June 14th, 2010
Mod London: 2010
In a city where the broad strokes of history have taken some very bold moves, in the realms of both comedy and tragedy, there are places where it looks as though time stood still. Subculture is a fascinating thing, and one that will never find its most appropriate endgame, because there is no end. And when a new generation decides to adopt a fashion and a sensibility from another time, like the Mods have always done, it’s never frozen in place.
Tourists in London can find a city that is everything they dreamed it was, but there’s always so much more. Although it’s still a place where one can find excellent theatre, and a lovely hotel, London has a series of underground circles that continue to twirl forward into history, and often into visibility in the life on the streets.
When porkpie hats and short jeans are seen, it’s a good indication that this is the middle of another Mod revival . There is a presence in the city of Vespa scooters with lots of mirrors, and people who look like they might be the third generation of children of Marx and Coca-Cola. Unlike some subcultures, this one isn’t based on a blind faith in something unseen, but has always been put forth as a cynical response to the times.
It’s very reasoned out, this Mod world-view, and it’s one that’s actually somewhat enticing. The original manifestation of the Mods started as a kind of across-the-pond version of the Beat culture. They came from the working class neighborhoods of South London, and had a taste for existentialism. The favorite hang-out was the coffee house, not because of any moral choice on drunkenness, but because the cafes were open late. They could hang out and talk about philosophy and poetry into the wee hours.
They were also terribly fashion conscious, looking to Italy for clues about style, and them modifying these answers to fit their own tastes. While they were developing their own codes, which included an egalitarian perspective on sex roles, the music was trying to catch up, and once it did, it never stopped.
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