Ewen Spencer gives us a lesson in British youth culture via his Bookshelf

Last week Clive Martin from Vice called him “the David Bailey of grime” which sums up Ewen Spencer’s oeuvre beautifully, really. The documentary photographer has made British youth and subculture his bread and butter, photographing the UK garage scene in all of its gritty glory as well as working for the NME, photographing The White Stripes, making the very brilliant Brandy & Coke and producing a host of books and exhibitions as well. As far as perspectives on Britishness go, Ewen’s is basically unrivalled.

Obviously we were keen to get our hands on his top five books. His selection includes the seminal A Bitta Pil, alongside a stunning photobook by Joseph Szabo and a few others, and sees Ewen tell us which book he’s bought five times over, which one he’s almost worn out, and who is his favourite ever fighter. Read on!

Tom Wolfe: The Pump House Gang

I picked this up online from an “Americana” type webshop called Surplus Surplus Surplus. It cost a few pounds and I may have purchased it three or four times now – other copies have been loaned out or damaged. One fell into a swimming pool and never recovered.

This is the earliest edition I have had. I think it’s from around 1969, its fifth print. The book is a collection of essays Wolfe wrote for The Telegraph weekend magazine and the New York Tribune during in the 1960s considering different youth cultures and other cultural phenomena of the time. Noonday Underground, The Pumphouse Gang and A Teenage London Society Girl all stand out.

George Hashiguchi

I have no idea what this photobook is called, or any idea who published the book! George travelled from Japan during what looks like the late 1970s and early 80s, and made pictures in Liverpool, London, Berlin and New York. It’s a beautiful book, printed in 1998, presented in a heavy slip case. The production of the book is stunning. I purchased it from David Strettel at Dashwood Books in New York, who brought it to my attention and did me a very good deal on it. I’m very grateful as I enjoy it regularly. Thanks David.

Larry Fink: Boxing

I like boxing. I usually train in the winter months at a decent gym in Brighton. I grew up on the culture of boxing. It’s a very difficult sport that has produced some incredibly maverick characters. One of my favourite fighters was Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns. He had a very powerful jab and outlasted all of his contemporaries to win titles as a senior fighter.

Anyway, boxing has been written about by Norman Mailer, has been photographed by Larry Fink, and has been brought to cinema screens many times, but most notably by Martin Scorcese with the story of Jake Lamotta in Raging Bull. If you can get a copy of this book, please do so! I only wish there were more images included.

Joseph Szabo: Teenage

My brother sent this to me from the United States as a Birthday present a few years ago. It’s a large hardback book and it took a very long time to arrive. I’ve almost worn it out and would like another copy, but unfortunately it’s become very rare and unobtainable. Every time I look at it I feel like I will never stop making pictures because I may, one day possibly make a picture like Joseph Szabo makes a picture… It’s unlikely I know, but it’s very powerful for me to keep on dreaming in this way.

Dennis Morris: A Bitta Pil

This is a lovely example of how, if you make relevant pictures around an important moment and put yourself in the right place at the right time (sometimes almost as important as making a good photograph) then your pictures can one day live as something else – an important record, a testament to an important cultural moment. Dennis Morris seemed to repeatedly manage this. First of all by making pictures as an absent school boy with Bob Marley and the Wailers, then with the Pistols around 1976-77, and then with pretty much everyone else since who has mattered within British youth culture.  

Not unlike his contemporary, Derek Ridgers, Morris’ output was prolific upon recent reflection within photobook publishing, but the people within the images, the moment, the style, the poise all make for an incredible concoction that takes you back to a truly significant moment. Lydon left the Pistols, Sid died and the rest is published here by what appears to be a fashionable Japanese department store? A brilliant publication.