CLOSERThanMOST - The Working-class Brand Blog.

British Chavs, british subculture, Indie Music, Lad Culture, UK indie - May 16, 2023

What became of the likely lads? - The death of British Lad Culture

Remember when Slaughter and the Dogs said "Where have all the Bootboys gone?". Well it looks like we're back there again, only this time they might be gone for good. And that "they" I refer to now is the "Lads". What ever happened to Lad Culture in British Music? The angry frontmen with swagger and an attitude to boot. Testosterone filled venues and rowdy gigs at risk of descending into a mini-scale riot. All now replaced by effeminate student hipster bands who are in touch with their feelings and want to constantly talk about mental health. Not for wanting to sound uncompassionate the...

Acid Casuals. Hooligans On E.

Abandoned factories, crumbling mills and high unemployment. It certainly was a bit Grim Up North in 80's Britain. However youth innovation is never too far away on this little grey rock in the sea. And something was bubbling in the underbelly. When us Brits do our own take on something we usually do it better and the Acid House movement was no different. Soon the empty factories and mills would become a hub for a new youth subcult movement with a new Chicago house music sub-genre as the main backdrop. From Blackburn to London, Illegal raves sprung up around the country turning the decaying...

Is British Subculture Dead?

2020. And this year has got us thinking. What, with the empty football stands, no live music, festivals and cancelled scooter rallies, what an awfully shit year it's been really. It has also got us pondering the state Youth Subculture is in. Even the mainstream hasn't been so uncool ever in history. Young lads these days seemed more self obsessed than ever. The order of the day is teeth from Turkey, ripped skinny jeans and six pack abs over 6am wake-ups, clobber, booze and aggro. Where are all the men's men at? I would take the chavs and scallies of the early...

Football Casual : It started in the North?

Northern football casuals, the originals? The age old debate rages on. What region of England does the terrace casual movement owe its beginnings to? It'll probably never be proven and definitely never agreed on. And whilst our Southern counterparts were perhaps the first to be noticed and marked with the medias Casuals moniker, fellow Northerners who were there from the get go claim it all started back in '79.... up North of course! Regardless of the scene's beginnings, one thing that was guaranteed from region to region and certainly in the the pre-internet years, was the difference in styles and trends. Casuals we'rent just...

Spike Island: Where angels play.

Last week was the 29th anniversary of the ‘gig of our generation’, The Stone Roses at Spike Island. I’d won nearly £500 on the horses so I bought two tickets, one for me and one for my mate Chris, and spent £50 on a pair of Joe Bloggs flares. I decided the easiest way to get the coach so went to the bus station and booked two tickets. We decided to go up the night before, we had no idea where we’d stay though. I vaguely remember Chris saying don’t worry, we’ll find somewhere. Saturday 26th came and off we...

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british subculture RSS

What became of the likely lads? - The death of British Lad Culture

Acid Casuals. Hooligans On E.

Is British Subculture Dead?

Football Casual : It started in the North?

Spike Island: Where angels play.

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