Mods and Rockers

Mods and Rockers were glamorised for their violent aggressive towards each other. The isolated incidents were used to public scare civilians in the media. In a recent article in 2004, it was debated and the truth came to light. Photographers and reporters paid youths to stage a chase or a fight. In the media the images came across more violent then they actually were. According to Howard Bake (1964 Mod) the incident at "Margate some photographs were definitely staged".

The reality is that, Mods and Rockers spent most of the time insulting each other than resulting to physical violence. Phil Bradley stated, "the press hyped it right up. There were only isolated incidents. There weren't riots like in that film Quadrophenia...we certainly didn't go chasing after old people, ever us Rockers." The talk in the press of drugs being a menace facing Britain's Youth's in 1964, is also another false glamorisation. Amphetamines, were described as the Mods pill of choice, which according to the press caused them to become terribly aggressive. 

There was real fighting as well as fake fighting however, not all the photographs were staged. The violence was present in Brighton, but the use of guns is false information. Isolated outbreaks of violence did continue in the 60's. 'The Battle of Hastings' about 1965, was the biggest one. Rather than the Rockers Vs Mods, that the press focused on David Cooke, explained that it was actually Mods Vs Mods. "Mods were fighting each other. The North London hated the South London. South London Mods hated the North London Mods, and East London Mods hated everybody, and everybody hated them." In the end, the Mod movement mutated and disappeared.