Absolute Beginners

Penguin, 1986. Very Good. 'I swore by Elvis and all the saints that this last teenage year of mine wa s going to be a real rave. Yes, man, come whatever, this last year of the t eenage dream I was out for kicks and fantasy' London, 1958. A new phenomeno n is causing a stir: the teenager. In the smoky jazz clubs of Soho and the coffee bars of Notting Hill the young and the restless - the absolute begin ners - are revolutionising youth culture and forging a new carefree lifesty le of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. Moving in the midst of this world of mods and rockers, Teddy gangs and trads., and snapping every scene with his tru sty Rolleiflex, is MacInnes' young photographer, whose unique wit and hones t views remain the definitive account of London life in the 1950s and what it means to be a teenager. In this twentieth century cult classic, MacInnes captures the spirit of a generation and creates the style bible for anyone interested in Mod culture, and the changing face of London in the era of t he first race riots and the lead up to the swinging Sixties.