JENKINS, David and David SELIGMAN. First You Crawl….

(No place): Media Development Group of the Open University, 1974.  First edition.  7-inch vinyl EP.  18cm by 18cm  Nice copy of this rare EP that examines urban youth culture, focusing on graffiti and gang dynamics in major U.S. cities during the early 1970s.  Side 1: “First you crawl; then you walk…” Features Bill Maxwell discussing New York City’s subway graffiti scene and includes insights from Brixton youths about gang culture. Musical interludes, such as “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones, are used to contextualize the discussions.  Side 2: “Then you run; then you fly (fly momma!).”  Presents perspectives from Chicago’s metropolitan youth on topics like black and white gangs, drug issues, and urban living challenges. This side incorporates the song “The World Is a Ghetto” by War to underscore the themes.​  An accompanying four-page insert includes an essay by Richard Goldstein titled “This Thing Has Gotten Completely Out of Hand,” which explores the emergence of graffiti as a significant teenage street culture.  In this early exploration of the burgeoning graffiti movement in New York City during the early 1970s Goldstein examines the motivations and expressions of young graffiti artists, highlighting how their work transformed urban spaces into canvases for personal and collective identity. He also delves into the socio-cultural factors driving this form of street art, discussing its implications on public perception and its role as a precursor to the broader hip-hop culture. The essay stands as one of the early journalistic endeavors to document and analyze graffiti as a significant cultural phenomenon, offering insights into its aesthetic value and the controversies surrounding its legality and impact on the city’s landscape. Item is in very good condition.  Scarce and important.