To some, the 1950s where a Great American Decade. Men were men; women were women, and the world was wholesome. It was an decade when Beaver Cleaver thrived and Butters from South Park would've. The '50s were also a time when Rockabilly was popular. Now, because every subculture needs a revival or some attention devoted to it, there's a sect of people still embracing the Rockabilly lifestyle, all the way down to the leather jackets and hair grease.
Indiana University Northwest assistant professor of photography Jennifer Greenburg has spent over a decade capturing images of the Rockabilly community. "There are people out there who very legitimately want to imitate the 1950s," she told Wired. This goes all the way down to "[moving] to the suburbs, [having] the two kids and [living] a behind a white picket fence."
After the initial shock wore off, Greenburg, 36, said she eventually grew accustomed to the lifestyle she was photographing. "[The Rockabilly community] has an outward appearance that people sometimes wrestle with, but it’s not any more out there than a lot of other communities people belong to. Take marathon running, just as an example. I could never imagine that being part of my culture," she said. It's like the fourth viewing of David Lynch's Blue Velet—it gets less disturbing over time.
This attraction to the 1950s and Rockabilly is nothing new. Hell, The Clash incorporated it into their style and music over 30 years ago, but they didn't go this hard. If you can click through Greenburg's photos and not blink at the strict attention to '50s detail, nothing phases you.
[via Wired]
