MORTONS ARCHIVE > Mortons Archive Collection > From our issues - motorcycles > WD181613@SS P54 - 01
Images used in our publications, now available for commercial use.
Caption: A LULL BEFORE THE STORM
the general public knew nothing about Mods prior to the events of Easter 1964, but like most received wisdoms, it's only partially true. Many people are aware of the 1962 Town article featuring (amongst others) Marc Bolan, but if you look hard enough there is other material around pre-dating the seaside riots.
In December 1963 Motor Cycle magazine ran a light-hearted 'Are you a Mod or a Rocker?' quiz. Readers were asked questions about their attire and habits. The top three levels of scoring (Mod, Mid and Rocker) were all considered "with it", while the lowest scoring category (Old Fogey) was definitely considered to be "without it".
The piece was written by one Mike Evans and it is he who is featured as the example Mod, with a suitably scruffy Rocker alongside for comparison. Mike's clothes include a tab-collared shirt, Cuban heels and a collarless jacket and at this distance in time, it's difficult to recall if these were specifically Mod fashions in late '63. The scooter (a well used GS150 with chrome panels) looks about right though.
The article obviously isn't meant to be taken too seriously, and there's no sense of the friction that was to erupt four or five months later. This sort of thing could not have appeared in a motorcycle magazine after April 1964.
A LULL BEFORE THE STORM
IT'S a received wisdom that
the general public knew nothing about Mods prior to the events of Easter 1964, but like most received wisdoms, it's only partially true. Many people are aware of the 1962 Town article featuring (amongst others) Marc Bolan, but if you look hard enough there is other material around pre-dating the seaside riots.In December 1963 Motor Cycle magazine ran a light-hearted 'Are you a Mod or a Rocker?' quiz. Readers were asked questions about their attire and habits. The top three levels of scoring (Mod, Mid and Rocker) were all considered "with it", while the lowest scoring category (Old Fogey) was definitely considered to be "without it".
The piece was written by one Mike Evans and it is he who is featured as the example Mod, with a suitably scruffy Rocker alongside for comparison. Mike's clothes include a tab-collared shirt, Cuban heels and a collarless jacket and at this distance in time, it's difficult to recall if these were specifically Mod fashions in late '63. The scooter (a well used GS150 with chrome panels) looks about right though.
The article obviously isn't meant to be taken too seriously, and there's no sense of the friction that was to erupt four or five months later. This sort of thing could not have appeared in a motorcycle magazine after April 1964.