From Simon Garfield’s piece, “Getting Under Their Skins,” on UK skinheads, in the Observer:
‘I was so intense about being a skinhead, to me it was final,’ says Gavin Watson, a former skinhead from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. ‘Anybody who grew their hair for work or their girlfriend was severely mentally impaired. I would be downtown and see an older skin growing his hair for some reason or another, I would feel very disappointed. I could not understand how one could ever not be a skinhead once the step had been taken.’
Watson, who is 41, is a more reliable witness than most. On the floor of his Brighton flat is a large black case containing a few hundred photographs. ‘There are many, many more,’ he says. ‘I’ve got 5,000 printed and 10,000 in all.’ The living room windows are open with a view of the sea, and Watson is wearing an Adidas woollen cap and loose-fitting black work-out clothes. He is muscular, tattooed, and illustrates his speech with such animated, large hands that you think he may be wrestling an invisible animal. He calls his black case The Box of Death, and he goes through his photos with a mixture of delight and dread. ‘That’s John… that’s Lee… he went mad… he went off the rails on heroin. That’s Duncan. He died when a PA [an amplifier] fell on him.’
текст: http://www.trenthead.com
Neville skinhead High Wycombe UK 1980's
Skinheads knocking down a wall High Wycombe UK 1980's
A skinhead boy stand in front of UK flag, UK 1980's
Three skinheads, one draped in the Union Jack, walking up a staircase. High Wycombe, UK, early 1980s.
[326x500]
Portrait Gavin Watson, a young skinhead. High Wycombe, UK, early 1980's
Young black kid having his head shaved. UK, early 1980's.
Skinheads High Wycombe UK 1980's
Young skinhead pulling a funny face. UK, early 1980s
Teenage boy skinhead Fred Perry waffle cardigan tweed cap Wycombe UK 1980's
Two skinheads bare chested holding their palms out showing tattoos of the Star of David, UK , 1980's
Group of young skinhead boys and girls, Brighton 1985
Teenage skinhead lounging on grass and squinting in the sunlight. London, early 1980s.
Close-uo of a Dr Marten boot, UK, 1980's