Skinheads—hostile, confrontational, violent, neo-Nazi hooligans, right? Bald heads, steel-toed boots, and utter contempt for middle class living? Yes, many who identify themselves as skinheads fit this description—and make most of the headlines—but the overall skinhead subculture is far more diverse in politics, attitudes, fashion, and music than most people realize.
Skinheads: A Guide to An American Subculture is an insider’s look at the history of skinheads in the United States, from their emergence from the U.S. hardcore underground in the 1980s in New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, to the current scene that thrives in many major metropolitan areas today.
What makes this revelatory book so compelling is its one-of-a-kind view of skinhead culture from the inside out. Coauthor Perry Hardy is a skinhead, bass player for the band, The Templars, and veteran member of the American skinhead scene since the onset of the movement. Based on his experiences, plus interviews with dozens of skinheads of all kinds, Skinheads draws back the curtain to reveal a world that more often is simply a haven for those disaffected from society, rather than a subculture of hatred or violence.
