During the spring and summer of 1964, the seaside towns of southern England were the areas most prone to battles between different rival gangs. One type of gang that you could be found in these towns were called Mods. These Mods could often be recognized by there "Italian?influenced stylish clothes, accessories and motor scooters, whose musical preference were beat and Motown, were pitched against rival Rockers with their leather and motorbikes and a predilection for traditional Rock N Roll" (Barnes, 1998). Even different individuals within the Mod gang would fight with each other. These gangs caused a lot of damage to property and even harmed other members of their own groups.
During the 1960's, Britain's BBC radio was the only outlet for music. In 1963, the music scene exploded and record promoters were pushing to have their records played. The BBC radio was old fashioned and refused to promote new material (Barnes, 2001).
A record promoter, who was frustrated with the lack of opportunities, purchased a passenger ferry and broadcasted his radio from the sea. Determined to stop the illegal broadcast of air ways, authorities blocked supplies and banned mail. The government paid different stations to get them to play certain albums and banned all British companies from advertising on the pirates' sea base airwaves (Barnes, 2001).
Due to the deaths on the sea, the government implemented the Marine Offenses Act, which shut down many of the floating radio stations. As a result of pirate broadcasts, the BBC revamped their ideology, changing their old-fashioned radio stations and employing former Pirates. "The musical groups, rose above these street battles and seemed to accept, almost as commonplace, that physical altercation were part and parcel of Liverpool life" (Barnes, 2001).
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Submitted on December 4, 2001 