Varsity: Music, miniskirts and motorbikes: ‘60s mod culture by Delara Zand

 

Fashion Editor Lara Zand maps the mass appeal of mod culture, which epitomised the Swinging Sixties in Britain and saw fashion, music and art intersect

Twiggy, posing in a jersey dress, coloured tights and brogues, has come to be the face of women’s fashion in the 1960s. And not without good reason: if there was a womenswear trend, Twiggy was probably photographed wearing it. But the shortening of hemlines, the cropping of bobs and the advent of The Mini Skirt are constituent parts of a much bigger movement: mod.

The mod subculture surfaced in the late 1950s. The name itself is an abbreviation of ‘modernist’, owing to the original mods’ penchant for modern jazz. Jeff Noon, author of The Modernists, explains that the movement sprung from a lifestyle created by a community of working-class men in post-war London, who drew inspiration from cultural revolutions taking place in Europe: namely Italian neorealist cinema and the existentialist movement in France. Club culture, music, fashion and art came together to birth a movement defined by youthful hedonism and rebellion. By the mid-1960s it had swept the whole country, providing an escape from a decade of gloom following World War II in Britain.

The original mods listened to Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, but the movement is best remembered for its association with the 1960s’ pop-rock bands. Groups like The Kinks, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones not only boasted big followings among the mods, but themselves adopted a mod look in line with the cultural revolution around them: the ‘Beatle boots’ became a 1960s menswear staple. Bands like Small Faces and The Who emerged almost directly out of the movement, with Pete Townshend of The Who famously declaring: “We stand for pop-art clothes, pop-art music, and pop-art behaviour.” Pop art, then, was in its heyday: at once inspired by artists like Warhol and Lichtenstein across the pond, but equally distinct as a British movement. Artists like Eduardo Paolozzi, Richard Hamilton and Peter Blake came to prominence; the latter designed several album covers for The Who, as well as the cover of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band’.

By the late 1950s, Britain was starting to see a revived interest in clothes and a return to the high street. Carnaby Street and King’s Road in London became the hubs for trendy, up-and-coming boutiques catering to the young and hip. For the first time, the brands-to-know were those selling relatively affordable clothing that appealed to the masses, a world apart from the proudly exclusive realm of haute couture. Mod menswear involved sharp tailoring, US-Army style parkas, Beatle boots, French Nouvelle Vague-inspired hair styles and an Italian-made motorbike to finish the look (a Vespa or Lambretta, preferably). John Stephen, known then as the ‘King of Carnaby Street’, was the go-to choice for menswear, boasting a client list of the era’s biggest bands; he famously dressed The Kinks, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Bee Gees. He was known for his flamboyant and daring designs: coloured pinstripe and plaid suits in particular.

At the end of the 1950s, mod womenswear was no different. The style was androgynous, embracing the movement towards sharp tailoring and adapting men’s blazers and suits. This was before the arrival of Mary Quant on the scene. Often credited with popularising the miniskirt, the British designer’s first Ginger Group collection was mass-produced in 1963 and led to women of all social strata flooding her King’s Road boutique. Her staples were the sleeveless shift dress, the tunic, the rib-knit sweater and brightly coloured tights; she had a penchant for jersey fabric, Peter Pan collars and PVC. And her brand wasn’t all hotpants and miniskirts; she continued to challenge the traditional notions of ‘womenswear’ with collections full of tailored trousers, dungarees and breeches. Her ‘Chelsea look’ was more of a lifestyle - brought into vogue by Twiggy and other British ‘It’ Girls, Quant famously claimed that ‘the fashionable woman wears clothes, the clothes don’t wear her.’

Some of her styles had already been pioneered in France by haute couture designer André Courrèges, the ‘inventor’ of the miniskirt, who also brought Go-Go boots à la mode and, like Quant, worked with PVC, geometric prints and primary colours. But Quant’s achievement went further; she democratised the decade’s fashion, and her clothes would represent every woman.

The influence of the mod subculture on fashion is ever-present today, in the very existence of items like parkas, knee-high boots, PVC outerwear or shift dresses on our high streets. It was a movement that stopped looking to the runways, to the Diors and Chanels of the day, and started creating for itself, to meet the demands of the era’s young, dynamic consumer. That was mod’s biggest sartorial triumph.

Memories of 1960s Sheffield club where Joe Cocker sang in house band after his gas board shifts by Neil Anderson of The Sheffield Telegraph

 

It was 60 years ago that a venue opened that truly caused a seismic shift in terms of what was on offer for the youth of Sheffield.

But Club 60 – which opened on Shalesmoor in 1960 and provided a launchpad for future stars like Dave Berry, Jimmy Crawford and Frank White – was a mere test run for what was to follow in the shape of the Esquire and its resident band, Vance Arnold (better known as Joe Cocker) and the Avengers.

The club was based in the upstairs rooms of the building that now houses the Leadmill.

John C Haywood – better known as Johnny Hotdogs way back then - worked behind the bar every Saturday night, waited patiently whilst Joe Cocker finished his tea and once ferried a bloodied Screaming Lord Sutch to the Hallamshire Hospital. He said: “The Esquire Club in itself was quite unique, There was three levels, nothing much downstairs, then a very steep set of stairs with a flat section halfway. “As you came around at the second level there was a pay desk and the girls’ toilet, then upward to the dance floor and stage, which was at the far end. The stage had a round roof support right in the centre and it was this round support that Dave Berry crept around with his gloved hand.”

"Around the dancefloor was subdued lighting, along with fluorescent lighting that showed up anything white. On the top floor, you could sit on a stool around a full-size beer barrel. People that went to the Esquire Club consisted of rock and rollers/mods/rhythm and blues and country. There was music for everybody.”

“The club was a success right from the start, we had to turn people away a lot of nights. I don't think, looking back, there was that much rivalry between the Esquire and the Mojo. The latter tended to go for more expensive entertainers. The Esquire had a lot of rhythm and blues acts straight from America. The relationship between the Esquire/Twisted Wheel and the Cavern was great, everybody was looked after at all three clubs.”

“To work at the Esquire was great. I was known as Johnny Hotdogs as I cooked the burgers in front of everybody and sold Coke. No beer, you had to go to the 'Rodney' just down the road for that. Joe Cocker was the resident band and he was still a gas fitter for the then Gas Board at that time. Sometimes he was late and I had to go and pick him up. He would rush around to get changed as his mother shouted ‘Joe, your tea is on the table’. He would wolf it down and I would drive like billy-oh to get back to the club.”

“The Black Swan used to have talent nights and the winner was paid cash. Joe seemed to win every time. Joe was always on early so that we could all rush back to the club. I did not think that he would go any further than the club and talent nights and I don't think we wanted him to.”

“One night when Screaming Lord Sutch was on stage, he jumped up, hitting his head on the ceiling, biting his lip and tongue, there was blood everywhere. I drove him up to the Hallamshire Hospital. Arthur Brown of Fire fame also had his own altercation with the ceiling. He was another jumper who jumped up while on fire and nearly set fire to the roof of the stage. It was quickly put out, and he sang on as if nothing had happened.” 

Despite tales of rivalry between the two clubs, King Mojo's Peter Stringfellow was regularly there. “The first time he came to the club he came around the corner to the pay desk and walked past it, thinking he could walk in for nothing. He was told he had to pay. He said, ‘I’m only here for a quick look at the group and I might book em’. The answer was, ‘you still have to pay’. He came in nearly every weekend after that, and he paid. The only time I did not see him pay was when Terry (owner Terry Thornton) was at the desk.”

*You can read more about the Esquire in Neil Anderson’s book, Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1960s Sheffield, from www.dirtystopouts.com. It retails at £13.95.

The Argus asks, "What happened next for the stars of Quadrophenia?"

 

A sentence containing the words ‘Brighton’ and ‘film’ is rarely complete without a mention of Quadrophenia.

The 1979 British drama is based on The Who’s rock opera of the same name, with much of the film set in and around Brighton.

The Grand hotel and Madeira Drive are just some of the city’s sites to feature prominently.

But, what happened to the actors who starred in the cult Mod classic after filming finished?

1. Mark Wingett

Mark Wingett, right, played rebellious Mod Dave. Aged just 18 at the time, it was the Leicestershire-born actor’s first major role. But it was far from his last.

Four years later, he made his first appearance as PC Jim Carver in a pilot episode for a TV show called Woodentop. The show would become crime drama The Bill, and the 59-year-old maintained his role for 21 years starring in almost 800 episodes. He was key to several major storylines in the long-running series, with his character battling alcoholism and issues surrounding gambling during his time on the show.

In 2005, the year he left The Bill, Mark appeared in BBC One soap EastEnders for a one-week stint as Mike Swann - the father of characters Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann, who were played by Joe Swash and Kara Tointon respectively. In the same year, he also played London Gangster Terry Molloy in police drama Heartbeat.

He returned to the silver screen for Snow White and the Huntsman in 2012.

2. Phil Daniels

Phil Daniels played the lead role of young London-based Mod Jimmy Cooper. Though he was just 21 at the time, he had already appeared in several productions on the screen and stage after training at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington. This included a role in the 1972 film Anoop And The Elephant and playing a waiter in the 1976 Bugsy Malone film.

Quadrophenia followed in 1979, with a role in 1980 film Breaking Glass alongside Hazel O’Connor one of several parts he played during a busy few years.

Alongside his acting work, Phil also released several records with New Wave band The Cross. Together, they released the album Phil Daniels + The Cross in 1979. Phil also later narrated the tracks Parklife and Me, White Noise on the Parklife and Think Tank albums for Blur.

Other notable acting roles have included playing Del Boy’s grandfather in a prequel to Only Fools and Horses called Rock and Chips, and voicing Fletcher in Chicken Run.

3. Phil Davis

Phil Davis played the part of Chalky in Quadrophenia, with the wiry youngster being knocked off his scooter by a rocker in one memorable scene. Though he looks very different nowadays, fans of the hit show Sherlock may recognise him from his role as Jeff Hope. The murderous taxi driver perplexed the famous detective, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, in a 2010 episode of the BBC series.

After appearing in Quadrophenia, the actor’s next major role was in historical drama The Bounty. He played midshipman Edward Young, and was part of an esteemed cast which included the likes of Mel Gibson, Laurence Olivier, Liam Neeson and Anthony Hopkins. 

He returned to the small screen for roles such as lender Smallweed in the BBC adaptation of Bleak House in 2005 and crime family solicitor Micky Joy in British drama Silk. The 67-year-old also assumed the role of untrustworthy serving man Jud Paynter for the first two series of Poldark, which first aired in 2015.

4. Timothy Spall

Timothy Spall plays a small role in Quadrophenia as the projectionist. But he has gone on to have one of the most prolific acting careers of any of the film’s cast members with more than 100 appearances across film and television.

Many will know him for bringing the treacherous Peter Pettigrew to life in the Harry Potter films, while others may know him for his roles as Peter Taylor in The Damned United or Winston Churchill in The King’s Speech.

In this last role, he was part of a cast which scooped the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture gong. The 63-year-old is a five-time Bafta nominee, and a three-time British Independent Film Award nominee. He has also won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his work in the biographical drama Mr Turner, which shows the life of artist JMW Turner.

Timothy was awarded an OBE in the 2000 New Year honours.

5. Ray Winstone

Few would fail to recognise Ray Winstone if they passed him in the streets nowadays. The actor played Kevin in Quadrophenia. He is protagonist Jimmy’s childhood best friend, but while Phil Daniels’ character falls in with the Mods Kevin opts to become a rival rocker instead. However, Ray is perhaps better known for roles such as King Arthur in the 2004 film of the same name and Martin Scorcese’s 2006 feature The Departed.

His career has spanned more than five decades, and in it he has worked alongside industry royalty including the likes of Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and Mel Gibson. He has often played uncompromising Londoners, but told the Evening Standard: “I’m not tough at all in real life. Loads of things in life scare me.”

6. Gary Shail

Gary Shail’s role as Spider, arguably, remains his best known work in the acting industry. But the 61-year-old has appeared in several established TV series over the years. He has played roles in the likes of The Bill, Casualty and crime-action drama The Professionals, as well as playing pimp Billy White in the TV mini-series Jack The Ripper. Michael Caine also starred in the show.

He also has a strong background in music, having written the original songs and theme music for the 1983 BBC drama Johnny Jarvis, in which he played the character of Guy Raines. His work on this production earned him a nomination for the Ivor Novello Awards.

In 1995, Gary began working with music production company Natural Sound Source in London, producing music for television, film and advertising.

7. Leslie Ash

Leslie Ash’s casting as Steph, the romantic lead in Quadrophenia, marked her first major film role. However, the actor would go on to portray another cult character when she played Debs in BBC sitcom Men Behaving Badly, alongside Caroline Quentin, Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey. She stayed on the show for five years between 1992 and 1997. During this time, she released a single called Tell Him with co-star Caroline Quentin under the name Quentin and Ash. The track reached number 25 in the UK singles chart.

Quadrophenia was released in 1979, but the now 60-year-old made her television debut 15 years previously. In 1964, aged just four, she asked “Mummy, why are your hands so soft?”in an advert for Fairy Liquid. She began her career as a fashion model, appearing on the front of several teen magazines, before being cast in Quadrophenia. The year after filming, she featured in the Iron Maiden music video for the band’s song Women In Uniform. Several film roles followed, including appearances in The Balance of Nature and Curse of the Pink Panther, both in 1983.

Since the end of her time on Men Behaving Badly, Leslie has appeared on Loose Women and Holby City, as well as working with Transparent Television to make a documentary about the unregulated cosmetic beauty industry.

8. Sting

Unlike many of the Quadrophenia cast, Sting was already a household name when he assumed the role of Ace Face in the cult classic. But it is music, rather than his acting, that has brought him the greatest acclaim. The musician, real name Gordon Sumner, was the principal songwriter, bassist, singer and frontman of new wave rock band The Police between 1977 and 1984 before embarking on a solo career in 1985. With the band, he secured five number one singles with Walking On The Moon, Message In A Bottle, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and Every Breath You Take.

He has received 17 Grammy Awards and three Brit Awards during a glittering career. And, in 2019, Sting received a BMI Award for Every Breath You Take after the track become the most played song in radio history. In 2000, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Police in 2003. A CBE from the Queen followed later that year for his services to music.

However, despite this impressive catalogue of musical achievements, he has also found time to continue to make appearances in film and television – both as himself and as an actor. This includes a role in Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, and a cameo in The Simpsons.

"Paul Weller fans get a brutal smackdown in savage sea shanty Wellend" reports Louder Sound

 

Louder Sound reports that. "Goldie Lookin Chain’s Rhys Hutchings parodies popular TikTok sea shanty The Wellerman with the hilarious Wellend",

Watch it via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G0cwZyWmrU  

They continue, "Hands up any cultural commentators who predicted that sea shanties would become the most talked-about musical form of January 2021. No-one, right?"

"The world is an unpredictable place right now, and, inexplicably, this year's first significant musical trend has seen 19th century whaling song Soon May the Wellerman Come explode across social media website TikTok. A version by Scottish postman Nathan Evans was uploaded to TikTok towards the back end of last year and has since generated millions of views, inspired thousands of memes and landed Evans a major label record deal with Polydor. At the time of writing, a dance remix of the song, is sitting at Number 2 in the UK’s mid-week singles chart. Words fail us."

"As the sea shanty craze continues to grip our plague islands, Goldie Lookin Chain’s Rhys Hutchings has stepped into the ring with a cutting parody of The Wellerman dedicated to, and ripping the piss out of, copycat fans of ‘Modfather’ Paul Weller." 

"The opening lyrics of WELLEND (which, by pure coincidence we imagine, rhymes with derogatory British slang word ‘bellend’) runs, “There’s a type of person that you see, with a haircut that’s pure comedy, you see this man in every town and he wants to be Paul Weller” and suggests that this archetype is “stuck in the past” and “loves dad-rock”, because “he wants to be Paul Weller.”

Hutchings goes on to sing: 

“Had the same haircut since he was 18
Bought a coat in the sale at Pretty Green
He cried all night when Oasis split
And he wants to be Paul Weller

Thinks he’d look good driving a Vespa
But he looks a bit like a child molester
Watching Quadrophenia three times a week
’Cause he wants to be Paul Weller”

and delivers the chorus: -

“So here the Wellerman comes
You can’t stop laughing when you see one
Spent all his money at the hair salon
Trying to look just like Paul Weller”

"Say what you like, but it’s undeniably a catchy little ditty."

"Please note: while Hutchings suggests that anyone spotting a ‘Wellend’ in the wild should consider snapping a photo and uploading it to Twitter, this behaviour might well land you a slap in the mouth, and, as such, cannot be condoned or encouraged." 

‘I’ll always be a mod, you can bury me a mod’: Fans reveal why the sounds and styles of 1960s youth culture never went out of fashion by Steve Gallacher in The Sunday Post

 

With a new Paul Weller album topping the charts and an unofficial sequel to classic movie Quadrophenia due, the mod movement is undergoing one of its regular revivals.

But, for fans of the music and the style, mod never went away. In a recent interview, the former Jam frontman insisted: “I’m still a mod, I’ll always be a mod, you can bury me a mod” and his words could equally apply to grandmother Eve DePonio, from Glenrothes, one of Scotland’s most ardent mods.

She owns two copies of Weller’s ­latest album, On Sunset, and is aiming to see To Be Someone, the forthcoming mod drama movie featuring Phil Daniels and Leslie Ash, who also starred in Quadrophenia, when it’s released.

The 51-year-old has, since she was 14 (barring a break to raise a family), been a proud mod and, she believes, the movement is more vibrant and diverse than ever. “There are so many more young ones getting involved now,” she said. “In the late-1970s there was a mod revival and it seems to be the children of those mods who are getting involved these days.

“Then you’ve got younger ones who seem to love it. I went into town on my scooter recently and a group of teenagers were telling me how much they wanted one too. It’s pan-generational. There are people old enough to be my parents who are still in the scene – they’re turning up looking absolutely impeccable, so sharp – with scooters from the 1960s.

“The mod pages on Facebook are getting very popular these days, which is encouraging for us.”

So mods have gone from Small Faces to Facebook. And it’s not the only change. Eve has been driving a scooter since she was 16. These days she owns two – her favourite being an LML Auto, which is a copy of the classic Italian Vespa PX.

Civil servant Eve has been joined by other female mods, and is encouraged to see more. “If women were on scooters in the original Mod scene, then they tended to be on the back, holding on to the men,” she said. “They were seen as a boy’s thing. Nowadays we’ve all got our own.

“There are people my age and they take their kids on the back of the scooter. And there’s a lot more availability around things you can buy. I got my daughter a toy Vespa scooter when she was younger, and my granddaughter a Fred Perry jacket more recently. My youngest grandson is wearing Ben Sherman shirt with the RAF roundel on. You can’t help but pass these things on.”

Dressing impeccably – in bespoke Italian fashion, Harrington jackets and Chelsea boots, for instance – is now not just about looking as if you’re both cutting-edge and part of the scene, it’s also a way to bond with family members.

David Dee of Glasgow clothing shop Dee’s of Trongate said: “What we’ve noticed now is the guys coming in for this type of gear. Now grandfathers, they’re bringing their children and grandchildren in, immersing them in the mod scene.”

His grandfather, also David, opened the shop in 1963 and it has since specialised in mod clothing. David, 21, has been steeped in the style, man and boy. “I’ve got the Doc Martens, the Harringtons, the parkas, the polos – I dress that way too,” he said. “I remember being in the shop when I was wee. I saw these sharp-looking guys coming in. They dressed like that.

“You tend to dress like the people you see every day. I even had the kiddies’ Docs when I was a boy. My parka is my most prized possession.”

Recently, David looked at ordering Paisley-pattern masks but decided against it. Perhaps it seemed too silly for a group that takes its fashion – and its music – seriously.

One thing that hasn’t changed is how mods have retained their impeccable standards. The scene definitely isn’t about being stuck in the past, according to perhaps Scotland’s foremost mod, Paul Molloy.

He runs mod club night Tailor Made with Mikey Collins.

The movement may have at times been associated with 1960s fashion – but the idea makes Paul, 50, a painter from Glasgow, wince.

Mods were originally considered a cutting-edge movement and Paul, who has been a mod since he was a teen being chased round Glasgow by skinheads, wants to retain that quality. “If you’re just listening to Louie Louie, driving about with a parka with a Union Jack on the back on a scooter with loads of mirrors on it then it’s more about being in a re-enactment society than being a mod,” he explained.

“You might as well dress up like these guys who pretend they’re fighting at Bannockburn. If you want to do that then fair enough, but to me that’s not what the scene is about.”

Paul’s massive record collection has seven-inch singles ordered from the internet arriving at his door almost daily. It’s an expensive habit which he admits needs smoothed over with the wife.

It’s worth it to stay ahead of the curve – which has moved beyond the Small Faces. One of Paul’s favourite acts is Bristol group The Allergies, who use samples, drum machines – and even rapping.

“They have rappers on their tracks – some guys on the scene would be horrified at playing a track with rap on it. But if it’s good, it’s good.

“We’re always discovering new music. To me if you’re not playing current sounds then you’re just becoming a sort of sad retro scene. If it sounds right, then it deserves to get played. It’s about finding the best of what’s new, and cherry-picking what’s out there already.”

For Eve, and her LML Auto, being a mod is about belonging to a group – as well as standing out.

“Everybody’s encouraging,” she said. “As a teenager you got negative comments – but you’d have comments made by the punks and skinheads. These days people will mainly say nice things about your clothes and your scooter.

“You stop at the traffic lights on your scooter, wearing your full mod outfit and have someone double-take you. See that feeling? There’s nothing like it.”

---

Peter Meaden, The Who’s manager, described being a mod as “clean living under difficult circumstances”.

Perhaps it’s no wonder the movement is making a comeback in a year where circumstances have been very difficult. Originating in post-war London, the movement was made up of young, working-class men united by a love of jazz and soul music, bespoke Italian suits and scooters.

The subculture was associated with ’60s rock acts including The Who and Small Faces, but it was the clashes with rival rockers that dominated headlines. In the late-1970s the mod scene experienced a revival, with groups like The Jam, led by arch-Mod Paul Weller, appearing and the movie Quadrophenia being released. In the ’90s another mod wave hit the UK during the Britpop era with Oasis and Blur at the forefront.

Brazil Mod band, The Targets, release new single, 'I Saw Paul Weller In Copacabana' and 'Wind Of Brighton'.

OUT NOW – THE TARGETS

http://smarturl.it/targetscopacabana

′′I saw Paul Weller in Copacabana′′ (written in partnership with the great Mauricio Garcia Mauk. He made the song and Matthew wrote the lyrics) & ′′Wind of Brighton′′ (Matthew Paul);

Recorded, produced and mixed in January 2021 in a homemade and handmade way;

Mastered by Marcelo Tooth;

Cover photo: Karyme France;

Cover art: Monise Bianchi

The Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine dies aged 77

 

The Animals star Hilton Valentine has died aged 77. The guitarist’s death was confirmed by his wife Germaine Valentine via The Animals’ record label Abkco. A statement read: ‘We, along with all of the music world, mourn the loss today of Hilton Valentine a founding member of The Animals. Valentine was a pioneering guitar player influencing the sound of rock and roll for decades to come. His death was revealed by his wife, Germaine Valentine. ‘We at Abkco have been privileged to serve as stewards of The Animals catalog and his passing is felt in a truly profound way by the entire Abkco family.’

No cause of death has been given. Valentine was one of the original members of The Animals and was responsible for creating the memorable opening riff of their signature song House of the Rising Sun, which hit number one in the US and the UK.

Recently speaking to Guitar International, his bandmate Eric Burdon credited Valentine with bringing the group’s hard-edged sound to the fore, saying: ‘It really was Hilton who made the early Animals a rock band because I don’t think the element of rock was in the band until we found him.  ‘In those days, Hilton wasn’t just playing rock ‘n’ roll, he looked rock ‘n’ roll. Here was a guy with the greased mop of hair combed back, cheap leather jacket, winkle picker shoes, black jeans and a smile on his face playing through an echoplex, which was a secret weapon back then.’ From North Shields, Valentine took up the guitar aged 13 after becoming inspired by the skiffle craze. After becoming orphaned aged 16, he concentrated on his music, and drew attention for his energetic performances in his band The Wildcats. Among those paying attention was Chas Chandler, who, along with Burdon and Alan Price, recruited him to join a new group he was forming in 1963.

The addition of Valentine and John Steel formed The Animals, and Valentine was the group’s guitarist for three years, playing on classic songs including Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Don’t Bring Me Down and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. Valentine went on to release a solo album, All In Your Head, in 1969, and recently returned to skiffle music, forming the band Skiffledog and released three albums, including a holiday album in 2011. However, he reunited with The Animals on numerous occasions over the years, and recorded Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted with them in 1977.

Remembering Steve Marriott on his Birthday

 

Solution Records to release 'Riding A Wave' b/w 'Trot' 7" by Turnstyle

 

TURNSTYLE
"Riding A Wave" / "Trot"
Solution Records
FIX008
 
TURNSTYLE with the massive psychedelic pop gem RIDING A WAVE 
Drenched in dream fuzz with catchy tone bending hooks all coming together like a magical mind altering masterpiece.
The flip TROT is equally as brilliant with rolling drums, a hard hitting bass groove & cutting sharp guitar that together FREAKOUT!
Fully remastered & officially rereleased on limited press vinyl for the first time since the original 1968 Pye 45... (which will set you back a small fortune with some prices hitting close to 1k for a mint copy).
Both tracks written by the founder of the short lived Turnstyle, 17 year old drummer/songwriter Mark Ashton who later received fame in Rare Bird.

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Beyond The Jet Age: The Story of The Lambrettas’ by Amanda Sanders

 

Catching up on some lockdown 3 reading I have just finished Amanda Sanders’ book on The Lambrettas that she wrote during lockdown 1 (what a strange world we are currently living in). Amanda is the wife of Doug Sanders, the bands guitarist and one of the vocalists and songwriters, and, having married Doug in 1973 is perfectly placed to tell the story of the band from the very start and throughout the band’s history, as Doug is the only ever-present member.

The book is divided into three section: 1979-1982, the 90s and 2009 to date to cover the three periods in time that the band were/are active (which also covers my memories of the band – The Sands, Skegness, in July 1980, Mansfield, Notts, in 1993, and the several times that The Deep Six have supported The Lambrettas since 2016). The very beginning of the book covers Doug’s pre-Lambrettas musical endeavours, including when Jez Bird joined his band, Shakedown, in mid-1978 and they decided to form their own band to focus on the Mod sound (calling themselves The Lambrettas to ensure people had no doubt about the type of material that they would be playing). With Mark Ellis and Paul Wincer joining the band, and Doug and Jez writing the material for them to play, rehearsals led to them getting their first gig due to a band cancelling at a Mod Alldayer at Hastings pier where they supported Purple Hearts, The Fixations, The Teenbeats and The Scooters on 9^th June 1979. Not a bad first gig!

And from this debut gig they signed a management deal and, quite quickly after that, a contract with Rocket Records to record a song for the label’s ‘499 2139’ compilation album. They recorded 'Go Steady’, produced by Pete Waterman, which was subsequently released as the single from the album too, and the success of this led to a 3-year deal with Rocket. This quickly produced a silver disc for The Lambrettas for over 250,000 sales of their ‘Poison Ivy’ single that charted at number 7, and this was followed by their ‘Da-a-a-ance’ and ‘Page 3’ singles and the superb ‘Beat Boys In The Jet Age’ album that rose to number 28 and stayed on the charts for some time. I have always loved this album – great song-writing from Doug and Jez and a really clean sound held together by Paul Wincer’s tight and powerful drumming and Mark Ellis’ pumping bass lines. It still sounds fresh and relevant today and I do still play it quite regularly.

The book contains so many photos and images of the band, the gigs, the posters, tickets, letters and lots and lots of memorabilia, which is fantastic to see. In fact it is amazing how so much stuff around the band has been lovingly kept and archived over the years.

The sad death of Jez Bird from cancer in August 2008 is handled sensitively and with the love and respect of a family member, and there are stories and quotes from band members, fans and people who have worked with the band at record labels, recording studios, as management, promoters and friends. One thing that always comes through from all of the contributions is how nice the band members are, how they have always kept their feet on the ground, and how they are always willing to help and encourage others (which I have experienced personally from Doug and Amanda whenever The Deep Six have supported The Lambrettas, and in personal messages of help and encouragement from Doug). And the fact that they still attract so much attention, admiration and sizeable crowds still amazes them.

The book contains a gig list for the 1979-1982 period, and 2009 to date, along with a full discography of the bands releases on vinyl and CD, so covers all bases for fans of the band.

Overall, this is a beautifully produced book written by Amanda who has been there for the entirety of The Lambrettas career. With a narrative that is interspersed with contributions and quotes from significant people in The Lambrettas’ history, this is a compelling book that is hard to put down. I can highly recommend this book for fans of the band, people with an interest in the Mod revival period, and anyone with a love for music.

Get your copy today by emailing Amanda at amanda4929@btinternet.com for the price and postage detail. Don’t delay, order it today!

The Circles to release 'Better Days' b/w 'Hurt' 7" (150 black + 100 coloured vinyl) on 26th February (Detour Records)

 

"DETOUR RECORDS" ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE NEW RELEASE

FROM THE WEST MIDLANDS BAND 'THE CIRCLES' WITH

TWO NEW HAND CLAPPING, FOOT STOMPING RIP ROARERS!

Release date is

FRIDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2021

<<< Pre Orders Being Accepted Now >>>

THE CIRCLES - Better Days 7"

Great new single "Better Days / Hurt” from The Circles....

Better Days is Mick Walker's take on the current state of the nation and possibly the best song the band have come up with in recent years. Inspired by an idea Mick shared on a Zoom call, the distinctive singalong chorus, “We’ve all seen Better Days than this / I used to leave you with a kiss” captures the essence of our troubled times.

The B-side, Hurt, is the first recoding of a song the band worked on before splitting in 1981. Both songs were recorded remotely with contributions from Mick in Brierley Hill, Glenn in New York and Keith in Tokyo, all brought together by Martin at his home studio. All very 2020!

Hopefully the band will get to play these two new songs live at some point this year as both sides deserve a airing live as Better Days will get you singalong without evening knowing while the flip side will get inside your head and will be singing the chorus all day and will get you clapping without you realising what you are doing!! Trust me!

FEATURES

BETTER DAYS

HURT

Sharpen Up Modzine - Issue 6 available to pre-order now!!!

 

Issue 6 Pre Order is now LIVE, Link below

https://ebay.us/j4Ws2h