What happened to all the murderous gangs of teddy boys from the 1950s? Dressed to kill in sharp Edwardian style suits and brothel creeper shoes. You just don't see that greased-up hair in a quiff these days.

The reason is time gets us all in the end, no matter how rebellious we might want to look. Over the years Britain has seen numerous youth subcultures come and go. Every generation has one and they all cause the same panic and moral indignation from right - thinking' polite society. Finding your identity by joining a gang is nothing new, so let's look back at the best. Perhaps you may have strutted down the local high street wearing the often-ridiculous attire of these youth movements:

  • Teddy Boys (1950s) - Arguably the first teenage subculture. Hooked on the brash new sound of rock and roll and a penchant for using far too much Brylcreem. They also enjoyed a tear-up with rival gangs and frightening people in teashops. Key players: Billy Fury, Cliff Richard and Paul Shane from TV sitcom Hi De Hi.
  • Mods and Rockers (1960s) - Two gangs that didn't play nicely together. The rockers favoured grubby leather jackets and heavy motorcycles, where as the mods preferred Italian suits and scooters. A favourite pastime included giant battles at seaside resorts like Brighton and even Bournemouth. Key players: The Who, The Small Faces and The Kinks.
  • Hippies (1960-70s) - More political than their predecessors with a fondness for peace, free love and soft drugs. The dress code was optional but did occasionally include flowers, tie-dye and bell bottom flares. Pioneered the summer music festival, with legendary performances from bands at Woodstock, USA and the Isle of Wight. Key Players: Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.
  • Punks (1970s) - Disillusioned with flower power, punk rockers wanted to rip it up and start again. Spiky hair, safety pins and spitting were the norm, as was pogoing in time to the music. Key players: The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned.
  • New Romantics (1980s) - A short-lived phenomenon where men and women wore make-up and frilly shirts. In these times the local dancefloor was chock full of big hair and funny little dances. Key Players: Boy George, Adam Ant and Duran Duran.
  • B-Boys (1980s) - Clad in tracksuits, big jewellery and body popping to the sound of American hip-hop and rap. Activities included graffiti, bmx riding and mixing records with turntables. Key Players: Grandmaster Flash, Beastie Boys and Public Enemy.
  • Ravers (1980-90s) - Evolving from disco music and the acid house club scene. "Cheesy quavers" enjoyed dancing all night with whistles and glowsticks in sweaty warehouses and fields. The heady mix of repetitive dance beats eventually fizzled out when the government clamped down on the impromptu gatherings. Key Players: The Prodigy, Underworld and the Chemical Brothers.
  • Present Day - The modern youth are fractured into more subcultures than ever before. Emo, goth, indie, metal, nu-rave, chav etc. The list goes on and on. What would we do without teenagers to give us all a good laugh?