rockabilly/vintage fashion

[Michele]

Yesterday I went to a huge rockabilly/50s festival next to my town (http://www.summerjamboree.com/), it was a long time since my wife asked me to visit it, but I never felt the need too, specially as it's quite crowdy and so on...
then, this year, some close friends of mine were working in a vintage glasses stand there and we decided to pay a visit.
well, all in all it was a great day, we had a lot of talking, drinking and enjoyed the mood, but: it looked to me like 70% of the people was like visiting a mardi-gras parade, sporting 50s clothes just as a mask... I don't think there is such a crowded rockabilly community down here or at least I guess so.
btw, my impression was that this 50s mood is some kinda of Golden retirement for older punks in search for somethign fitting their 40s/50s instead of the usual stuff I'm still enjoying nowadays... am I wrong, any opinion on this matter?

[JGJR]

I have no opinion on this. If it makes them happy, go for it. I see some rockabilly/'50s types every time I go see X, which isn't a surprise given that Billy Zoom (who once played with Gene Vincent) is a prominent member of the band.

[tango fistula]

Out here in AZ that "scene" is a refuge for former skinheads.

Total sha-na-na fest.....a bunch of sad paunchy clowns longing for a time in history where civil rights did not exist and women were for breeding and domestic servitude.

[version sound]

I think there is/was a big rockabilly scene in Richmond. I dig 50s rockabilly, but the modern re-creation doesn't do much for me. I feel the same way about surf music.

[yourenotevil]

Out here in AZ that "scene" is a refuge for former skinheads.

Total sha-na-na fest.....a bunch of sad paunchy clowns longing for a time in history where civil rights did not exist and women were for breeding and domestic servitude.

yeah, that is what it mainly was out in southern CA too, esp for washed up nazis who didn't want to live the life anymore.

[SamDBL]

Out here in AZ that "scene" is a refuge for former skinheads.

Total sha-na-na fest.....a bunch of sad paunchy clowns longing for a time in history where civil rights did not exist and women were for breeding and domestic servitude.

yeah, that is what it mainly was out in southern CA too, esp for washed up nazis who didn't want to live the life anymore.

So what's the problem? You're bummed that they didn't stick to their skinhead ways?

I've never been much for fashion statements, myself. But I can see why people do this sort of thing. In my experience, they are simply drawn to the asthetic of the time along with the attraction to being part of a sub-culture or club. Not my thing, but whatever. I only think it's lame when they informally make other people feel excluded or look down on them because they don't feel like playing dress up.

On another note, that type of music, when done 'right', is pretty amazing. My standard is usually if the guitar playing is amazing, as it ought to be. I love all things Brian Setzer, for instance.

[yourenotevil]

Out here in AZ that "scene" is a refuge for former skinheads.

Total sha-na-na fest.....a bunch of sad paunchy clowns longing for a time in history where civil rights did not exist and women were for breeding and domestic servitude.

yeah, that is what it mainly was out in southern CA too, esp for washed up nazis who didn't want to live the life anymore.

So what's the problem? You're bummed that they didn't stick to their skinhead ways?

I've never been much for fashion statements, myself. But I can see why people do this sort of thing. In my experience, they are simply drawn to the asthetic of the time along with the attraction to being part of a sub-culture or club. Not my thing, but whatever. I only think it's lame when they informally make other people feel excluded or look down on them because they don't feel like playing dress up.

On another note, that type of music, when done 'right', is pretty amazing. My standard is usually if the guitar playing is amazing, as it ought to be. I love all things Brian Setzer, for instance.

there is no "problem." instead of being open about it they became peckerwoods and moved onto another scene where racist tendencies were still accepted. i can't tell you how many ex skins came into a record store where i used to go and they were looking for skrewdriver and stuff like that the owner kept behind the counter. they just traded in swazi tats for american eagles and flags. it is beyond lame.

[SamDBL]

Well I personally never experienced this, though I don't doubt that you did. What I have experienced is nazi skinhead dudes that grew up at some point and grew out of the whole thing to the degree that whether they were still racist or not (who knows) they ceased exhibiting that behaviour in pretty much every perceivable way. I think it's great when people move on from that stuff. I don't think I ever knew any, in particular, that became grease monkey/rockabilly types. And I've certainly never met a rockabilly type person that told me they were attracted to that scene because it represented an era of overt racism.
Beyond that, I think it's pretty lame to suggest that the majority of rockabilly type dudes are ex-skinheads, if that's what you're doing. That's a pretty far out generalization. Like I said, I've been to a ton of these shows (toured with Rev Heat and Necromantics) and known a lot of these people and they're just the same as any other group of people that are into submersing themselves fully into some subculture out of boredom, or whatever. The same as people that have mohawks or mod suits X'ed hands or whatever. I'm not doubting people that you mention exist. I just don't think that's the standard representation of someone into rockabilly stuff, is all.

[SamDBL]

Also, as hilarious as it is, I think how much someone went crazy with tats kind of determines their 'next move' as far as which subculture they want to identify with, sometimes. I know people that were mohawk type punks that were covered head to toe with tats that moved into the rockabilly thing because, I'm convinced, sleeve tats still 'worked' with that look. Likewise, I've known a couple of rockabilly cats that went stoner rock for somewhat the same reasons. I could totally see a skinhead dude liking the idea of being able to cover up a bunch of his old swazi tats, or whatever, with eight balls and 57 Chevys. I don't know. This stuff doesn't make any sense to me. But like I said, I've always been a long haired, t shirt and jeans guy my whole life so I guess I don't value fashionability that much.

[yourenotevil]

Well I personally never experienced this, though I don't doubt that you did. What I have experienced is nazi skinhead dudes that grew up at some point and grew out of the whole thing to the degree that whether they were still racist or not (who knows) they ceased exhibiting that behaviour in pretty much every perceivable way. I think it's great when people move on from that stuff. I don't think I ever knew any, in particular, that became grease monkey/rockabilly types. And I've certainly never met a rockabilly type person that told me they were attracted to that scene because it represented an era of overt racism.
Beyond that, I think it's pretty lame to suggest that the majority of rockabilly type dudes are ex-skinheads, if that's what you're doing. That's a pretty far out generalization. Like I said, I've been to a ton of these shows (toured with Rev Heat and Necromantics) and known a lot of these people and they're just the same as any other group of people that are into submersing themselves fully into some subculture out of boredom, or whatever. The same as people that have mohawks or mod suits X'ed hands or whatever. I'm not doubting people that you mention exist. I just don't think that's the standard representation of someone into rockabilly stuff, is all.

not all of them, but in certain areas they exist for sure. i have also seen a lot of non racist skinheads drfit towards that culture,t here is just something about it they like, but i am not sure what it is. a lot of mexican punk kids in L.A. end up there too.

[Michele]

I have nothing against this sub-culture and I also enjoy some of the bands and musicians, specially the more raw, less vintage ones, like psycho-billy or rawer bands. I was moreover trying to guess why at a certain point people coming from punk or oi! scenes tends to arm this new style. It looks to me like a way to keep feeling part of a subculture with a more smart/clean approach then being ina skin, hc or crust band, but I could easily be wrong, so I was searching for different point of views to find an answer

[obik]

I would've thought the psychobilly community's longstanding ties to the white power movement--e.g. Demented Are Go moonlighting as the Klansmen with Ian Stuart from Skrewdriver singing--would turn you off.

[Michele]

yes, of course, you're right, being quite un-interested to the whole billy scene, I was just mentioning psycho-billy to refer to the less clean/cheesy forms of sound, not for sure to the attitude or the community. Never liked the Whole racist/fascist mood surrounding the whole scene, but I also know many people into this music completely outside these ideologies...

[SamDBL]

I would've thought the psychobilly community's longstanding ties to the white power movement--e.g. Demented Are Go moonlighting as the Klansmen with Ian Stuart from Skrewdriver singing--would turn you off.

Are there any other examples of this type of thing?

[obik]

I would've thought the psychobilly community's longstanding ties to the white power movement--e.g. Demented Are Go moonlighting as the Klansmen with Ian Stuart from Skrewdriver singing--would turn you off.

Are there any other examples of this type of thing?

Psychobilly bands moonlighting as propagandists for the race war? I have no idea.

Psychobilly fans also being racist assholes? Fuck yeah there are other examples. Back in the late nineties I was trying to find some live 4Skins tapes, and I discovered a forum that could best be described as a Psychobilly fan, neoconfederate, and racist skinhead's social club. My 45 minutes exploring that place, combined with DAG's activities, disinclined me from investigating psychobilly as a genre any further.

[SamDBL]

Imo, that's a shame. But obviously your perogative. I think there are some really good bands in that genre. I'd never have condemned the entire genre because one notable band out of hundreds had a questionable stance twenty + years ago. Or because I had rough experiences with some dorks on a messageboard. I also listen to Oi, regardless of the fact that there are plenty of racist skinheads in the world. And I've just never sensed that same sort of overt racism coming from your run-of-the-mill rockabilly person. I guess I'm just taken back a little bit, that it has this reputation. I mean, I'm aware that the European psychobilly scene probably has a different dynamic than what's going on over here. But I don't think I've ever met a racist rockabilly person. Just some people enamored with the fashion sensibility, mostly. Just the same as the people that were into the swing dance craze in the 90's. I'm sure all types of people are into that scene. Whatever.

[Pffft]

I do know that a lot of the Nazi skins I encountered in san diego I later saw in the rockabilly scene. It's jokingly referred to the skinhead retirement plan.

[obik]

Imo, that's a shame. But obviously your perogative. I think there are some really good bands in that genre. I'd never have condemned the entire genre because one notable band out of hundreds had a questionable stance twenty + years ago.

Forming a band called the Klansmen so you can play racist songs with the singer from Skrewdriver is more than just a "questionable stance".

Or because I had rough experiences with some dorks on a messageboard.

Oh, I ran into racist assholebilly fans before that, but that message board was seriously disturbing.

[fiestaware]

...disinclined me from investigating psychobilly as a genre any further.

Here's where I stopped investigating...




...ready?

psychobilly

[SamDBL]

Imo, that's a shame. But obviously your perogative. I think there are some really good bands in that genre. I'd never have condemned the entire genre because one notable band out of hundreds had a questionable stance twenty + years ago.

Forming a band called the Klansmen so you can play racist songs with the singer from Skrewdriver is more than just a "questionable stance".

Semantics. Whatever you call it, it doesn't catagorically define a genre when one band does it.

[Welly]

.

[Welly]

...

[Pffft]

I do know that a lot of the Nazi skins I encountered in san diego I later saw in the rockabilly scene. It's jokingly referred to the skinhead retirement plan.

There and Atlanta was where I saw the worst of the skinheads in the U.S. on my travels. That club SOMA in SD seemed to be over-run with the morons.

Yeah with Metzger living just up the freeway we were ground zero for a while.