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Rocker (subculture)

For other uses, see Rocker (disambiguation).

Three rockers on Chelsea Bridge

Rockers (also known as leather boys[1] or ton-up boys[2]) are members or followers of a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the late 1950s and was popular in the 1960s. It was mainly centred on motorcycles and rock 'n' roll music. By 1965, the term greaser had also been introduced to Great Britain[3][4][5] and, since then, the terms greaser and rocker have become synonymous within the British Isles, although used differently in North America and elsewhere. Rockers were also derisively known as Coffee Bar Cowboys.[6] Their Japanese counterpart was called the Kaminari-Zoku (Thunder Tribe/Clan/Group, or Thunderers).[7]

  1. ^ Stuart, John, Rockers! Kings of the Road (Plexus Publishing, 1996). ISBN 0-85965-125-8.
  2. ^ 14 February 1961, The Daily Express (London)
  3. ^ Motor Cycle, 24 June 1965. p.836. On the Four Winds by 'Nitor'. "It was, I have it on good authority, as much a surprise to the so-called rockers to find they are now "greasers" as it was to the general public...The people in question—greasy rockers?—are expected to sit back uncomplainingly while learned gentlemen in such papers as the Guardian discuss the pros and cons...I would suggest to the Guardian's correspondent, and to any other erudite commentators who feel duty bound to join in, that the subject should be allowed to die a natural death." Accessed 20 February 2014
  4. ^ greaser, n. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. (1989); online version December 2011. <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/81098>
  5. ^ The Sun newspaper wrote,[when?] "you can call rockers Greasers if you like. ... Greasers just means they have to put a lot of work into bikes."
  6. ^ Frame, Pete, The Restless Generation: How Rock Music Changed the Face of 1950s Britain (Rogan House, 2007) ISBN 0-9529540-7-9.
  7. ^ Bailey, Don C.A., Glossary of Japanese Neologisms (Arizona Press, 1962).

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