1980s Punk Gallerys

Michael (15), left, and Angus (14),
from Southall.

Michael: I've been a punk for two and a half years. It was the music that attracted me. I like The Damned, Crass, Vice Squad, and the Pistols. I knew something was happening in 1977. I was into Dr. Feelgood then and that was about it. I get my trousers from Fans, this
t-shirt I got in Portobello Rd. I've got a part-time job so I buy all my own stuff. My Mum doesn't mind me dressing up like this, just as long as we keep out of the way of the police. There's a group of us-called the Southall Punks. We hang around the park or the off licence.
Angus: I've been a punk for a year. I was into disco and all that normal boring junk. Now I listen to Discharge, Crass, Exploited, Pistols and PiL of course. I do a milk round every day in the school holidays and Saturdays in the term. I buy all my own clothes. The first four months I decided to dress like this my mum and I had some real arguments. Once she said If a skin sees you, you've had it. Now she lets me get on with it. We're not really political punks. Politics and government do come into punk music: Crass sing about anti-nukes and peaceful anarchy. I don't think punk is a political movement anymore though. Basically though, I think we're on the same lines, with the same principles as the original punks. The only difference is they came out in '77 and we didn't. Once an older, probably original punk shouted at us: They put on a pair of bondage trousers and think they're punks'. Well, we know we are, so it doesn't matter what they say.