A Scene In Between

by Sam Knee

A revised edition of this cult classic photographic exploration of 1980s music and fashion, alongside hundreds of never-seen-before photographs that will delight both fans of Sam Knee's work and new music and fashion aficionados. ''A glorious photographic compendium of styles and street cultures from a bygone era''. -- The Guardian ''An artist’s image and music is inextricably tethered and A Scene In Between draws these threads together beautifully''. -- Vice Magazine ''A visual manifestation of Knee’s personal obsession and acute knowledge of the scene – in particular, the underground style – whilst mirroring the general mood of the era''. -- Dazed Magazine

A Scene In Between sets out to excavate the sartorial treasures of the UK’s 1980s guitar scenes. Using original archive photography from scenesters, band members and amateur photographers of the time, Sam Knee takes you on a fashion trip through the visual racket of pivotal indie bands including Primal Scream, Spacemen 3, The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tallulah Gosh, the Vaselines and countless others. Charity shop chic, anoraks, bowlcuts, leather trousers and stripy tees are all de-riguer in this evocative photographic historical capsule. Seven years on from the release of the first edition, Sam Knee has expanded his photographic contact base, and built a loyal Instagram following of over 60,000 (including many big names in fashion and music). This revised edition features a new cover and intro, interviews with Johnny Marr, Deb Googe and Lawrence from Felt, plus many many more.

Genres: Music

192 pages, Hardcover

Published April 5, 2022

Reviews

[Miles Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book for fans of bowl cuts, leather trousers and chelsea boots, Sam Knees encyclopaedic knowledge of this era of music is very admirable

[Xnfi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is quite a puzzling book. It was a quick purchase -- 80's UK? Fashion? Period photography? Straight to the register. But as I read the author's commentary, things started to stray. Case in point:

"Bobby Gillepsie became something of an indie-boy cult style icon... contributing to the popularity of mid-60's sartorial elements..." Um, okay. What did he wear? Where'd he get the inspiration from? What does this major figure of the period have to say about the era? One would think these angles worthy of inquiry rather than just taking the copy's word for it.

Kids bought 60s clothes in second hand shops. Okay. Where? What were they like? Any stories about purchasing clothes, fashion victories or mistakes? No, that's not bothered with either. 80's UK was brimming with subcultures. Great. How did the other kids react? Did effeminate boys get mugged for their wallets? What on earth did their parents think about their bowl cuts? Not a word. Guess you had to be there.

What you do get is a fairly broad stroke pictorial history of UK indie music and associated natter. There's the usual 'how we got signed' fare. It's a little dry, probably interesting if you're an avid fan, but there are ample books for that. There are lots of gorgeous photos, but I wonder if this one might've accomplished what it set out to do if more effort was spent on the lifestyles of fans; the social anecdotes, the teen romances, their bedrooms, etc. This isn't a fashion book, it's a snapshot of a lost time, and while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, it's apparent that a little more editorial forethought could've made it something particularly special.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new uk jangle pop bible thank you for your service Sam Knee 🙏