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We are requested to research two musical subcultures that existed prior to 1990

and to write about them our blog. You should refer to the era, the characteristics of the subculture, the Fashion, music, drugs (if any) I would like you to post images and music if

Possible.

Definition of Musical Subcultures

In sociology a subculture is a culture or set of people with distinct behavior and beliefs within a larger culture. The essence of a subculture that distinguishes it from other social grouping is awareness of style and differences in style in clothing music or other interests.

The first musical subculture I am going to research is the Teddy Boy, we are required to look at the era, characteristics, fashion and music of the subculture.

Era

The British Teddy Boy also known as Ted subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian Period. The subculture started in London in the 1950s and rapidly spread across the UK, soon becoming strongly associated with American rock and roll. The name Teddy Boy was coined when a 1953 Daily Express newspaper headline shortened Edward to Teddy. The Teddy Boy fashion of the fifties has its origins in what was an upper class reaction to the austerity imposed by the socialist government in the years following the World War 11.

By 1952 in London’s East End this fashion was taken on by semi skilled adolescents formed groups, who lurked in cafes and hung around street corners. The self imposed uniform that gave them group identity was that of the Teddy Boy. Even though some groups were violent, many who wore Teddy Boy clothes were not. They simply wished to break away from the conforming clothes of the day.

Characteristics/Fashion

The clothing that the Teddyboys wore was designed to shock their parents’ generation. It consisted of an Edwardian style drape jacket, much too camp for a working class man, suede Gibson shoes with thick crepe soles, narrow drainpipe trousers, a smart shirt and a loud tie, usually of the Slim Jim or Bootlace type.

The boys slicked back their hair with Brilliantine into a wavy Quiff style with long sideburns and because of the way the hair was finished to the back of the head, the style was brushed back to meet in the middle with the finishing touch of a comb run down the centre back. The most common Hair cut was called a Tony Curtis taken from the way he wore his hair.

Music

Although Teddy Boys are associated with rock and roll music, the style actually came before the music. Teddy Boys are and were a totally British phenomenon as opposed to the other styles worn in countries such as the United States. Prior to the advent of rock and roll, Teddy Boys were mainly listening and dancing to jazz and skiffle music. A well-known dance that the Teddy Boys adopted was The Creep, a slow shuffle of a dance so popular with Teddy Boys that it led to their other nickname of creepers. The song “The Creep” came out in 1953, and was written and recorded for HMV by Yorkshire-born big band leader and saxophonist Ken Mackintosh. Although this was not a rock and roll record, it was widely taken on by the Teddy Boys of the time. From 1955, rock and roll was adopted by the Teddy Boys when the film, Blackboard Jungle, was first shown in cinemas in the UK.

Links

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Subculture

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Boy

http://www.edwardianteddyboyassociation.com/page3.htm

http://www.rockabilly.nl/general/teddyboys.htm

http://www.fashion-era.com/1950s/1950s_4_teenagers_teddy_boys.htm

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=video&cd=1&ved=0CDkQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DN2UCpXwh-Sc&ei=t3hITZWEJtC2hAeWxfDfBA&usg=AFQjCNG0Tcq9Qn0aocyg8xjON7HV_lZoLA

The second musical subculture I will discuss is the Rockers

Era

The foundation of the hippie movement finds historical precedent as far back as the counterculture of the Ancient Greeks, espoused by philosophers like Diogenes of Sinope and the Cynics also as early forms of hippie culture. The Hippie Subculture developed as a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world. Its origins can be traced back to classical culture, and to European social movements in the early 20^th century. From around 1967 its fundamental ethos including harmony with nature, communal living, artistic experimentation particularly in music and the widespread use of recreational drugs spread around the world

The Hippie movement was an offspring of the beatniks. They were a group of people with alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. It spread through United States to Canada and into parts of Europe but the greatest influence was in America. The age of the hippie ranged from 15 to 25 years old. A lot of young teens ran away from their families to join this group of careless people. It represented freedom and fun. Hippies believed in utopian society in which all differences in class, race, social status and gender should disappear so that each individual could satisfy his or her actual needs.

Characteristics/Fashion

Hippies sought to free themselves from societal restrictions, choose their own way, and find new meaning in life. One expression of hippie independence from societal norms was found in their standard of dress and grooming, which made hippies instantly recognizable to one another, and served as a visual symbol of their respect for individual rights. Through their appearance, hippies declared their willingness to question authority, and distanced themselves from the “straight” and “square” (i.e., conformist) segments of society.

Hippies have a very conspicuous physical appearance. Jet black bare feet or Birkenstock Sandals, second had clothes which is usually too large or full of holes and stains, wild long lengths of hair usually knotted, greasy dreadlocks. All Hippies won’t display all of the characteristics listed but some of them.

Hippie fashions and values had a major effect on culture, influencing popular music, television, film, literature, and the arts. Since the 1960s, many aspects of hippie culture have been assimilated by mainstream society. The religious and cultural diversity espoused by the hippies has gained widespread acceptance, and Eastern philosophy and spiritual concepts have reached a wide audience

Drugs

Following in the well-worn footsteps of the Beats, the hippies also used cannabis (marijuana), considering it pleasurable and benign. They enlarged their spiritual pharmacopeia to include hallucinogens such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline. On the East Coast of the United States, Harvard University professors Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) advocated psychotropic drugs for psychotherapy, self-exploration, religious and spiritual use. Regarding LSD, Leary said, “Expand your consciousness and find ecstasy and revelation within.”

Music

Hippies are well known for music that consists entirely on the concept of a jam band. It can be obnoxious, annoying and unlikeable. All hippies love Pink Floyd, especially during their religious rituals.

Hippies use music to express themselves emotionally, spiritually, and politically. Music can make a statement, give voice to a movement, even unite us. As hippies explore their inner world, music guides them along in their quest for meaning. Without drugs it can get you high. With drugs, well, let’s just say, music can be a religious experience.

Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_hippie_movement#

http://www.helium.com/items/558651-the-hippie-subculture

http://contemporarymisgivings.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/hippies-a-brief-ethnography/

http://www.tititudorancea.com/z/hippie.htm

http://www.hipplanet.com/books/atoz/music.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBqGLLgYMjw

Ok this is what i have written for the script while explaining the narrative and each category.

Polly and the sky:

When Polly the bird is clicked upon, clouds will appear all over the screen and when they disappear the user will then be in the sky environment to learn all about letters. In this area, all of the alphabet will be covered e.g. A is for apple and an A sound is then pronounced and their will be a pause of about five seconds to allow the user to pronounce the word.

When the entire alphabet is demonstrated the spelling then begins. This simple spelling game will allow the child to learn basic spelling by clicking on the next appropriate letter that goes into the space. E.g. C_ _. The remaining two letters will be on screen awaiting the click. If the user is incorrect they can keep trying until they get it right. If the word is spelled correctly then the next word will appear on screen and we continue like this until we cover all twenty-six words. Each word begins with each letter in the alphabet.

( what do you think please? is everyone happy with that so far? just to get it done and out of way)

by Lynsey

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