Sharpies: The Early Years, 1967-1969
“WHEN THE PURPLE HEARTS FIRST CAME DOWN TO MELBOURNE IN 1967, WE WERE A LONG-HAIRED BLUES BAND. WE STARTED PLAYING AT THE CIRCLE BALLROOM IN PRESTON AND I STARTED NOTICING THESE STRANGE PEOPLE. I’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THEM AND THEIR DISTINCT STYLE! THEY HAD SHORT HAIR AND WORE BAGGY TROUSERS AND CARDIGANS; THE GIRLS WORE KNEE-LENGTH PLEATED SKIRTS, TWIN SETS AND PEARLS.” –LOBBY LOYDE
IN EARLY 1968, WHEN I WAS A 16-YEAR-OLD “MOD” WORKING AT THE MELBOURNE GPO (POST OFFICE), I BECAME MATES WITH A YOUNG LOUT FROM PRESTON. HE HAD SHORT HAIR AND ATTITUDE! ONE LUNCHTIME, HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO COME OVER TO THE “SEVEN LITTLE TAILORS” SHOP ON ELIZABETH STREET. HE WAS GETTING SOME “FLAGS” MADE.
“FLAGS?” I THOUGHT. “WHAT THE HELL!”
WHEN WE GOT THERE, I FOUND OUT THAT “FLAGS” WERE A NECESSARY ITEM OF CLOTHING WORN BY A MELBOURNE-BASED GANG SUBCULTURE CALLED “SHARPIES”. THEY WERE TROUSERS–BAGGY TROUSERS–MADE OF WOOLEN MATERIAL IN “HOUNDSTOOTH” OR CHECK DESIGN WITH DULL COLOURS AND REAR POCKET FLAPS. I WAS INTRIGUED. I WANTED TO KNOW MORE!
MY NEW MATE INFORMED ME THAT ALONG WITH FLAGS, THEY WORE ITALIAN FINE KNIT CARDIGANS AND JUMPERS MADE BY COMPANIES LIKE “VENITO”, NO STRIPES, JUST PLAIN COLOURS USUALLY MAROON OR BOTTLE GREEN. MODS WERE STARTING TO SOUNDS A BIT “OLD HAT” NOW. I WAS HOOKED! ITALIAN LEATHER SHOES, CHISEL TOE, CUBAN HEEL, WERE THE OTHER REQUIRED ITEMS OF CLOTHING AND A “CRESTKNIT” POLO SHIRT TO TOP IT OFF! SHARPIE GIRLS WERE CALLED “BRUSH” AND WORE FAIRLY DRAB OUTFITS COMPARED TO THE BOYS: TWIN SETS, PLAINT SKIRTS, FLAT SHOES, ETC.
A FEW MONTHS LATER, I WENT TO A DANCE ON FLINDERS LANE CALLED “TRAFFIK” TO SEE “THE LOVED ONES”. AND WHO WERE HANGING AROUND OUTSIDE, LEANING ON LOWERED “HD” AND “EH” HOLDENS WITH “TASMAN” MAGS? SHARPIES! I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MOST DANCES HAD “SHARPIE BANS” SO THEY WOULD STAY OUT THE FRONT “PICKING” THE LONG HAIRS OR TRYING TO CHAT UP SOME MOD “CHICKS”. FUN!
A FEW WEEKS LATER, I WENT WITH A FEW MATES TO GLENFERRIE OVAL TO SEE THE HAWKS PLAY AND THE SHARPIES WERE EVERYWHERE! DRESSED TO IMPRESS! 3/4-LENGTH WOOLEN COATS, FLAGS, SOME WITH “PORK PIE” HATS, ALL WITH ATTITUDE! IT WAS MORE ENTERTAINING WATCHING THE CROWD THAN WATCHING THE GAME! THIS WAS HOME GROWN, NOT TEDDY BOYS, MODS OR HIPPIES, ETC. THIS WAS MELBOURNE–FANTASTIC!
AS IT TURNED OUT, NOT LONG DOWN THE TRACK, I BECAME A SHARP MYSELF AT THE END OF WHAT I CALL “PHASE ONE” OF THE SHARPIE REIGN. I GOT A PAIR OF FLAGS MADE BY “MAURICE THE TAILOR” IN CAMBERWELL, GREY “VENITO” V-NECK JUMPER, A PAIR OF “CHISELS” FROM “CUSMANOS” IN COLLINGWOOD, NAVY BLUE TRENCH COAT, AND OF COURSE: SHARPIE BRUSH! AN ORIGINAL MELBOURNE YOUTH CULTURE, AND I WAS PROUD TO BE PART OF IT. LATER CAME THE STAGGERS JEANS, STRIPPED CARDIGANS, HAIR TAILS, ETC. BUT FOR ME, I WAS GLAD TO BE INVOLVED AND HAVE WITNESSED THE “FIRST PHASE OF SHARP”–1967 TO 1969, A PERIOD WHICH NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF!
Chris O’ Halloran
Interesting article you have here!!! after more than 30 years the Sharps era have re ashed why???
A lot of good mate of mine DIE for this cause
Ex sydney sharp 1969 to 1978
Comment by george — January 8, 2008 @ 11:42 am
G’day Sam,great web page! and rare insight into Oz history. I had a sharpie haircut with dyed blonde rat tails in which leads me to my sharpie story! I was at Flinders st Station with a mate Ivan and there used to be a Hamburger/food van there near the stairs, I’ve gone up an ordered a pie, when I was rudely interrupted by about 10 sharpies whom were around 18-20 years old, I was 15 y.o in 1983 at the time, they were as rough as guts with heaps of tatts on there neck arms,ect and one of them was a girl whom looked just as tough as all of them!, one of them poked me in the chest and said, “what gang are you in? none I said, ‘why you got a sharpie haircut then’?, because I want one, I said’, Give us some money? No I said, give us your earring? No I said again-very timidly the whole time, and then came the question that I look back on with great fondness as do all the people I’ve told over the years- “Give us a bite of ya pie then”? [that still makes me laugh 25 years later] when I still said no to the pie request, he then said to one of his sharpie mates ‘Hit him one Bobbsy’ in which he punched me in the mouth, they let me go and I took off to the safety of the Swanston St tram where Ivan laughed at me saying haha you got bashed by Sharpies!! I had a few tears in my eyes, and I don’t reckon I cried because the punch hurt that much it was more because I always looked upto the Sharpies and was more disappointed that they picked on me instead of me been accepted by them :-]
I reckon they may have been the last of the sharpies because I cant recall seeing much of them again, I went home and trim my rat tails so they werent’ so obvious, But long live the Sharpies, and I hope those sharpies are all going well these days and I understand why you picked on me it was because I looked like a sharpie from a rival gang!!
cheers Gerry
Comment by Gerry Walsh — May 13, 2008 @ 8:31 pm
gerry, the good thing is you stood your ground agianst them, that would of took guts.
and btw which sharpies were they?
from where?
catch
Comment by aleks — June 7, 2008 @ 10:05 am
There is a very old ABCTV Four corners story on the mod culture and niteclub scene of Melbourne in the sixties . featuring a very early version of a sharpie who was refused entry to a club , a similar scenario that you have described . T.W
Comment by Tony Wyzenbeek — June 26, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
HI THERE,
THIS “BRUSH” READ WITH MUCH INTEREST YOUR ‘FLASHBACK’ TO 67/69 ….
LIFE AS A “SHARPIE”…..OH THE MEMORIES !!!
I TOO WAS THERE, AND SO GLAD TO BE A TEEN IN THE 60′S. LIVING IN PRESTON, ONE OF THE ‘TOUGHER’ AREAS OF MELBOURNE, SHARPIES WERE WIDESPREAD AND WELL KNOWN HERE.
THE LOCAL DANCE IE. PRESTON TOWN HALL WAS ‘STORYVILLE’.
HERE WE LINED UP TO DANCE 66 ROCK TO ‘MAX MERRITT’ MY PERSONAL ALL TIME FAVOURITE.
WITH PLEATED SKIRT, TOP, PEARL EARRINGS SHORT HAIR AND SANDALS WE DANCED UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
CHURCH DANCES WERE ALSO THE GO, AS WAS SCHOOL FORMALS.
NORTHCOTE HIGH AND PRESTON GIRLS HIGH COMBINING TO DANCE TO THE LIKES OF ‘RAM JAM BIG BAND’….
AS MENTIONED A LOT OF BOXERS BECAME SHARPIES, WE HUNG AROUND WITH SEVERAL.
FIGHTS WERE THE NORM NO MATTER WHERE YOU WENT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT.
I CAN STILL REMEMBER TRYING TO GET INTO A DANCE IN COBURG AND WE WERE TOLD TO ‘ENTER AT OWN RISK’ !!!
‘SWINGER’ WAS COBURG TOWN HALL.
431 ANOTHER POPULAR DANCE
OPUS ALSO A LARGE EVENT.
THERE WASN’T MUCH OF A CHOICE BACK THEN, YOU EITHER BECAME A ‘MOD’ OR A ‘SHARPIE’, THINGS JUST FELL INTO PLACE AS TO WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE.
TO ME IT WAS A ‘MAGICAL’ TIME, AND IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME I WOULD BE ‘THERE’.
I ALSO HAD A NAVY BLUE TRENCHCOAT…THE SIGN OF A ‘TRUE’ SHARPIE.
I STILL LOVE DANCING AND OF COURSE CAN STILL DO 66′ ROCK!!
AND ALSO ‘THE BREAK’..ANOTHER SIMPLE SHARPIE DANCE.
THE YEARS HAVE FLOWN BUT I STILL RETURN….
YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF ‘PRESTON’ BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE
‘PRESTON’ OUT OF THE GIRL, SORRY “BRUSH” !!!!!
Comment by VICKI — May 14, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
HEY VICKI…… GREAT STORY !!! HAVE YOU GOT ANY PHOTOS ? THERE’S GOING TO ANOTHER SHARPIE EXHIBITION NEXT YEAR , YOU SHOULD ROCK UP MATE , HEAPS OF GREAT STORIES TO SWAP WITH OTHER EX LOUTS !! AND SOME NOT SO EX !!! HA HA . CHEERS. CHRIS.
Comment by CHRIS O'HALLORAN — May 22, 2009 @ 11:28 am
hey chris O”h…..amazing reading this stuff..guess a sharpie was one of the many identities i adopted in my rather misspent(hahaha)youth…was”nt too many toorak sharpies getting about either.was lots of fun, and interesting reflecting on those days..different 4sure!..and graham penton lives on..bless you both!.austin
Comment by austin — May 22, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
It was great hearing from you the other night have passed on web address to a few people.Keep in touch
Comment by Dinko — May 24, 2009 @ 9:56 am
HEY AUSTO. GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU…… LOVE THE BIT ABOUT ‘GRAEME PENTON LIVES ON’ FANTASTIC…… SEE ALL YOU BLOKES AT THE NEXT EXPO!!!! OR MAYBE BEFORE THAT IF I CAN ORGANIZE A RE UNION …. CHEERS…… CHRIS.
Comment by CHRIS O'HALLORAN — May 29, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
Fuck the Thomo Sharps they only good for a laugh they all junkies..
Comment by MTS Murder The Snitch — June 9, 2009 @ 9:39 am
MTS Murder The Snitch , your a bitch mate!
couldnt pull a finger out of your ass..
Comment by Rob — June 9, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
now,now boys …..no fighting !!!
Comment by christo — June 11, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
MTS IS RIGHT……ROB’S A GOOSE !!!!!!
Comment by GP — June 11, 2009 @ 7:15 pm
hahaah!
Comment by Rob — June 11, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
hey rob…you’ve already made a complete prick of yourself on the SLACKBASTARD website ,,,, why dont you piss off and leave us all alone… we’ll dig a big hole in thomastown park and bury you in it…. with a big sign WANNABE next to it…ha ha ha…….
Comment by GP — June 11, 2009 @ 9:01 pm
RIGHTO BOYS…OFF TO BED NOW…..YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR BICKERING TOMORROW. GOODNIGHT.
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — June 12, 2009 @ 1:37 am
try me brother try me!
Comment by Rob — June 12, 2009 @ 1:04 pm
NOT ‘HEAD JOB ROB’ AGAIN !!!
Comment by GP — June 16, 2009 @ 8:37 am
idiots!
Comment by Rob — June 16, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
dont worry about em rob…..talks cheap !
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — June 26, 2009 @ 11:28 pm
your right O’HOOLIGAN talk is cheap!
come to my area,
where actions speak louder than words. HA HA!
Comment by rob — June 27, 2009 @ 9:58 am
STUFF EM !!!!
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — June 27, 2009 @ 10:16 am
hahahha
let me know when the expos on mate?
thanks
Comment by rob — June 28, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
I don’t look back at any of this with any fond memories. I grew up in Chadstone and had to put up with the wankers from jordy. Most of them on there own where as weak as piss and most of there brushes where as bad as most of the blokes and some of them where as ugly as a hat full of arse wholes.
I had some very good mate that got the rough end of the stick from some of theses blokes and ended up the worst for it now one mate never walked again and another lost the site in one eye and lost a kidney. I don’t see how it can be looked at as one of the better times in Melbourne’s history if you ask me most of the Sharpies should hang there heads in shame for how they acted and what they did to people.
Yes i had my fear share of run ins with some of them and i gave as good as i got. I find it interesting none the less. Maybe we can learn something from the past. Dutch.
Comment by Dutch — July 9, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
FAIR COMMENT DUTCH….. I’VE HAD MATES WHO COPPED A FEW BAD HIDINGS…MYSELF INCLUDED.. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF TEENAGE GANGS,ROCKERS,BODGIES,HOME BOYS,SKINHEADS,MODS,TEDDY BOYS,SURFIES,SHARPIES etc etc. THERE IS ALWAYS A BIT OF VIOLENCE INVOLVED MAINLY DUE TO BOYS BEING BOYS AND ALSO THE USUAL DEFENDING OF TERRITORY WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE CAVE MAN DAYS !!AS WITH THE AGGRO ON MELBOURNE STREETS TODAY THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO WILL GO TO FAR AND SOMEBODY GETS BADLY HURT…ALCOHOL IS USEUALLY A BIG PART OF IT AS WELL….. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT PAST GANGS YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS THE BOYS WHO DRESS TO IMPRESS.NOT THE GIRLS…LIKE PEACOCKS STRUTTING THERE STUFF AND THIS IS MAINLY WHAT SAM HAS DONE WITH THIS SITE….THE FASHION SIDE OF IT !!!! NONE OF US CONDONE VIOLENCE BUT UNFORTUNATELY AS HISTORY SHOWS ITS ALL PART OF URBAN CULTURE AND A BIG PART OF IT IS ALSO MATESHIP AND A FEELING OF BELONGING !!!! cheers CHRIS.
Comment by OH — July 10, 2009 @ 11:44 am
I have no trouble theses days Chris. I myself have more then moved on from it all. The one thing that always got me though was all the bloke dancing together ? and they use to pick on the poofters for it lol, yes the fashion was a big part of it.
It was a great era to be in, i will give you that some time i wish for some of it back. My daughter is always asking me about what it was like and it was in some ways great to find this site. Dutch
Comment by Dutch — July 10, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
KEEP IN TOUCH MATE….THE BOYS DANCING TOGETHER,YEAH !!! CLASSIC STUFF! BUT THERE AGAIN IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT ‘THE BOYS’ WASN’T IT DUTCH. BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE ‘SKINS N SHARPS’ EXPO NEXT YEAR…THAT WILL BE AN EYE OPENER FOR HER…MY DAUGHTER IS SIXTEEN AND CANT BELIEVE THE CLOTHES WE USED TO WEAR !!! HA HA ! JUST COME AND HAVE A BEER WITH US,ITS ALL ABOUT THE GOOD TIMES….NOT ALL THE BAD SHIT. COH.
Comment by OH — July 10, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
Will do when is it and where is at. Yeah mines 20 and gets a laugh from some of it.
Comment by Dutch — July 10, 2009 @ 7:22 pm
SOME TIME NEXT YEAR,KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SITE,YOU’LL GET PLENTY OF NOTICE MATE…… I REMEMBER THE OLD MATHEW FLINDERS DAYS…BANDS FREE ON SAT. ARVO IN THE LOUNGE…A SORT OF NEUTRAL TERRITORY HA HA, BUT WE WOULD KEEP OUT OF THE BAR BECAUSE NOT BEING A LOCAL WE KNEW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN !!! WE SAW GEOFF DUFF PERFORMING ONE SAT. AND ONE OF THE SHARPIE CHICKS ATTACKED HIM….BLOODY FUNNY !!! I AGREE WITH YOU THAT SOME OF THE MOLES WERE TOUGHER THAN THE BOYS !!! I ALSO REMEMBER WHEN SOME OF THE LOCAL BOYS JUMPED ANGUS YOUNG WHEN HE WAS WALKING VTHROUGH THE AUDIENCE PLAYING TNT AND HE ENDED UP WITH A BROKEN FINGER… AC/DC NEVER DID GO BACK TO THE MATTHEW…FUNNY THAT !!! AND THEN THERE WAS THE SOUTH SIDE SIX AND THE VILLAGE GREEN HOTELS BUT THATS ANOTHER STORY !!! CHEERS.
Comment by OH — July 10, 2009 @ 11:58 pm
Ah the Flanders now it well. I was there the nigh Duffy got whacked. I was pissing my self. What about the Waltzing Matilda?? some good nights there as well. I will keep an eye out
Comment by Dutch — July 11, 2009 @ 12:08 am
HEY OH, SAW ONE OF YOUR ‘SHARPS UNITED’ T SHIRTS ON THE WEEKEND HOW MUCH ARE THEY CHAMP ?
Comment by GP — July 13, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
$20….. cheers.
Comment by OH — July 15, 2009 @ 8:32 am
HI CHRIS THANKS MATE GOT IT HUNGING UP ON THE WALL;I WOULD HAVE GOT BACK 2 U SOONER BUT ; IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FULL MOON DEALING WITH THE X FLYING AROUND ON HER BROOM AGAIN . YER CHRIS I B IN A COPY AS WELL MATE THANKS AGIAN BRO
Comment by JOHNPAUL — July 24, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
NO WORRIES JP…… OH.
Comment by OH — July 27, 2009 @ 10:25 am
whot about moomba and the myer music ball and the free gigs thay had there. whot a buzz that was good times the larst one i went 2 fuck there were sharps from just about every hood in melb.hard days but fuck had fun doing shit.S.U.
Comment by JOHNPAUL — August 17, 2009 @ 1:01 am
Up in country Victoria, the sharpie culture was still alive and well as late as 1978. They wore tight high rise jeans, cardigans that were also tight, swore a lot,smoked heavily (Drum being the fave, Only men smoke drum!) picked fights, played pinballs, ate chiko rolls, had love bites, rode black fixwheelers, and if they had a car, it would usually an old Holden (FC, FB, EH, HR being the favourites)or an early Falcon(XK,XL,XM or XP). The ideal sharpie car? Black paint, driving lights, lowered, CB radio, stereo, extractors, fat tyres(BFGoodrich)and early type of mags(Hotwires, Kidney shaped five hole, dragways, or earlier Tasman mags, chromies or just plain widies)I think quite a few were rough kids but from quite comfortably well off suburban and well established families with nice modern homes and late model cars. They sort of rebelled against their parents strive for middle class status. They preferred to be ‘tough, cool, rebellious, and charismatic’ Quite a lot were into boxing, or karate. They fought for their turf and they fought to get and keep their girls. This is long before internet, videos, and modern life as we know it.Asking my brother who was older than me by eight years, he is of the view that the sharpie culture here was mainly from around 1975 to 1979, peaking in 76 77. In Melbourne they became much bigger much earlier, perhaps 1972 to 1978, peaking in the early to mid 1970s. I think sharps were into “poofter bashing” The Cravalli st gang from East Preston, the Prahran sharps, West Side Sharps and the Blackburn South Sharps were the ones that come to mind.
By the way,I remembered them being referred to Sharps by the boys, and Sharpies by the girls. See the Dragon Film clip Get That Jive to see a girl dancing sharpie style.
Comment by Leo — November 11, 2009 @ 4:14 am
Hi!
I’m the redactor of Riot Kids skinzine from Spain
I’m very interested in the history of skins and sharpies, can you send me more information about this to publish it in my zine??
Thanks for all!!
(sorry for my bad english..)
pedropa_skin69@hotmail.com
Comment by Pedro — March 26, 2010 @ 4:35 am
Hi Pedro, I have sent you an invite to the Sharpie group on Facebook – you will find pictures and links on the site.
Comment by Julie Mac — March 26, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
HI PEDRO,,,SAM WHO RUNS THIS SITE IS IN JAPAN AT THE MOMENT AND GETS HOME ON THE 20th APRIL,,,,HE WILL BE HAPPY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU THEN…….CHEERS. CHRIS.
Comment by O'HOOLIGAN — April 2, 2010 @ 6:33 pm
Stumbled across this site while searching for Lobby Loyde and Max Merritt clips. Shit, it brings back some memories. I was a sharpie in Sydney (yes there were sharps there too) from 1968 to 1970. Similar but slightly different ‘uniform’ and crew cut short hair with no tails, but much the same type of kids with the same backgrounds. Same deal, hanging outside dances trying to look tough and sometimes succeeding. Town Hall station on Fri and Sat nights was the big place to be. I grew up in suburb that was a mix of housing commission and war service housing. You learned to fight or you stayed home. I remember Melbourne had better bands. Hold fast, pete
Comment by peter — April 8, 2010 @ 11:35 pm
Hi again!!
In facebook my email is: pedropa_83@hotmail.com
If you can contact with me for information about sharpies… I’ll thank you!
Cheers
Comment by Pedro — April 26, 2010 @ 9:09 pm
fell onto this by a mate i was a sharpie from egan street west richmond in 1967 very tough times as i kicked around with Choko laurie peresso, dickie desmond peter forbes and a guy with glasses steve unknown last name a very young sharpie as he lived and breathed sharpies we use to go to Q club fight the mods cant remember the bands i remember going to the thumpin tum in the city when there was more of us .. we used to buy our clothes, pinstripes flags the baggier the better.. crestknit cardigans cherry lane shoes at GASWORKS clothing store in the city, the mates tatts done by dicky reynolds followed lobby with his group the coloured balls at times,we used to go up to bendigo as our brush was up there we would go to their YMCA dance on a saturday night and belt mods as only a couple of guys joined us there as the brush loved to dress up in their stuff, some of the stories of the sharp days are still fresh in the memory, have stacks of photos from them days, would love to connect with other sharps from the west richmond collingwood preston area as we used to go to a dance at preston and it was full of sharps how do you share your story i love it but its all gone were old now and those days just died but here you all are jesus i never thought that we are so alive and could share shitloads of moments… the dress code was very good as the pride in our baggies or flairs our chisel toed shoes cresknit stripped jumpers and it goes down to the best hammerhead in the pocket with some of the sharpies of the era …. my nickname was… Ziggy 28th april 9.45pm.
Comment by calvin — April 28, 2010 @ 10:50 pm
i entered a wrong email but i re-entered it properly now for your records so you can contact me ..Ziggy
Comment by calvin — April 28, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
HI CALVIN,I’M INTERESTED IN SEEING YOUR PHOTOS,CAN WE GET TOGETHER SOME TIME OR RING ME ON 0413203996. CHEERS. CHRIS O’H SKINS ‘N’ SHARPS INC. PS IF I DONT ANSWER CALVIN LEAVE ME A MESSAGE AND I’LL GET BACK TO YOU.
Comment by O;HOOLIGAN — May 7, 2010 @ 9:05 pm
hi calvin,my email is jaim93@optusnet.com.au,please get in touch,i would love to see some photos and hear some stories about the early sharps,not many people are aware of the early sharps mate. cheers. chris (o’hooligan)
Comment by chris — May 10, 2010 @ 1:27 pm
HI calvin
Interesting that that you used to come up to Bendigo for your brush and go to the YMCA dance
I’m from Bendigo originally and thats how i got into the
sharpe scene got into a blue with some Melbourne sharpes
outside the YMCA dance who where trying to move in on our brush
Met them the next day in Roslind Park and became friends for years to come but that was in about 1971
your brush could be my sister come good with some names
Regards Laurie
Comment by laurie — May 10, 2010 @ 8:04 pm
The Sharpie Generation Gap
When I was 15 in 1977, many of you guys were already in your mid 20s. Most teenagers are unable to notice anyone above the age of 21 and I imagine it’s vice-a-versa.
The music you love when you are in puberty becomes stamped on your soul. While the original Sharps grew up listening to the hard sounds of Lobby and other Sunbury legends, the sounds of Rose Tattoo, The Angels and La Femme are the ones that make my heart skip a beat in teenage passion.
Below are a couple of quotes from RAGE
“The front of the stage was jammed packed with Sharpies. I have never seen so many in one place, especially the old Sharpies with that hard look about them.”
“The old Melbourne Sharps and Gunnies are tough and well respected. You do not mess with them or any other Old boys or girls from the suburbs – unless you want trouble.”
We knew our place in the Sharpie Hierarchy
I expect the original Sharps to think RAGE is a piece of crap. You are supposed to. It’s not one of ‘Chopper’s’ books or ‘Underbelly’. To you it will seem like a 1970s copy of Dolly magazine.
‘How to make a boy notice you’
‘Should I go all the way?’
‘Win a grouse Bluebird of Happiness necklace
and earring set’
‘See the new Staggers range of demin jeans and jackets’
With that in mind, I have added guns, cars, tattoos and girls having scrag fights in school uniform for the original male Sharpies’ reading pleasure. I think the girls will ‘get it’, teenage girls are universal with their growing pains.
At this time in two weeks, thanks to Sam Biondo I will be bursting with excitement at getting the chance to re-live the days with my Sharpie Family.
xx
Comment by Julie Mac — June 20, 2010 @ 9:52 am
I will have to dig out some photos… those were the days, what a lot of people don’t realise is that Sharps et al were predecessors to what was going down in the UK. Once the era came to an end, I headed off to the UK and became les enfant terrible pour Vivienne Westwood. It was only because of the street training I got in Melbourne I was able to survive the totally anarchistic life of Punk in Britain. Mind you I did succumb to some rather taxing nights with her and Malcolm McLaren (RIP)and other rather unusual types. Leigh Bowery to mention another . What I think I loved most about the era was that it was the first time young cosmopolites created their own look that was not only unique, but quite stylish. Unlike the stoned Heads of the time, we were very clean and polished.
The only thng I cringe at now is when I think of that dance!!!
Comment by mslulu — June 21, 2010 @ 3:43 pm
This site brings back some fond memories and some not so fond… like being stabbed in the top of my head and needing 18 stitches so I looked like a monk for months – and sadly I still have a full head of hair except for that spot too!
BTW… I grew up in Thornbury where Conti cardigans were made and a mate was the boyfriend of a Conti in 1970 0r 1971. His girlfriend’s mum who ran the Conti Knitwear store made him a cardigan so he most likely may have been the first guy to wear one as before then I believe the store just made sets for old ladies!
Comment by Jim Caton — July 2, 2010 @ 3:07 pm
Hi all,
Wrote a little piece last year (Vicki) and have just read the experiences above, which brought so many memories flooding back.
Being a sharpie -’brush’ (never did like that term) in 1966 was simply “grouse” !
Maybe a girl’s point of view is different to a guy’s as it was a less physical experience.(well mine was anyway!)
Nevertheless, it was a unique time in history that can never be replaced.
The baggy pants, chisled shoes, trench coats etc. were the trade mark of a true sharpie.
If you didn’t have the attire, then you were not one of “us”.
For the girls, it was the same.
No pleated skirts, cabled knit jumpers, sandals and short hair, then sorry, you must be a “mod”!
If you could not dance to 66′ rock, then you had better learn to do it fast!
Storyville (Preston Townhall) was always packed, the line outside seemed to go ‘forever’.
Same at Coburg Townhall ‘Swinger’,every Saturday night was the same.
FJ’s were the coolest car you could own and I was not particularly into cars, but my girlfriends were and so it didn’t take long until they became familiar with who owned the hottest in the area!
One particular day after High School tagging along (under sufference)with my friend to take photos of one such car!
I still remember his name and where he worked, strange but true.
Another was a guy who owned an amazing FJ.
All the girls wanted to ride in this car, and one night we were the chosen three!
Of course we agreed, and with speeds of 90 mph down High Street Reservoir, it was certainly worthwhile!
He was obviously a sharpie, BUT to you guys reading it will sound ‘strange’ when I say that he used to spray the car with an Avon perfume called “Wishing”….nothing poofy about him, but it was a real turn on for the girls!!!
(ask me what I did yesterday and I would have to think about it….trivia….I can go on ‘forever’ !!)
Fights just seemed to be the norm, no matter where you were they just happened.
One mate started them and finished them EVERY damn night.
Hitting the grog early, we knew exactly what the night would entail.
We all drank a lot back then, no C.S. cowboys then,
pimms, marsala and coke or a advocat…….that was about it!
The guys, whiskey, beer and plenty of it.
Driving home, no seatbelts,(not compulsory then) and basically pissed!
Eddies Lake a favourite spot to pash (Edwards Lake Reservoir)sometimes difficult to find a spot, car after car.
Takeaway was either chips, chinese or hamburger – that was it!
Gangs would fight (everywhere) and just by seeing what a person was wearing, would indicate whether you would be ‘safe’ or not.
One would instantly be able to tell what side he or she was on, simply by their clothing, something that would be impossible to judge today.
Guys fought with their fists only, no knives were ever used. It sickens me today as to what is used, at leat back then it was a ‘fair’ fight betwenn two people.
(unless of course mates decided to jump in also, but at least their were no weapons.)
Well this brush has rambled, but I do have magical memories of growing up in Preston, which I still call home even though I reside elsewhere.
Growing up in this era I would not swap for anything, it was one of the happiest times in my life.
Comment by vicki wilson — July 23, 2010 @ 11:13 pm
Beautifully written Vicki, I ventured over to Preston on some Saturdays all the way from Box Hill. What fun we had, 1959 FC for me, but several sharps I hung with had the traditinal FJ or FX, one particular one sprayed a beautiful Maroon with a chrome glove box lid which always gave a great view of the brushes legs!
Oh what memories, those fish n chips in news paper or the greasys burgers that have never been matched (BoxHill)I do remember a good Burger shop maybe in Bell St? The Bell Burger?? So right Vicki, no weapons just fists, although the occasional Iron Bar was produced from cars, and once only I recall a shottie going off out side blue stone dance in box hill.
Take care and thanks for sharing……1966 to 1970 the real living years mate!
Noel
Comment by noel — July 24, 2010 @ 6:06 pm
Chris O’h.. Took Rushie to the exhibition last Sunday had a good time, drank a few at the Glenferrie and reminisced about old times and sights.Give us a yell when you have the next get together.
Comment by dinko — July 25, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
Thanks for the compliment Noel,
Re-reading spelling amiss, typed late!
Yes, they were truly the best days from 66′ onwards.
Sadly, for some reason, don’t have ‘Sharpie photos’.
From memory my ‘boyfriend’ (now ex husband) had a FB and an FC ….(now I just call him those initials!!)
No, not really, we both moved on years ago.
The car was such an important part of the sharpie image, both to guys and girls.
No hanging dice from mirrors yet, always a travelling rug in the back though!! (and a colourful set of cups in the glovebox!) Ours wasn’t maroon or chrome though!
Oh funny times.
Sneaking a mate into the drive-in … in the boot!…
sounds just like “HAPPY DAYS” !
They were indeed happy days, the music, well that’s another story – certainly contributing to the fabulous memories we hold close today.
Thanks again, Vicki
Comment by vicki wilson — July 28, 2010 @ 7:41 pm
Hell, spelling, look how I spelt traditional!!!!!!!
Too much time playing pool and pin ball
Cheers Vicki
Comment by noel — July 28, 2010 @ 9:46 pm
missed out on meeting a few of you, even though you were there, I wasn’t exactly keeping a low profile though, I met up with some old buddies, my Wendy was there, (yay!)Julie Mac, Peter (Mohawk), Batty from the Gully, J.J. & others, mainly a younger crew, keep in touch guys, I believe all sorts of people, are organising all sorts of catch-ups, so, catch up soon! love & kisses, Bobby Sandford.
Comment by Bobby Sandford — August 3, 2010 @ 10:58 pm