Richard Allen's cult novels "Skinhead" and "Suedehead" reissued by Dean Street Press (June 29, 2015)

From Dean Street Press:

The reboot: reissuing Richard Allen's cult novels SKINHEAD and SUEDEHEAD

I am glad to say that on 29 June Dean Street Press will be reissuing Richard Allen's two cult novels SKINHEAD and SUEDEHEAD in ebook and paperback formats.

I expect these works need little by way of introduction to you, but copies of the books themselves have been out-of-print, hard to find and expensive for a long time, hence our new editions, which also feature new introductions from Andrew Stevens, a long-time Allen devotee.

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Praise:

‘I did happen to read the book when it came out and I was quite interested in the whole Richard Allen cult... suedeheads and skinheads and smoothies were very much part of daily life. There was a tremendous air of intensity... something interesting grabbed me about the whole thing.’
Morrissey

‘(Richard Allen’s) work shouldn't require a theoretical summing up, once enough of those to whom it appeals understand its attraction we will have superceded this society.’
Stewart Home

Note: ebook versions are available now at the above links.

 

[Anonymous]

i don't care anymore what he is. But here is the statics. Johnny: moz never had a crush on but had a strong Bond and closeness which Morrissey and marr both confirmed. Peter hogg: was no lover but described as rent-a-guy he did not stay for so long and was proply a friend. Jake: was a lover of him. Damon: rumored to be a lover but quite likely be a just PA. Tina: ex-lover.
Female crushes/rumored crushes
Anne mcveigh
Miserable lie-girl
Annalisa jablonski
And the girl with there green hair (severed alliance)
There is the statics, can't be arsed anymore. Lets just drop it

But how do you know Peter hogg was only his friend? imo they were friends with benefits. Also, i do think Damon is his lover and that he indeed had a crush on Marr (i know he has denied it, but i don't really trust in Morrissey tbqh). They way he talks about Tina make her seem like a really good friend but i didn't perceive something romantic. Oh i forgot about Gelato too!! to me, it seems like Moz tried in the 80's to experiment with both men and woman, but later in his life he realized he was more sexually attracted to men

 

[Tynamuna]

But how do you know Peter hogg was only his friend? imo they were friends with benefits. Also, i do think Damon is his lover and that he indeed had a crush on Marr (i know he has denied it, but i don't really trust in Morrissey tbqh). They way he talks about Tina make her seem like a really good friend but i didn't perceive something romantic. Oh i forgot about Gelato too!! to me, it seems like Moz tried in the 80's to experiment with both men and woman, but later in his life he realized he was more sexually attracted to men

That your opinion and i have mine, you say to me how do you know that Peter was just a friend, i say how do you know he was a lover?. i belive the Morrissey marr thing was just fanfiction really and you don't. Only Morrissey knows the truth, so lets leave it at that

PS i think gelato was just a friend why does anyone else think he was a lover. Either way lets just drop it

 

[Anonymous]

I didn't say anything about homosexuality, but if you don't think there's anything sexual in the song then explain: "It was a good lay."

You thought suedehead was a personal song? I was even shocked when the interviewer said it was a personal song. I never saw it as that. People always draws parallels to homosexuality/sex to moz lyrics like it is a default setting.

 

[Anonymous]

That your opinion and i have mine, you say to me how do you know that Peter was just a friend, i say how do you know he was a lover?. i belive the Morrissey marr thing was just fanfiction really and you don't. Only Morrissey knows the truth, so lets leave it at that

PS i think gelato was just a friend why does anyone else think he was a lover. Either way lets just drop it

lol but i'm not saying he and marr had an affair or something because obviously they were just friend, i'mjust saying moz had a crush on marr which is not the same thing! i believe gelato was his bf because some girl i know who used to lived in rome told me everybody knew about their relatisonship and that he wasn't hiding it or anything.

 

[Tynamuna]

I didn't say anything about homosexuality, but if you don't think there's anything sexual in the song then explain: "It was a good lay."

I belive that song was about Morrissey and the skinheads. The skinheads loved morrisseys music and i belive song was moz way of saying, i appreciate that you like My music but don't belive i support/agree with you politics, don't look any deeper in my lyrics for any empathy . Whilst i don't know what he meant with good lay right now (have to think about it) i hardly belive Morrissey would be so blatant in the early days. Could be a another way of saying. Skinheads are a tricky bunch to get to like you but i, Morrissey managed it!

Or the song is about the medias obsession with his personal business and opinion. The good lay comment could be a metaphor to explain: we had a good time the media and i but the media spoiled it

Or maybe about Johnny trying to reach out to him after the break up of Smiths but Morrissey just ignoring it. Good lay could be a metaphor for their great chemistry in song writing. But he did say it was not personal so i don't really know.

Or maybe it is about someone sleeping with someone who got obsessed with them, but not about Morrissey sleeping with a suedehead. Yeah thats it belive. So maybe it is about sex but not Morrissey doing it. Hmmmmm its a tricky song

I apologize anon it could be i about sex. I just never saw It as Morrissey having sex with someone then dumping them and it was not personal, as he said. But it could be observersional

Holy crap i want to find out what this song is about!

 

[Mountjoy]

It's worth pointing out that neither of these books gives anything even close to an accurate picture of the skinhead/suedehead scene.

Allen's "books" are poorly written and are built largely around highly inaccurate media (mis)representations of the greatest British youth subculture of them all. The original "hard mods" (none of the original skinheads had...skinheads) were the most stylish, the most stubbornly, defiantly and brilliantly working class of youth groups. They were not racists and they were more likely to be found in a dancehall than on a football terrace.

Morrisseys fascination with the group is, I would argue, further evidence of his love of the (homo)erotic aspects of certain groups/scenes.

 

[BrummieBoy]

Well boy George is fundamentally wrong here. He is assuming Morrissey is fully gay(but does not want come out since it he thinks that people will just think of him as gay) he does not take in consideration that Morrissey is/could be "bisexual" Morrissey has denied being homosexual he used the term Humasexual. Its perfect for him. Huma is a mythological bird that has both male and female natures in them. Huma bird can never rest/settle down, its always flying.It explains Morrissey perfectly. He like/can be in a relationship with both man and woman but he can never settle down/marry someone.

Boy George is just like the rest of the public, unintentionally labeling Morrissey by assuming that he is gay and looking for reason why he has not come out yet. Morrissey has come out: he is humasexual end of the story. The last i will ever speak of this

What a relief!

best
BB in KBN across the Sound

 

[BrummieBoy]

I belive that song was about Morrissey and the skinheads. The skinheads loved morrisseys music and i belive song was moz way of saying, i appreciate that you like My music but don't belive i support/agree with you politics, don't look any deeper in my lyrics for any empathy . Whilst i don't know what he meant with good lay right now (have to think about it) i hardly belive Morrissey would be so blatant in the early days. Could be a another way of saying. Skinheads are a tricky bunch to get to like you but i, Morrissey managed it!

Or the song is about the medias obsession with his personal business and opinion. The good lay comment could be a metaphor to explain: we had a good time the media and i but the media spoiled it

Or maybe about Johnny trying to reach out to him after the break up of Smiths but Morrissey just ignoring it. Good lay could be a metaphor for their great chemistry in song writing. But he did say it was not personal so i don't really know.

Or maybe it is about someone sleeping with someone who got obsessed with them, but not about Morrissey sleeping with a suedehead. Yeah thats it belive. So maybe it is about sex but not Morrissey doing it. Hmmmmm its a tricky song

I apologize anon it could be i about sex. I just never saw It as Morrissey having sex with someone then dumping them and it was not personal, as he said. But it could be observersional

Holy crap i want to find out what this song is about!

Oh, you've decided to yakk on about this moments after saying you'd keep your trap shut. BB used to that.

The skinheads at Madstock really loved Morrissey, didn't they? And he ran away when they challenged him gaying them up with his lame jacket and Union Jack flag malarkey. Yes, Morrissey fancies a bit of rough, preferably a skinhead...who knew? *rollseyes* Suedehead is a masturbatory fantasy. Very funny one, but I find it highly unlikely that Morrissey ever took one up the arse from some Manc rough trade on the game. You never know, but I'd imagine he was pure frottage. And fromage, but let's not get back to his Cheesetarianism tonight....Amazing how Morrissey's dance of 7 veils over his, ahem! *humasexuality* still reels in the credulous gullible fools when it was pure careerism all along, including Suedehead nudge-nudge nonsense about shagging skins. As if he'd get the chance! LOL! Your analysis of Morrissey's art is #fascinating. Very Swedish....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz No wonder the Danes think you lot are walking Mogadon. Malmo was so boring. 2 hrs was enough. Enough!

best
BB in KBN resting after Soren Kierkegard grave visit...."there's always someone, somewhere..."

 

[Anonymous]

The song got nothing to do with the novel, just the title is the same, maybe for a coincidence naybe for something else. I always taught it was a song about Morrissey's dad obsessed by his wierd son who was living as a reclused in his bedroom and when he finelly found glory everybody were bitching about a relationship with Marr. Am I wrong or Morrissey's dad gave the diary of his son to a journalist to show his boy had his first sexual meeting in his teen? About the humasexual statement don't forget ge wrote: "for a technical fact"...he tryed, but we don't know if he liked it.

 

[ninetimesfined]

The song isn't based on the events of the novel; the title of the song is a reference to the novel of the same name. We all know Moz loves a sly references to art here and there. Probably best not to read into it.

 

[Anonymous]

It's worth pointing out that neither of these books gives anything even close to an accurate picture of the skinhead/suedehead scene.

Allen's "books" are poorly written and are built largely around highly inaccurate media (mis)representations of the greatest British youth subculture of them all. The original "hard mods" (none of the original skinheads had...skinheads) were the most stylish, the most stubbornly, defiantly and brilliantly working class of youth groups. They were not racists and they were more likely to be found in a dancehall than on a football terrace.

Morrisseys fascination with the group is, I would argue, further evidence of his love of the (homo)erotic aspects of certain groups/scenes.

this is good to know as ive a stack of books to read as it is and one to keep writing so thanks for that. this is what some others had to say and what do you know they went for the obvious

"The literal meaning of this song is quite simple:

Person "A" broke it off with person "B" cos "B" violated "A's" trust/boundaries by reading "A"s" diary (I'm so sickened now).

Although the relationship has ended, "A" still cares about "B", and feels sorry that things had to end.

However person "B" continues to bother "A", most likely as an attempt to reconcile, by coming around and attempting communication (why do you come here, why do you hang around, why do you telephone, why send me silly notes)".

seems simple and could be about him and a person unknown or friends hes been observing. remember that morrissey quote where he says he could look at two strangers talking across the room and his mind will start making drama out of it. could be about people in one instance in one situation that just set his imagination running. could be metaphorical to his dealing with press sure but it could also be about him having to deal with obsessive fans alone without the gang around him to insulate a bit always crashing in on him at some inopportune moment which is why i think he started lifting the weights you see in the video. maybe he had a one night stand with a fan and now its just so annoying. either way(s) i dont think there is really a tip off in this song to its actual meaning