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Featuring memories contributed by Radio 2 listeners, Stuart Maconie narrates the story of post-war Britain via 50 records that soundtracked this dramatic and kaleidoscopic period.

The People's Songs: 5:15 - Youth Tribes

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Factual: History

5:15 - Youth Tribes

18/09/2013

BBC Radio 2 - The People's Songs, 5:15 - Youth Tribes

Pop's journey from tribalism to multi-cultural smorgasbord.

The history of UK pop is, in many ways, the history of tribes and cliques. But the 21st century has seen the division of these barriers.

A goth, a punk, a raver and a soul boy walk into a bar... well of course they would, they're probably just mates, hanging out. This is the 21st Century and pop tribes rub along quite differently today. In fact, it could be argued that pop-tribalism isn't the be-all and end-all it once was, when what you wore and how your hair was cut really mattered and defined who and what you were. This track from The Who is a perfect slice of life from the perspective of a young Mod, from the album "Quadrophrenia" and is completely rooted in the notion of youthful tribalism and what it means to be young and searching for one's identity.
Tribalism has been part of British pop music since the rock 'n' roll invasion in the mid-1950s. Kids finally had their own fashion and music, and were thrilled to just look different to their parents. The generation gap opened up, and it was 'us' versus 'them'. But youth culture became more sub-divided over the years. When the skiffle boom happened, on the other side of the aisle were the Trad Jazz fans, looking down their noses at these noisy oiks in their denim jeans and check shirts. In the early '60s you were probably either a Beatles fan or a Rolling Stones fan. A few years later, maybe you were a mod or a rocker. Fights broke out depending on which haircut or trousers you sported. In the '70s you might be a mod, a rocker or a punk. As music splintered and mutated throughout the '80s there were now New Romantics, Metal-heads, Trendies, Yuppies, Punks, New-wavers, Rastas, Soul-boys and girls, Hip-hop heads, Goths, Sports Casuals...
But, come the Noughties, pop tribes seem to have dissipated or been assimilated to a large degree.

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