Keep On Rockin´ Vol. 6 – History of the Teds

Keep on Rockin'

The Teds subculture came from England, where it developed in London in the early 1950s and swept the island, thereafter. The fashion was long jackets (Drapes), tight trousers (drainpipes), crepe-soled shoes, slim jim ties, and a waistcoat. Topped off with a Tony Curtis hairstyle – a quiff, with a Ducktail at the back. King Edward VII (reign 1901-1910) was the namesgiver to Britain´s first youth subculture. On September 23rd 1953 the Daily Express Newspaper shortened Edward to Teddy, added the Boys – hence the name for these youngsters – Teddy Boys. “In terms of English Teenagers Teddy Boys were the start of everything: Rock & Roll and coffee bars, clothes and bikes and language, jukeboxes and coffee with froth on it – the whole concept of a private teen life style, seperate from the adult world.” (Nik Cohn) Rock & Roll and the Teds became entwined, and would forver remain strongly connected. In the lean years of Classic Rock & Roll, the mid-1960s when the British groups had swept American Rock & Roll out of the jukeboxes, radio and the charts: The Teds organized, like the North Finchley Rock & Roll Preservation Society, met in back rooms of pubs and appeared once more in their fineries – the velvet drapes and spangled waistcoats and righs, and their hair, or what was left of it, still thick with grease, and sideburns which would make ´General Sideburn´- the alleged namegiver for it, proud. Sitting in corners speaking of Eddie Cochran, or James Dean and Mamie Van Doren, remembering a bygone age, when men were men and died as they lived …
Over sixty years on – The Ted cult has become international – Teddy Boy Rock & Roll bands such as Lou Cifer & The Hellions or Crazy Cavan & The Rhythm Rockers keep the Rock & Roll flag flying. Otto Fuchs explores the music, lifestyle, and history of this British subculture in Volume 6 of “Keep On Rockin´” on Radio Orange.