The Next Generation

Sales might have slumped from the mid-70s on, but writers and small publishers have attempted to resurrect the glory days. With no proper marketing might and low production budgets it has been an uphill struggle, but here are some of the best:

Saturday’s Heroes – Joe Mitchell (Out of print/e-book only)

It is all right for the mugs in their executive boxes and expensive seats to moan about football hooliganism. They’ve never had to defend their end against rival fans or fight their way back to a train station after an away game. But Paul West and his skinhead crew don’t care what others think of them anyway. They live in a violent football hooligan world that sees them do battle with casuals, other skins and rival supporters.

A direct descendant of the Richard Allen tradition from 1994; it was the first new fiction from Low Life, an imprint of George Marshall’s S.T. Publishing.

England Belongs To Me – Steve Goodman (Out of print)

It’s 1977 and the ground zero detonation of punk has rocked the establishment. In a roller-coaster ride through the streets and London underground scene, skinhead Derek Peterson and punkette Suzi get it on, but their love is threatened by gathering storm clouds of political extremes. Derek fights to defend his non-racist ideals in an ever-shrinking corner.

Lively fictional account of the London punk and skinhead scene of the late ’70s, published by Low Life in 1997.

Psychobilly – Craig Brackenridge (limited release)

Stevenage. 1986. The Psychobilly disease is spreading across the UK and Harry Powell and his mates have got it bad. They are followers of the brutal blend of Rockabilly & Punk that is seeping across Britain’s musical underground and from Klub Foot to Morecambe Bay, they will go anywhere for wrecking and rumpo. Along with the booze, brawls and bunk-ups, Harry finds something even more special but a dark secret within the crew threatens to tear them apart.

A comedic coming-of-age novel about becoming part of something meaningful with Confessions of a Window Cleaner strength smut and a touch of street violence.

Casual – Gavin Anderson (Out of print)

Chelsea casuals are building up for the big one –Germany away. And this time, its war! A fast moving, pulp novel dealing with football violence. If you liked 70s pulp you’ll love this. Every page is 100% action.

Not sure about the homoerotic cover art but this is a hard-as-nails slab of hooligan pulp from a genuine soccer thug.

The Face/Two-Faced/Facedown – Garry Bushell (In print).

Trilogy following the violent, highly-sexed adventures of undercover cop Harry Tyler. Former Mod Harry brings down a South London crime family but turns vigilante in book two…

Fast-moving, gritty and often laugh-out-loud funny. Published by Blake (2001, 2003) and Caffeine Nights (2013).

Yardie – Victor Headley (Out of print)

Jamaican cocaine courier does a bunk in the mean streets of Hackney, East London, with a kilo of ‘Nigella’ powder.

Published by Pan in 1993, fast-moving and heavy on Jamaican patois

Awaydays – Kevin Sampson (in print)

Gang of Tranmere Rovers hooligans terrorise any Northern town unfortunate enough to have a third division football team to a soundtrack of Joy Division and the Only Ones, and against a backdrop of unemployment, Casuals and smack.

Debut novel from former NME writer, published 1998 by Jonathan Cape

Punk Faction – Marcus Blakeston (e-book only)

1982, the Falklands conflict has kicked off and unemployed Yorkshire punks Colin, Brian and Stiggy are busy having a good time getting drunk, sniffing glue, and watching bands…until a simple misunderstanding with a local skin escalates into all-out war.

Punks, skins, sex, violence… and glue! – Marcus Blakeston (e-book only)

When civilisation comes to an end, the Warhogs motorcycle gang are too busy partying to notice. But after their weekend of drink and drugs fuelled debauchery is over they find themselves in a world gone mad – and embrace the chaos with relish.

Pure exploitation from the North of England containing two main elements of pulp fiction: bikers & zombies. What’s not to love?

Die Hard Mod – Charlie McQuaker (limited paperback release)

Steve the Mod has to leave Belfast after the local sectarians take a dislike to him, so he travels to the natural home of all Mods, Brighton only to find that it’s not the hedonistic nirvana he was expecting. Things go from bad to worse when several blasts from the past make an unwelcome appearance.

Published by Pulp Press.

Dime Detective – Randy Chandler (In print)

When bar-room bouncer Joe Dall’s ex-wife is murdered he finds himself working as a rookie private dick to bring the killer to justice. On the way he crosses bad cops, voodoo and a depraved movie star.

Proper hard-boiled detective noir, from New York’s excellent Comet Press imprint

In the Blood – Ian Snowball & Pete McKenna (In print)

First book in a series set in 1967 in London’s East End, about Mods who work for a local gangster. It’s packed with ultra-violence and 60s soul, with tragic love affair thrown in.

Published 2012 by Austin Macauley

Footnote: The Richard Allen books were republished by George Marshall of Skinhead Times fame in 1992. George persuaded Moffat, then in his 70s, to plan a sequel Skinhead Return telling how Joe Hawkins survived the Aussie plane crash. Sadly the author died in 1993 and the book died with him.