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SKINHEAD! A brief look at the history, culture & music

Back in the late sixties, the white working class youth cult known as skinheads came to the fore in Britain, partly perhaps as a reaction to flower-power and maybe as a continuation on from the 'mods', an early to mid-sixties youth movement. Just as the mods had embraced Jamaican Ska music, their later counterparts opted for the sound of reggae, especially the fast organ instrumentals of the time. Numerous records were made specifically targetting this audience - several mentioning the 'uniform' of cropped hair, cherry red Dr. Marten boots, braces, Sta-Prest Levi's and Ben Sherman shirts - and 'skinhead reggae' has become a very collectable sub-genre over the intervening years.

SYMARIP were one of the best-known exponents, thanks to their 'Skinhead Moonstomp', a minor hit at the time on the British Treasure Isle label and a greater success when re-released during the 'Two-Tone Revival' in the Britain of 1980. Skinhead Moonstomp : The Best Of Symarip (Trojan TJACD 154) gathers together 25 titles by the group in various incarnations ( they also recorded as the Pyramids and Seven Letters) and includes 'Skinhead Girl' and the almost music hall 'Skinhead Jamboree' in addition to the title track. Predictable it ain't - yes, there are plenty of fast, driving reggae performances but there are also such curiosities as 'La Bella Jig' (Kingston meets Dublin!), the awful 'Fung Shu' and several string laden cuts. There is even a belated and very worthwhile follow-up to the hit, recorded in 2003! Mostly though this is a set very much of its time - and for many that will be recommendation enough!

LAUREL AITKEN was a star on the Jamaican music scene as far back as 1959 and ten years later the skins were buying his records by the barrow-load. His famous quote 'I don't like skinheads coming to my gigs - I LOVE skinheads coming to my gigs' is frequently cited and on his latest CD Live At Club Ska (Trojan TJACD 150) he acknowledges the support he has received over the years by performing 'Skinhead Train' and 'Skinhead'. Recorded in 2001, Laurel is in excellent form and the unwary would never guess they are listening to a man in his early seventies! Backing is courtesy of fellow veteran, trombonist Rico Rodrigues and drummer Jah Bunny's Freetown, and the whole is a joyous, romping celebration of good time ska and reggae, with Laurel even reaching back as far as the island's Rhythm & Blues days. Lovely packaging and very informative notes from Sir Marcus Downbeat complete an admirable release!

- Norman Darwen