A quick one
Gareth Brown, former editor of Scootering, takes a look back in time as well as giving his opinions on the scene in more recent times.
Scootering magazine has reached the landmark of 400 editions, so we caught up with the man who was arguably responsible for it starting up. Former editor Gareth Brown takes a look back, as well as giving his opinions on the scene in more recent times.
Going back to the beginning, tell us how you first discovered the scooter scene and your input into how Scootering magazine began? I'd been heavily into the growing mod revival scene in 78, pre-Quadrophenia, and my first experience of a rally was a Lambretta event in Southend. In the South between Southend 78 and Brighton 81 there was no basic structure, it was all quite mod inclined. Although I didn't realise it at the time, there was a different, stronger scooter scene up north, which had been evolving for years. 1982 for me was when the two blended, specifically the Easter rally in Scarborough 82. It was cold and it snowed over the weekend. I felt like an intrepid explorer. I went to Scarborough a mod and came back a Scooterboy. I met Martin Dixon there, and ended up writing a few pieces for Scootermania, also The Ralliest. At the time I was doing my engineering apprenticeship. MyattMcFarlane had their biker lifestyle magazine Back Street Heroes out. At that time it was only a few issues old. I wrote to them several times about having a scooter-inclined section or features, or even to consider a dedicated scooterist magazine. When the first issue of Scootering came out I bought a copy and wrote to them, basically saying they needed a scooterist writing first-hand rally reports. To cut a long story short, I was commissioned to cover Clacton rally and they would see what I submitted. They must've liked what I did as I was then commissioned to cover Yarmouth. Scootering went from bi-monthly to monthly in 1986. I was still only commissioned for one forthcoming rally at at that point, but changes to that were just on the horizon.
You went from freelance contributor to staff writer, to Editor in a relatively short time, what are your recollections from that period and what are standout memories from your tenure as Scootering Editor? One of my most memorable and proudest achievements, while I was involved with Scootering, took place before I became editor. Both myself and the first editor of Scootering, Mike Roberts, rode from Land’s End to John O’Groats on scooters. Mike, bless him, was a lovely bloke, but he was more used to bikes than scooters. We reached a point on the journey where I decided to press on, leaving Mike with the back-up van following him, travelling at a more leisurely pace. I set a time of 23 hours 23 minutes – under 24 hours! – which is still a record time, I believe, for one rider, one bike, Land’s End to John O’Groats. Going from freelance contributor to staff writer to editor all happened in quite a short time. From covering national rallies by commission, I was asked to become a staff writer, which meant relocating to the northwest. Shortly after moving up there I found the original letters I'd written to Back Street Heroes and Scootering, along with correspondence from Pete Sherwin, who produced the one-off glossy A4 magazine Scooter World. I became editor of Scootering after Mike (Roberts) sadly died in an accident. There were talks at the editorial office regarding Mike becoming editor of a title they were hoping to acquire, which didn't happen in the end, and Mike's untimely passing saw me becoming editor.
What are your retrospective opinions regarding the various incarnations of Scootering magazine?
Right from when the first issue of Scootering was published it was viewed as a bit corporate. I loved British Scooter Scene when it first came out, even more so Scooter Scene. There was a friendly rivalry between Scootering and Scooter Scene early on. We were all mates from the scooter rallies, exchanging a bit of banter between those who were writing for either title. I left Scootering in 1989, and shortly after, in the same year, Scooter Scene and Scootering merged, initially under Myatt McFarlane before Stuart (Lanning) took overall control, until 2002, which is when Mortons took ownership. When social media became commonplace in everyday usage, around 2010, Scootering was the social glue that held the scooter scene together. If you wanted to know what was on and what was happening it's how you kept in touch. It suffered criticism, especially before social media… some fair, most not really so. People complain and like to slag the magazine off but still go and buy it, more so if there's a picture of them or their mates in any particular edition. The way I see it, Scootering has always been a vital tool to both the British and international scooter scenes, promoting the scootering lifestyle.
There was a shortish period a few years ago where Scootering seemed to be distancing itself from some of the more (scooterist) lifestyle elements, but thankfully that part of the spectrum has returned to the magazine. I think all elements of the scene have validity and therefore should be covered in the biggest scooter magazine there is. Scooterists, in general, like to have a moan and complain. Scootering is an easy target. After 400 issues it must be doing something right, as it’s still the biggest dedicated Scooter magazine.
As a scooter scene veteran, still active today, what's your overview of how the scene is today and in recent times?
I'm much less active these days. I just have the one scooter now, along with my Harley. I sold my GP back in 2007 when my third kiddie arrived out of the blue and we needed to equip the nursery. I've got my Kegra Malossi Vespa PX and a few weeks ago, along with a few from Prize Guys SC we went up to Great Yarmouth; some great memories from the 80 and had a nostalgic pint in The Barking Smack, my hostelry of choice when in Yarmouth. One of my favourite events is the annual Mods N Rockers rally put on by HA in Kent, I alternate what I ride there each year, Harley one year, Vespa the next. Love the banter, all good-natured, between scooterists and bikers there. It does seem to me that the scene in general, certainly in the UK, has something of a moddy leaning in recent times. Fair play to them, I'm not too fond of lights and mirrors myself. That said there's a localish group of youngsters, Rittle mod Squad. They ride their scooters everywhere, fair play to them, too. I'm a scooterboy who loves Northern Soul, but to each their own, if people are riding scooters and enjoying themselves, that keeps the scene alive and healthy. I don't have any problem with those who've come on to the scooter scene later in life, in the 90s or noughties, As far as I'm concerned they are as welcome as everyone else. What does wind me up a bit are the pretenders, the bullshitters who've joined the scene late on, but claim they were around earlier. To me all are welcome, but don't bullshit, and don't try to rewrite history you were never a part of.
Finally, what are you up to these days? These days I'm a school teacher, I teach history and provide cover. It can be taxing at times as I teach problem kids. I'll never be rich, but I enjoy what I do and sometimes other than financial rewards it can be as satisfying. Last time I was interviewed in Scootering (2004), I was a bank manager, a job I did for a few years and absolutely hated it.
I do a bit of writing on the side, most recently for Airgun World, as I do a bit of shooting in any spare time I have. I've got my Harley and my Vespa, which I try to ride as often as I'm able. I recently r did the final update to my Scooter S Boys book. One thing I absolutely a love is the anonymity I have these t days. I'm just a tall, bald scooterist s these days, no longer Gareth from f Scootering.
Words: Sarge
Photographs: Gareth Brown