“Northern Monkey: used as a pejorative in the south, relating to the supposed stupidity and lack of sophistication of those in the North of the England”
Don’t judge a book by its cover: well I hope you won’t/will do with mine. Northern Monkeys is a labour of love that I congealed over the past three years, and rather than go in to great depths about the book, check out the books homepage instead
www.northernmonkeysbook.com What I will do though is enlighten you about is the 3 monkeys on the cover/tee.
The 3 monkeys' names are often quoted as Mizaru, Mikazaru, and Mazaru, which have Japanese origins. There are various meanings ascribed to the 3 monkeys and the proverb including associations with being of good mind, speech and action or they are sometimes referred to those who deal with impropriety by turning a blind eye.
Only the cover of the book has/hasn’t an agenda. This being, the 3 monkeys reflect 3 stages of my dressing at the match over 3 decades, and beyond. Since the Sixties wearing certain clobber for the match came to the fore. Meaning, you wore different togs for the terraces to what you wore for a night on the tiles. This began with the donning of donkey & old military jackets, butchers coats daubed in painted on slogans, hobnail boots and the obligatory club scarf. Then came the skinhead look in the late-Sixties that morphed into the suedehead and smoothie look over a short period of time when entering the early/glamorous Seventies. Long hair, tight tops, wide pants and high shoes came and went when punk arrived; then the second coming of mod and so on as the Eighties arrived. Only during the latter part of the Seventies, Soul Boys had began setting standards of their own and the early forms of the Casual/Dresser were emerging... Anyway, if you wanna read more on those subjects, buy the book, please.
The images were drawn by Peter O’Toole - have a gander at Pete’s site/artwork it’s cooler than a polar bears turd
http://www.peter-otoole.co.uk - though, it were me that posed for the images! The 3 monkeys depict what attire I myself wore to the match back in the day: starting left to right; the first monkey is shown wearing a MA-1 Flight jacket, which was a must have for any respectable second coming of skinhead in the late Seventies, half-mast bleach splattered jeans, ox-blood DM’s and a North End scarf round the wrist. Also, the monkey has a surgical mask covering its mouth with a lean towards Millwall’s ‘Treatment’ of the same era – speak no evil. Second up; this monkey is supporting a early Eighties sportswear look of Dallas Segio Tacchini trackie top, Lois jumbo cords and Diadora Borg Gold Elite, made of kangaroo skin - a southern slant. But, the monkey is raving to the late Eighties sounds of Madchester with his headphones on – hear no evil. Last, but not least, monkey three of 3; bottom to top is Clarks Originals Trojan/Desert Trek, raw denim Paul Smith jeans and a CP Company Mille Miglia (pronounced, ‘Meal-ay Meal-yah) goggle jacket with the monkey opting to have the hood up and observing life through rose tinted lenses, not – see no evil.
So, I hope I’ve put you somewhat in the picture of what the images/T-shirt represents? If not, are you from down that south?
Craig has informed me he will be stocking a red version of the T-shirt in his shop, CLOSER Than MOST in Manchester, and it will be available online too very soon – please keep checking back daily for updates.
Your Northern Monkey correspondent, Bill
