political and cultural elites14—as in journalistic reports, for example in the special issue on Spain published in 1985 by Rolling Stone with photographs by Mary Ellen Mark. Even if this is how some of these styles are handled by the media—or certain media—and by political elites, one should be cautious when projecting these feelings on the various punk, mod, heavy metal, and modern young protagonists. Although they might have been enmeshed in their particular material, socio-political, and biographical circumstances, they did not seem on the whole very sensitive to this historical vision: The Franco era was hardly a memory—or a silence—from their infancy. Instead, they demonstrated a patent lack of interest in the politics of politicians, in London as much as in Madrid, although they were concerned with issues that affected them in the present, such as the obligatory military service in Spain, against which many objected and mobilized, calling for disobedience and its abolition. Similarly, conflicts with parents and with the adult world in general were also important, often expressed in the ways of dressing, causing many (especially young women, as parental control of women is stricter) to have to change clothes in the lift or after leaving the home, as well as hiding the studs and other adornments from their mothers. Some enjoyed the possible comprehension of “progressive” parents, which occasionally translated into different forms of reproach, from “how can you go out on the street like that?” to “wearing torn clothing and looking like a beggar is like laughing at the poor”. In these familial and generational questions young people in Madrid resembled those in London. A common error in some analyses of subcultures is supposing that young people who identify with a certain specific youth culture only and always listen to music of that style, or focus all of their leisure activities in the expressions of that culture. Some could listen then to hardcore punk groups, to unclassifiable bands such as Derribos Arias, go crazy for the free concert of The Smiths in Paseo de Camoens in 1985, dance to Like a Virgin and jump to Motörhead, or be amazed at the clothespins on the nipples of Wendy from the Plasmatics, a friend of Motörhead singer Lemmy; others shared the fascination for Lemmy and Wendy with their Mohawks and clothespins, listened to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Obús, and Barón Rojo, as well as, on the other side of
14. Héctor Fouce, El futuro ya está aquí. Música pop y cambio cultural (Madrid: Velecio, 2006); Fernán del Val, Rockeros insurgentes, modernos complacientes: un análisis sociológico del rock en la transición (1975-1985) (Madrid: Fundación sgae, 2017).
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MIGUEL TRILLO - DOUBLE EXPOSURE