NME-Uncut presents The Kinks: The Ultimate Music Guide Magazine

NME-Uncut say, "Give the people what they want! The 12th Uncut Ultimate Music Guide tells the compelling story of The Kinks, an epic saga of warring brothers, wild concepts, worldwide hits and long sojourns in the wilderness. As usual, we've pored over old copies of NME and Melody Maker to locate revelatory interviews with Ray Davies and his fractious band-mates. Reprinted in full in this Ultimate Music Guide, most of them have been lost for decades. Uncut's current writers, meanwhile, have produced new reviews of every single album in the Kinks' catalogue, uncovering a few long-neglected gems in the process. To finish things off, none other than Ray Davies has contributed a brand new introduction to the mag. "I think it's time to reappraise," he says. "It's great to have 'Sunny Afternoon' and 'You Really Got Me', but the value of the unheard work is still to be discovered. I'm educating myself on it now..."

Stone Roses to headline Isle of Wight Festival

The Stone Roses, who played to some 225,000 people at three shows in Manchester in June, are to headline next year's Isle Of Wight Festival. 

Organisers say the band's performance on Friday 14 June will be their only UK festival appearance in 2013. 

The group, whose hits include 'Fools Gold' and 'She Bangs The Drum', formed in 1983 and recorded just two albums before breaking up in 1996. They reunited in the summer with sell-out shows in Manchester's Heaton Park before embarking on a world tour.

 

The Stone Roses - fronted by Ian Brown - have never played at the Isle of Wight Festival before. Festival promoter John Giddings said: "When you talk about the soundtrack of our lives, The Stone Roses are embedded in it. I am so proud to get them to our island - they will kick the weekend off with a bang."

Further headline names for the 2013 festival are expected to be revealed later in the week. 

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday at 0900 GMT.

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective - Tate Modern, London, 2013

 
Reacquaint yourself with one of pop art’s greats, ‘Lichtenstein: A Retrospective’, at the Tate Modern in London from February 21^st to May 27^th 2013. This show brings together 125 of his comic-strip paintings and sculptures.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones on BBC4 this Saturday

At 11.30pm on Saturday 24^th November, BBC4 will be screening ‘Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones – Live at the Checkerboard Lounge’. 

On an off-night on their 1981 tour, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and pianist Ian Stewart stopped by Chicago’s Checkerboard Lounge to watch blues legend Muddy Waters perform. 

Before too long, Jagger was called up to join in on ‘Baby Please Don’t Go,’ and eventually all four Stones had crowded onto the tiny stage to add their reverent but loose style to traditional classics such as ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’ and ‘Mannish Boy.’ Luckily, someone thought to film all of this, and seeing Jagger, Richards and company so gleeful around their mentor and in such an intimate setting is quite a treat. This is a Muddy Waters show with the Stones frequently but not always joining along. Jagger doesn’t come on until the sixth song of the 15-track set, for example, and at one point briefly returns to his table to watch his bandmates work their magic without him.

 

Throughout the night, the spotlight is shared equally with the Stones, Waters and — later in the proceedings — fellow honoured guests Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. The Stones are revealed to be well-studied in the blues traditions, of course, but you can also see how they can’t seem to help but put their own stamp on things, pushing the night into less retrained, rougher and more dynamic territory.

 ‘Live at the Checkerboard Lounge’ has been described as probably the most concentrated dose of Rolling Stones blues music you’re ever going to see and hear.

Heavy Soul Fanzine – Issue 15 Available Now!!!

Issue 15 of the Heavy Soul fanzine has landed on my doormat and what another great issue from Adam Cooper. 

The fifteenth issue has an exclusive interview with frontman of THE MOONS and PAUL WELLER band member ANDY CROFTS. Also interviewed are radio DJ ALAN MAY who presents the GLORY BOY radio show, ALEX COPASETIC from CopaseDisques, Kevin Flowerdew from DO THE DOG skazine, DC FONTANA discuss the Pentagram Man 7" release and finally Spain’s THE VIBE CREATORS fill us in on their ace Latin / Jazz sound. 

Articles include THE STRYPES live, SECRET AFFAIR'S new DVD, YVONNE CRAIG, Peruvian psyche / funk band LOS SEICOS' new box set, THE LOAFERS gig from '89, new bands THE NOVATONES, THE DEETS and THE LONG FIRM and also THE GRYMOIRE. 

The recent C.C.I. reunion is reviewed as are the latest releases and reissues, as well as the next instalment of the Top 100 Mod bands. 

Also included in the cover price is a 20-track CLUB SOUL CD and a great NINE BELOW ZERO 8-page supplement with an interview with former manager MICKEY MODERN.  

You can either buy the fanzine package as described above or, for an extra £3, get the new 7” release by THE INCITERS included. 

Go to http://www.heavysoul45s.co.uk/heavy-soul-fanzine for details of how to order.

Paul Weller confirms 3 shows for Summer 2013

Next summer Paul Weller will hitting the road in the UK for three special outdoor shows.

The gigs will see Paul play in some of the country's most beautiful settings - Thetford Forest, Delapre Park and Westonbirt Arboretum.

Tickets for the shows will cost £39 and go on sale from 9am on Friday 23rd November.

 

The dates are: -

Fri 12 July – Thetford Forest, Nr Brandon, Suffolk

Tickets: www.forestry.gov.uk/music or 03000 680400

More Info: www.forestry.gov.uk/music

 

Fri 19 July – Delapre Park, Northampton

Tickets: www.seetickets.com & www.ticketmaster.co.uk or 01604 624 811

More Info: www.aliveatdelapre.co.uk

 

Sat 20 July – Westonbirt Arboretum, Nr Tetbury, Glos

Tickets: www.forestry.gov.uk/music or 03000 680400

More Info: www.forestry.gov.uk/music

Vintage & Retro Fair, Burntwood, Lichfield - Sunday 18th November

We've just spotted this vintage and retro fair that is taking place at Burntwood Memorial Hall on Rugeley Road tomorrow (Sunday 18th November).

Small Faces Box Set & The Autumn Stone

GREAT news on the new Small Faces box set and the Autumn Stone (many thanks
to Mick Taylor): -

Hi Mick, its been silent because we’ve been working flat out on the mixes for CD2 and 3 of the box set – provisionally titled Small Faces in session at IBC and Olympic Studios. And I’m still recovering tapes…

For the box set, Disc 1 will cover all the Immediate worldwide single A,B’s and EP’s – this is mastered (and for the first time, all the correct versions / edits etc are being used) as is Disc 5, which is comprised of original alternate takes and mixes plus live material from Newcastle. Mac and Kenney monitored these recently at Air Studios in London. We’re were also
cutting lacquers for some special vinyl Record Store Day releases for 2013,
including ‘There Are But Four Small Faces’.

The box-set packaging will be elaborate, including a hardback book containing definitive sleeve notes (10,000 plus words) and a track-by-track breakdown for every song on the boxset. There will be red, white and blue coloured vinyl, facsimile “Mystery” acetate, a facsimile Ogdens’ press kit, poster, art prints, postcards – can’t remember what else but the mock-up looks fantastic! Its all being put together by Rachel Gutek who did fine work on the recent Charly and Universal editions.

‘The Autumn Stone’ will appear later as a 2-CD edition with bonus material exclusive to that release plus a 180g 2LP vinyl.

I’ll also be writing something about the history of the tapes and the injustices they (and the band) have suffered over the years until we pulled everything together over these last 5 years or so. It’s been an interesting but worthwhile journey – no less than this incredible band deserves!

We’ll be previewing some previously unheard session takes on the Small Faces website shortly and they’ll be a special promo CD featuring highlights from the boxset which I want to make available to fans as part of a pre-order bonus. More details soon.

All the best ...Rob Caiger (Small Faces Remaster Series producer)

Alan Fletcher/Paul Hooper-Keeley talk about Mod at University Youth Subculture Symposium

Veteran Mods, Punks and Goths debated their continuing commitment to their teenage lifestyles with the author of the cult classic novel Quadrophenia, Alan Fletcher, at the University of Derby recently.

Mod guru Alan Fletcher spoke alongside a number of prominent sociologists from around the UK at the 'Ageing Within a Spectacular Youth Subculture' symposium, at the University's Enterprise Centre.

The event was organised by Paul Hooper-Keeley, a doctoral researcher at the University of Derby and member of the Interdisciplinary Network for the Study of Subcultures, a research group which has members at universities nationwide.

 

Paul said: "For most people the music and fashion tastes they have as teenagers get left behind as they enter adulthood, but for some their passion stays and has a large impact on their everyday lives.

"From what they wear, how they present themselves with hair and makeup, to the career they choose; whether they are Mods, Goths, Punks or hip-hop enthusiasts, these people make a real investment in their chosen subculture.

"By holding this event we wanted to bring together a group of leading academics in this field, and the author of a well-known novel on the Mod subculture, Quadrophenia, to hear their thoughts on this growing area of sociology research."

After a lively question and answer session Alan Fletcher said: "It's incredibly interesting to be amongst so many people researching this topic.

 

"My writing was based on my first person experience of being a Mod in the 60s. Being part of that style of life was such a positive thing. The tribe you belonged to dictated everything, the music you listened to, what you wore, how you walked and the way you spoke.”

"You belonged to something, and yet you set yourselves apart. It stays with you, and I still call myself a Mod today."

Other speakers who addressed the gathered audience of students, Mods, Punks, Hip-hop and Northern Soul enthusiasts included:  

Dr Peter Webb from the University of Cambridge, who has published on social and cultural theories of music scenes, and currently plays with the `post-punk' band Idiot Strength

Dr Paul Hodgkinson - a lecturer at the University of Surrey and devoted Goth, who spoke to the gathered audience about Goth identity, style and subculture (and has just had his new book, 'Ageing & Youth Subculture' published)

Dr Patrick Turner, who has carried out doctoral research into 'post-hip hop culture',

Dr Nicola Smith, from Cardiff Metropolitan University, whose research interests include the British Northern Soul scene.

Paul Hooper-Keeley, who is one of the UK's leading academics on the subject of Mod subculture.

 

 

The Moons ‘Fables of History’ - Album Review

‘Fables of History’ is the second album by The Moons and comes during a very busy year for main man, Andy Crofts, who has been recording/playing in Paul Weller’s band and also as part of Steve Cradock’s acoustic tour.

 In fact Paul Weller plays on ‘Something Soon’ and some of the album was recorded at Weller’s Black Barn studio (with the remainder recorded at WestHeath Yard with Edwyn Collins at the controls).

 

This is an album that I really like and kicks off in fine style with the punchy, ‘Be Not Me’, (with a middle section that slips from Syd Barrett Pink Floyd to the Beach Boys Pet Sounds in a beat). This is followed by my favourite track on this album, ‘Forever Came Today’, which has echoes of The Jetset (what a great band) all over it (“Yesterday has gone but tomorrow looks alright”).

‘Revolutionary Lovers’ (again with a Beach Boys harmony in the middle eight) continues this collection of finely crafted British tunes onward to the acoustic led, ‘Jennifer (Sits Alone)’ that was previously included on the Mojo CD collection for the recent issue with The Jam cover feature. Many great albums feature a good acoustic number (The Jam’s ‘All Mod Cons’, Squire’s ‘Get Smart’, The Direct Hits’ ‘Blow-Up’ etc., etc.) and this is The Moons’. 

The pace picks up again with ‘Double Vision Love’ which has a groovy ‘fuzz’ guitar feel about it and ‘indie’ chorus, while ‘English Summer’ conjures up thoughts of Ray Davies’ creative 1966-1968 period.

‘Something Soon’, with PW guesting on it, has something about it that reminds me of Mood Six and is a cracking track. ‘It’s Taking Over’ is another beautifully recorded sonic excursion and is followed by ‘Can You See Me’ that is very reminiscent of John Lennon’s solo work.

My second favourite track on this album is next. ‘Habit Of A Lifetime’ is a superb song with a waspish guitar riff and the excellent middle section lyric, “But still the devil tries to hold you back, And sends you off to work briefcase and hat, I’d rather stand outside under a bus stop, With a bottle in my hand, a bottle in my hand”.

There’s just time for ‘Lights Out’ before the album’s finale of ‘The First Goodbye’ with it beginning in a similar vibe to the recent Dexy’s album, ‘One Day I’m Going To Soar’.

Overall, this album combines much of the best bits of the last 50-55 years of music and weaves it into wonderfully written and recorded songs, bursting with catchy melodies, spot-on harmonies and great musicianship that deliver the results back in a contemporary fashion. One of the best releases of 2012.

Tom Hingley of Inspiral Carpets new book, ‘Carpet Burns’, out now!

‘Carpet Burns’ is Tom Hingley’s account of his life as lead singer of Inspiral Carpets, one of the big three bands of the Manchester movement who, along with The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, changed music for a generation. Tom’s own words provide an account of what it felt like to be in the eye of a pop hurricane and what happens when the hits end and the arguments kick in. 

Tom’s journey starts in rural Oxfordshire before moving to Manchester and being thrust into the limelight as the new singer with a rapidly climbing pop group. With popular anthems like ‘This Is How It Feels’ and ‘She Comes In The Fall’, several appearances on Top of the Pops and headline gigs at festivals, Inspiral Carpets soon rose to be one of the most popular bands in the country.

This is not your usual music memoir, Tom is from a radically different background to his contemporaries – his father translated the complete works of Chekhov for Oxford University Press – and thus brings a new perspective to this cultural era. All the key characters from the Manchester scene are featured, plus there is fresh insight into a youthful Noel Gallagher who learned his trade as a crew member with Inspiral Carpets before joining his brother to form Oasis.

Carpet Burns tells the story typical of any band signed to a five album deal and their battles to keep the hits coming. Tom takes us through the band’s original split, the forging of solo careers, and a series of reformations until a Tweet he sends brings his time with the band to an end.

Early Reviews: -

‘This is a fascinating and unique book about a unique and fascinating life. Memoirs are made of this.’ – David Quantick

‘Oh my God! Every band is the same. I couldn’t put it down.’ – Peter Hook

 ‘A cool as f**k memoir. There’s no overriding sense of bitterness or regret in [Hingley's] eminently readable memoirs,  a first-hand account of a fascinating era in British pop, conveyed with atmosphere and colour.’ – Record Collector

‘Tom Hingley may no longer be a member of Inspiral Carpets but he’s definitely got some tales to tell from when he was! Covering his time as singer with the band, his place in the Manchester music scene and his current career his autobiography is a page-turner full of anecdotes and memories.’ – Louder Than War 

‘Carpet Burns provides a first-hand look at the Madchester movement from a man at the heart of his adopted city. Anyone interested in tour life and the impact Manchester’s music scene had will quickly devour every word.’ – Manchester City Official Match Programme

‘Often witty and at times  poignant, [Carpet Burns] charts the band’s barrelling rise to success during the heady Manchester years of the late 80’s and early 90’s, before bearing out the adage that what goes up must come down. As the first and only account of the band it’s a must for all Inspiral’s fans and devotees to popular culture of the time (want to know where Noel Gallagher first cut his teeth). The book could also act in part at least, as a how-to or how-not-to guide for surviving the music industry, a business not famed for providing soft landings or after care.’ – Eartwister

‘A brutally honest and open account of the Inspirals journey through the nineties. It does not just concentrate on the success and the highs, it is also a very candid recollection of the band’s fall from stardom. This is what makes this book so very special. Most memoirs or autobiographies written by musicians, often highlight the success and achievements only. This book is different. It takes you on a worded tour of the rise and subsequent fall of the band right from the very beginning to the end. It is a colourful narrative of the good, the bad and the wild times (believe me, eye-opening in parts).’ – Kerry Voellner

‘This is one of the best of its kind books I’ve read in a while. Tom Hingley is certainly near the top of the pile when it comes to compiling his memoirs.’ – The Crack

‘An entertaining and refreshingly frank memoir’ – The Big Issue

‘While The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays had the swagger and velocity, of the so-called ‘Holy Triumvirate’ that rescued British pop, the Inspiral Carpets have somehow been squeezed out of the picture. But part of their charm was the fact they weren’t cool and when it comes to music their output far outweighed that of their rivals. Carpet Burns offers an intriguing glimpse into the music business at the time.’ – The Yorkshire Post

‘Entertaining to read, particularly poignant and interesting reflections on an era which gave young outsiders an outlet for anger and a glimmer of hope.’ – The Oxford Times

‘Every now and again a book comes along charting a period of music history in such an accessible way, with such a clear and honest voice that when you finish that story you feel slightly lonely for a while.’ – Phil Maddocks

‘Tom lays down his life in print with a brutal honesty that few would dare to approach, some of the anecdotes will have even the hardest faced reader rolling around on the floor or crying like a baby in a random pattern.’ – Simon Holliday

‘A well written and above all honest account, you are not going to expose yourself emotionally as Hingley does throughout the book without being sincere. I loved this part of my life and this book was written in a way that took me back with such clarity that I felt you could close your eyes and reach out and touch it.’ – Paul Croves

The Jam - Classic Album Selection (6 CD Set) Released 3rd December

The Jam’s complete studio album collection, released to mark the 30th anniversary of the band’s startling split in 1982 at the height of their success and fame, is set to be released on 3^rd December and will set you back approx. £18.

The albums are released in their original track format and artwork – if you need any reminding, the track listing is as follows: -

 

 

 

Disc 1 – In The City

 1. Art School 2.   I've Changed My Address 3.   Slow Down 4.   I Got By In Time 5.   Away From The Numbers 6.   Batman Theme 7.   In The City 8.   Sounds From The Street 9.   Non-Stop Dancing 10.   Time For Truth 11.   Takin' My Love 12.   Bricks And Mortar

Disc 2 – The Modern World

 1.   The Modern World 2.   London Traffic 3.   Standards 4.   Life From A Window 5.   The Combine 6.   Don't Tell Them You're Sane 7.   In The Street Today 8.   London Girl 9.   I Need You (For Someone) 10.   Here Comes The Weekend 11.   Tonight At Noon 12.   In The Midnight Hour

Disc 3 – All Mod Cons

 1.   All Mod Cons 2.   To Be Someone (Didn't We Have A Nice Time) 3.   Mr. Clean 4.   David Watts 5.   English Rose 6.   In The Crowd  7.   Billy Hunt 8.   It's Too Bad 9.   Fly 10.   The Place I Love 11.   'A' Bomb In Wardour Street 12.   Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

 Disc 4 – Setting Sons

 1.   Girl On The Phone 2.   Thick As Thieves 3.   Private Hell 4.   Little Boy Soldiers 5.   Wasteland 6.   Burning Sky 7.   Smithers-Jones 8.   Saturday's Kids 9.   The Eton Rifles 10.   Heatwave

 Disc 5 – Sound Affects

 1.   Pretty Green 2.   Monday 3.   But I'm Different Now 4.   Set The House Ablaze 5.   Start! 6.   That's Entertainment 7.   Dream Time 8.   Man In The Corner Shop 9.   Music For The Last Couple 10.   Boy About Town 11.   Scrape Away

 Disc 6 – The Gift

 1.   Happy Together 2.   Ghosts 3.   Precious 4.   Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero? 5.   Trans-Global Express 6.   Running On The Spot 7.   Circus 8.   The Planner's Dream Goes Wrong 9.   Carnation 10.   Town Called Malice 11.   The Gift

Paul Weller – Abbey Road Studios: In Session 12.10am Thursday 15th November

Paul Weller will kick off a new eight-week run of live music shows – to be broadcast from London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios.

 

The Channel 4 showcase for established and emerging acts – Abbey Road Studios: In Session With VW Beetle – will be shown on Wednesday nights (Thursday morning in reality), shortly after midnight (12.10am to be precise).

The Strypes supported Paul Weller at Abbey Road Studios but are unlikely to be included in the show.

Paul Weller - New EP out on 17th December

Paul Weller will bring to a close a momentous year by releasing the 'Dragonfly EP' on December 17th.

Available on a limited edition run of 3000 vinyl copies, the EP will feature specially commissioned artwork by one of Britain's greatest ever artists - Sir Peter Blake.

This is first time the pair have collaborated since Stanley Road in 1995.

The EP features the title track, taken from Paul's critically acclaimed album 'Sonik Kicks', plus a series of b-sides and bonus tracks from the 'Sonik Kicks' recording sessions that have never been released on vinyl before. 

The full tracklisting is:

A1. Dragonfly

A2. Lay Down Your Weary Burden

A3. Portal To The Past

B1. Devotion

B2. We Got A Lot

B3. The Piper 

The Strypes support Paul Weller at Abbey Road Studios

The Strypes supported Paul Weller for a British television show at the Beatles' old Abbey Road studio last week.

Weller is such a fan of the Cavan four-piece that when he was approached by Channel 4 to play the TV special, there was only one band he had in mind to fill the support slot.

It is believed that the programme sponsors were eager to save on expenses of flights and accommodation by booking a British band for the undercard slot, but Weller refused to accept anyone other than The Strypes.  

"It was a personal request," Strypes' manager Niall Walsh told the Celt. "He insisted that The Strypes would be the act, so that was great news for us. They (Weller's management) really made it clear that it was his wish that The Strypes would be the band, and the only band he would agree to playing the support slot." 

Guitarist Josh has heard through new pal Miles Kane, co-frontman of The Last Shadow Puppets, who has worked with Weller in the studio, that the first thing the so-called Modfather does when he has new performers recording with him is to show them The Strypes perform on YouTube.  

"He's just raving about them," said Niall, who is also the father of drummer Evan. "He sees a lot of himself in the band; he was that age when he started The Jam, and his dad was the manager as well.  

The former frontman of The Jam was recently bigging them up in an NME interview and even compared them to The Rolling Stones. However, it's a different set of legends who are in the minds of The Strypes ahead of Friday's concert at Abbey Road - the lads are Beatles mad and their first EP contained two Fab Four covers. "It's a lifetime's ambition of us all realised," says Niall. "To even get in through the door!”  

"Two months ago we did the tourist thing, where we went to the zebra crossing and got the boys to walk across it for the craic - but we thought it would be years before we'd ever get through the door." 

The Strypes played 30 minutes in front of an invited audience of 200, and Weller played for 90 minutes. The show will be pared down to a 30/45 minute TV special to be aired on Wednesday November 14, but sadly it isn't scheduled to feature The Strypes. However, their full performance will be made available to view online.

Ahead of Friday's gig they played a warm-up in Camden Town's Hawley Arms, where Amy Winehouse made her breakthrough.  

"Already there's more than 50 industry people coming to the gig so it's possibly the hottest buzz for any band since The Arctic Monkeys," enthused Niall.  

In the meantime The Strypes are considering whether to release any new material in the coming weeks - which would be their first since April's 'Young Gifted & Blue'. 

They have already recorded 14 tracks, which includes a number of original songs that fit with the band's style, being "very much rhythm and blues". The tracks were produced by Squeeze pal Chris Difford, who, of course, shared the Cafe Sessions stage with them recently. 

"They have material in the can that they have recorded with him (Difford); potentially an EP or album, the band have yet to decide," said Niall.

Small Faces Magazine - Issue 36 Out Now!!!

John Hellier's excellent Small Faces magazine, 'The Darlings of Wapping Wharf Launderette', is back with issue 36 now available.....this is the ultimate Small Faces and related regular publication.

It's full of great stories and many previously unpublished pics as usual, with some excellent contributors included.

John tells me that if you take out a new 4 issue subscription it will come with an astonishing 10 FREE back issues!

To take advantage of this fantastic deal, visit the web page at: -

http://www.wappingwharf.com/

ScooterMania Exhibition, Coventry - 26 October 2012 - 3 March 2013

A little out of the norm, this may be of interest to some of you out there. The blurb states: - 

“This Autumn and Winter, be transported to the 1950s and 60s, as Coventry Transport Museum presents a delightful new exhibition of British scooters from these two fascinating decades.

Whilst many people are familiar with the Italian scooters favoured by the Mod generation, this new exhibition showcases over 40 scooters made right here in Britain – and there are quite a few weird and wonderful surprises in store. 

All of the scooters on display were collected by one man, Robin Spalding (www.britishscooters.com) and they include well-known British names such as Triumph, BSA and Raleigh, as well as more ‘obscure’ manufacturers such as DMW, DKR and Dunkley, to offer a unique perspective on this iconic form of personal transport.

Of course the scooters themselves are the stars of the show, but they are complemented by eye-catching displays of advertising, fashion and furnishings from the 50s and 60s, to create an experience that is both nostalgic and surprising, and is bound to get you talking!”

Admission is FREE.

Peggy Jane Launches 'Limited Edition' Mod Christmas Card Range

Get yourself over to the Peggy Jane web-pages at www.peggyjane.co.uk to check out their full new range of fantastic Mod Christmas Cards (just a selection shown here).

But remember, these are 'limited edition' cards with just one print run for 2012, so if you don't place your order soon then you will miss out altogether.