Sub-Culture Theory

The Sub-Culture theory is a concept from the academic fields of sociology and cultural studies, which believes that there is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. In the music industry, many of the genres of music populate to the various sub-cultures in society.

Rockers, leather boys, Ton-up boys, and possibly café racers are members of a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the 1950s. It was mainly centred on British café racer, motorcycles and rock 'n' roll music. By 1965, the term greaser had also been introduced to Great Britain. Rockers bought standard factory-made motorcycles and stripped them down, tuning them up and modifying them to appear like racing bikes. Their bikes were not merely transport but were used as an object of intimidation and masculinity projecting them uneasily close to death, an element exaggerated by their use of skull and crossbones-type symbolism.

Rocker fashion

Fashion for Rockers ranged from slick-back gelled hair and leather jackets, to frizzy, volumed hairstyles and denim jackets. This was because Rock was categorised into a various sub-genres influencing many different individuals and their style.