THE SCOOTER SCENE For the first Mods scooter ownership was not as essential as it is today. It was also less of an option for up-and-coming youth. While these first Mods were interested in Italian modern design, scooters themselves were not as readily available to youth who were not employed or paid little for their work. So it took a little money before scooters became a part of the scene. Originally as an unusual occurrence for only the top Mods, scooters eventually became more and more commonplace. Once the Mod subculture became stronger the scooter became standard transportation and soon became a rallying point for Mods. Scooters also became a point of distinction for Mods since the face could be distinguished not only by his clothes but also by his scooter and more importantly by the customizations done to it. By the end of the first Mod era scooters were an essential part of the scene. Scooter clubs were being formed and provided additional unity to groups of Mods. By the time of the beach riots scooters were the primary distinction that people recognized of the Mods. Riots occurred between the Mods that were mobile enough to get to the beach and the bikers. These riots became a distinctive occurrence that was remembered by the new Mods when the subculture was revived in the late seventies.
At the Mod revival that accompanied the "two tone" Ska revival (and joined with it) scooters were brought back into the mix. It was in fact scooters that were the most pervasive element of the revival and it outlasted the music and the fashion. The new Mods formed scooter clubs and resurrected many an old scooter. Customization was revived and brought to new levels. Beyond just bolt on chrome accessories customizers were Modifying body styles and doing amazing things with paint. This scooter revival has lasted to today with frequent rallies and events for scooterists and the publication of scooter magazines the most notable of which is Scootering. Even so, this revival took place primarily in England but soon after youth all over the world that admired the subculture of these British youth were adopting the love of scooters.
In Europe scenes formed and scooter clubs flourished. Some scenes stayed sharp long after the clothes had faded from the British scene and the scooters became the primary focus. The Skinhead phenomenon had adopted the scooter as well during the Mod revival and this became apparent at the rallies with the number of Skinheads attending and also in the type of customization done to the scooters. As Skinhead spread over the world so did the scooters and scooter clubs. Today almost every country has scooter clubs some adhering to the Mod origins and some to the Skinhead modifications. But all are going strong without showing any indication of lessening.
In America Mod traveled to our shores with the "new wave" of British music and culture that became popular in the early eighties. American Mod scenes formed first and some notable scootering began. Focused primarily on the East and West coasts the Mod scenes established a harder sharper alternative to the sloppy punk and cheesy pop that gained popularity in mainstream society. Along with the Mod subculture scooters became important. Slowly at first like the original Mods the scooters became increasingly pervasive until there were enough that clubs and scenes were established stateside. Some remarkable scooterists were the members of California's The Untouchables. The Untouchables helped the adoption of scooters into the subculture by their example and by their support of scooter clubs and rallies. The scooter scene grew even as Mod began to fade with diminishing music from overseas. The stalwarts stayed on but the scooter scenes were the strength of the culture until Skinhead made it's way into America's consciousness. Skinheads picked up where the Mods left off and scootering flourished with the new blood. As Ska began to gain ground in America the Rude Boy subculture joined the Skinheads and the stalwart Mods that stayed true to the scene. They also took up the love of scooters much like the "two tone" Ska revivalists.
Today the scooter scene persists encompassing all members of cool subculture. At a rally today Mods, Skinheads and Rude Boys all show up on their personalized scooters. And scooters show up at any show where the respective musical types of these subcultures, is played. There are scooter clubs in every major city in America and in most moderately large cities as well and some smaller towns even have a club or so. Rallies run all year in warmer climates and more frequently in the summer. Major events are held annually. Scooterists often have weekly or regular rides in their communities and especially at concerts and other scene events such as the occasional screening of Quadrophenia. Razor Sharp will focus on everything possible to strengthen and encourage scooter clubs and scenes. If you are looking for a scooter scene in your area let us know and we will do what we can to hook you up. We will also work on supporting independent riders and promoting and publicizing scooter events. We have a capable design and writing team that will be glad to assist in designing flyers etc. But we would also like your help by keeping us informed about your events and will even work with you to include information on your scene or events in the form of upcoming articles.
In addition to actual support of scenes we will also include articles that promote authenticity among scenes and include information about how to get things done. We also will include as much informational writing as possible, focusing on the history and resources available to the scene. Hopefully those of you who haven't yet joined the scooter scene will soon and with our assistance do it well. Ride Rude.

THE HARDER THEY COME Towards the end of the Rocksteady era a movie was made in Jamaica that documented the lifestyle of the archetypal Rude Boy. This movie was The Harder They Come and it found moderate success in the world. Success enough that now it is available at a good deal of video rental outlets. You might try and find a copy of it in your community. Though it was not a big influence on the original Rude Boy scene because it came too late in its history it documents well the plight of the original Jamaican street hustler.
For the Rude Boy of today it provides good insight into the origin of our culture and some of the standards by which we live. It shows the lifestyle as lived by the main character Ivan (played by Jimmy Cliff). He starts as a naive country boy who travels to Kingston in search of a better life but ends up in a shantytown having had all of his goods stolen by street thugs and alone without a place to stay. In order to survive he relies on periodic work and poor living conditions. His struggle to find a better life in the city never materializes because he doesn't have the skills to take the jobs available for blacks in Jamaica. After being unsuccessful at his attempts to escape abject poverty he chances upon a lucky break that gets him a gig in the cutthroat music industry. But after he cuts his single he is unable to promote his record because of the control over the music industry by producers. So even this chance at luck falls short and Ivan turns to crime to support himself. Selling marijuana and criticizing the music industry soon leads to confrontations with the corrupt police force, which turns Ivan into a fugitive. The movie plays out with Ivan's attempts to evade the law, which turn him into a folk hero to the Jamaican people.
The soundtrack of The Harder They Come has some notable tracks including "You Can Get It If You Really Want It" by Desmond Dekker. In fact the only really not good songs are the ones sung by Jimmy Cliff as part of the movie. Also “Pressure Drop” by Toots and the Maytalls. And there are several more obscure songs that go on in the background throughout. If it weren't for the title track the soundtrack alone would be worth picking up assuming it is available anywhere.
There are some good things that you can take from the movie The Harder They Come. Beware the fashion in the movie there are few if any good examples of cool clothes in the movie with the exception of a few sharp hats. At the end of the cool era of Jamaican fashion came the seventies era which favored bell-bottoms and tight shirts which are not respectable for a contemporary Rude Boy to be seen in. There are some dance scenes though, which are helpful for those who want some authentic moves to try out and a good way to see what dance clubs were like back in the day. It may surprise you to see how poor and disheveled things were then but despite this the shantytowns come across as a place of energy and emotional intensity. To quote a popular lyric "One man's love is another's misery". Another important element to the movie is the patois. Even though the dialog is all in English it is in such a dialect that they felt subtitles were necessary. Try and understand the dialect and you can incorporate it into the patois of a modern day Rude Boy. It is more than just a few slang words here and there but a style of speaking that runs things together and leaves sounds out that make the outsider struggle to comprehend. All Rude Boys should be able to speak like this to a certain degree. Another lesson to be learned from the movie is contained in the warped morality of the characters. Warped at least by mainstream societies' standards. Morality to the Rude Boy is rooted heavily in Justice and Individuality that often puts him or her at odds with the law. And you can see the factors that helped make up this sense of morality such as movies, music, and poverty that all contributed to the distinctive way that the Rude Boy looks at the world.

CASINO ROYALE For those of you who are familiar with James Bond only through the movies you may be pleasantly surprised to read the books. Rather than the shallow cartoonish character James Bond has a little depth. A little mind you, not a lot. Anyway the books are free of most of the commercialism and trendiness that is the weakness of the movies. The first of the novels is Casino Royale and it was written in 1953 by Ian Flemming. James Bond is an important character in cool subcultures in many respects. He provides a sophisticated standard of cool that has been looked up to for decades. He is calm and cool in every situation and always comes out on top in a conflict (an easier feat in books than in reality). He provides a standard of moral ambiguity that reflects the more sophisticated view of the modern individual. He is a materialist in many senses reflected by his interest in clothes, food and cars and other material goods. For the modernist James Bond offers a good role model.
But unlike the movies the books express the conflict that James Bond suffers as he puzzles over the things that he does and that happen to him. He is not some goofy playboy that laughs over death but one that deals with morality on a modern level. But enough of my justification.
Casino Royale introduces the character and sets the standard for the novels that follow. James Bond is sent by the British secret service to stop Le Chiffe from getting the money he needs to continue the funding of his espionage activity. Le Chiffe is trying to win the money at the renowned French casino, Casino Royale. Bond is sent to beat him out on the tables. Between trying to determine who the criminal is, staying alive to beat him, beating him and uncovering double agents at the same time the short novel is pretty full. But bond still has time for gourmet food and black tie events and a love story mixed in that puts the movies to shame for their shallowness. Between discussing odds at casino games and his philosophies on such things as cars and violence Bond succeeds at stopping the bad guys and getting the girl but not in the way you would expect. This book is a must read. I don't want to give away the story line since it is pretty compelling but take my word for it even if you are inclined against the sexist egoist James Bond this book will be a pleasant surprise.
Beyond the obvious materialism there are some things that this book can give the member of cool subculture. For one thing James Bond lives the internationalist jet-setting lifestyle that Mods aspire to. He does it with class and sophistication that is a good model for us to try and live up to. Bond is world aware and he is aware of himself, both of which are important parts of cool. Having grown up reading Bond novels I tried to adopt the mannerisms and self-control that James Bond typified. James Bond also thinks about the things that he does and by reading the novels you can understand a certain type of modernist justification. Though the character James Bond is not a member of any subculture he does typify the standard that the modernist subculture seeks to attain in many ways. He is a symbol of the modernist philosophy that was gaining some mainstream popularity at the time the novels were written.

CONCERTS After many years on the scene you will eventually have seen shows at a wide variety of venues. From big name stadium shows to house parties there are a wide variety of places to dance to the sounds that keep the beat. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. By choosing the place you see a show you can really improve the experience. The end of this article will give some ways you can help control where shows end up.
Stadium Shows
Occasionally some big name Ska band will come through and they will put on a stadium show. These only ever occur in bigger cities and are usually very well attended. Some American Ska acts might also produce stadium shows but only the very worse ones, so generally this will not be a temptation. Of all the venues available a stadium show is the worse type. There are a million people there most of which heard about the show on the local "alternative" radio station and think they are going to see some lame act like No Doubt only to be disappointed by a less pop act. The worse situation would be a seated concert. There is nothing more against the nature of cool music than sitting down during it. No music of the genres listened to by Mods, Skinheads and Rude Boys is easy listening music. It all demands dancing and seats are only getting in the way. If the stadium has no seating (general admission usually means no seating) then the million lame people mentioned above will immediately crush to the front of the stage and do anything except dance and even farther from dancing well. I don't know if this is wrong (I expect it is not) but I feel that the authentic scene members that are going to dance have the right to expect the best place on the dance floor immediately in front of the stage. In areas with a larger or at least a moderate sized scene the scenesters can often force a place up front for dancing and such but only in the not so huge shows. Regardless in these big shows the band is so far away you can hardly see them, there is usually an extremely overzealous security staff bent on getting a few good swings in, lame supporting acts (pop acts demand a larger variety to lure the biggest audience), the exorbitant cost of tickets (I'm inclined to never pay more then ten for a ticket to a show) and frequently lame decor and acoustics.
Medium Shows
The next venue would be a moderately sized show. Touring bands often book them. It gives smaller bands on opportunity to pull in a moderate sized crowd (which means a moderate amount of money) and allows them to play in smaller communities. These are all advantages of these medium sized venues over stadium shows. In the ideal situation the show would be well attended by the scene and losers would be kept to a minimum. This isn't often the case but it is worth risking. These shows are occasionally not well publicized so it is best that there are good sources for info about these shows. There are two types of places that these shows occur. Clubs that sponsor regular concerts for members of the scene usually draw a good scene turnout because we learn where to go for a good show. These clubs are more common in bigger or moderately sized cities. They are apt to have better decor and acoustics than the other type of medium sized show, which are those at rented halls. These can be at school auditoriums, American Legion Halls, community centers and the like where booking agents can rent a space for the band to play. These halls are in most communities so if you are from a small town these are the most likely location for a bigger show. This is a real advantage since it allows bands to play in any town. There are some occasional problems with these shows though. Other than the decor/lighting and acoustics these shows are more difficult to promote (which can mean a poor turnout and a loss of money), they tend to be more reliant on places without good scenes and they can run into problems with laws and the community (such as complaining neighbors, zoning regulations, liability risks, etc.)
Small Shows
Smaller shows are often the best shows. These shows are sometimes attended only by scenesters, can be in very cool places (such as bars and lounges with cool lighting, decor and acoustics), allow for more scene interaction and often mean more interactions between the bands and the audience. There is not often a problem with promotion on these shows since the friends of the band can often fill the venue. After the show the band usually chats with the crowd and during the set the band elicits a lot more audience participation. There is often better dancing going on etc, etc. The problem with these shows are that they are generally promoted only within the scene so there is less opportunity for the new scene member or the one traveling through to find out about the show. There is also less chance for the band and the venue to recoup the expenses of the show, which is a big risk. My ideal club is one of these kinds with a doorman that enforces the dress code and decor that represents the scene and very cool bands regularly. When I get the money I will open one.
House Parties
The last venue (of sorts) is a house party. This is a good way for new bands to get noticed and develop an entourage but there is rarely any compensation for the time and money they put into the show and promoting it and the damage that seems almost inevitable. These parties are not the kind like the bad eighties movies portray with parents out of town and destruction in the end. They are more likely a formal jam session. There are rarely good places to dance (if there is room then the floor has carpet or something), There is little control over what people show up and unless you have a very cool neighborhood the show usually gets shut down by the police and fines or threats of them ensue.
There are some things you can do to encourage shows in your community. The most important thing is to go to cool shows. By paying the cover fee you help pay the costs of putting the show on in the first place. This also helps to establish and strengthen scenes. The more regular the events are the stronger the scene becomes. The stronger the scene is the more incentive people have to put shows on. You can assist in promoting shows. Spread the word that the show is coming and do what you can to encourage people to come to it. Beyond telling people about the show by word of mouth you can produce flyers and post them in places scenesters will see them or pass out flyers that have already been produced. Talk up local bands that are good even to people without good taste in music because these people have money too and even lame people at a show is better than not having one. Even call around as the show nears to your fellow scene members because often people miss seeing flyers and word of mouth and miss out on shows without realizing it. If conditions are favorable offer to have shows at your house. Remember parents, neighbors and the police often object so be smart about this. Try and find additional cool venues in your community. Often times restaurants, bars and lounges or any other business with enough space are often open to having shows in their establishment as it can help improve their business. There can occasionally be problems with city regulations though so talk to people in the know and make sure that there will not be legal consequences. But even young people can influence business owners especially young business owners. Try and have a way for touring bands to get in touch with people in your community. If there is someone who promotes local shows find out who that person is and let them know that the scene has an interest in certain bands. They will probably be willing to have you help pass out flyers and such. If you have graphic art skills they may even let you design flyers and posters and the like. Local radio often is willing to promote local music so if you are putting on an event give them a call (focus on stations with similar audiences as the kind your band gathers) and see if they will announce the show on air. Become familiar with who provides the equipment bands will need such as mixing equipment and such and pass the word to friends that are trying to put shows together.
Razor Sharp also wants to help out. We are going to try to post events so let us know who is coming to your town, where they are playing and when and we will put the word out. Also let us know if you are in a band looking for venues or venues looking for bands and we will try to help. Let us know if you have a venue so that we can let other scenesters know. If we can help produce shows we will. As our capabilities increase so will the things we will do to help out. Our main incentive is for your scenes to grow and strengthen, so if there is anything you need then ask. Get in touch with us by sending e-mail to el_gatto_nero@yahoo.com.

WHO I AM I have seen a number of movies from the sixties or about the sixties where a character laments to an authority figure that is urging them to accept some responsibility "I am just trying to find myself!" The character is always a bedraggled dirty looking youth with long unkempt hair (I'm sure to represent the hippie element in them). It never seemed clear what they were searching for. They never found anything. But in the end they always ended up the poetic hero of the film. These films are stupid. It always seemed unclear what the point was. The search for identity is nothing new to the world even though hippies seem to feel they invented it. They are just the ones who confused the issue so much. Postmodernism said there were no reliable standards against which one could be judged and hippies were left with an inability to judge their own identity without any standards. So they searched around and read pseudo-intellectual novels most of which were over their heads. What they really needed instead of some revelation about their identity gleaned from philosophy or discovered in a journey to some country with a spiritualist reputation was standards against which they could determine their place in history and a way to change it.
Here are some basic standards to discovering identity:
Your identity is tied to your culture.
The elements of identity are the same elements that make up your culture. How you occupy your time, the ways that you communicate, what your priorities are, are all parts of your culture and your identity. Preference for Thai food is a part of your identity. It is also an expression of your culture. Mainstream American culture has allowed a certain amount of tolerance for certain types of food and your experimentation within these are part of how you express your individuality within the standards of mainstream society. Odds are good though that not many of you have as part of their identity a preference for West African food because it is beyond the dictates of mainstream culture. This is where subculture comes in and provides for the identities of those who cannot be described within the confines of mainstream. Food is only one element of culture. Dancing is another and fashion another. By understanding what the dictates of culture are one can control their identity within it rather than having no identity because of the ignorance of cultural dictates.
Your identity is a composite of your experiences.
Exposure to the above mentioned cultural elements helps to describe the level of one's identity. Your identity is bounded by your experience. You cannot be a Skinhead if you have never heard of one. You may have similar attitudes and appearance but until you discover Skinhead you cannot describe yourself within those terms. Once you have discovered the Skinhead phenomenon than you can decide if your identity fits within those confines. Say that you decide that you are a Skinhead and you are on the scene for a while and then you discover that skinheads are opposed to listening to country music but you really like country music. Then your experience has expanded and you can redefine your identity as a redneck. Experience is tied to your identity.
Your identity is something you can change.
When I first listened to The Skatalites I was a little put off by the Jazz elements I thought I heard in the music. But I decided that I didn't want to be defined by one chance encounter so I listened to the album several times. The more I listened it the more that I discovered in the music. The less it sounded like Jazz and the more that I was willing to make my life conform to the standards that this music implied. I changed my identity by the conscious decision to overcome my initial impression and submit to a new aesthetic.
Your identity has two perspectives from which it can be judged: from your perspective and from the perspective of others.
What you see in yourself is not the same thing that others see in you. Realize this and life gets a lot easier. If you think of yourself as being active on both of these fronts your identity is easier to control. No one lives the life that others have the impression that they live. Even the toughest individual has moments of weakness but this weakness is not part of their public identity it is part of their personal identity. By separating the two you can have control of how others see you. You can also change how you see yourself.
Your identity is not the most important thing to have a grasp of.
Don't give up and try and search for your identity in stupid places. Millions of hippies and dead-end people are still wasting their lives away because they have to stop participating in society why they read obscure philosophy. If you don't feel like you have a grasp of your identity don't worry. Only by continuing to live your life do you have an identity. As soon as you give up on society you cease to be significant to it so it makes it impossible to get anything from it. Continue to live in society and you can always change your position in it later.
This section of Razor Sharp will deal with issues of concern to subculture in relation to individuality. The army of cool subculture is an army of individuals who realize that their place in society is within the definition of our lifestyle.

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