Rocker (subculture)
Rockers (also known as leather boys[1] or ton-up boys[2]) are members or followers of a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the late 1950s and was popular in the 1960s. It was mainly centred on motorcycles and rock 'n' roll music. By 1965, the term greaser had also been introduced to Great Britain[3][4][5] and, since then, the terms greaser and rocker have become synonymous within the British Isles, although used differently in North America and elsewhere. Rockers were also derisively known as Coffee Bar Cowboys.[6] Their Japanese counterpart was called the Kaminari-Zoku (Thunder Tribe/Clan/Group, or Thunderers).[7]
For other uses, see Rocker (disambiguation).Rocker reunions[edit]
In the early 1970s, the British rocker and hardcore motorcycle scene fractured and evolved under new influences coming from California: the hippies and the Hells Angels.[26] The remaining rockers became known as greasers, and the scene had all but died out.
In the early 1980s, a Rockers revival was started by Lenny Paterson and a handful of original rockers. Paterson organised rocker reunion dances called piss-ups, which attracted individuals from as far as Europe. The first rocker reunion motorcycle run of 30 classic British motorcycles rode to Battersea - home of the Chelsea Bridge Boys. Following runs went to other destinations with historic relevance to Rockers such as Brighton.
In 1994 Mark Wilsmore[27] and others organised the first Ace Cafe Reunion to mark the 25th anniversary of the closure of the famous transport cafe before going on to re-opening and establishing a series of events.[28] These events now attract up to 40,000 motorcyclists.[29][30]