Graffiti
I remember as a kid suddenly becoming aware of graffiti on the estate appearing at some point, maybe early 70's, on walls and in particular on the concrete walls down from the pyry:
KBAB-this I subsequently discovered meant 'Kenton Bar Aggro Boys'
At North Kenton shops all over the place was:
NKBB-'North Kenton Boot Boys'
NKHM-'North Kenton Henchmen'
NKMM-'North Kenton Mad Mob'
NKCW-'North Kenton Clockwork'
All the estates round about had variations on this theme, I suppose an early form of tagging, but group tagging.
The 'clockwork' thing I believe stemmed from the book 'Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess, a most marvellous book. The film version by Stanley Kubrick is pathetic in my opinion, and was banned for years, unobtainable on video. When I finally got to watch it with alacrity I was horribly disappointed as it was nothing like the book, the imagery being coarse and crass, and indeed Burgess himself hated it as it did not have the 21st chapter of the book in the film version, but I digress-
Anyone else have memories of graffiti on the estate?
KBAB-this I subsequently discovered meant 'Kenton Bar Aggro Boys'
At North Kenton shops all over the place was:
NKBB-'North Kenton Boot Boys'
NKHM-'North Kenton Henchmen'
NKMM-'North Kenton Mad Mob'
NKCW-'North Kenton Clockwork'
All the estates round about had variations on this theme, I suppose an early form of tagging, but group tagging.
The 'clockwork' thing I believe stemmed from the book 'Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess, a most marvellous book. The film version by Stanley Kubrick is pathetic in my opinion, and was banned for years, unobtainable on video. When I finally got to watch it with alacrity I was horribly disappointed as it was nothing like the book, the imagery being coarse and crass, and indeed Burgess himself hated it as it did not have the 21st chapter of the book in the film version, but I digress-
Anyone else have memories of graffiti on the estate?
Kenton School -circa 1980 - someone wrote, in 6 foot high purple letters on the north block wall...."Morton is a bastard". I think this person, who's name escapes me for now but he had a face like a wolf, was caught and punished - I don't know what punishment though.
ReplyDeleteI also remember that some naughty lads used to take the piss out of these "Mad Mobs" with their own graffiti with things like
ReplyDeleteKBCB - Kenton Bar Crazy Bunch
KBDCRJG - Kenton Bar Drug Crazed Rally Jacket Gang
KBHB - Kenton Bar Hard Boys
The purple lettering mentioned above was firstly painted over - what a disaster. Next they tried cleaning it off - waste of time. Everyone knew what was underneath...........
ReplyDeleteKBM-KENTON BAR MAFIA
ReplyDelete