Snap
This essay was originally published in Photofile, 79, 2007. It is reproduced here with permission of Photofile.
To snap someone in the 1970s meant more than taking their photo. This was the era of designer violence. Custom-made cardigans, handmade shoes, short hair and tails. The term sharpie was coined in the mid sixties and referred to the taste of tough working-class teenagers for a stylish form of dress. It was all about image, about looking sharp. By the early seventies sharpies were synonymous with gang violence, initially with the mods, then among themselves. Despite the turf wars, all sharpie factions shared a fierce loyalty to local music, to bands such as The Coloured Balls, AC/DC and Skyhooks. Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane had their own versions of sharp, but it was predominantly a Melbourne phenomenon.
Visual documentation of sharpies was rare and usually associated with tabloid beat-ups of rising adolescent hooliganism. Mod–sharpie rivalry was the theme of a 1966 feature in Pix magazine, but it devoted as much space to detailing the combatants’ dress codes as the atrocities of Melbourne’s “teenage jungle”. In 1974 The National Times magazine published a more extensive account of sharpies as a subculture defined by style. A ‘good kicking’ said as much about the brand of shoes involved as the thoroughness of the touch-up.
One of the most significant photographs of sharpies published during the 1970s appeared in The Kevin Pappas Tear-out Picture Postcard Book in 1977. An initiative of the design collective All Australian Graffiti, the book features images of Australian icons: football, meat pies, kangaroos and, oh yes, Holden cars. One image chosen to represent something unique to the Australian way of life was a 1973 photo of a bunch of sharpies in central Melbourne. The term sharpie wasn’t even used in the caption (“Youth enjoying an afternoon in the City Square”) as the image was simply a vernacular memorial of Melbourne street life. It was one of a series taken by Agi Argyropoulos and, while there is an element of posing for the camera, it is very much a snap. As a postcard it endowed the sharpie look with the heritage status of a commodity to be distributed in the name of Australian-ness. Sharpies had become part of the national image.
Carol Jerrems’ Vale Street (1975) capitalised on this look by posing two of her Heidelberg tech students, Mark Lean and Jon Bourke, with aspiring actress Catriona Brown. An image of confidence, self-assertion and artifice, Vale Street strips things down to bluebird-tattoo basics. Jerrems deliberately styled the sharp look as an aesthetic and attitude that was photogenic. But these images were also countenanced by the subjects themselves, who exploited the way photography could communicate their image to the world. The two sharps in her Young Couple (1975) seem very much aware of this. The sharpie chick’s school tunic and shaved eyebrows say it all. As with Rennie Ellis, who also photographed sharpies, Jerrems was an outsider looking in. She approached her subject with a fine-art sensibility, though one jacked up by high-risk method acting. But the look was also captured from the inside. It’s well known that every gang had its own favoured brands of continental knitwear. In recent years it has emerged that some had their own resident photographers as well.
Peter Robertson’s Sharpies exhibition of 2001 was based on original photos taken by Larry Jenkins in the late 1970s. Jenkins’ images range from casual snaps of hanging out on street corners and suburban driveways, to more posed head shots reminiscent of the type found in Italian barbers and police stations of the time. Jenkins describes the snaps as “personal memoirs”, an attempt to chronicle his youth; an exercise, he quickly adds, in which his mates were “reluctant participants”.1 Tadhg Taylor’s book Top Fellas (2004) also cobbled together an impressive collection of images of two generations of sharpies. Conspicuous among them is the ubiquitous photo-booth pic, the most impromptu form of self-portraiture. Big suburban shopping centres like Chadstone and Northland were favoured hangouts for bored teenagers looking for trouble and it’s not surprising that so many instant photographs were taken. But these are not readily accessible and are generally found in personal collections (no doubt in old Acropolis shoe boxes). Nevertheless, more and more of them keep surfacing. Top Fellas reveals how fond sharpies were of taking pictures of themselves, despite the fact that cameras weren’t part of the look. As Larry Jenkins explains: “Most of the time I didn’t have the camera on me as it was inconvenient to cart it around, even though it was just an 8mm camera. My jeans were too tight to have it in my pocket.”
Such images are clearly attempts to capture the experience of being a sharpie. But it was hardly cinéma-vérité. As Russell Storer has observed of Robertson’s images, they are as “concerned with appearance as any fashion shoot”.2 Jenkins contrived particular shots and in this we see the idea of being photographed as a kind of self-fashioning. But there is something else in these photographs, an expectation that they were being taken precisely for the kind of recollection at work in Sharpies and, more recently, the Skins ‘n’ Sharps exhibition at Dante’s Gallery in Melbourne (13–26 August 2006).
Skins ’n’ Sharps was also driven by a particular, very local, act of recollection – in this instance Sam Biondo’s formative years as a Jordy Boy. Over the years Biondo has garnered an enviable collection of clothing, shoes and pop culture from the 1970s. The number of these artefacts grew during the course of the exhibition as visitors donated long-forgotten ephemera and photographs, transforming a personal archive into a collective act of remembrance. The opening was a gathering of the tribes, as members of different suburban gangs came together to tell stories and reminisce about tougher and more fashionable days. Biondo tells of asking one top fella if he and his mates used to be Melbourne Sharps. The response was unsettling: “We still are.”
The focal point of Skins ‘n’ Sharps was a series of photographs taken by Graeme Penton, an eastern suburbs sharpie who had the advantage of being an apprentice photo lab technician at the time. He also had a 35mm camera. Penton’s negatives, like Biondo’s Venus shoes and Conte cardigans, had been in storage awaiting a time such as this, a time anticipated in the photographs themselves. Co-curator Rohan Pugh notes that it was Penton’s mate Chris O’Halloran who choreographed the self-conscious studies in menace, horse-play and pissed-off indifference. He is in the so-called “hero shot” – a wonderfully savage composition, the lone sharp framed by a bare brick wall, his stance and attitude as cultivated as the grass at his feet. O’Halloran knows the camera is there but won’t look at it. A clear signal. Never look a sharpie in the eye. This photograph was meant to be an icon the moment it was taken. Its formal qualities suggest it was styled as an image of recollection, to find its place at another time as a bill poster, ensuring that sharpies would once again be seen on the street.
Old sharps never die. Their images keep turning up like a bunch of gatecrashers on a Saturday night. They speak to us in plain, no-nonsense terms. And the message is always the same. Look sharp. Snap.
Darren Tofts is a reformed East Preston lout. He is associate professor of media and communications at Swinburne University of Technology
Notes
1 Email correspondence with the author 25 August 2006
2 Russell Storer catalogue essay for Sharpies, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney 2001
Hi all you die hard ex sharpies. It’s good to see that the memory of the last true Australian subculture (Sharpies) is being kept alive. Not that some events that may have taken place are things that we should necessarily be proud of, but lets face it what was was and history ain’t something that we can change. Being an ex Thomastown Sharp in the northern suburbs of Melbourne in the 70s, I certainly could not have predicted that this phenomena i.e the Sharpie culture would have generated so much interest 30+ plus years later, it is interesting to see in this day and age of computers and the WWW the amount of information that is out there. I personally think its good that this part of history is being recorded and who knows where it will go, one good example is the fashion, we wore Staggers (large bell bottom jeans) now you have the Phat rave pants, and the high platform cork shoes that the girls wore, they also made a resurgence for a while, who knows we may even see the youth of today sporting the sharpie haircut (yeah right, I doubt it too but stranger things have happened) I am rapidly going bald so you won’t see me with a sharpie cut again. OK that’s enough crap from me until next time, I just thought someone should start this blog going. Great website.
Mick (aka snatch)
Comment by Mick (aka snatch) — January 20, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
ive always wanted to be part of the thomastown sharps.
im a 16 year old person & ive heard alot of thommo sharps stories from my genes!
anywai great site, is there any other sites or video?
thanks!
Comment by aleks — March 11, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
is there gonna be any updates on this website?
Comment by aleks — March 26, 2008 @ 6:44 pm
Memories of a misspent youth, all of us trying to be harder than the next suburb over! Croydon Boys bashing Ringwood Boys bashing Jordy Boys bashing Sandy Boys, all us running from WestSide Sharps and Lebanese Tigers.
Hours spent stealing coke bottles and cashing in the deposits to buy new tighter than tight jeans and hanging out at the station or Ringwood Bowls!
My first sharpie hair cut, my old man kicked my arse. Connies and cuban toe boots true fashion victims.
Wonder what ever happened to our little gang, Andy, Shaun, Mal and Zoob? And that chick from Croydon called Butch, she was scary and have a look at Magna’s Michelle and Ferret, Butch was the model for Michelle!
REBS RULE
Ringwood East Boys.
Comment by [Westy] R.E.B. Rule — July 29, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
mick,
if u dont mind telling me the names of the photo of the Thomastown sharps. in the photo album..
i see jon bowie, & the guy at the back wiht the black coat looks like loui back in the day but i don’t know for sure:S?
thanks hit back:)
Rob
GOD BLESS THE THOMASTOWN SHARPS!
Comment by Rob — August 1, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
HI FELLOW HOOLIGANS,,,,WELCOME TO ‘SKINS N SHARPS,,,, THANKS TO SAM WE CAN RE LIVE OUR GLORIOUS PAST,,, NO KNIVES, NO DRUGS,NO HOME BOYS ! JUST BEER,BROADS AND BRAWLS !!!! JUMP ON BOARD AND TELL YOUR MATES !!! HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE NEXT ANNUAL ‘SHARPIE DAY’ ON THE LAST SUNDAY IN FEB, stay sharp!!! O’HOOLIGAN.
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — August 6, 2008 @ 6:18 pm
CAMBERWELL BOYS RULE !!!!!!
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — August 6, 2008 @ 6:25 pm
Hey Rob, yes I do know the heads in the photo. only 3 really had nick names so I won’t give you their surnames given that apart from one (Bowie)I don’t see them anymore and it would not be right to give their full name without their permission. Looking at the photo where they are all facing the camera from left to right they are: David M, Allan F, Bowie, Blacky (deceased), Tom T, Im 99% sure the guy with his head up is Pee wee, Tony H (I think) and Skinny Jim. No Louie I’m afraid. I did not have a copy of this photo, so Sam was generous enough to provide me with one. I hope this gives you your sharpie nostalgia fix for a while Rob? Cheers, Mick
Comment by Mick ex Thomo sharps — August 22, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
thanks mick!
it’l be great if i saw the rest of the thomo sharps:)
haha i love the old melb subculture..still dreaming about it:) hahaa
Comment by Rob — August 23, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
I am currently studying Textile design and am thinking about doing some items with the conti cardi theme. They were such an icon and the designs should not be just laid to rest. I grew up in Preston and remember some of the colour combos of the cardigans but as for placing the different colours with their corresponding area, my memory is not that good. Did you have a particular colour combination that you wore? (There were so many wonderful ones to choose from) and can you describe the formation of stripes?( e.g Thin at the top, thicker stripes at the bottom? Corresponding stripes on the sleeves? )
look forward to hearing from you
Kind regards,
Julianne.
Comment by julianne — September 5, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
oi mick!
do you know are guy named mitcho i think..
useto go thomo high?
haha my teacher was just telling me about the thomo sharps, she had heck of stories to tell.
cheers rob!
Comment by Rob — September 6, 2008 @ 10:53 am
Dear Julianne,
I would be blown away if you could make some conte style cardigans. The two styles I used to have were a. A dark chocolate brown background , with approx 10 thin stripes (biege) on the bicep region and across the chest around to the back. It also had a wide strip ( biege) ound the stomach region to the back.
The second style was lime green background with mustard stripes. There were 3 large stripes on the upper sleeves and the upper torso. I am desperately trying to find a Conte Cardigan in XL . But I can’t find them all I can tell you they used to be made by F & L Conte in Thornbury. Melbourne. If you want some photos i’d be happy to email them to you. Hope you make them !!!! They were the best ever!! Ted
Comment by Ted Mitchell — September 7, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
hey julianne,,,,,when you get a chance can you please ring me on 8711 3828,,,,,,,cheers,,,,chris
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — September 29, 2008 @ 7:30 pm
Hi Rob, yes I knew Mitcho, I say this in past tense as I haven’t seen him for 20+ years. Quite a number of the ex sharps went to Thomo high as well as Lalor high. Cheers, Mick
Comment by Mick — September 30, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
yeah i saw mitcho the other day..
his one big bloke:| haha!
do you have any other fotos of you thomo sharps?
if you do id love to see them.
thanks mick;)
Comment by Rob — October 1, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
Sharpies! Youse are about as original as my big toe! You copied everything from the Collingood Boys! They were the TRUE sharpies, not all you piss swilling, gutless when not in a gang, outer suburban nine to fivers!
Alex
Comment by Alex — December 2, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Ringwood East Boys. there was chicks too and l was in Croydon lol, about 1977 l was 15- 16 then,
hmmm Mick ex Thomo sharps Tom T could this be Thomas T TUCKER OR SOMTHIN SIMILIAR
Comment by jjjive — January 14, 2009 @ 7:08 pm
jjjive why did u say
hmmm mick ex thomo sharps?
don’t you like him?
Comment by Rob — January 15, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
jjjive why did u say
hmmm mick ex thomo sharps?
don’t you like him?
Rob, cos l met a sharp called thomas t tucker and was wondering if this thomo could actually be thomas t tucker lol thats all GO SHARPIES SHARPIES RULE
Comment by jjjive — February 21, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
FUCK!! sharps n skin heads fkn junkie fuks.. young generation taken over u old fuks n if u have a problem names Big wilz find me at Reza station u junkie fkn cunts..
Comment by MTS Murder The Snitch — April 17, 2009 @ 12:08 am
Hi jjjive, If I am thinking of the same Thomas T Tucker (Croydon station 76-77)he was a Croydon boy rather than a sharp, but he may have worn a conni sometimes. The Croydon boys would wear footy beanies and black T shirts with the white iron on letters.
Comment by Julie Mac — April 18, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
MTS Murder The Snitch shut your fkn trap
Comment by Rob — April 25, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
Rob u bitch say it to my face cunt.. fkn junkie dog..
Comment by MTS Murder The Snitch — April 26, 2009 @ 12:51 am
Hi jjjive, my my how a simple innocent comment can be misunderstood and turned into a verbal stoush. jjjive just for the record no Tom T is not Thomas Tucker. Gee some people get wound up for nothing (not you jive) I think everyone needs to take a chill pill and just enjoy the blog for what it is i.e. reminiscing about the good old sharpie days and the Sharpie culture that is now part of Melbourne’s history. And not, oh my gang was tougher than your gang and I will meet you at Rezza station, for crying out loud grow up. Also the comment that Sharpies originated from the Collingwood boys well I dispute that, sure there was certainly a gang that were to be reckoned with in Collingwood called the Collingwood boys but how do you get sharps from boys? If they were sharps surely they would have been called Collingwood sharps. I would like to think that we have all matured a bit since the 70s. Mick
Comment by Mick ex Thomo sharps — April 26, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
MTS Murder The Snitch
youa joke,
come thomo station, kcik your head in mate
Comment by Rob — May 9, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
Ill fkn see u at Thomo Station den u fkn DOG..
Comment by MTS Murder The Snitch — May 12, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
HERO!
Comment by Rob — May 12, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
Its great to read comments on this site that are relevant to its purpose; nostalgia, reminiscing, and making sure this unique time in Melbourne’s history is preserved. Keep them coming, but please keep it of interest to others and stop with the petty crap.
Comment by Pete Brookes — May 16, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
WOW lovely language boys, ,,, l think l remeber a julie Mac who hung around croydon who also knew Thomas T Tucker , So your around 47 ish Julie Mac ?? Do you remember Croydon Market Julie ??
Comment by jjjive — May 27, 2009 @ 12:07 am
Yes I remember the market. The market and the station look so different now. My parents still live in the area.
Comment by Julie Mac — May 27, 2009 @ 5:17 pm
whens the next exibition day?
Comment by Rob — May 28, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
Hey Chris, Do you know a guy called Peter and his nick name back then was Bulldog? I think he was from Camberwell. What had become of him.
Mick
Comment by Mick O'R — July 6, 2009 @ 5:44 pm
I DONT RECALL ANYONE CALLED BULLDOG MICK…..DONT FORGET THAT WE WERE AROUND IN THE LATE SIXTIES EARLY SEVENTIES MATE…HE MIGHT OF COMME LATER !!! THE CAMBERWELL JUNCTION WAS BUZZING IN THE SEVENTIES , BECAUSE IT HAD THE BOWL,POOL ROOMS,BURGER SHOPS,CHURCH YOUTH REFUGES WHICH USED TO GET TORN APART ON A REGULAR BASIS !!!! THE PARK,PALACE HOTEL etc. etc. SO KIDS WOULD COME FROM AS FAR AS MALVERN,RICHMOND,BURWOOD etc. ..ON A SAT. OR SUN. YOU COULD HAVE AS MANY AS 150 LOUTS ROVING AROUND….THE JACKS HAD THERE HANDS FULL..HA .HA. WE NEVER HAD OTHER GANGS COME DOWN TO TAKE US ON…THERE WERE TO MANY OF US..BUT WHEN WE GOT CARS WE WOULD DO REGULAR SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS TO OTHER SUBURBS…FUN TIMES !!!! OH.
Comment by CHRISO — July 7, 2009 @ 10:20 am
Thanks Anyhow Chris, I met him at Swinburne. Probably around 1973/74. Thick set with short blond hair and a really f#@ked nose. God he looked mean. You would know know a few blokes from East Hawthorn f/c I would imagine.
Comment by Mick O'R — July 7, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
EAST HAWTHORN FC….NO WORRIES ABOUT THAT ONE….ONE OF OUR LEGENDARY EVENTS INVOLVED EHFC…..NOTHING THAT I COULD WRITE HERE…HA HA !
Comment by OH. — July 8, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
I am a girl from Croydon in this era. The likes of Stony!! I loved it all. I am looking for Tony Brooks, son of Tom (chemist in main street) and Dawn Brooks. ??Pete brooks brother. Please help me. Miranda..lost love!
Comment by Miranda — September 20, 2009 @ 10:04 am
Miranda, have you checked the sites like schoolfriends.com.au? I don’t remember them from CHS.
Comment by Julie Mac — September 21, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Hi to all firstly have to say LOVE this site has brought back so many memories and was wanting to ask if anyone knows if “Julianne” from the post above made the jumpers ? i would love to own one again
Comment by Renata — November 19, 2009 @ 11:58 pm
Renata, not sure if Julianne made any, but they are available from here (from Blackburn Sth Sharps website)
INACOMA
439 Brunswick Street Fitzroy.
Ph: (03) 9416 1020
149 Maroondah Hwy Ringwood.
Ph: (03) 9879 4944
Comment by Julie Mac — November 20, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
i used to be a West side Sharp in the late 70′s
is anyone on here an old Westside boy or girl?a few of us came from Jordanville tech(now bulldozed and housing estate)some from Sunshine and Oakleigh,we were a very mixed bunch,
Comment by nick — November 30, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
MTS you must be kidding, none of us were junkies and all of us had jobs,we took pride in that and most of our fights were against dole bludging surfs who were much more likely to be junkies.We (a group of 8 )took on about 20 blokes at a concert at the MCG (David Bowie from memory)ONE night and made the news around Australia as a gang of 30 who attacked and beat about 8 poor innocent surfs outside the main entrance.funny The fight was actually started by a few dozen Surfs who thought the 8 of us were an easy target and quickly regretted there desision when we smashed them into a running battle for 10 minutes.our side of the story was never told as we knew we would be found guilty just because of who we were.
as for those of you making threats on your computers we were there and we never backed down. where were you keyboard warriors when we were on Flinders, Richmond,Box Hill Ringwood and Frankston stations Punching on toe to toe.
Comment by nick — December 1, 2009 @ 7:56 am
Nick Young would it be ?
Comment by Tony(weazle) — December 1, 2009 @ 12:06 pm
good write nick some of the guys were never even sharps and you can tell by the way they write there little skits they were long hairs that hung around with sharps and called them selves sharps you got feel sorry for them mate
Comment by peter whitesides — December 1, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
Weasle are you kidding is that you. i have not seen any of the Westside sharps since that bloke from Dandynong stabbed his Uncle to death(cant remember most of the boys names anymore)old age lol
p.s. i thought i saw syphlis in Bundaberg QLD about 12 years ago.
ive been living in Hervey Bay the last 12 years.and when everyone was going to jail and i knew i was very close also i went to Darwin for 4 years
Comment by nick young — December 1, 2009 @ 7:52 pm
Hi Nick
The name you are looking for is Stephen (Corny) Cornish.
I agree with you about having jobs and not doing drugs. There was a certain working class pride in being employed. Many of the sharps I knew were apprentices in one trade or another. Not too many white collar folk.
Comment by Jacques — December 2, 2009 @ 9:27 am
thanks, is Corny still around
Comment by nick young — December 2, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
Hi Nick
No idea. Like you I have no contact with any of the Westsiders apart from Julie Mac. I will be seeing Julie tonight and I know she is catching up with Keith (Crazy) so I will ask.
Comment by Jacques — December 3, 2009 @ 9:32 am
Its a pity we never had camera’s with us in those days, digital age is so much better for looking back at what we were doing years ago and puting names to faces,when i was about 22 we moved house and all our photo’s were lost when a box went missing while changing over houses in West Heidleburg ,i should have known 5 minutes in that area was plenty of time for thieves.
do you have more pics of westsiders?
Comment by Nick Young — December 3, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Hi Nick,
I have given Sam (Skinsnsharps) my photo albums with around 400 pics of Melbourne, WSS & St Albans. They will be available on site here after next years exhibition. There are quite a few pics of you in there!
Comment by Julie Mac — December 3, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
Thanks Julie, thats great news,
Is everyone still alive? quite a few friends of mine have been killed over the last 20 years since my Sharpie days 30 years ago,I often wonder if mates from my teen years are still ok, but lost contact when i got myself into some serious bother and had to leave Victoria suddenly a few months after we all last met
Comment by nick young — December 3, 2009 @ 10:06 pm
weasel is that really you .
Comment by cookie boy — December 6, 2009 @ 10:09 am
thank you Julie Mac , am checking out the website now
cheers
Comment by Renata — December 7, 2009 @ 11:37 pm
Hey Nick (WSS)… What was your nickname? Checkout the Stephen Egan “Sharps Photo Album 1977″ around 9 pages from the back with the half torn “Bashed” heading. It’s from the front page of “The Herald” about the brawl the night before the Bowie concert at the MCG. I remember the following day at the MCG with Keith C sprinting up to us holding the paper up in front of him with both hands proudly yelling “we made the headlines!!!!”
Comment by stef — December 18, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
me Rob Tat—-,Penny ,i remember me and rob (i think) ripped out a ten foot span of 2″waterpipe fencing and ran through about ten or twelve surfs which changed the fight very fast to our advantage,we ended up bolting down the railway tunnels(under construction) when cops showed up,and spent half the night freezing there until we thought it was safe,i think there was one or two Melbourne Sharps with us that night
Comment by nick — December 19, 2009 @ 10:57 am
i dont recall having a nickname
Comment by nick — December 19, 2009 @ 11:04 am
Hi guys, I have almost finished writing a book about my sharpie days and hope to self publish.
The story line is about a young troubled teenage girl that is running wild and getting into mischief. She meets a nice boy, settles down, he breaks her heart and she turns into a complete bitch. Gotta love a book with a happy ending!
Of course this book is a complete work of fiction and none of it really happened….. but if you know me and wanna check if you are in the book and you want your name changed or to check what I have written or if you want to send hate mail you can contact me on mcjulie@optusnet.com.au
Comment by Julie Mac — January 17, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
HI MICK
Comment by J DOUBLE — January 19, 2010 @ 8:13 pm
IM STILL KICKING
Comment by J DOUBLE — January 19, 2010 @ 8:14 pm
HEY SNATCH WHAT ABOUT THE HEYTON AVE SHOP BOYS IN THOMASTOWN NEVER RUN ALWAYS STAND AND FIGHT NO MATTER WHO
Comment by J DOUBLE — January 20, 2010 @ 9:39 am
hey,where was sal from?
Comment by jozef nijboer — January 23, 2010 @ 10:35 am
Anyone out there have any photos of The Box Hill Boys?
Comment by Sally — January 24, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
Perhaps photos of “The Wog Shop.”
Box Hill Town Hall Dance
Q Club Dance
The Inn Shoppe
Merivale etc, etc.
Comment by Sally — January 24, 2010 @ 7:27 pm
Never heard of the wog shop Sally, sure heard of the others and can add the dances Blue Stone commonly known then as blood stone on a Saturday night in Box Hill and also Glue Pot on a Sunday night at the Catholic Church in Whitehorse Rd. and the Box Hill Bowl and or Station were the places to hang around
Comment by noel — January 24, 2010 @ 8:30 pm
Hey Noel,Thanx for that info. Re “the Wog Shop” it was a pool room off Station Street that we all used to hang out at on a Sunday after The Town Hall dance {Canabas} the night before. Does your surname start with C by any chance?
Cheers Sally.
Comment by Sally — January 31, 2010 @ 7:06 pm
a oh, yes Sally it does, but maybe i was smoking a bit too much of that dance name as i just do not remember it as that name. What years are you talking? I used to hang out at pool halls in Yarrabat ave Balwyn, Oakleigh, City at Lindrums also. Such fun times we all had!
Tell me more, whats doing in your life?
Cheers Sal
Noel
Comment by noel — January 31, 2010 @ 8:14 pm
Yes I know the one in Balwyn, but not the others. I wonder if the second letter of your surname starts with o? The group I hung around with included……..Marty H, Shane T, Fiona C, Ange H, Robbie T, Wayne E, Loris T, John B, Lisa F, Damien K, Bernie T, Bear, Coxy, Stewart S etc, etc. Ring any bells for you?? I am Sally T.
I think the years were 1973 to 1976/77?
These days, I am a beautician. Have been since I was 18. Back to you. Cheers!
Comment by Sally — February 1, 2010 @ 10:07 pm
any of you Thomostown sharps remember backing up Sparrow(my ex wife is sure that was his name)after i took him on at flats on St Kilda RD where i lived,he ran back to his flat and grabbed a hammer,after i tried to take that off him and use it on him he ran off screaming he would be back with his gang,that afternoon there was about twenty Thomostown Sharps downstairs when i went out the other entrance in mates car and drove back into car park with a shotgun ,he changed his story real fast, i ended up being friends with a few of them before i got away from Melbourne and the Police hassles i was having
Comment by nick — February 2, 2010 @ 9:02 am
There is nothing worth having the Police park two doors up from your house and stopping you every morning and night(lost two jobs in a month )because you had a blue with one off duty.Then as some sort of bloody silly revenge idea i had,i gave them something worth being upset over and left Melbourne.
Comment by nick — February 2, 2010 @ 9:06 am
Eeeek, yes correct, and names from yesteryear and BH Bowl come to mind???????
Comment by noel — February 2, 2010 @ 8:18 pm
PS, Sal, I thought a little before these years????
Comment by noel — February 2, 2010 @ 8:19 pm
Maybe in the middle of the dates I guessed? I think I was friends with your younger brother Mark. Am I on the right track here? Cheers Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 3, 2010 @ 9:46 am
hey noel does your second name rime with booney mate ? anyone remember jimbo,jeff trinda,glen dougherty,jaimie peters,larry,ross and greg barrett,debbie and jackie rowle,john carter,rinata,peter brookla, etc. etc.hey sally did you know any of the hawthorn/camberwell boys ? X
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — February 3, 2010 @ 10:39 am
Right off track now Sal, I am the baby of 4 boys, and thats my story for years! Older bro was a jazzer, next one a rocker and eldest well if I knew where he was hiding out I could ask him, O’H no mate, it doesn’t, but I knew the Carters as discussed previously, in particular Mick and to a lesser extent John. others no, Burke, Ginnes, Gibson, Devine, Headerman, Fontana lads and cousins of same, Twford, Boyco, Gough,Hud,Henderson,Slim, The Flea and they were just part of the great adventures……………Unless that is Sal,I changed my name in latter years for my own sake hmmmmmm……he he he, take care fellow sharps, if you are reading this, you obviously made it through those wonder years of the late 60′s and 70′s and came out all better street educated folks from the unique experiences we all walked through. And who would think all those years on, I would sit here typing!!!!!!! So bad for my reputation of yesteryear. Take care and thanks for reading.
Comment by noel — February 3, 2010 @ 8:27 pm
Ha ha. Well there were 4 brothers and maybe I have the ages/names mixed up? Was it John Brit you knew? He has gone to God. I knew a “Flea” but I wonder if it was the same guy? Cheers again Noel.
Comment by Sally — February 4, 2010 @ 10:50 am
was john brit related to charlie
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — February 4, 2010 @ 5:43 pm
Yes Sal correct, and OH he was.
Take care folks, bad night tonight, found my thrill on blue berry hill!
Nightrs Sal, take care
Comment by noel — February 4, 2010 @ 9:07 pm
Yes Charlie was his nickname. Shit I had forgotten that. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 5, 2010 @ 7:53 am
Hi O’Hooligan,
Yes I knew Jaimie and Martin Peters very well. Also knew Jimbo and many of the Hawthorn and Camberell boys. I have loads of photos with Jaimie and Martin and also loads with Jimbo/Darky/Cooneys/Britt/Stewart Smith/ Jackie F/Fo etc. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 7, 2010 @ 10:52 am
small world sally….. i’d love to see some of the photos mate,we’ll have to catch up one day,i went to marty’s funeral a few years back thats the last time iv’e seen most of them exept for the barrets and sometimes jaimie.is charlie britt still alive ? cheers. chris o’h.
Comment by o'hooligan — February 8, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
So sad to hear of Martin’s passing, but cannot say I am shocked. No, Charlie is also dead. Plus some of his brothers. I am not sure of just what happened there. Can you tell me what happened with Martin? I had so many fun years with him, until he got too much into the gear. We even had a few holidays together. SHIT.SHIT.SHIT. How did Jamie take it? Please say hello to Jamie for me. To see who you are chatting with, go to http://www.myspace.com/threwminintoteachmehow.
Cheers Chris.
Sal Taverner.
Comment by Sally — February 8, 2010 @ 10:49 pm
Sorry……..The myspace is http://www.myspace.com/threwmeintoteachmehow. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 9, 2010 @ 12:53 pm
hi sal. yeah i was living with marty in 1980 about the time lennon was shot,i was going out with paul hynes sister shelly and we were living behind a shop in camberwell.i didnt see him that much after that buthe ended up living in mc kinnon,he died of a heroin overdose,poor bugger,jamie took it pretty bad but as jamie does he bounces back…funny you mention stewy smith ,i went out with linda before he did,do you remember steven teale ? also jimmy alan,debbie hall,ray smiles.love your my space mate,,,,,a lot in common !!!! keef,moony etc. love it !!! cheers sal. COH.
Comment by o'hooligan — February 10, 2010 @ 8:13 pm
OMG………I knew Michelle and Paul well. Also have pics of them. Was that the shop behind the bank and off Riversadale Rd? Fiona Carroll was my best friend at the time. I often went to Jaimie’s house. Both the one in Prahan and the one he bought in Clifton Hill. Helped him clean that one after the renovations. Debbie Wall lives in Castlemaine and is divorced with 2 children. Ray Smiiles, shit yes. Poor Ray. “The Joker” We all gave him such a hard time. What became of Ray, Paul and Michelle?> Flynn Smith? The very last time I saw Martin, I went to Mckinnon to say farewell as I was moving interstate for work. I think Michelle was there that day too. Maybe they shared in Mckinnon? Julia Bolle {who is my dearest friend since about the age of 22} also saw Martin in Southbank and phoned to tell me he gave her a fright. Julia had actually dated him and lived in Sydney with him for a year or so and SHE DID NOT KNOW WHO WAS SPEAKING TO HER! She said he looked shocking. That would have been about 10 to 15 years back. I must let Julia know re Martin. She will be sad too.
Oh yes……I love Keef. He is a dream and a legend. Back to you. Tell me some more. What are you doing these days? Did you know Beaky? RIP. If you have Jaimie’s email can you send him the Myspace link? He will laugh. He knows how I love my music. Cheers Chris. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 10, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
Oh and I don’t seem to remember Steven Teale. Should I? The earliest crew I hung around with {earlier than Martin and Jaimie} were Rob Timms, Shane Tetlow and Stu etc. Still keep in touch with Jacky Foster who started “Smithers” hairdressing with him and Finch. Saw Finch a few months back. Stu lives a life of luxury in Bali or similar. He comes out to stay with Jacky about once a year. I believe he designs boutique hotels. But I am more interested in the news you have of the other crew. Jaimie, Michelle etc. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 10, 2010 @ 10:11 pm
sorry sal . wrong stewie,your talking about andys brother,i knocked about with andy and stew in the younger days and i;m still in touch with andy,i knew stewy mwould end up a rich man even when we were young,he was switched on even as a teenager,i caught up with him at the last skins and sharps expo which was good,his health hasnt been that good but hopefully he will be ok !shelly and paul live down at philip island,shelly has had a lot of health problems as well but i havent heard any more news on it.jamie is due to visit melb. agin soon so i will keep you informed,were hoping to get him and stew to the next expo and maybe even a cameo apperance by jimbo….. ha ha cheers mate. oh. oh yeah… about steve teale.better off you dont know !!!!!
Comment by o'hooligan — February 11, 2010 @ 6:26 pm
ps. yeah mate ,flynn smith i remember him well,social cricket match,me batting into the sun,flynn bowling,couldnt see the ball,copped it straight in the left eye !!! still get headaches,,,, thanks flynn !! beakey,yeah that takes me back… and fiona she used to come over all the time when i was going with shelly,me martin and shelly were living behind the newsagent in riversdale road…fuckin madhouse !!! i live in south croydon sal with my sixteen year old daughter,i think shes about the same age as jamies daughter and both a handful !! my daughters name is jaimie and i’ve brought her up since she was six,its all going as well as can be expected,a chip off the old block as they say !!!
Comment by o'hooligan — February 11, 2010 @ 6:48 pm
Yes that is the shop I meant. In Through Rd, off Riversdale. You would have met me. I came to visit on my own and with Fo. I am confused re the Stu’s now. Did the one I know go to the Expo? Jacky has not told me he was not well etc.
Yes, I remember Shelly had back problems I believe? I knew Jaimie had a daughter and heard that she lived in Hawthorn I think. Where is he living now? Let me know when he is in town please. I have an almost 18 year old son, Cameron. Lives for music like me. You can click on “picS” in my Myspace to see pictures of him, Julia, me and others. Really enjoying this chat. Back to you Chris! Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 11, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
no sal , you’ve got the right stu,smithers etc…. split enz…youv;e got me now mate….love em !!!
Comment by o'hooligan — February 11, 2010 @ 9:09 pm
They are ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVES. Never thought I would get to see them live again and when they reformed about 3 years back after the Arias, got front row at Rod Laver and took Cam. Blew our minds. Amazing gig.It is out on DVD. Cam never had any hope with me as a Mum. Grew up listening to all the bands on my site and his first gig was The Who, also front at Laver when he was 12. He has seen The Stones twice with me and the last time we went backstage for the second half of the show. An AMAZING story to tell of the events of THAT night! anyway, he now has 5 guitars, numerous amps, pedals and a band. Great bunch of guys and they write most of their own stuff, which of course I just love. Cannot stand “covers.” We see loads of live alternative gigs together. The next is “The Drones” at The East Brunswick. Awesome band, especially awesome live. Back to you! Cheers Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 11, 2010 @ 9:47 pm
PS: Are you in the shots outside Young and Jacksons? I am trying to work out if I know any of the head/faces. Sal.
Comment by Sally — February 11, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
ha,thats me with the bald head and sharps united t shirt sal.jamie;s email is jamiep@sportingbet.com.au and mine is jaim93@optusnet.com.au…probably best we get off this site mate or the whole world will know our life story !!!! my phone number is 87113828…cheers. oh.
Comment by o'hooligan — February 12, 2010 @ 9:46 am
Sally and O’H. I am really enjoying your memories and would love to help record them if you are interested. OH you know where to find me.
Comment by Julie Mac — February 13, 2010 @ 7:03 pm
NO WORRIES JULIE,CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER AGAIN AND WE CAN TOUCH BASE. CHRIS.
Comment by o'hooligan — February 13, 2010 @ 8:37 pm