Extra Review of The Mod Squad Goes Global - Newspaper Article

This article The Mod Squad Goes Global explores the Mod cultures enduring appeal. Dan Synge explains the four stages of the Mod culture history: Quadrophenia-led parkafest in 1979, an Acid Jazz version in the late 1980’s and the fringe-and-guitar swagger of Britpop. Now the fourth phase he believes is the international era. Modstock 2 which was held in London in early summer attracted Mods from Germany, Sweden, Spain, the US and Japan. This event attracted 3000 Mods. Dan compares the Mod subculture to a church and believes that the Mod subculture needs to spread the gospel to attract new members. One of the men he interviewed explains that it’s a lot easier to be a Mod in this time period. When he was a Mod in the mid to late 1980’s he was battered and had lager poured on him by skinheads and casuals. For the current day Mods it’s easy to get original style fashion as many of the original tailors are still open and operating in Lexington Street and Carnaby Street. He explains today’s Mods like to mix vintage with modern designers such as Paul Smith, John Smedley and Prada. The reason this period is called the international era is because some of the most healthiest and thriving Mod scenes can be found in Italy, Sweden and Germany. The new Mods are trying to remove the stereotypical Union Jack image from the subculture to allow it to become international.

This newspaper article provides a complementary viewpoint from the other texts. It shows how the original Mod scene is evolving and changing to find a place in today’s modern world.

List of Works Cited

Synge, D. (2004). The Mod squad goes global: In its latest incarnation, the resurgent Mod scene has gone international. Dan Synge examines the subculture's enduring appeal: [LONDON 1ST EDITION]. Financial Times. LONDON, United Kingdom: 7-7.

Link to Full Text

Rethinking 'Moral Panic' for Multi-Mediated Social Worlds - Angela McRobbie and Sarah L. Thornton

The article 'Moral Panic' for Multi-Mediated Social Worlds explains the idea of moral panic and folk devils. The article explains how the fights between the Mods and the Rockers effectively launched the term and idea of moral panic. The media coverage of the fights between the Mods and the Rockers have been criticised by some as being over reported. While others ran down to the beach to watch the ‘fun’. After this period of panic the characters then fade into history. They are then attached to a particular time period and are remembered with a hint of nostalgia. The 1990’s youth culture is heavily rooted in the moral panics of the mods fighting with the rockers, the drug taking of these subcultures and the foul mouths of the punks. Altogether these elements form part of their celebrated folklore. Disapproving mass media legitimises and authenticates youth cultures to the degree that it is hard to imagine a British youth ‘movement’ without it. It gives them something to achieve it turns their difference into defiance, lifestyle into social upheaval and leisure into revolt.

This article like some of my previous texts explores the subject of moral panic and folk devils. Some of my other texts show ways to interpret and analyse events which occurred in Mod history this one starts from the start. Mods launched moral panic and this article looks more into the Mods impact on subcultures today. It explores the topic of marginalised subcultures and because they are different they misbehave to get recognition from the mass media. This text gives a perspective of how Mods have influenced today’s subcultures.

List of Works Cited

McRobbie, Angela and Sarah Thornton. “Rethinking ‘Moral Panic’ for Multi-Mediated Social Worlds.” The British Journal of Sociology 46 (1995): 559-574.

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Rock Music Styles a History - The British Invasion

This chapter ‘The British Invasion Continues and America Reacts’ from the book Rock Music Styles a History explores the relationship between the Mods and their favourite music. The Mod subculture was influential in determining a bands image and their repertoire. The article explains that bands such as The Who specifically cultivated their image to attract a Mod following. Their manager Pete Meaden was a Mod himself and he got the band to change their name to the High Numbers, wear clean cut suits, get haircuts and change their majority of their musical output to Motown. The Motown sound was very popular with the Mods. Their most memorable hit My Generation (1965) was based on the amphetamine taking Mod subculture. The lyrics were stuttered as the Mods had a reputation for being inarticulate. This song was well received by the Mod culture as the lyrics represented their values and beliefs. The Mod subculture of amphetamine taking and a fast lifestyle matched well The Who’s violent and unpredictable live music. The Kinks another band of this time period also had a Mod following but to a lesser extent. The Kinks were known for taking a dig at their Mod fan base. Their song A Well Respected Man took a dig at the Mod subculture then they further insulted them with the song Dedicated Follower of Fashion which insulted the Mods fashion interests.    

This chapter gives a totally different viewpoint compared to the last two texts. This chapter is from the perspective of music history and the Mods influence and interaction with it. This chapter with the last texts gives a rounded perspective of the Mods subculture.

Link to UQ library Call no. ML3534 .C45 2008

List of Works Cited

Charlton, Katherine. Rock Music Styles: a history. 5^th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008.  

Folk Devils and Moral Panics - Stanley Cohen

Chapter one of Stanley Cohen’s Folk Devils and Moral Panics explores the subject of deviance. Several theories are used to explain the behaviours of the group/individual and the reactions of society. Stanley explains how society labels rule breakers as belonging to certain deviant groups and once the person is typecast, his acts are interpreted in terms of the status which he has been assigned. The older sociology idea of deviance leads to social control was challenged and can be reversed to: social control leads to deviance. Stanley believes one of the main factors in folk devils and moral panics is the mass media. The article explains that before the news is broadcast the information is structured according to the commercial and political constraints of the television or radio station. The chapter goes on to say that the mass media may not be self consciously engaged in crusading or muck-raking but their very reporting of certain ‘facts’ can be sufficient to generate concern, anxiety, indignation or panic. Stanley believes that the Mods and Rockers Phenomenon is a form of adolescent deviance among the working class youth in Britain. One of the main ideas in this chapter is that natural disaster theory can also be applied to deviance and the Mods and Rockers. When the theory is condensed to warning, Impact and reaction the individual events of the Mods and Rockers fits very well.

This chapter of Stanley Cohen’s book explains very well the idea of deviance and the theories behind it.  It was very intriguing how he incorporated other sociological theories into his analysis. So far the journal article Moral Panic by Arnold Hunt and this chapter particularly agree on the role of mass media in moral panics and the created image around the Mods and the Rockers.

Call no. HQ779.8.G7 C63 2002  in Social Sciences Library

Link to UQ Catalogue

List of Works Cited

Cohen, Stanley. Folk Devils and Moral Panics. 3^rd ed. London: Routledge, 2002.

      

'Moral Panic' and Moral Language in the Media

The article “‘Moral Panic’ and Moral Language in the Media” written by Arnold Hunt explores the subject of moral panic and its role in society. The scope of the article covers the history of mass panic, three theories of how it is created and it’s uses in society. The article shows how moral panic is a useful tool in controlling the general public and isolating sub cultural groups. Moral panic stems from a condition, episode, person or group of people who become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. This is then presented in a stereotypical view by the mass media (Hunt 630). The article explains that these groups are used as scapegoats to put all of societies fears onto. The activities of the Mods and Rockers were not the problem in a limited and temporary sense but the underlying cause of the moral panic was the cultural strain and ambiguity caused by social change.  One theory explains how moral panic transcends time. It shows how in early modern Scotland witch hunts occurred at moments of political tension often during the transition to a new regime (Hunt 632). This shows that underlying social issues are the root of moral panic but are exacerbated by stereotypical mass media coverage. Supporters of ‘moral panic’ have argued that the term is still relevant to the media now as it was to the relatively unsophisticated reporting of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s. This article shows how mass panic was created around the Mods through mass media. This is a very informative and detailed article that explains mass panic in society and how it is created.

                                                                                                                          

            Link to Article: ‘Moral Panic’ and Moral Language in the Media

List of Works Cited

Hunt, Arnold. “’Moral Panic’ and Moral Language in the Media.” The British Journal of Sociology 48 (1997): 629-648.

Introduction to My Blog

This blog will delve into the subculture world of mods. Mods are a subculture which originated in London, England in the 1950’s and peaked in the mid 1960’s. They were distinguishable by their formal clothing which was most often tailor made suits and their scooters. Mods listened to pop music which consisted of soul, ska, R&B and British Beat Music. The mod subculture had a rival subculture, the Rockers. These subcultures had opposing values to each other Mods were effeminate and predominately from the middle class whereas the Rockers were loutish and scruffy. Over the next five weeks four texts relating to the subculture of mods will be academically reviewed and posted here.