“The
'Modfather of Westminster' and former Home Secretary picks his favourite tunes
from the era...” says The Big Issue: -
Music
has always been an important element of my life. As a small child my sister and
I would sit on top of a honky-tonk piano at weddings and parties where my
father was the resident pianist.
In those
days music was not as ubiquitous as it is now. There were three radio stations
on our Radio Rentals wireless – BBC Home, Light and Third Programmes.
My
fixation was with Lonnie Donegan and I’d try to pick out his tunes on my little
Tommy Steele plastic guitar. Then my mum had a modest win on the Pools and
bought me an acoustic (or “Spanish”) guitar.
When The
Beatles hit the scene, changing popular music for ever, the pirate radio
stations emerged to give us kids the sounds we demanded day and night. By then
I had one ambition – to write and record pop songs. The two bands I was in
never made the big time but we had lots of fun trying.
My top
five mod tracks are, in reverse order…
5. Out of Time, Chris Farlowe and
the Thunderbirds
Chris
Farlowe turned this Stones cover into a mod classic and a Number One record.
4. In the Midnight Hour, Wilson
Pickett
Stax
label’s finest. The horn section lifts this record from good to great.
3. All or Nothing, Small Faces
The
ultimate mod band and the only rock stars to make me wish I was four inches
smaller.
2. Green Onions, Booker T and the
MG's
The
coolest sound of the early ’60s – just as cool more than 50 years later.
1. The Kids are Alright, The Who
A
soaring anthem to mod-ism.
By Alan Johnson MP
I'm don't think we'll be seeing him at The Hideaway Club anytime soon!!!
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