| 1950's Britain and 1950's America contrasted | | | | afterwards, driving the establishment nuts and |
| greatly; while there was something of a golden | | | | sending the media into a rapturous frenzy. Of |
| age occurring in the States, Britain was still reeling | | | | course the big kahunas in the music and rag |
| from the effects of World War Two. In this | | | | trades copped onto the tide and began to |
| climate the Mods rose; teenagers rejecting the | | | | produce the goods that the teddy boys needed. |
| Technicolor fairytales that were been fed to them | | | | It was all about being hip, clean-cut and sharp - |
| through the mediums of radio, TV and cinema. In | | | | they ate up Italian and French art films to get |
| addition they rebelled against the stuffy, | | | | ideas of what to wear. |
| repressed and class-obsessed status quo that | | | | To their hard-working, masculine, men's-men |
| their parents generation were sleeping through. | | | | fathers they were like Martians - with their |
| Unlike their world weary elders, they benefited | | | | penchant for dandy clothes, spending cash on |
| from full employment and hire purchase which | | | | records, dancing all-night - basically embracing |
| gave them the freedom to purchase an image. | | | | hedonism, consumerism and profligacy. Fathers |
| A new movement known as the 'teddy boys' | | | | watched in horror as their sons pranced about |
| began to spread like wildfire throughout the | | | | babbling about shopping and clothes - topics that |
| country; it was greatly influenced by the | | | | were thus far the preserve of women. Their |
| American Rock and Roll movement. Bill Haley's cult | | | | sons however mocked their concerns, laughing at |
| movie, Rock Around the Clock premiered in the | | | | their obsession with class which had got them |
| Trocadero in London's Elephant &Castle, the | | | | no-where but keeping them subservient and |
| teddies went in their droves, joyously rioting | | | | down-trodden. |