also i think it sometimes went in the opposite direction: suedeheads as kids not yet ready for the full skinhead crop, but happy to begin pursuing the hooligan lifestyle... the villain in "anita and me" is one of these (though it's not exactly a historical document)
i and presumably some others at least first came across the word as a kid via richard allen's follow-up to the book skinhead, which is called suedehead (i never read it, but it was on sale in safeway) (the first ever safeway in the uk, in case you didn't know)
― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 12 January 2003 22:50 (twenty-three years ago)
From the '88 Morrissey NME interview:
For starters, surely 'Suedehead' has something to do with Richard Allen's pre-punk seminal trash novel of the same name? Yet there's no mention of suedehead(s) in the lyrics?
"No, I'd noticed that. Does the song have anything to do with the title? Well, I did happen to read the book when it came out and I was quite interested in the whole Richard Allen cult. But really I just like the word 'suedehead'."
So it's not even based on an episode from Suedehead?
"No, not really."
And it's not about anyone in particular?
"Yes, it is, but I'd rather not give any addresses and phone numbers at this stage."
Did you read all the Richard Allen books? Skinhead, Suedehead, Smoothies...?
"Yes, they were quite risque little books at the time, certainly for 13-year-olds, who were the only people who read them. They were definitely to be hidden under the pillow."
Did your mother know?
"No, but she wasn't a suedehead. She was heavily into reggae. I don't think she even read Suedehead!"
Weren't the books full of fighting and fornicating?
"Yes, but I skipped those bits. I do remember the fuss they caused but I think they were only really little bits of enlightenment for a certain sector of people."
Were you attracted to Suedehead and Skinhead because the heroes led very different lifestyles to your own?
"They didn't really because youth cults in Manchester were very strong and suedeheads and skinheads and smoothies were very much part of daily life. I went to youth clubs that were quite violent and youth discos in the afternoons. I have certain fond memories... the grime, certain records like 'Double Barrel' and 'Young Gifted And Black'.
"There was a tremendous air of intensity and potential unpleasantness - something interesting grabbed me about the whole thing. Perhaps only in retrospect, not at the time because on your way home you'd always get duffed up."
Were suedeheads the good guys?
"Not really. I don't think there were any good guys. Everybody had several chips on several shoulders. There was a great velocity of hate!"
And what exactly was a suedehead?
"I think it was an outgrown skinhead. But outgrown only in the hair sense, nothing else. I don't mean a very, very large skinhead with a growth on his back. No, an outgrown skinhead who was slightly softer, not meant to be a football hooligan for instance... so obviously much less interesting."
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 13 January 2003 00:32 (twenty-three years ago)
"but at the end he sings "it was a good lay...a good lay" so maybe there's some connection after all?"
am i being dim, i don't see the connection...? lay = sex, no?
"btw, thanx for the info!"
you're welcome, i was just researching this myself!
btw: richard allen was canadian, real name james moffatt...
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 13 January 2003 19:08 (twenty-three years ago)