggae record: wonder what it was?

I thought it was a UK Treasure Isle!

Ah. I'm thinking about later on in the footage, not necessarily on the clips you've posted up, Pete. I'll post a still when I can. My betting on the UK Stax 45 is that it's a Booker T & The MGs record...

Hmm just deleted a clip as I hadnt watched it all the way through and it wasnt appropriate

Edited by richard

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I missed the programme it was from, any one have it on dvd at all? It was meant to have been shown on channel 5

I thought it was from that series that was on ITV about 2 years back...all about the various youth cults???

Think it was a different show Pete, this is what it says in the description

70's Soul Boys....This Is From A Recent UK Channel 5 Show "70's - That Decade That Was" This Clip Deals With How "Skinheads, SuedeHeads & SoulBoys" Came About On The Streets Of 70's Britain....

Think the one you are thinking about was called Sounds Of Underground London or SOUL for short

Edited by richard

F**k Me!!

Brilliant!

As many of you, I started like a ska & reggae lover, and I still love 'em.

Is there any way to get the complete film? It'll be great. Without any doubt, this is the most wanted film in the Mexican Scene!!

Thanks again Pete!

Cheers

Dante

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F**k Me!!

Brilliant!

As many of you, I started like a ska & reggae lover, and I still love 'em.

Is there any way to get the complete film? It'll be great. Without any doubt, this is the most wanted film in the Mexican Scene!!

Thanks again Pete!

Cheers

Dante

Swap you a copy for a record if you like...

Edited by Pete-S

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