The Teds • hardcover book by Chris Steele-Perkins & Richard Smith

The Teds • hardcover book by Chris Steele-Perkins & Richard Smith

Greased quiffs, drape jackets, bootlace ties and the unmistakable attitude of Britain's first teenage rebels. The Teds is a classic photographic portrait of the Teddy Boy phenomenon, documenting the young working-class generation that transformed British street culture in the 1950s. Originally published in 1979 and republished in this handsome 2016 hardcover edition, the book combines striking documentary photography with text to tell the story of a youth movement that changed the face of post-war Britain.

Photographer Chris Steele-Perkins and writer Richard Smith explore the rise of the Teds, from their early appearance in the 1950s to the cultural upheaval of 1956, when the arrival of Rock Around the Clock brought rock ’n’ roll excitement and teenage rebellion into cinemas across Britain. The film's screenings were accompanied by disturbances in several cities, with some cinemas banning it altogether. Against this backdrop, the book captures the fashion, personalities, social tensions and changing identity of a generation that refused to blend into the background. The story belongs alongside the music of Bill Haley, Elvis Presley and British rock ’n’ roll pioneers such as Billy Fury.

This substantial hardcover editrion is a fascinating visual record of Teddy Boy culture across three decades. An essential book for Teddy Boy enthusiasts, rock 'n' roll fans, collectors of vintage British photography and anyone interested in the birth of modern youth culture. A chance to explore the original look, spirit and attitude of the Teds through an acclaimed documentary photography project.