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 Cover of The Black Leather Jacket | |
| Author | Mick Farren |
|---|---|
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Leather jackets |
| Publisher | Abbeville Press/Plexus Publishing |
Publication date | 1985 |
| Pages | 96 |
| ISBN | 0-89659-573-0 |
| OCLC | 234240265 |
| 391/.1 19 | |
| LC Class | GT615 .F36 1985 |
The Black Leather Jacket is a book written by English journalist and author Mick Farren published in 1985.
The book chronicles the history of the black leather jacket over a seventy-year span up to the mid-1980s, taking in all aspects of its social, cultural and political impact. In the introduction, Farren says: "The black leather jacket has always been the uniform of the bad. Hitler's Gestapo, the Hell's Angels, the Black Panthers, punk rockers, gay bar cruisers, rock 'n' roll animals and the hardcore mutations of the eighties all adopted it as their own." [1]
Initial prints of the book came in leather effect cover. The paperback version had a studio still of Marlon Brando in The Wild One .
The book was adapted into a 60-minute television documentary shown on the United Kingdom television channel Channel 4 in 1988. Nick Mead directed and co-wrote the script with Farren, Paul Cowan produced. The voice over was provided by United States actor Dennis Hopper, with Michael Vartan playing the part of the Motorcycle Boy.
The title music for the television documentary was written and performed by the British heavy rock group Motörhead. Motörhead frontman Lemmy had known Farren since the late 1960s and they had often collaborated, composing songs for The Deviants, Hawkwind and Motörhead. The song remained unreleased until the 2003 Stone Deaf Forever! boxset was issued.
Motörhead were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Though several guitarists and drummers have played in Motörhead, most of their best-selling albums and singles feature drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke.
Heavy metal fashion is the style of dress, body modification, make-up, hairstyle, and so on, taken on by fans of heavy metal, or, as they are often called, metalheads or headbangers. While the style has changed from the 1970s to the 2020s, certain key elements have remained constant, such as black clothes, long hair and leather jackets. In the 1980s, some bands began wearing spandex. Other attire includes denim or leather vests or jackets with band patches and logos, t-shirts with band names, and spiked wristbands.
Larry Wallis was a British rock guitarist, songwriter and producer. He was best known as a member of the Pink Fairies and an early member of Motörhead.
Shagrat was a British supergroup formed by Steve Peregrin Took and Mick Farren in February 1970 after they split with Twink, their partner in the prototype Pink Fairies supergroup of late 1969. They recruited Larry Wallis and Tim Taylor (bass), both formerly of The Entire Sioux Nation. Farren left the band shortly after its establishment and never recorded or performed with them. Shagrat then became Took's band outright with Wallis, Taylor, Phil Lenoir (drums), and later Dave Bidwell (percussion).
Michael Anthony Farren was an English rock musician, singer, journalist, and author associated with counterculture and the UK underground.
Ace of Spades is the fourth studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in October 1980 via Bronze Records. It is the band's most commercially successful album, peaking at number four on the UK Albums Chart and reaching gold status in the UK by March 1981. It was preceded by the release of the title track as a single in October, which peaked in the UK Singles Chart at No. 15 in early November.
The Deviants were a British psychedelic/proto-punk rock band originally active from late 1966 to 1969, but later used as a vehicle for the musical work of writer Mick Farren until his death in 2013.
On Parole is a studio recording released by British rock band Motörhead. It was intended as their first album and left unreleased at the time of its completion in 1976, and it was not released until over three years later, in October 1979, after the commercial success of Overkill and Bomber that same year. It was released without the band's permission, and they consequently distanced themselves from it. As a result, it was not considered an official release by the band at the time and they did not want it released, as they had moved on, since then, first to Chiswick Records and then to Bronze Records. The LP entered the UK charts on 8 December, where it peaked at No. 65.
Overkill is the second studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in March 1979. It was the band's first album with Bronze Records. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at number 46 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". American thrash metal band Overkill was named after this album.
Bomber is the third studio album by English rock band Motörhead. It was released on 12 October 1979 by Bronze Records, their second with the label.
Another Perfect Day is the sixth studio album by British rock band Motörhead. It was released in May 1983 by Bronze Records, which would be the band's last full-length original album with the label. It is the band's only studio album to feature lead guitarist Brian "Robbo" Robertson, best known for his work with Thin Lizzy.
No Remorse is a compilation album by English rock band Motörhead, released in September 1984. The album provides an overview of the band's time with Bronze Records and also includes four newly recorded tracks. It is the final album the band released on Bronze Records, with the new material being the first to feature the band's new line-up of Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Würzel, and Pete Gill.
Orgasmatron is the seventh studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in July 1986 by GWR Records, the band's first album with the label.
1916 is the ninth studio album by British rock band Motörhead, released in January 1991. It was their first on WTG Records. The single "The One to Sing the Blues" peaked at number 45. The album was the final Motörhead album to feature Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor on drums in its entirety.
Rock 'n' Roll is the eighth studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in August 1987. It is their last album with the GWR label, as more legal issues embroiled the band with yet another label. Reaching only No. 34 in the UK Albums Chart, Rock 'n' Roll was, in that respect, the worst performing of all of Motörhead's top 40 chart hits.
Philip John Taylor, better known as "Philthy Animal", was an English drummer. He was a member of the rock band Motörhead from 1975 to 1984 and 1987 to 1992, recording eleven studio albums and four live albums with the band. The Motörhead line-up consisting of Taylor, Lemmy and "Fast" Eddie Clarke is generally regarded as the 'classic' line-up of the band.
We Are Motörhead is the fifteenth studio album by British rock band Motörhead. It was released on 15 May 2000 via Steamhammer, their fifth with the label, equalling their Bronze Records total of full length original album releases.
Denim and Leather is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon released in 1981. The album was certified Gold status in the U.K. This was the last album with the classic line up of Saxon, as drummer Pete Gill would leave the band due to a hand injury, later joining Motörhead; this was also seen as the last of their trilogy of classic albums.
Elvis In Concert is a posthumous 1977 television special starring Elvis Presley. It was Elvis' third and final TV special, following Elvis and Aloha From Hawaii. It was filmed during Presley's final tour in the cities of Omaha, Nebraska, on June 19, 1977, and Rapid City, South Dakota, on June 21, 1977. It was broadcast on CBS on October 3, 1977, two months after Presley's death. It was transmitted by the BBC in the United Kingdom on June 9, 1978. Unlike the majority of Elvis' programs, it is unlikely to be commercially released on home video and is only available in bootleg form. This is because it showed Elvis near the end of his life when he was overweight and addicted to prescription drugs, and much of his performance reflects his poor health. However, parts of the special were used in the video documentary Elvis: The Great Performances and the theatrical documentary This is Elvis, both of which were released on home video. Parts of the special were recreated for the movie Elvis, specifically Presley's performance of "Unchained Melody".
Lewis Leathers is a brand name of the oldest British motorcycle clothing company. D. Lewis Ltd, manufacturer of leather jackets which was established in the late 19th century.
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