“People do seem very nostalgic for that time,” mused photographer Derek Ridgers about the period between 1978-1987, documented in his book 78-87 London Youth. It’s easy to see why: the photographs, snapped in clubs, after-hours haunts, and on the streets of London, capture so many subcultures that still fascinate today, from punk to goth to New Romanticism to skinhead to Acid House.
It’s baffling to think that so many movements could have co-existed in such a short period. Even so, subcultures were simpler back then, according to Ridgers. “Nowadays, there’s nothing that's easy to rebel against.” Fashion was a huge part of that rebellion, according to Ridgers, whose subjects sport everything from mohawks resembling Grecian columns to bones-as-jewelry to Leigh Bowery-esque makeup. (Ridgers also photographed Bowery himself, in addition to Boy George, Michael Alig, John Galliano, Hamish Bowles, and some other names you might recognize.)
Of course, one reason nostalgia might be mounting for the era could be that many of the original punks and blitz kids are now in their 50s, in prime time for life-reflection. With Derek’s help, we tracked down five intriguing subjects captured in 78-87 London Youth, and asked them about their lives then and now.
ALICE HINES: How old were you in this picture? Where was it taken?
CHRIS HAMBLETON: I was 18 or 19 when the photo was taken at the Batcave, the club to be seen in at the time. It was fabulous! It was a heady mix of music, makeup, movies, mayhem, and marvelous hairdos!
What were you doing in your life that year? What are you doing now?
CH: I am quite sure I spent most of that year applying and experimenting with makeup and hair colors. I made a lot of my own jewelry and clothes, so a fair amount of time would have been spent boiling bones for necklaces. [Laughs]
I’m now an archeologist, currently excavating a Bronze Age Burnt Mound in Leicestershire. I used to wear bones and now I excavate them.
How do you think being part of that scene affected where you are now?
CH: We were a group who were unafraid to express ourselves in whatever way we wanted. We challenged what society said about normality, style, and culture and created our own. In an era of no smart phones, it is fantastic that great photographers like Derek Ridgers were there to record our “Extremities of Fashion” so beautifully.
Do you think youth and counterculture are in a better or worse place now than in the year your photo was taken?
CH: I would suggest that youth culture is in a worse place. It all seems so homogenized now. Most youngsters look the same and seem afraid to stand out from the crowd.
How old were you in this picture? Where was it taken?