Where have all the subcultures gone?

.......

My mother used to talk about Teddy boys and Hippies.

When I was a kid we had Mods, Ska's, Punks, Skinheads, New Romantics etc...

Then I got a bit older and we mainly had Rockers, Goths and Townies, with a few left over Skinheads and Punks about. What you wore and how you did your hair and what you listened to defined what subculture you belonged to. I was a Rocker myself, I saved for ages for my black leather biker jacket. I drifted toward Goth as I got as bit older.

What subcultures do the kids have now? I dont see any discernable groupings in terms of recognisable dress code anymore?

Mr. CooL ICE

Twas ravers and metallers when I was a young lad. Could jump between them by simply changing your trousers.

ToddyDoody

There's the generics

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

TheValeyard

They've all gone digital 4chan and reddit.

GLaDOS

We've got cucks and nazis now

cantdecide

Murray TheDemonic TalkingSkull wrote: »

They've all gone digital 4chan and reddit.

Instagram

I reckon the normies are the next sub-culture

GLaDOS wrote: »

We've got cucks and nazis now

Do we get to choose which we want to be?

Fuzzytrooper

Leitrim?

.......

I forgot about Cureheads. They had great hair.

w/s/p/c/

They have all grown up and are now hipsters!

Tow

Go up the Belfast city centre, it is like stepping back to Dublin the 80's

sbsquarepants

....... wrote: »

I forgot about Cureheads. They had great hair.

Shower of oddballs put me off even listening to the cure first time around, something I've started doing only recently.

I'm pissed off because it turns out they were pretty damn good all along!

Badly Drunk Boy

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Shower of oddballs put me off even listening to the cure first time around, something I've started doing only recently.

I'm pissed off because it turns out they were pretty damn good all along!

Indeed! I'm an ex-Curehead. After nearly 30 years, I still only wear black.

Irish Guitarist

Kids don't even have any interest in listening to an album from start to finish anymore so the likelihood of them devoting their time to styling their like a teddy boy or something is slim to none. They still follow fashion but it doesn't seem to be informed by their choice in music.

.......

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Kids don't even have any interest in listening to an album from start to finish anymore so the likelihood of them devoting their time to styling their like a teddy boy or something is slim to none. They still follow fashion but it doesn't seem to be informed by their choice in music.

Im more looking at it from the point of individuality and self expression.

We used to be part of subcultures because we wanted to be different. Now obviously we were only different within a larger group, all the rockers were still rockers and the same as each other. But rockers were a minority group within the wider group of kids of that generation. And mainly, we wanted to be different to our parents.

Even within our particular subculture it was possible to express yourself differently to others, style your hair differently etc... There was no "one" rocker look, it was rather a theme of a number of different ways of being.

But these days I see kids and they all look the same, no one is expressing any individuality or using their hair/clothes/style to express themselves.

Whats happened!?

TheShockmaster

I think the peaks and troughs of personal expression have homogenised into a sort of shapeless sludge. I'd imagine given the importance of social media and the scrutiny on image teenagers are less likely to stand out and are more concerned with fitting in than previous generations.

As far as I can see they are all much more into image than they used to be, and image these days is about acceptance and conformity rather than individuality.

Schwiiing

It's all about the GAA look with the young lads these days with bulging biceps and shoulders, skinny legs in their comedy tracksuits and Luftwaffe haircuts.

.......

Schwiiing wrote: »

Luftwaffe haircuts.

The Luftwaffe haircut has morphed a bit, its more of a New Romantic frontage on it these days.

Pauliedragon

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

Twas ravers and metallers when I was a young lad. Could jump between them by simply changing your trousers.

I was hardcore metal until I took my first pill, within an hour is was turned. Next 3 years are a raving haze.

ablelocks

....... wrote: »

The Luftwaffe haircut has morphed a bit, its more of a New Romantic frontage on it these days.

hahahahaha. I'll just say that to my 12.5 year old who started growing this yoke at the front of his head over the summer ... it'll be gone within a week!

Mr. CooL ICE

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I was hardcore metal until I took my first pill, within an hour is was turned. Next 3 years are a raving haze.

And then 5 years after the whole ravers/metallers/pants thing, the pants that defined a raver became the pants that defined a metaller.

Abe Simpson: I used to be with etc etc

.......

ablelocks wrote: »

hahahahaha. I'll just say that to my 12.5 year old who started growing this yoke at the front of his head over the summer ... it'll be gone within a week!

Well this was a typical Luftwaffe haircut:



And this is a fine bit of New Romantic frontage:



The current style seems to be a marriage between the two.

Sardine

Where have all the Cowboys gone?

.......

Sardine wrote: »

Where have all the Cowboys gone?

Still plenty of them around, they just dont have Stetsons these days.

tomofson

I have asked this question in the past, it would seem like music orientated subcultures are dead now days.

I wish they still existed honestly, I miss the skater fashion of the 00's a lot. And I miss metalheads,punks and skinheads, I wish they all still existed but unfortunately they are gone for good.

everlast75

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEP1v3Typjk

topper75

I thought the net would increase diversity. Nobody need by the only curehead, or whatever it is you are, in the village. You could connect with others with similar interest that didn't live in Borrisinamulloch.

Seems I am wrong. It brought conformity.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

I don't know about that, there's definitely a mainstream look (the highly groomed boxfresh instagram look) but there absolutely was one when I was growing up, and I assume in the 80s too. I see plenty hippie and crusty kids, metal kids, skaters. Goth seems to have died.

There are musical subcultures too, I live in Cork and even in a city this size there are a few different scenes even within techno. The relationship between fashion is less rigid but still, go to a metal gig for long beards and chains and black, go to a breakcore gig (don't do that) and you'd think it's fcuking sponsored by Adidas.

Back in the day music and fashion was, literally, much more of an investment, and we had far less and far slower moving outside influence. Nowadays they've got all the music ever made anywhere, for free, whenever they want and can observe like, micro trends in Brixton street fashion in real time. If they're into a certain kind of music, they can follow the artist, join FB groups and connect with other like minded people easily, they don't have to wander around wearing the right t-shirt and hairstyle and hope they spot someone the same.

It's different, and there are some things they're missing out on, but it's better in some ways too.

.......

topper75 wrote: »

I thought the net would increase diversity. Nobody need by the only curehead, or whatever it is you are, in the village. You could connect with others with similar interest that didn't live in Borrisinamulloch.

Seems I am wrong. It brought conformity.

Is it the net or social media that has brought about this lack of self expression?

Your Face

Perhaps it's now sub-grouped into race and gender and all that fun stuff.

tomofson

....... wrote: »

Is it the net or social media that has brought about this lack of self expression?

I believe music subcultures began to die out after facebook became popular, the lost one I remember around 2009ish was the scene kids.

Niles Crane

Identity politics has taken over from all that sort of stuff.

verycool

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Indeed! I'm an ex-Curehead. After nearly 30 years, I still only wear black.

Were they not goths?

5rtytry56

Niles Crane wrote: »

Identity politics

YES.
Such subcultures are not compatible with the entailing Political Correctness.

jpm4

Music is free or cheap as hell, why limit yourself to one sub culture when you can take a little of each? Same for the clothes - they do "metal" clothes in h&m sometimes. No need to invest your time or money hence no allegence.

As someone else said online identity politics has replaced a lot of this stuff as an outlet for teens.

tomofson

jpm4 wrote: »

Music is free or cheap as hell, why limit yourself to one sub culture when you can take a little of each? Same for the clothes - they do "metal" clothes in h&m sometimes. No need to invest your time or money hence no allegence.

As someone else said online identity politics has replaced a lot of this stuff as an outlet for teens.

Most people back then used to listen to a lot of different music too, it was just a fashion thing which fashion you liked the best.

There used to be a goth lad a few years ago used to walk around dun laoghaire wearing a weird goth man-skirt. He had painting on his face too, I remember thinking he was pretty cool.

J Mysterio

tomofson wrote: »

I have asked this question in the past, it would seem like music orientated subcultures are dead now days.

I wish they still existed honestly, I miss the skater fashion of the 00's a lot. And I miss metalheads,punks and skinheads, I wish they all still existed but unfortunately they are gone for good.

Go to Dundrum and look at the Vans t-shirts. These used to be nice big, cotton t-shirts where the sleeves went to near enough your elbow. These days they are - like all popular clothes - skin tight.

jpm4

tomofson wrote: »

Most people back then used to listen to a lot of different music too, it was just a fashion thing which fashion you liked the best.

I disagree, unless you were loaded there is no way you could access the amount of music you can now as a teen.

Am a big metal head and I remember as a teen hmv had a particular obscure black metal album I really wanted! It had an "import" sticker on it and cost 30 euro! Nowadays I can just stream it free in youtube.

J Mysterio

jpm4 wrote: »

I disagree, unless you were loaded there is no way you could access the amount of music you can now as a teen.

Am a big metal head and I remember as a teen hmv had a particular obscure black metal album I really wanted! It had an "import" sticker on it and cost 30 euro! Nowadays I can just stream it free in youtube.

You recorded it off the radio and shared mix tapes. You watched MTV or Kerrang or whatever. You bought music magazines.

The Crowman

Almost every eary 80's sub culture is included here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0ab6II1psU

Ash.J.Williams

The kids have put getting laid before individuality

.......

The Crowman wrote: »

Almost every eary 80's sub culture is included here.

Interviewed by old prune face himself.

Fairly elaborate hair do on yer man from Kiliney!

tomofson

jpm4 wrote: »

I disagree, unless you were loaded there is no way you could access the amount of music you can now as a teen.

Am a big metal head and I remember as a teen hmv had a particular obscure black metal album I really wanted! It had an "import" sticker on it and cost 30 euro! Nowadays I can just stream it free in youtube.

I used to buy an album every week when I was a kid and I am far from loaded, people did have the internet in the early to late 2000's , I had it and again I am not loaded. I can remember using limewire to download songs, but I do get what you are saying. With youtube it is far easier to listen to different music because almost every song ever made is on it.

What is the name of the black metal album if you don;t mind me asking?

I was big into rap and hip hop as a kid, which makes me cringe because I hate most of the stuff these days, my cousin who I grew up with was mad into heavy metal and other rock bands, We used to listen to each others music. It makes me laugh when I think how we used to pretend we hated each others music tastes back then only to finally admit to each other we did like certain songs from certain bands which we would follow up with "but the rest is ****e". I actually really enjoy bands like metallica, slipknot and system of a down now, I am not too big into NWA anymore though.

My cousin also had a lot of friends around who where big into music and they would bring cd's for us to listen too, that is mostly how we found out about different music.

Gimme A Pound

J Mysterio wrote: »

You recorded it off the radio and shared mix tapes. You watched MTV or Kerrang or whatever. You bought music magazines.

You sure did, but there is still absolutely no way that there was the same access to any music you wanted, or as cheap, even for free. Waiting around in case the dj played your favourite song to tape is definitely not the same as looking up anything you want in your own time and playing it yourself immediately/keeping it in full without someone talking over it/cutting it short.

Badly Drunk Boy

verycool wrote: »

Were they not goths?

Yeah, I suppose, or at least a subset. Just another label from people who weren't. I didn't go around saying "I'm a Curehead!" or "I'm a Goth!". That's just how people referred to you. I listened to The Cure, The Sisters Of Mercy, Bauhaus, but I was also listening to The Fall, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Nick Cave (and still do).

.......

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Yeah, I suppose, or at least a subset. Just another label from people who weren't. I didn't go around saying "I'm a Curehead!" or "I'm a Goth!". That's just how people referred to you. I listened to The Cure, The Sisters Of Mercy, Bauhaus, but I was also listening to The Fall, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Nick Cave (and still do).

You didnt have to say it - it was obvious what you were by how you looked.

Sardonicat

....... wrote: »

I forgot about Cureheads. They had great hair.

Yes. But highly flammable. Lighting your ciggy from a gas hob was not a good idea, as I discovered.

El_Duderino 09

....... wrote: »

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Kids don't even have any interest in listening to an album from start to finish anymore so the likelihood of them devoting their time to styling their like a teddy boy or something is slim to none. They still follow fashion but it doesn't seem to be informed by their choice in music.

Im more looking at it from the point of individuality and self expression.

We used to be part of subcultures because we wanted to be different. Now obviously we were only different within a larger group, all the rockers were still rockers and the same as each other. But rockers were a minority group within the wider group of kids of that generation. And mainly, we wanted to be different to our parents.

Even within our particular subculture it was possible to express yourself differently to others, style your hair differently etc... There was no "one" rocker look, it was rather a theme of a number of different ways of being.

But these days I see kids and they all look the same, no one is expressing any individuality or using their hair/clothes/style to express themselves.

Whats happened!?

I’d presume you just can’t tell the differences between the kids styles. Imagine an old boy when you were young. Do you reckon they knew about the differences between rockers? Or would thy have seen a bunch of rockets all dressed the same?

I’d say the kids could tell each other’s styles apart even if you Oder people can’t.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

I spent heaps of money and time on music when I was a teenager. Staying up late to listen to donal dineen, hoping you'd catch him muttering the name of the artist if you liked a song and then hoping to fcuk they had it in one of the music shops the next time I made it to Galway. Scouring Hotpress and NME trying to guess if I'd like something and taking a punt on the CD. Spending a lot of time at friends' houses if they had the music channels. Limewire and the likes in the mid 2000s in rural Ireland was mostly an exercise in how to be patient and not punch a Compaq :pac:

I'm getting nostalgic now but taking the rose tinted glasses off if 15 y/o me could have had an afternoon on spotify I would have sh1t myself with joy. Literally sh1t myself.

Ragnar Lothbrok

I went to see the ska band "The Service" in An Bróg, Cork, last week and the place was heaving. Although everyone loved the music, the only ones dressed any differently were the middle-aged skinheads (myself included ). Everyone else who appeared to be born after the seventies were all dressed remarkably "normal".

My son is in his mid 20s and neither he nor any of his friends had a particular style in the way that you could define as being part of a particular group - although some of his school friends were goths/emos.

In my teens I remember many of us were clearly defined as Skins, Punks, Mods, Rockers or (God help us) New Romantics. You just don't see that these days, and like most of the modern ills, I lay the blame fairly and squarely on Social Media and the seemingly overwhelming drive to conform to the norm.

Ragnar Lothbrok

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I’d presume you just can’t tell the differences between the kids styles. Imagine an old boy when you were young. Do you reckon they knew about the differences between rockers? Or would thy have seen a bunch of rockets all dressed the same?

I’d say the kids could tell each other’s styles apart even if you Oder people can’t.

I'm calling BS on that one

Put a bunch of Skinheads in a room with a bunch of Rockers and anyone, even my old Granny, could tell the difference between a shaved head and a head full of long, greasy hair.

Same goes for the Mods with their clean cut appearance and fancy suits. Punks with Mohicans and studded leather jackets most definitely did not look like the ridiculously foppish New Romantics.

True, a lot of old people would just have seen us all as young hooligans, and might not have known the specific name of the "subculture" we adhered to, but they would have had to be blind not to see the difference in dress.