How do skinhead girls get involved in the scene? Is it the music, the look, or the culture that grabs their attention first? Surely, the reasons differ – it’s safe to say, though, that football doesn’t tend to be the initial spark. Except when you’re from Genoa and your name is Guendalina Chiari. Our correspondent Francesca Bologna spoke with the long-standing face of the Italian skinhead scene about her football and music recollections from the 1980s-90s.
Continue reading
Klasse Kriminale: Construito in Italia 7’ EP (Skinhead Sounds)
Skinhead Sounds is run by Italian skinhead historian Flavio (who we interviewed here) and has just reissued two classic 7-inches. Constriuto in Italia is the 30th-anniversary release of the debut EP by Klasse Kriminale, who in the latter half of the 80s were one of very few Italian Oi bands left. Continue reading
There are so many Italian skinheads living in London today, one wonders when they’ll start running out of them back home. Younger on average than the indigenous skinhead population, they infuse our scene with the kind of energy only a country shaped like a steel-capped boot could produce.
True enough, the relationship between the local tribes and new arrivals has sometimes been a bit… tense. To contribute to a better understanding between the two, we thought we’d find out more about Italian skinheads and their specific history. Who better to ask than Flavio Frezza, who has written a book titled Italia Skins?
Matt Crombieboy spoke to him about Italian skins past and present, and we’re proud to present the resulting interview:
PART 1 – From ‘nihilist punk’ to skinhead
PART 2 – Bands, politics & trouble
PART 3 – Today and tomorrow
Many thanks to Valentina G of Italian Skinheads for kindly letting us use her pictures.
Italia Skins is out on Hellnation Libri/Red Star Press now.
Creases Like Knives 