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Edinburgh Live
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David McLean

Amazing Edinburgh photos captures capital's young mods in early 1980s

The kids were alright in early '80s Edinburgh, as these incredible photos of young mods on the capital's streets show.

Taken in 1981, they capture a band of youngsters who had clearly been swept up by the UK's mod revival explosion sparked for the most part by the release of the film Quadrophenia a couple of years earlier.

Obsessed by the subculture, the fashion-conscious youths, who were still of secondary school age, are seen dressed head-to-toe in fishtail parkas and luxury knitwear and sporting haircuts reminiscent of their heroes in bands such as The Who and The Jam. One young mod is even seen riding what would've surely been his prize possession: a Lambretta scooter.

READ MORE: Edinburgh student's incredible photographs capture pubs and bars of the 1980s

Of course, if you're going to go to all that bother forking out hundreds of pounds on Ben Sherman shirts, Burberry jackets and Italian scooters, you'll want to show them off - and these youngsters were no different. They are pictured walking together in large groups through the centre of town at recognisable locations such as Lothian Road, Princes Street Gardens and St Andrew Square.

In a few of the photos we can see the youngsters gathered outside the YMCA on South St Andrew Street - a favourite hang-out spot.

The fascinating snaps were taken by Edinburgh local Kim Pfeiffer who, by her own admission, was forever clicking away with her camera - much to the annoyance of her pals at the time.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Kim, who was aged just 14 in 1981, says she just loved taking photographs.

She said: "At the time, everyone was always asking why I'm taking pictures, but I'm glad I did now.

"I actually have no idea how I ended up with this crowd! My pal Lisa at school was a mod and I think that's how I got into it.

"We all loved the mod scene and bands like The Who, Small Faces and The Kinks. There was the Jam as well, but I don't think I liked them very much at the time because I found them a bit heavy. It was more about the 1960s groups for me, but I still went to see the Jam at The Playhouse.

"The YMCA was where we all went. We'd go dancing there and just have lots of fun. There was no alcohol involved or anything like that."

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Kim, who attended Tynecastle High, says like-minded youngsters from all over Edinburgh would meet up on a Saturday at the YMCA then go wandering together about town.

Kim recalled: "These weren't people from my school, they were from all over Edinburgh. We'd all meet up on a Saturday at the 'YM' and go for a wander.

"Sometimes we'd go on these mental trips to Stirling or Glasgow. It was much bigger in Glasgow, as you can imagine, and we loved getting the bus through to this club called Scene. It was fantastic.

"There was one time a bunch of us stayed the night under this bandstand in Glasgow and got the bus back the following day. My mum had absolutely no idea! I must've just said I was staying with one of my friends."

Now aged 55 and with a young daughter not much older than she was back in 1981, Kim looks back on those days fondly, and says she feels a little sorry for the current generation who she reckons are missing out on the great times she experienced.

Kim said: "It was quite a chilled time. Look at things now.. all the kids are on their computers and their phones. Everything's completely different. I'd hate to be a child of my daughter's age now."

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