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GHQ LIFESTYLE / CRIME / ENTERTAINMENT
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LOCKED UP ISN’T WORKING
GOLDIE
BANK RAID FARRAH FAWCETT
INTERVIEW
STRANGE BUT TRUE
WORLD EXCLUSIVE
THE BANSHEES
MARTIN KNIGHT SIMON PARR
THE BOY FROM
MARS
10 LEMMY IN FOCUS
Ghqmagazine.com
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KING OF
CONTENT ISSUE 10 - 2021
GOLDIE INTERVIEW BOY FROM MARS LOCKED UP ISN’T WORKING FARRAH FAWCETT STRANGE BUT TRUE THE BANSHEES MARTIN KNIGHT SIMON PARR BENETTON RUGBY SHIRT
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The body, the look, the lifestyle, the gamble, the money, the entertainment, the sports, the cars and of course the women. Welcome aboard and to Gentleman’s Head Quarters. We live in a world that is ever-changing. Success can be measured in different contexts and on any level of what is deemed important, what is found within and how it is delivered. That is exactly what GHQ is! Each and every issue, GHQ will deliver a full content, no holds barred insight to everything you’d expect for the discerning gentlemen and all others who wish to follow. So tie up your laces, pop your collars and get ready for a nitrofueled cutting edge delivery of nothing short of the dogs bollocks!
GHQ
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LOCKED-UP IS IT WORKING?
Locked-up. Is It Working? - Chris Alston & Terry Ellis When people speak about prison reform, the common response is that we should “lock people up and throw away the key.” For some crimes I can understand that reaction; for the vast majority though crime is the result of something lacking in a person’s life. If you ask yourself what the role of prison is or was when the idea was first introduced, then punishment would be high on the list. What prison’s role actually is though is societies opportunity to put right the behaviours’ and mindsets of an individual to reintegrate them as a functioning member of society. The rhetoric of today’s Government seems to have forgotten that and so all we hear about is tougher sentences and stricter prison conditions; despite there being no evidence anywhere in the world that harsher punishments equate to less crime. In fact, in the UK the long-term recidivism rate stands at 78%, which means that almost 8 out of every 10 people that go to prison will end up reoffending; that is not a system that is working and clearly prison is simply a deterrent is not effective.
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When you look at the costs involved in sending and keeping people in prison, it really begs the question whether that money could be better spent in preventative measures. It costs the UK taxpayer around £120,000 to send someone to prison, it is then around £30,000 a year to keep them there - so it isn’t cheap. Crime is born out of circumstance in a lot of cases and when you return someone to those same circumstances it isn’t a surprise that they reoffend, because you haven’t changed anything.
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. The Scandinavian model of prisons looks at rehabilitation, they adopt a housing first approach to reintegrating prisoners back into society, working on the idea that primarily if someone is securely housed then they are less likely to offend. They also work on ensuring that people are educated to a good standard and that barriers towards employment are broken down, in many cases releasing people into employment. The cost of doing that is significantly lower than the continual revolving door operating in UK prisons. Someone who has served one year in prison has to declare their criminal record and thus end most chances of employment for the next five years, effectively meaning they are given a six-year sentence - now ask yourself why people reoffend if they are unable to gain meaningful employment? But prison reform will never be a vote winner. Genuine rehabilitation will never be something on top of the list of priorities and so the cycle is likely to continue and the costs will continue to spiral. What we have isn’t working, perhaps it is time we look for a different approach.
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An Interesting Story of a Bank ROBBERY
During a robbery in America, the bank robber shouted to everyone in the bank: "Don't move. The money belongs to the State. Your life belongs to you." Everyone in the bank laid down quietly. This is called "Mind Changing Concept” Changing the conventional way of thinking. When a lady lay on the table provocatively, the robber shouted at her: "Please be civilized! This is a robbery and not a rape!" This is called "Being Professional” Focus only on what you are trained to do! When the bank robbers returned home, the younger robber (MBA-trained) told the older robber (who has only completed Year 6 in primary school): "Big brother, let's count how much we got." The older robber rebutted and said: "You are very stupid. There is so much money it will take us a long time to count. Tonight, the TV news will tell us how much we robbed from the bank!" This is called "Experience.” Nowadays, experience is more important than paper qualifications! After the robbers had left, the bank manager told the bank supervisor to call the police quickly. But the supervisor said to him: "Wait! Let us take out $10 million from the bank for ourselves and add it to the $70 million that we have previously embezzled from the bank”.
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This is called "Swim with the tide.” Converting an unfavourable situation to your advantage! The supervisor says: "It will be good if there is a robbery every month." This is called "Killing Boredom.” Personal Happiness is more important than your job. The next day, the TV news reported that $100 million was taken from the bank. The robbers counted and counted and counted, but they could only count $20 million. The robbers were very angry and complained: "We risked our lives and only took $20 million. The bank manager took $80 million with a snap of his fingers. It looks like it is better to be educated than to be a thief!" This is called "Knowledge is worth as much as gold!" The bank manager was smiling and happy because his losses in the Stock-market are now covered by this robbery. This is called "Seizing the opportunity.” Daring to take risks! So who are the real robbers here? Source: FB Edit1: Some people are commenting that story is fake and old. Obviously, this story is not real. It was shared just for knowledge purposes and I found it interesting.
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Farrah Fawcett – The 1976 Swimsuit Poster
Fitting perfectly into a red one-piece swimsuit, timeless beauty Farrah Fawcett posed for the now-legendary photo in her Los Angeles backyard. In addition to having the well-deserved (and should never be questioned) title of ‘best-seller,’ it is said by many that is also deserving of the title, best pin-up poster ever photographed! When people of all ages talk or mention Farrah Fawcett's name, surely one of the first things that comes to their minds is the 1976 photographed iconic red swimsuit and the poster that commanded their attention. With an estimated 12 million plus copies sold, it became not only the best-selling poster of all time, but one of the most talked of – and in case you missed it, it featured gleaming white teeth, windblown hair, and .... nipples. To date, the eye-catching poster is still considered to be one of the last of what was once coined, ‘pinup posters’ – that’s before people's view of sexuality became less ‘conservative’. Farrah's picture was considered a piece of art to those who possessed it. Teens had it in their bedrooms, dads in their workshops, garage workplaces and reportedly some locker rooms. Decades later, the blonde bombshell, glowing with an unprecedented amount of sex-appeal, radiance and natural, wanting beauty is still a poster hard to ignore and admire.
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The year 1976 brought a great deal of success for Fawcett – and nicely timed with the swimsuit poster being released. Charlies Angels was on the airwaves, being broadcast across the country and on home owned tv’s for fans of the crime-busting trio. Further covered in the Biography: Farrah Fawcett Forever, it also became a feature definitive of the 1970s and was considered by many industry leaders the best-selling poster of all time . In 1976, Ted Trikilis who was a partner with his brother at a poster company they owned, claimed he wasn't familiar with the star Fawcett. That instantly changed when a friend suggested creating a poster featuring the starlet, as the men in his college dorm liked her so much, they were buying women's magazines because Fawcett was pictured in ads. Trikilis must’ve seen something in Fawcett and it could be an opportunity for his company. So the brothers Trikilis reached out to her agent about appearing in a poster.
The story (largely accepted) told was when her agent then told her about the idea, Fawcett is said to have happily agreed to the photo shoot. Reports suggest that she did this because she felt the poster idea was "cute," but also because she believed it was better to get involved with the process. As she explained back in 1977, "The reason I decided to do a poster was, well, if you don't sign a deal to do one, somebody does one anyway, and then you get nothing."
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The date and time was set and the photoshoot for Fawcett's poster took place at her jointly owned (with then-husband Lee Majors) Los Angeles home on a perfectly lit hot summers day in 1976. It was also Fawcett’s decision on the hair, pose and swimsuit – and one decision millions remained thankful for.
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With millions of copies of the infamous Farrah Fawcett red bathing suit poster being sold since its debut in 1976, it can be fairly said this turned it into the driving success that sent brothers
Mike and Ted Trikilis from college dropouts to multimillionaires running a once struggling poster company. It is said with the fame and fortune gained from the iconic poster, turned them into celebrities, with their services now being highly sought by Hollywood movie stars. Ted was crowned the "King of the Posters" thereafter by The Washington Post.
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It had been a long day shooting at Fawcett’s home and in 2009, in Entertainment Weekly it was written that the photographer McBroom asked Fawcett, "You know how you look best. Is there anything else that you’ve got that we haven’t shot?" When she came back wearing a form-fitting red swimsuit, McBroom reportedly thought it was perfect. After placing a blanket as a backdrop, he asked Fawcett to get comfortable and began shooting with what he said was his last roll of color film and history was made …. and captured.
The reported agreement was that Fawcett was allowed to select the photos to be considered for the poster. After reviewing McBroom's shots, she had a favorite that she marked. Fawcett’s agent then sent that image along with a few other photos that she picked out, so brothers Mike and Ted Trikilis at Pro Arts got to decide which photo to use. They followed Fawcett's instincts and it proved to be a wise choice: the poster went on sale and was without question an instant hit – five million copies sold is nothing short of success by any measure!
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There’s no doubt that the popularity of Charlie's Angels, boosted the poster's success and sales. But it doesn’t avoid the fact the poster captured the beauty Fawcett displays, even to this day. As McBroom later said to Time magazine, "It was Farrah's pose, Farrah's suit, Farrah's idea. She picked that shot."
“Why it was so iconic I don't know. If you think back, no one knew who Farrah Fawcett was. Charlie's Angels didn't come out until six months later. But this poster came out and sold millions of copies... I think the reason it was such a success is that Farrah had such a fresh face. She was the girl next door. So if you were a teenager, you could bring this in the house and put it up in your room — as long as Mom didn't look too closely.” – McBroom recalled.
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Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead
When talking about, ‘real bad to the mutha’ fucking bone rockstars,’ who lived an, out of this world, I’m going to hell in a Ferrari at full throttle lifestyle – some would say, “very few could be in the same league as this crazy motherfucker,” and we’d have to agree! Legendary Lemmy Kilmister lived his life by engaging in an unmeasurable amount of punishment, abuse and assault to his own body for the best part of sixty years.
It’s been largely reported, he got through at least two packs of cigarettes a day, come rain or shine from the age of 11 and by his own admission, much later in life, he never quit smoking; he just “cut back” a bit! And by some medical anomaly, he lived to be 70 years old!
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If we were to be further amazed at his mind and body’s ability to defy death and destruction and his, let’s say, sexual deviancies, then consider this - it was once written that from his mid-teens, his admiration and level of lust warranted his wish for the opposite sex, every minute of every day – and who’s to say this age-defying machine didn’t get it! Those that were around and knew of his alleged promiscuous, hedonistic lifestyle, are said and claimed Kilmister’s sheer lust of sexual conquests rivaled that of famed rock-god, Gene Simmons of KISS.
If there was any claim of what has just been alleged, there’s got to be an ounce in truth as Lemmy once said in an interview, “I’ve fucked chicks of every size, color, race, and religion. Rock ‘n Roll’s had a whale of a time out of me, and I’ve had a whale of a time out of it. That’ll do.”
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Time and age catch up with most, and to a degree, by his cutting back, and in some areas of his noted and record-breaking lifestyle choices, he did actually quit - (did we mention he refused to eat healthy, and committed solely to a diet of meat, cheese, and junk food for the best part of sixty years straight?) Kilmister is said to have engaged in every type and concoction of drug taking – whether he (allegedly) snorted, smoked or engaged in the taking of every drug he could get his hands on for most of his career, unlike some rock stars of equal or younger years, it would appear that that (alleged) drug taking had absolutely no effect on his ability to function or ‘perform.’ – ROCK STAR!
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But, no matter on what level or volume of intake in, (again, alleged) of illegal and or legal drug taking by the indestructible bad boy of rock n roll, in comparison was nothing compared to the unbelievable and incomprehendable level of drinking! Many online stories and in person conversations will tell you that from age 18, and for the best part of his entire life, it’s said he would drink an entire bottle of Jack Daniels and a liter of Coca Cola, each and every single day - and to add insult to, ‘just what the Dr ordered,’ the rock legend is said to have refused to drink any water! One of the funniest stories passed around was when he was asked to drink more water, he responded by simply putting more ice cubes in his Jack D and Coke. It’s truly mind-boggling that even after decades of alcohol abuse, it all (seemingly) had absolutely no effect on his body.
Video games and lounging was a daily ritual – forget the treadmill or a trip to the gym – he is said to have never exercised! It wasn’t until a Doctors visit later in life, Kilmister was told he’d developed type 2 diabetes – even though it’s said at the ripe old age of 70, his heart, liver, and lungs where in incredible shape! So, in what can only be assumed in an effort to appease the Doctors wish and advice, he switched from his favourite drink of Jack and Coke and changed to vodka and orange.
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However, like most good things, Kilmister’s life did come to an end, as not long after his 70th birthday, at which, of course, he was doing what he did best, he passed away due to what was reported as congestive heart failure, prostate cancer, and cardiac arrhythmia. Reports suggested that his death was so ‘sudden,’ that fans and friends, couldn’t believe, what on the surface seemed an indestructible man, had actually been now passed. His once god-like rock and roll persona allowed his friends and fans to believe he would live forever. In some regards, he always will – As one of the true kings of rock n roll, the mad bastard that he was, partied in hell and used life as his chariot will always live on.
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Strange but True!
How Crazy Shoes Helped Moonshiners Evade the Police. Long before the years of high societies take and spin on the real and every day current trends and fashions, there were a pair of shoes that would make even the furthest reaching of nuance shoe designers say, “WTF!”. It was during the years of Prohibition in the United States (1920–1933), when the US government made it illegal to have a tipple, sell, transport or brew any sort of alcohol on any level or any kind. Some have said another reason for the banning of alcohol was as a result of a lot of people, within the United States, had grown tired of what they saw as, “rampant alcoholism and the problems that came with it.” But, whatever the reason, the loss of alcohol gave rise to the era of Moonshining - a few lads took to distilling homemade whiskey on an industrial level that would not only change the pitch of your voice, but also the hair level on the back of your wife’s neck.
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In an effort to disguise their movements, moonshiners evaded law enforcement and custom officials by wearing home-made cow shoes through the woods and in doing so, disguising and covering their tracks. Simple – and as reports have suggested, effective in their design. They were made by carving wooden blocks in such a way that they would resemble a set of cow hooves. Once the design and process was finished, the illegal hooch-makers would then tack them to a metal strip and on to the bottom of a shoe.
But, unfortunately, it didn’t take police that long in figuring out what that local moonshiner had created. In one report, it said that whoever wore the shoes aimed to fool authorities with realistic cow hoof prints made the mistake in leaving one behind after being chased by local authorities.
The story also goes that (allegedly) the idea was taken from a Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Priory School,” in which the murderous villain attached fake cow hooves to the feet of his horse to avoid detection.
But, unfortunately, it didn’t take police that long in figuring out what that local moonshiner had created. In one report, it said that whoever wore the shoes aimed to fool authorities with realistic cow hoof prints made the mistake in leaving one behind after being chased by local authorities. The story also goes that (allegedly) the idea was taken from a Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Priory School,” in which the murderous villain attached fake cow hooves to the feet of his horse to avoid detection.
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THE BANSHEES LIVERPOOL AND PROUD
Both of us were born and raised here in Liverpool. A large part of both our family’s have been here for a few generations. The good thing about being a scouser is you can find them anywhere in the most random of situations and places; we just appear everywhere(laughing). I remember flying all the way to New York, got to the apartment and there was this little cafe just under the building. Went in there to by a cold drink and the guy behind the counter was from Anfield – “ello, Scouse!” (laughing). Talking of Covid......you can see how scousers stick together if you look at what is going on now with all the protests here over with lockdown and the talk about vaccinations etc. We stand up for what we believe in and we stick together like a family when the shit hits the fan. So that’s one thing I love about Liverpool...our courage and solidarity!......Yes, I know that’s 2 things (laughing)
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I like the fact that if you can play a few Beatles songs, you can go to Mathew street and earn yourself a few quid, meet fans and other musicians. It really gave audiences to a lot of musicians starting out in Liverpool, so I love that. My friends are grateful for the life it’s given them. You wouldn’t get this anywhere else in the world and that’s amazing!
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It’s a real working-class city though; with real working class ethics about it. One thing scousers don’t tolerate is an injustice on any level and it’s those beliefs......that natural ability to stand up for yourself from day one, that belief is found in all scousers. It’s just in our D N A, take no shit! We can’t help it (laughing). That’s the way we are brought up. Maybe it’s an ego thing, maybe it’s confidence! Obviously, the football Liverpool and Everton. I’m a red, Paul’s a blue and we don’t even speak on Derby day (laughing) but you know, the city wouldn't be the same if one of those teams didn’t exist. It’s mad isn’t it.....it’s taken so seriously, that It divides families and friends! It’s almost laughable like. It’s only a game (laughing). I suppose it’s a lot like Celtic and Rangers, but with more hate...(laughing). No, it’s not too bad, but I wouldn’t exactly call it the friendly derby like. It all adds to the vibe of the city though. Reds and blues all operate great together 99.9 percent of the time. then for 90 mins in the Derby, it’s a full-on war. One day later it’s all forgot about, kind of, but that’s the type of people we are I suppose and the type of place the city is. what I love about this city is you can really do anything! You can dream as big as you want, say what you want and if you work your balls off, the people here will support and respect you no matter what.
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There’s no place like Liverpool...ESPECIALLY in the summer! Liverpool city centre, Liverpool FC at home, the stag parties, the hen parties, all the students, the Irish, the Norwegians, the chaos! Seems a far cry away now with the Covid Pandemic happening, but Liverpool in the height of summer is something to love! You can’t swing a guitar in Liverpool without hitting a Beatle and I think that’s great! You know, I used to play session guitar for a couple of Pete Best tours he did around 20 years ago and I’m really proud of that, but if I’m being completely honest, I’m not a Beatles fan! Of course, Vinny is like a Beatles super fan. Go to his house and its wall-to-wall Beatles memorobila, but I like the fact there is a tourists industry here in Liverpool for it all. It’s done some of my friends really well. I used to live in an appartment in Liverpool city centre, and for me, there was no place better. I remember walking out one day to meet some mates for a few beers. I stepped out of my front door straight into a dancing Brazilian drum band. As we walked down the street there was a gang of maybe about 30 kids skateboarding, pulling some real ‘Tony Hawk’ tricks outside Liverpool crown courts. Then some guy on a stag party dressed in a giant dick suit jumped on one of their skateboards and took off down the road. Anywhere else, people wouldn’t understand, here.....it’s just all in your stride.
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Well Hillsborough is a perfect example.....Jesus Christ!...don’t even know where to start there! We were both standing there the day the enquiry finished watching those poor families come out of St. George’s Hall and the world got to hear what we all knew for years - the police lied! The papers lied! The “Scum” newspaper, that f*ckin rag! This will never be over with them bastards believe me, but that’s scousers for ya! They're saying they picked on the city (laughing) believe me ya don’t know the half of it, but they could not of chosen a worse city to pick on!
I remember walking on to Chevasse park, which is surrounded by bars of every description. There were hundreds of people just chilling out in the sun and I remember there was a big huge inflatable marquee in the middle of the park. Inside was an art installation done by some Swedish art students. I can’t even explain what was inside, but I was in there for 3 hours with them with psychedelic lights, Beatles music blasting and everyone was wearing white bedsheets......stoned(laughing)... 3 hours......! What the f*ck happened (laughing)?...... Liverpool is just that type of place, skateboard man in a dick suit and stoned Swedish art students in bed sheets. It’s normal!! It’s what we do and we do it well (laughing) It just buzzes in the summer and I hope that comes back for lots of reasons really .
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WHO IS GOLDIE?
When speaking and trying to gain an insight into who Goldie is, the ‘tip of that iceberg’ answer would be to suggest his life, thus far, is a journey that’s started. To imply there’s a beginning to what Goldie does, would then dictate, there was a start (to his mindful and purposeful journey) - the damaging aspect of that opening statement could then predict, or suggest, there’s an ending to it all.
Goldie, with regard to where and what he does? It’s neither! If asked what the closest ‘it’ is? It’s his personal experience; one that can’t be encapsulated into any floor-filling, timeless drum and bass anthem, nor can his whole-being, be one that’s seen or captured in a tv role or film character. What translation remains to all of this (for me), is one that’s a simple line and statement – Music! It’s his core. Music is what centres Goldie. It’s his mistress, and as much as it’s his master, it is his equal. It’s not for better, or worse, as again to attempt to encapsulate Goldie, would be doing both yourself and him an injustice. For those that demand an explanation in a linear sense, I’ll settle with he’s an artist, yet to be discovered.
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With a catalogue of both masterful and skilled tracks and anthems listed to his name, Goldie remains an uncharted island on a map that only exists to those that can embody and identify with what shouldn’t be pigeon-holed or categorised – Only simply accepted, listened to and appreciated. His success can be measured in many ways. When asking Goldie of his life’s successes, he’d humbly reply, “I’m here” with his welcoming grin and trademark gold-filled smile.
The beauty and advantage of a conversation and time with Goldie, is attributed to some simple truths – Being yourself is key. Goldie has held court with music royalty and the cream of the crop. He can converse on any level. In a metaphorical sense, he can be the main element in a skilled game of chess and yet remain complimentary to a man beating him at a game of checkers.
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Despite a traumatic childhood, Goldie surpassed every level of presumed achievement. His success was seen in his unleashing of an unmeasurable level of creativity from a cold start in life. He helped fuel and transform an underground working-class British sound, into a mainstream global movement - aka drum & bass. He is known, largely, as a music pioneer, a contemporary graffiti artist, DJ, a drum & bass, actor and producer. When you say Goldie is a total original, he’s also a multi- talented, avant-garde shape shifter who embodies a level of authenticity, who’s also sold millions of records worldwide. It wouldn’t be a total shock if they’ve heard of him on another planet. For many, the world was given Goldie early on. Thank fuck there’s still plenty of steam left in him.
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Who is Goldie? “I think the main thing is that, and I’ve said this before, that people have never realised that all of the music, all of that stuff, was triggered by trauma. I think one of the biggest things that drives males is our ego! Mine used to walk through the door before I did; along with twenty other people who were just poncing off what you do. Don’t get me wrong, there were some good people around me, but also some really fucking bad people around me too - and I was fueled by that, 'cause that's where it goes doesn't it! It happens a lot, especially with anyone who’s up and coming; we all make our music like we used to, then some end up making fucking ballads and love songs (laughing).
Anyone that’s been there, 5:00 AM in the morning, looking for the last gram of gear and trying to get hold of every drug dealer you know - we’ve all been there to a certain degree. By my own admission I was once an addict for fucking years’, and I don't think people realize the amount of severity within mental illness that exists with males .
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I covered a lot of that up! I once got involved in a lot…… a lot of violent, stupid and uncalled for stuff, but I'm not really a bad man, even though I used to love a tear-up, but again, by default I’m not a bad man. Look, we both know some really bad people, but some of those same really bad people are some of the nicest human beings on the planet and It’s probably a really weird thing to say that.
I spent a lot of years repeating myself, chasing my tail, trying to figure it all out, getting all the therapy, getting all the needles in me in at Westbourne park, but you just end up going from minus fifteen to fucking zero, then only to realise that you’ve made it to Friday and you’re gonna reward yourself with an 1/8th of gear and two bottles of vodka. But what I did realise and found was a really weird analogy, in that the one thing that whispered in my ear, in all of that time was this voice telling me to get back to what I do best, get back to what mattered.
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It was almost as if someone sent me back, or the creator, the mother as I call it to learn from these past mistakes in such a way that, I think that they were telling me, “right so let's get him really fucked up as a child, we should try to cover that up for years and then will make him a womanizer, 'cause he wants to go the opposite way with it all ……..and then we'll go and throw him all this fucking dough and we'll just put him into a situation where is going to have even more anger issues……then we're going to make him marry a pole dancer, lose all his money, sustain a medical injury and see if he can get up!” So, this is the life I remember, and it’s this life now I’m going to make the most effort with.
I get those flash backs, I get them mad……Deja Vue moments and they’ve been frequent, always have been……then slight synaesthesia in seeing sound as a visual thing, and even though not having any ability to play a single fucking instrument, but having the complete ability to work, move everything down to the single snare, over 16 bars, a sound that’s now been created, that I’m now going to use with another sound…….being able to then break it down even further in such a dark art – which in some ways it’s a dark art. But you open up that Pandora's box, getting rewarded for your work 25 years later…..I remember before leaving England at the award event, the celebrations, clapping and the patting on the back, announcing that I was being awarded for what I’d accomplished and done, being fantastic……a visionary you know …..what I should’ve been awarded for was moving target.
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So, if I’m asked, ‘who am I, ‘ and going back to your earlier question? Well, all I know now is, I know absolutely fuck all about life and the best life I'm living is right here….right now; I wake up every morning, realising it is really quite deep at that level, but this is the first day of the rest of my life. The idea of when I venture down that path of all of this ‘searching’…….what I’ve found is this - I went all around the outside and at no point did I ever go straight to the center, which I could have done all along i.e. the integrity of the music, the situation when you get these things and where you can end up – of course all of the hedonism and the parody happens, but that voice telling me to just get back to the art, it’s the only thing that is going to save me.
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So, whatever is the idea of going back to the ‘oneness’ in this blackness ….and all this other stuff, what I’ve realised is, this is heaven right here and now and for me the point of knowing that is that hell is not being able to remember any of it. I’m not by any measure an atheist, but we’re only here for a split ‘grain of sand second,’ and infinity has no beginning or end, so how can you quantify it? So, what is known about me, is that I never really knew anything about me!’
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Benetton – Not just for the rugby player – Bill Routledge Anyone have a Benetton or England rugby top back in the day? The ‘United Colors’ of Benetton range became another in the long-line-of-labels that lads latched onto in the mid-Eighties, especially their full chest, logo embossed rugby shirts. These classic garments came in an array of colours; only the white cotton jersey version that had a single green, or blue stripe with matching cuffs and collar that looped round the back of the top and arms were the most celebrated. I never owned one, though, but I’d plenty of polo’s and T-shirts in the locker at home from a local store in Preston over this time frame (I still have a couple of items in the cupboard purchased during the World Cup in Germany, 2006). The ‘Benny’ shop had a wealth of vibrant stock neatly folded on shelves too. Many a time following a visit by us footy lads and the aftermath, looked like a tornado had hit the gaff. The store was situated in St Georges Shopping Centre Bullring, in the centre of town, which was very convenient when strolling down to the train station on a scouting mission. The Benetton rugby tops still command extreme ackers on eBay, in this day and age.
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Years later, thought provoking, extreme Benetton ads were plastered onto billboards, without exception, or omission, throughout the world! These ads ranged from an Aids activist in his last days on earth dying of the virus, right though to a nun and priest giving it tongues down each other’s throats. All very controversial, in point of fact. Around the same spell that ‘dressing down’ came in, in the back end of ‘84, early ’85, mullets were once again sprouting at an alarming, rapid rate down the back of necks of lads. I’d also observed England Rugby Union shirts being worn under a nice cord or Harris Tweed jacket with the English rose on the left breast poking out – every rose has its throne. I, myself, had began growing my locks in early ‘84 and fancied an England Union rugger top to chaperon a second-hand tweed number which had leather patches on the elbows plus a quality silk lining. I’d picked the jacket up in a charity shop for a fiver. The guise included flares, or semi-flares, from an old Army & Navy store opposite the boarded-up Public Hall/Corn Exchange listed building in Preston. I can remember going in the shop one Friday teatime after graft and asking if they’d any Levi or Wrangler flared cords or jeans. “Bloody hell lad,” said the elderly fella “I haven’t been asked for a pair of them in donkeys!” The bloke disappeared into the stockroom, returning minutes later with an armful of the Seventies, throwback flares and a price tag to match - sorted. (The said shop was paid quite a few more drop-ins on Fridays but, the coinage increased every time, even though I didn’t let onto the lads where I’d acquired them from.) Jumpers were M&S or me Dads cardies. And a favourite of mine to wear underneath, a Levi denim shirt with pearl push buttons, that you left un-tucked. The shoes were Hush Puppies – Desert boots – or various shades of brown, cheap-throwaway cord ones from a basket outside Curtis Shoe Shop. I developed a ginger-ish tuftie on my chinny-chin-chin too. This ‘look’ being stole from what I’d observed the Mancs were wearing at Burnley, with also a smattering of the ‘pool, Scally.
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Getting back on track; a carload of us drove to Preston Grasshoppers, on the outskirts of town – a leafy, posh part of Preston, if the truth be known - in the forage of procuring an England rugby jersey. I’d played for Grasshoppers as a junior between ’75 and ’77, only it wasn’t for me, even though they looked after you more than any football team I ever played for. You’d pie, peas and gravy, and a real Coca-Cola waiting for you in the club house once you’d showered and changed following the game compared to trying to get changed on a wind-swept field, pissing behind a bush and a swig of water from a mangy plastic bottle, if you were lucky at junior football. And, I didn’t want to spoil my dashing, good looks. If proof was needed on the looks front, I’d bumped into Bill Beaumont – he lived local in PSD (Preston Sports Department) buying a squash racket once – not that you could avoid bumping into him, he was that wide. He’d also hit every branch when falling out of very lofty Ugly Tree, I tell you. Add to this an overhung brow with deep set eyes, a busted Rome nose and a pair of cauliflower ears that green-fingered Percy Thrower would have been proud of. Beaumont had played for Fylde Rugby Club his entire career, having to retire prematurely due to sustained injuries. Facial injuries me-thinks. You get the picture? I’d also no intension of my dial ending up a clone of Mr. Potato Head.
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Just as we pulled into the club car park, disappearing through the clubs’ entrance doors, nearly bent over double, was the assend of Wade Dooley – hence his nickname, ‘Blackpool Tower.’ Standing at a colossal 6ft 8”, Mr. Dooley played for the Grasshoppers and also represented England 55 times at lock you-up - forward during his prosperous career. His day job, seeing players were semi-pro back then, Old Bill. And if he was on duty when we played the Blackpool or were on a jolly to the wonderful seaside resort down the 11.4-mile-long M55, you made sure you kept out of his way, for double sure. Anyway, four of us tried to gain enter into the club, only there was an old chap stood in the entrance hall wearing a pair of well shined tuxan red Royals, a neatly ironed pair of beige cords with turnups, a starched white shirt with club tie and tiepin and, a tweed jacket. “Can I help you gentlemen?” This said with plums in his mouth, not like on our estate, cha. “Yeah mate.” (Why’s everyone your mate?) I replied. “You don’t happen to sell England rugby tops, do ya?” “No.” Has he drilled a profound, stare my way that had obtuse wrote all over it. “Do you know anywhere that does then mate?” This second question was met with a second similar glare, that had are-you-slow-on-theuptake attached to it. “No!”
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Now I understood. He didn’t want the likes of us seen in the vicinity of the club, never mind step over the club’s threshold. We were as welcome a dog shit wedged between the segs on his leather soled Royals - the penny had dropped with us. I bet he was jealous of me jacket too. “OK, mate. Cheers for that anyway.” Nonchalantly we returned to car, glaring back occasionally, has Lord of Lightfoot Green kept a monocle, analogous eye on us from behind the glass paneled doors. A brief wheel-spin in the car park, and we're gone. I nevertheless kept on with the hunt for a month or so for an England top, but to no favourable outcome - other labels and matters then beckoned my wad....
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BOY FROM MARS Boriska Kipriyanovich – The Boy From Mars. The young Russian who has baffled and amazed scientists with his out-of-this-world intelligence after making claim he was not born of this earth, but Mars! Boriska Kipriyanovich, who lives in Volgograd, Russia, with great conviction, alleges he lived on the red planet before being ‘reborn’ on Earth with one sole mission - to save mankind. Boris Kipriyanovich, born in 1996, who also goes by the name Boriska which means “little Boris”, is considered by many to be a child genius. His mother with an accredited background in science, says she knew he was special as soon as he held his head up without any support just two weeks after being born. She also credits is early learning abilities as a sign of his intelligence when ‘little-Boris,’ started speaking within a few months of birth and astonishingly, by the age of one and a half was not only able to read, but also draw and paint. It was during kindergarten his teachers couldn’t help but notice his advanced writing, language talents and his astonishing memory skills.
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But, what really gives the story of this young boy one of such unique measure, is he repeatedly gave claim that he was in a previously life a martian pilot who travelled to Earth. Both of parents insist they didn’t teach their son about space as a child, but instead of cartoons and super heroes, he would often sit and talk about Mars, remote planetary systems and alien civilisations. They say his fascination with space soon became his main interest ands topic of conversation - and it wasn't long after that, he then started claiming to have been born on Mars. Researchers have described him as an extremely shy young man with above-average intelligence. His outstanding knowledge of the planetary system has confounded experts around the world, including leading experts and scientists. When asked on the subject, he claims Mars was nearly destroyed by nuclear war in the past. Boriska, who is now in his twenties said he's from Mars and has been sent to Earth to save humans from a similar apocalyptic event on his home planet.
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He claims his own race of Martians was virtually wiped out in a nuclear conflict thousands of years ago and he fears earth and its inhabetents are now heading in the same direction. Boriska's concerns become more evident when two of the world’s nuclear powers became tense - the US and North Korea, who many in the world of politics felt the were close to breaking point, over what some have coined a, ‘trigger-happy Kim Jong’ and his alleged rapidly-expanding nuclear weapons programme. Little Boris has given warning that we will face the same destructive fate as "his people," if we don't listen to his apocalyptic warnings. Are we alone? The child genious says he is not the only child from Mars, claiming there are others like him who were also sent here on a specific mission to save humanity and the earth, also that they are all reincarnations and referred to as "Indigo Children" who have supernatural abilities and survived wars on the red planet. According to Boriska, many Martians are immortal and stop ageing at 35, are tall in stature, technologically advanced and capable of interstellar travel.
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He said: "I remember that time, when I was 14 or 15 years old. The Martians were waging wars all the time, so I would often have to participate in air raids with a friend of mine. We could travel in time and space flying in round spaceships, but we would observe life on Earth on triangular aircraft.” He added, “Martian spaceships are very complicated, they are layered, and they can fly all across the Universe." Boriska supposedly stated that his home planet of Mars still has an alien civilisation even though Mars suffered a massive nuclear catastrophe in the distant past. He insists there is a lot more to be discovered on Earth pointing to the Great Pyramid of Giza which he says hides ‘big secrets.’ “The human life will change when the Sphinx is opened, it has an opening mechanism somewhere behind the ear; I do not remember exactly,” claims Boriska. Boriska explains the catastrophe that happened on Mars was caused by a nuclear war waged between the ancient “beings” that live there. There were only a few survivors, he claims, who constructed protection lodges and built new weapons. The boy states the Martians breathe carbon dioxide, and if they (sometimes) come to our planet, they have to breathe out from pipes filled with it. The people who have said to have met, studied, and worked with Indigo Children, have given claim that these individuals differ a great deal in many ways from average earth children and in fact some scientists maintain that these remarkable children have a special mission to change our planet for the better.
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So, where is Boriska Kipriyanovich now? Boriska Kipriyanovich is said to have disappeared along with his mother. There have been several attempts by journalists to track him down – all have failed. In an unconfirmed report, one investigative journalist had been informed by one of Russia’s associates that Boriska is (allegedly) in a remote village under the protection of the Russian Government and any attempt to reach him by people other than the government would be futile. Several remote travelers and psychics have claimed that they have been able to communicate with Boriska Kipriyanovich through their minds and that they have been replied by Boriska with a similar saying that he is in a remote place with his mother. He has also said he is doing okay and confirmed that the Russian Government has something to do with it.
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Martin Knight with GHQ Magazine Martin Knight (born 21 December 1957 in Epsom, Surrey) is an English author. In 1999 "Hoolifan" and "The Naughty Nineties" were released; both books dealing with the culture of football hooliganism. Knight was co-author with Martin King whose memoirs form the core of the books. Irvine Welsh provided the introduction to the latter book. Martin has largely been successful at writing books and to date has 13 books published; including autobiographies with footballers George Best and Peter Osgood, true crime titles, novels including a book about the 1970s globally successful pop band the Bay City Rollers. In more recent times, Martin has given some suggestion that more work will be published with his partner John King at coowned London Book’s; including written works from other ‘working-class’ authors.
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GHQ. What lead you to become an author / writer? Martin. Always read a lot as a child. Graduated from Janet & John to comics, to The Lion, The Witch & The Wardobe, to Just William, and somehow to Alan Sillitoe and The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner and Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. From there I was away and read everything I could lay my hands on. I was a pest down the Library. Kept a diary which outgrew ‘Played football today’ in a little Letts pocket diary to filling up red exercise books with my activities and musings. In 1987 I was living and working in Bahrain where I had blagged a job in a bank (long story) and I bought an Amstrad home computer. Besides playing TV tennis I started writing stuff. Experiences. Thoughts. Attempts at stories. Ten years later I was contributing occasionally to Chelsea fanzines and eventually met Martin King at a 40th birthday bash. He was a cab driver and one of the Chelsea boys since the 196os. He had been writing a book about those days in his cab between fares. I read it and loved it. I suggested I rewrite a chapter and if he liked it we could work together to create something that was publishable. That became Hoolifan.
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GHQ. There’s been a good few ‘hooligan’ books written; from a writers perspective, is it a subject that can be revisited? Martin. I haven’t read one for many years. I think some of the early ones were good and filled a void. But it’s a genre that has probably been overdone. A bit like the Kray books. The Profession of Violenceby John Pearson was superb but now they’re publishing books by newsagents who sold Reg his paper on a Sunday morning. Considering that the terraces and all that went with was a culture that most working class boys got drawn in to different degrees not a lot was written about it. It was a cult that encompassed not only soccer rivalries and aggression but music, clothes and attitudes. Steaming In by Colin Ward was the only work for many years on this important and prevalent part of social history. The Brimson brothers opened up the market with a flurry of titles and then others followed. When the spoof books start coming you know that tiredness has set in. Having said that not having read one of 15 years I can’t really comment.
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GHQ. What has been your most enjoyable book/ subject to write on OR be involved with? Martin I recently did an autobiography with Alan Longmuir founder of the Bay City Rollers. Tragically he died while we were writing it and it was a great loss. He was a modest, humble, gentle gentleman. The Rollers have been airbrushed because they epitomize the 1970s which inexplicably people that didn’t live through it hate. The impact of the Rollers was massive – that cannot be denied – the hysteria surrounding them, whilst briefer, was on a par with The Beatles. They were massive in UK, USA, Australia and later, curiously, Japan. Alan was a plumber from Edinburgh and he recounts with bemusement the earthquake he walked into.
was incredibly lucky to meet and write books with some of the icons of our age. AS a kid I had colour photos torn out of Goal! And Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly on my bedroom wall of George Best, Charlie Cooke, Dave Mackay, Alan Hudson and Peter Osgood. I had to pinch myself when in my 40s and 50s I was sitting in a room or bar with these heroes taking them through their lives and all of them became friends. I didn’t write Alan’s books with him but we have worked together a lot and we have been close friends now for 25 years. I have great memories and stories about all of them and one day I might blag one of these cruise deals where I can sit and tell stories to a bored, captive audience and get my food and booze paid for.
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GHQ. What the books on based on/ themed on working class, what would you like to see go into film?
Martin. Of my books I’d love to see Grass or Battersea Girl filmed. Grass is the story of Phil Sparrowhawk who was Howard Marks’ partner in drug smuggling. It was an estimated at one time three out of every ten joints smoked came from their operation. Phil’s life has been incredible. There’s not much he hasn’t done and he never even partook in smoking himself. They had so much money going through their hands they didn’t know what to do with it. There’s a telling piece in the book where the old time London villains demand a meet. The penny was dropping that there they were risking a 12 stretch for armed robbery for a a few thousand pounds and these laid back hippy types were earning much bigger sums, with low chances of being caught and no real violence. Battersea Girl is the story of my grandmother who lived to be a 100 and died in 1988. She saw it all and lived through hard and tumultuous times. I think the book could be filmic. But costume and set wise it would cost a fortune. And as we seem to be erasing our history now and demonizing the white working class I guess there would be few outfits willing to do it.
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GHQ. What would you say is the most difficult part about writing (research on the subject matter/ People you’re researching)? Martin. For me if I am writing fiction I try and stick to what I have experience and knowledge of. I couldn’t write about a cross dressing violinist, for example. And the difficulty there it is hard to produce without repeating yourself or treading over old ground. I suppose the answer is to get out there and have new experiences. But time is a commodity that is diminishing, sadly.
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Simon Parr with GHQ magazine Gabicci - Then and Now
Since 1973, Gabicci has remained true with their mandate and promise in both their look; allowing the heritage of the iconic brand to shine through with the roots and image being incorporated in their design process, and the inclusiveness that has allowed the generations to be bridged by Gabicci and their ability to appeal to generations both old and new. Like most ‘heritage brands’ that influenced the working-class generations of the early seventies, Gabicci complimented the trends and social movements of the time - Mods, Rude Boys, Suede Heads, Rasta’s…… none could ignore the style and impressionable impact the brand had on them. The legendary Gregory Issacs, complimented his own look with the brand himself.
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It goes without saying, that the definitive Gabicci ‘look’ incorporates influence from Italian inspired styling, but with an air of authority and a healthy trimming of class. The background of this timeless brand is said to have been brought to the UK by the Gabicci founders Jack Sofier and Alex Pyser, after a quick jaunt to Italy, where they found themselves in the Italian seaside town of Gabicci Mare, (hence the name!) It is on par of the efforts and quality produced and shown with what remains a ‘soulful’ piece of timeless fashion. Once written, Gabicci is, “a mixture of East End rag trade expertise, sharp Italian styling and a nod to the '50's rock and screen icons and the look was born” …….how true that statement is. Whether it be the choice of high-quality fabric, the buttons and linings, nothing is ignored with regard to the attention to detail in each and every item. When you’re wearing the Gabicci, you’re always on the smart side of casual, the casual connoisseur …... not to mention the heavy gold ‘G’ that you’d want to be visable – proud as a peacock, if you will!
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If you were to visit ‘blues’ parties in Ladbroke Grove, White City and Acton in West London, during the mid to late 70s, Gabicci was standard issue and held a presence in the low-lit, ‘erb smoke-filled rooms; as did Adidas and Fila on the football terraces a decade later. The brand has played a part of what was later coined, ‘casuals’ …. The Italian inspired, UK born brand was recognised for its stylish and smart look by football fans and soon adopted later on as a piece of their own social identity. The power and influence of Gabicci has remained, from its initial conception in its founding days with rude boys and mods, right up until present day with the modern-day dressers. As an old head once told me, “you want ‘smart,’ then get a Gabicci – simple!”
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One such person who helped not only maintain the iconic brand, but also elevate it to new standards is Simon Parr; an established and successful agent, not only to Gabicci but a host of other well established and known heritage brands.
During one of our early conversations, Simon proudly said, “When I was approached to sell Gabicci vintage I jumped at the chance.”
If further stripes were needed and asked for, not only on his passion but also for his accredited insight to the brand, Simon quite rightly added, “I have always loved the brand and my father had a men’s shop in Ely for 50 years and was one of the first to stock it when Jack Sofia would come and see him in his ford Capri - Later he got a rolls). So I’ve always worn it and been aware of it.”
“My buyers love the brand and sell it to young and old. The ranges get better and better. From the more vintage archive pieces to the more commercial basics like polos and turtle necks. We did a colab with Gregory Isaacs which sold out! The brand is going from strength to strength.”
There’s no question, if Gabicci can trust him….. sold!
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GHQ: Gabicci is as much of British street dresser history as the social movements that wore it back in the early 70s. S.P: It’s been a strong look since its inception back in 1973. Like all things borrowed from other countries (this time Italy) the British youth take it and give it a twist of their own. Italians sipping campari in a coastal village wearing knitted polos bare no resemblance to the look that happened here. A Gabicci top, Farah slacks and Clarkes dessert boots drinking brown ale are a far cry from that. Even Dell Boy driving his Capri Ghia in south London and having the odd cocktail is something that just evolved. GHQ: Gabicci has been identified across so many mediums – Music and cultural movements; Mods and rude boys in the mid to late 70s up until modern day ‘dressers’ – why do you think Gabicci is that impressionable? S.P: I think the badge worn on the chest says something about you. The gold G on the leather patch makes you feel part of a club. Whether a football casual, mod or rude boy – it’s a timeless piece that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. GHQ: Has there been one element of society that’s promoted the brand more than any other?
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S.P: Yes, I think the rude boys are most associated with the look. Mods wear it now although it started in 1973. Football casuals also wore it for a while. Everyone you speak to has some found memory of it. You now have two parts of the range: Gabicci Vintage and Gabicci classic. From Gregory Isaacs to Dell boy. But the lines seem to be blurring, some of the classic pieces appear in the vintage range and vise versa. GHQ: Gabicci has had a strong cult following from its original inception; do you think it would complement or change the ‘look’ if the brand if it was seen on a much bigger international platform? S.P: I think its success is that it still remains the same as it was back in the day. If a big brand got hold of it the price would go up and the look would change. It’s sold in good quality independent stores. It’s a brand that stays true to its heritage and listens to its customer. Q: In closing, how would you to compliment and encapsulate the brand, by finishing this sentence, “Gabicci was then as it is now………. S.P: A heritage brand that stays close to it roots.
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