Thursday 4th July p.m Conference presentation extract: Decoding Black Leather: Building a Biography of British Motorcycle Subcultures before 1965 – Tim Arrowsmith Black leather and motorcycles often feature in discourse on rebellion and delinquency in the latter half of the twentieth century, with garments acquiring unique status as signifiers of danger and moral threat. Academic work has either focused on US motorcycle cultures or the cultural legacy of Mods & Rockers as translated through Punk culture, without fully considering the influences of earlier recreational and racing motorcycle practices on British subcultural identity. This presentation will investigate the influence of racing on British motorcycle subcultural fashions of the 1950s and 1960s to contribute to a wider study of subcultural participants. It will explore the operation of the machines and the emulation of successful sport riders by young British motorcyclists, drawing upon media representations, period garment advertising and internal texts such as The Motor Cycle and Link, the 59 Club’s member magazine.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 07:01:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015