'All or Nothing' - the new book from Jason Brummell

ROB BAILEY & RHYS WEBB PRESENT MAXIMUM R&B AT THE PHOENIX, LONDON W1 SATURDAY 11 JAN 2014

After the buzzing night back in May Maximum R&B returns to The Phoenix and it's spiritual home in W1 on Sat 11 Jan 2014.

Maximum R&B promises to be an evening dedicated to the sights and sounds of early underground modernist night clubbing and will feature the finest Freakbeat, Feedback, Pop Art, Garage Punk and Rhythm & Blues sounds on their original vinyl format from DJ’s Dr Robert & Rhys Webb on 100% vintage vinyl.

The Phoenix 37 Cavendish Square W1G 0PP

Times: 9pm - 3am

Entry: £6 before 10 £8 after

For more info contact: - 

Rob Bailey drrobert@btinternet.com t: 07740 290 992

‘All About My Girl’ book by Jason Brummell

Synopsis

The early British Modernists of the 1950s sought to emulate the socially mobile elements of American society. Stylistically, they drew inspiration from the sleek, sharp and minimal suit favoured by the avant-garde musicians of the East Coast jazz movement and the more casual wares of the denizens of chic European café society. Philosophically, early Mods saw themselves as citizens of the world - a world in which it only mattered where you were going, not where you came from – a sentiment Beau Brummell would have endorsed.

All About My Girl dips it's beautifully shod toes (clad in Ravel Basket-weaves) into the soulful depths of an oasis of style amidst a cultural desert of post war early sixties London.

It is about the Mods, high street stars that shone in a midnight blue mohair clad sky and their impact on a rain-grey world. It is about the daily grime and the daily grind that only adds fuel to the fire that explodes into living for the whole weekend before jumping the trains back to grey-ness and Monday. It is about the impact of their passion and its wider social impact on those who's weekends are a forty-eight hour wait for conformity.

It is about the gangsters who operate above the law and above their social station. It is about the law who struggle to adapt to increasing pace of change of the young idea. Those that agree that they have no pre-ordained place in society, fuelled by the amphetamines and the violence dealt in equal measure by those gangsters.

It is about those lofty individuals that sit in guilded palaces above everyone. About how there tenuous grip on society is slowly weakening.  How their morals prove to be their inevitable down-fall as they lie cowering in their ivory-towers left to watch their once-proud now-crumbling empires fall.

The ripples from those beautiful shoes spread far and wide!

In the beginning 

All About My Girl: the book; starts life as a short article I write for a South Coast based Mod/Scooter fanzine called 'Enjoy Yourself' complied by a very good friend of mine; Paul Bedford. 'Just write about a tune you like or something' is my very limited brief. It just so happens that I am on a very big Mod-Jazz trip at this time and doubly so where the Hammond organ was concerned.

I select 'All About My Girl' by Jimmy McGriff although it could easily be 'I Got a Woman', 'Discotheque' or any of the other immaculate Sue releases from the original Modernist period. The article writes itself very quickly and I am extremely enamoured with the feel of the piece. It goes on to generate much good feedback in its admittedly limited circulation.

The piece sits in my in-box for a while and after initial plans to write a book on Mod Fashion (tentively titled 'From the Midst of the Peacock Revolution') I decide to revisit the 'All About My Girl' piece and expand it into a short novel from there.

I guess from start to finish (and bearing in mind I only had access to a computer at work) it took a year to write, print and put together into the book it is now. It is essentially written in the first person on behalf of three different characters (which takes a little getting used to) who's lives overlap as the story reaches it's conclusion.

Like I say in the intro of the book there are many influences throughout. The first person over multiple personae was an influence of Irvine Welsh's 'Filth' and not naming the main Modernist protagonist is a deliberate move copying Daniel Craig's character from Layer Cake, which I think helps the reader imagine themselves 'in the lead role'.

Should you have the book you will hopefully see flavours of the writing of the great Modernist chroniclers, Colin MacInnes (Absolute Beginners), Irish Jack (various Essays), Tom Wolfe (Noon-day Underground) and much of Paolo Hewitt’s writing. This is wholly intentional and is meant with great love and respect for these writers whose works I wholly recommend to anyone.

Ultimately this book is written with love and thanks for a scene that I feel truly privileged to be part of. An endearing cult that through exquisite taste and cutting edge style has always left a steady stream of admiring onlookers with their noses pressed up to the windows of it’s mysterious world. I’m on the inside looking out, and for that I’m eternally grateful. Thank you Lord!

All About My Girl: The original article from Enjoy Yourself fanzine

I think very few people hear music, well I mean they all hear it but few really hear it. It’s for the rare moments when something opens within, and then the music enters, and what we hear becomes corroborated, it becomes feel. But for the man who creates the music is hearing something else, he is feeling something else, articulating my feelings better than I can ever put to words, he’s dealing with the roar rising from the void and he imposes order on it as it hits the air. What is invoked in him, then, is another order, a new science, a new feel and that is the triumph, his triumph becomes ours… but not yet the bass and the drums are treading water, keeping the time, keeping the beat, but not yet my beat…. I can see the organist he’s there in my mind, dressed as immaculately as the sleeves of those albums, who’s Blue go beyond mere colours and through the void until it comes feel… but not yet; the rein is too short, but the promise is there, his band want him to leave the shoreline and strike out for deeper water. We are all witnesses that deep water and drowning were not necessary the same thing… we knew because we’d heard them before. We were waiting for the Organist to take the first steps, let us know he was in the water.

And while I danced, I feel the movement, deep within exactly like someone in torment. I had never thought of how hard the relationship must be between the man and his keys… the keys to his freedom… but first he has to breath life into his instrument, he has to make the instrument live, he has to make it feel and while the organ is just an organ and there’s only so much you can do with it and the only way to find this out is to try; to try and make it do; do everything. But not just yet, the organ is stammering, starting one way then getting startled before retracing its timid steps… to a new direction, but not yet to a new destination, and still the beat is there, the time is keeping us ready for the parameters that were about to be subverted, but for now, steady as she goes… and I am starting the familiar rise again… the organist’s eyes are becoming heavy lidded and just as he was in danger of burning out, his hands cross over and things from within, from the void were burning their way in and lighting the way, by the fire and fury of the battle that was raging within him… I was having the feeling that something had happened; something I maybe hadn’t heard… no matter I was feeling it.

I’m coming up, up like the steam from the espresso machines fuelling the lost souls above our heads… the bass began asking questions, it was letting out the reins, the drums began to answer and then an insistent guitar, sweet and high, slightly detached was flying like me across the Soho night…and still the organist was surveying his path, driving beautiful, soulful and I’m feeling it… It’s the young man blues, its my French blues; as blue as the deep watered sea into which they were sailing… keeping it new, keeping it fresh, at the risk of ruin, running aground, death even all in order to give the music that feel… it must be heard, it must be set free it’s the only light we’ve got in the darkness and now the band are coming together, the groove is there, the rhythm no longer encouraging the organist into the water, it was wishing him Godspeed and I can feel that step back and the immense suggestion that the Organist speak for his blues, speak for mine…. His fingers fill the air with life, his life and my life. He is going all the way back to the sparse stripped back opening statement that I never heard fully until now, It isn’t hurried, it is confident now where before it was a cautious lament. I can hear the burning with him now as the pace is picking up, the Freedom it promised is being shown to us… and I can picture his face drenched in sweat, yet there is no battle in the face now it is soaring it is free. Freedom was all around, I understood, at last, that we could all be free if we just listened… that we would never be truly free until we did… I was hearing his triumph, I was feeling my triumph, and I knew we’d both carry this moment until we were laid to rest in the earth…. Lord Yes Amen!

Jason Brummell

'Hard Up Heroes - The Creation Vs John’s Children' CD (Timeless)

Paul Weller gigs for little Roxi

THE Modfather has helped to raise £4,000 to support Roxi Aldrich. Roxi, two, from New Town, Colchester, was born with cerebral palsy. Her parents, Joe Aldrich and Adi Martinkovicova, want to raise £50,000 so she can have surgery in the USA to enable her to walk.

Paul Jones, a member of Sixties band Manfred Mann, hosted a gig at the Cranleigh Arts Centre, in Surrey. He agreed to donate part of the proceeds to the Help Roxi Walk campaign and invited the former Jam and Style Council star to play.

Mr Aldrich, who fronts Colchester band LaVendore Rogue under his stage name, Jojo Burgess, was also invited to perform with the band’s guitarist, Joel Fisk.

The event has taken the campaign total to £30,000.

Mr Aldrich said: “I approached Paul Jones via his agent and the producer of his show on Radio 2.

"Three or four weeks later, I got a call from Paul to say he would be delighted to support the campaign – on the proviso he sang a few songs with me.

"It was a big secret, but Paul Weller came along to play, too. It was a nice surprise.”

To support the appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/helproxiwalk

“Margate museum wants your Mods and Rockers memories” reports the Isle of Thanet Gazette

MARGATE museum is appealing for people to get in touch with their stories of two monumental occasions in the district's history.

The centenary of the First World War and Mods and Rockers clashes of 1964 are both to be featured in special exhibitions in the Spring and Autumn of 2014.

The museum previously ran a successful exhibition called ‘Mods, Rockers and Margate: Talking About My Generation’.

Manager, Ian Dickie told the Gazette: "This time around we are looking for people who lived in the area at the time of riots, specifically local business people such as shop keepers.

"How were they affected? What happened? How did they feel?"

The museum will also be running a special exhibition to mark the centenary of the First World War with plans to create a memory wall to honour local serviceman who gave their lives.

Mr Dickie explained: "Some 400 men from Margate lost their lives on the battle field and we would really like people to share their photos and stories of family members or friends.

"It is quite horrific when you think about it but we want to do something special."

It wasn't just the brave men on the Front Line who were affected by the war, from 1914-1918 Margate was bombed 88 times by German zeppelins causing the deaths of 40 civilians.

Mr Dickie said: "We would like to hear from people who had relatives in Margate at the time of the bombing."

If anyone has any stories or photos they would like to form part of both exhibitions please contact Ian Dickie at Margate Museum on 01843 231213.

Design opportunity for The Who and Pretty Green

Brief

Along with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, The Who complete the holy trinity of British rock. It is generally acknowledged among rock aficionados that The Who in their heyday were the most exciting live band on the planet, with their Live at Leeds album hailed as the greatest live album of all time.

After a long summer on the road for their European Tour 'Quadrophenia and More', The Who, together with Pretty Green, the U.K based fashion house, are turning to the creative community for help designing new artwork. Aspiring graphic designers are invited to submit their graphic artwork (using the provided template if desired), as inspired by the vast catalogue of The Who music, for the opportunity to have it produced and featured as a t-shirt and sold on Pretty Green.

Opportunity

One designer will have their artwork interpreted for a t-shirt and sold on Pretty Green's online store.

In addition, they will receive: - 

•5% royalty of all t-shirts sold*

•$2,500

•Exposure for their submission across The Who and Pretty Green's official social media channels

*After local sales tax is applied, sold at a retail value of £40.

People's Choice

The highest voted designer will receive: -

•Exposure for their submission across The Who and Pretty Green's social media channels

•Exclusive Pretty Green merchandise

Schedule

Launched: November 13, 2013

Submit by: January 7, 2014

Share & Support: January 8, 2014 - January 14, 2014

Selection: January 28, 2014

All phases close at 10am PST

Next Steps

Go to the following web address: -

http://www.talenthouse.com/design-for-the-who-pretty-green

 
Then click the 'Participate' button to review the guidelines and submit your work.

The Jam: The Studio Recordings (Polydor) – 5 out of 5 review by The Guardian

The Jam squeezed in six albums between 1977 and 1982, which has proved a gift to compilers: this is at least their fifth box set. The twist this time is that all eight records – six LPs, plus two discs of singles and B-sides – are on vinyl. A download voucher is also included, but the effort of turning over a vinyl record is rewarded by a richer connection to the music, which is still incandescent.

Paul Weller's compositional abilities grew with each release (the hastily recorded second LP, This is the Modern World, perhaps excepted); bowing out with The Gift, he had planted the jazz-funk seeds of his next project, the Style Council. This set is a persuasive argument for a band quitting at the top of their game (in the accompanying hardback book, bandmates Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler poignantly remember their shock at Weller splitting up the group), but it's also a reminder that political engagement was once the default position for rock bands. It's hard to hear it and not reflect on what has been lost.

Paul Weller – ‘Into Tomorrow’ (Genesis Publications) set for 2014 release

In 2008, Paul Weller and Genesis Publications collaborated on

‘A THOUSAND THINGS: The Limited Edition’. Launched on the same day as Weller’s award-winning album, 22 Dreams, the entire edition sold out in less than 6 months, making it one of Genesis’ most popular titles.

INTO TOMORROW will pair Paul Weller with photographer Lawrence Watson, in a limited edition that will be signed by both authors and released in 2014. Please register your details below to be amongst the first to receive updates about this forthcoming project.

 

http://www.genesis-publications.com/pressoffice/comingsoon/paul-weller-into-tomorrow

'Out of Time' 20th Anniversary Mod Night in Wolverhampton on Saturday 15th March

Ska night at 'Hush' in Coventry on Friday 20th December

The 45s debut single, ‘It Ain’t Over’ (Heavy Soul), reviewed by PHK

I opened my Heavy Soul package of the debut 7” and CD by new R&B stars, The 45s, with great anticipation after the storming ‘live’ reviews they have been generating in recent months. And with Heavy Soul Records behind them, could they soon be in line for the major breakthrough that The Strypes had after they first trod this path?

On this debut offering, the answer is a definite yes – this is the dogs dangly bits and more!!!

The A-side, ‘It Ain’t Over’, is a high octane, blues inspired number that demonstrates a high quality performance that belies the bands tender age. For me, there’s also an essence of The Spencer Davis Group and early Who in there for what could be a great song for radio plays.

And with ‘Devil Of A Women’, it just continues to get better and better – starting with a Wilko-esque power riff that keeps coming back throughout, this is a great slice of Maximum Rhythm & Blues that will get your foot tapping and hips moving before you know what’s happened. Superb guitar solo too!!!

But that’s not all – for those of you that also buy the CD single, there is a bonus track; a fabulous recording of Chuck Berry’s ‘Around And Around’ (also previously covered to great effect by The Rolling Stones in their blues heyday) that I am sure is a big favourite at The 45s ‘live’ shows.

This is another essential release by the Heavy Soul label (well done Adam) that, if fully supported, could give The 45s the opportunity to slip through the door that The Strypes are currently holding open to a major label deal, high profile gigs and hopefully many more great recordings for many years to come.

2014 could prove to be a significant year for The 45s and this pivotal release is sure to generate the awareness and acknowledgement that they so obviously deserve to make that next big step.

Paul Weller Plays Surprise 100 Club Support Slot For The Moons!

Fans of The Moons were treated to a Christmas surprise as Paul Weller himself took the stage last night in support at the world famous 100 Club in London.

Paul played an acoustic set of new songs, old favourites and covers, with the crowd helping out with a sing-a-long on the Martha & The Vandellas' Motown classic, "Heatwave."

 

Paul Weller Set List: -

I Spy

Gravity

White Line Fever

Butterfly Collector

Out Of The Sinking

Heatwave

The Strypes announce UK tour for February

Wilko to play 'live' set and sign DVDs at Wednesday's official launch

Parka's Bar in Nottingham - a taste of things to come in 2014

The Kinks Musical Sunny Afternoon set for 2014

A stage musical of the early story of Kinks frontman Ray Davies is likely to open at London’s Hampstead Theatre next year.

Sunny Afternoon will feature the band’s hits, penned by Davies, and a script by award-winning playwright Joe Penhall. A few days ago Ray Davies is quoted in The Guardian as saying: ‘I’m haunted by the songs I have written but never recorded‘

Sunny Afternoon will follow the band’s rise to stardom during the 1960s and is named after their 1966 hit single.

The Kinks’ numerous other hit songs include Waterloo Sunset, Lola and You Really Got Me.

Casting for the new show has yet to be announced.

The Kinks were formed by Davies with his brother Dave in north London in 1964. They were regarded as being a part of the British musical invasion of the US, with five top 10 singles. The group performed together for the last time in 1996.

Davies hinted earlier this year that The Kinks would consider a reunion to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2014, and said that new material could be written to mark the occasion.

'Fifty Years of The Who' photography exhibition to open in London

A photography exhibition featuring pictures of The Who is set to open next year in London.

'Fifty Years of The Who' by photographer Colin Jones will take place at Proud Galleries from February 5 - March 23, 2014, reports Music News. The exhibit will feature pictures taken on the road, backstage and at home with the iconic band.

Meanwhile, Roger Daltrey recently had to clarify Pete Townshend's statement about the fact The Who will stop touring after a final series of live shows in 2015, scaling down their operation. However, in an interview with Billboard, Daltrey says this will not be the end of The Who but merely an acknowledgment that at their age they can no longer invest the energy needed to stage a lengthy tour.

 "I think you have to clarify what he said, and what we mean is we cannot keep going on doing these month-after-month, long, extended tours," he added. "It's extremely hard, hard work, just the grind of it. So we have to be realistic. The band got better reviews on our last tour (the 2012-13 'Quadrophenia & More' trek) than we had for years. It was incredibly enjoyable. It was incredibly exhausting, and we have to be realistic about our age. But it's not going to be the last thing The Who will do."

Elaborating on what The Who will do in the future, Daltrey added that their charity work will continue, as well as more "experimental" ideas: "We're going to be doing events. We're going to be doing shows. We might do other things, more experimental. We might decide to do something in a theatre, some small production where we sit down for two or three weeks in one town; that could be managed 'cause we're not schlepping our bodies from city to city. The joy of the stage is wonderful, but the traveling every day is exhausting."

The Blades are back

It’s been a long time since The Blades took to a stage anywhere.

But the Dublin band who told the story of Ireland’s first recession with three chords and the truth are just as relevant today as they were back in the 80s.

After being tempted out of hibernation, Paul Cleary is in buoyant form and looking forward to the two Olympia shows - one of which is already sold out.

He said: “We had a rehearsal last Friday and it was the first time that the seven of us were in the room at the same time - myself, Brian and Jake, the two brass and Pat and Conor on keyboards.

“It sounded really good and I am actually quite critical - we blew the cobwebs away.”

Arguably one of the finest songwriters of his generation, Cleary has always been a bit reticent about his own talents.

And the depth of feeling about The Blades reforming has taken him by surprise.

He said: “I knew some people would be enthusiastic but I honestly never thought there would be so many - I thought we would do well to fill one Olympia gig.

“And people have generally been positive about it so it’s making me feel good about it as well.”

Paul says he can barely remember why The Blades split in the first instance.

He said: “It’s so far back I can only vaguely remember - but I do remember feeling like there was no real progression near the end.

“Our fan base were always loyal and good but we weren’t really doing anything internationally. “And I think fans want to see the bands they like progress anyway.

“The official last gig was 1986 and it’s a long time back - I’ve lived another half of my life since then already.

“But I just felt we had all carried The Blades as far as they could go and it was time to move on and do something else.”

There were of course other bands afterwards, in particular Paul Cleary And The Partisans but the singer and songwriter said nothing else really matched the energy of the teenage rebellion led by those lads in the sharp suits.

He said: “You joined a gang you raise a flag and you marched forward - it’s childish but in a good way - you march forward and see who follows.

“It’s very difficult to get that feeling back and probably a bit stupid to try and recreate that type of feeling. You have your whole life ahead in your late teens early 20s and it’s a magical time to be in a band.

“It’s very hard to judge yourself, your attributes and talents but I suppose I did  have some talent for song-writing  and I realised I would be silly not to do another band and get a job sweeping the streets or whatever.

“And I really couldn’t do anything else - I had gained so much experience and I enjoyed writing songs so I thought why not start another band.

“My heart was in it but not 100% the same. But there was no point in crawling under the bed, I had to get out there again. I wasn’t as focused with the Partisans as I was with The Blades as we never really had a destination or a plan. But that’s not to decry what we did, we made a great mini album, there were great songs and the band were brilliant.”

After that there were a number of bands where Cleary was a member rather than a leader, and an acclaimed solo album in 2001.

In between that Paul actually devised a number of quiz shows including Blackboard Jungle and wrote some music for TV programmes.

He said: “I’m not the type of guy who brings a guitar to a party or anything like that - if I am involved, I’m 100 % involved. I can’t really take music casually.

“I started having a family then - I have three young children now and that has kept me occupied for the last 12 years - they are 12, 10 and six.”

So what do the kids think of the fact their dad is slinging on his guitar again?

He said: “There’s always been a guitar and piano in the house but they see it as a normal activity.

“When they heard I was playing on the stage they are mildly amused and slightly curious.

“My six year old likes it but I think she’s biased because I’m her dad but the two lads prefer Tiny Tempah or something like that. They would see me as being hopelessly square and outdated and they are right of course.

“The kids are always right.”

Even so they are bound to be proud of their dad next weekend and Paul is looking forward to hear what people think.

He said: “I really am looking forward to it - I am nervous of course but that’s just part of my character, once I get on stage I’ll be fine.

“We’ll see what people think but it certainly sounds as good as it ever did.”

“Noel Gallagher turns down £20 million for Oasis reunion world tour” says the Sunday People

“Noel Gallagher has turned down £20million to reunite with brother Liam for an Oasis world tour.

The singer-songwriter has put the kibosh on plans for the reunion which, would mark 20 years since the band’s 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe.

The Sunday People can also reveal that Paul Weller and the Happy Mondays had been lined up as special guests.

Noel, 46, right, has been asked to make up with frontman Liam for the tour, which ­included two gigs at Knebworth.

But the simmering feud between the ­brothers, which boiled over in a backstage row in 2009, won’t be cooling off any time soon.

A source close to Noel revealed: “There were hopes he would do it but frankly, he just doesn’t want to. The Oasis reunion is well and truly off.

“He has refused all offers, it got to £20million but even the lure of money like that just didn’t work.

“Liam is very keen to get back together, if only for the money but Noel is having none of it.

“There have been several intermediaries from their respective camps working very hard indeed to reach some form of agreement but Noel isn’t budging and a working solution between the brothers simply can’t be found.

“It’s a real shame and Noel knows how much his fans would love to see the band reform but he doesn’t want to commit to the time, he is quite happy as he is.”

The money could come in handy for Liam, 41. He is currently facing an expensive divorce from Nicole Appleton, 39, after he fathered a love child with US journalist Liza Ghorbani, 39. He is now living with new girlfriend, former personal assistant Debbie Gwyther.

Oasis were formed in Manchester in 1991 and split in 2009.

And Liam, now in Beady Eye, was clearly a little bit peed off about it.

In June he branded Noel a “conniving b*****d” and said: “There was just bulls**t going around. He’d been trying to get his little solo thing for ages. He’s just a sneaky little... I was hard work to work with, ‘cos, whatever...”

Nutty New Year - 31st December 2013

The Modernist Society Blog surpasses 100,000 individual page views - thank you for your support and a Merry Mod Christmas to you all.

 

 

30% off at Modclothin' until Boxing Day

'Ricky Tick' in Portsmouth on Friday 20th December

Carnaby Streak gift vouchers now available!

Simply select the voucher amount from the list on their web site and you will be emailed a virtual voucher with your code to be used at the checkout.

http://www.thecarnabystreak.co.uk/vouchers.htm

'Modfest' in Brighton over Mayday Bank Holiday Weekend - Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now!

Line-up: -

DJ Norman Jay MBE, DJ Eddie Pillar, Steve Ellis Love Affair, The Neville Staple Band, Trio Valore, Hannah Williams & The Tastemakers, Gizelle Smith and The Mighty Mocambos, The 45s, Stone Foundation, The Universal, James Taylor Quartet, DJ Jo Wallace, DJ Stacie Stewart, The Rivalry, Sisteray, The Assist, The Tones, The Spitfires and many many more!!!

On Sale Now! Early Bird Tickets

We are releasing a very limited number of early bird ModFest 2014 tickets with no booking fee, ahead of our forthcoming national launch with entry into a free draw for a pair of Gold Wristbands. This is a VIP experience that money cannot buy!

VIP Tickets

During the early bird promotion we are offering standard festival weekend and VIP weekend tickets. Once you have purchased a ticket you will be entered into the free draw for an exclusive one off pair of Gold wrist bands. This is a onetime offer and will not be available again until ModFest 2015. So take advantage of the early bird tickets promotion NOW for a chance to be a face at ModFest 2014.

Once you have purchased your ticket you will be entered in the free draw to win this unique experience at ModFest. If your name is drawn out of the pork pie hat you and a friend (another paying ticket holder) will be treated like ModFest royalty.

There will be no queuing for your gold wristband once the gates are open. On your arrival we will whisk you through the entrance for a welcome drink in our executive box where you will also receive a ModFest goodie bag. Not only you will have all the benefits of the VIP lounge such as the exclusive after parties – but you will also have back stage access with the chance to watch your favourite band from the wings. We will also put you and your friend up for the weekend in our Glamping area, you will receive a signed ModFest Poster and even the chance to meet your favourite artist.

•Standard Weekend Ticket @ £100 each includes entry to the festival on Saturday and Sunday. Gates will open at 10am with the first band scheduled on the main stage at 12 noon.

•Standard Weekend Camping Tickets cost £140 each includes a pitch on our campsite which is within walking distance, plus entry to the festival on Saturday and Sunday.

•VIP Weekend Ticket @ £150 each and are very limited and are sure to be snapped up in no time. Once they’ve gone – they’ve gone!

There are a few surprises in store within the VIP area that will officially announced soon. But by upgrading to a VIP Ticket you’ll gain exclusive access to the VIP area offering the following benefits:

•A relaxed and spacious environment offering a choice of exclusive food and drink outlet

•Cash bar with comfortable indoor seating area

•Exclusive after-parties on Saturday and Sunday with live bands and DJs

VIP Weekend Ticket all of the above plus camping @ £190 each

*No booking fees for early bird tickets only.

Wilko Johnson DVD, ‘Live At Koko, Camden Town, London, March 2013’, out now (The Cadiz Recording Co).

Track Listing: -

1. Everybody's Carrying A Gun / 2. Barbed Wire Blues / 3. Dr. Dupree / 4. Going Back Home / 5. Roxette / 6. Sneakin' Suspicion / 7. Keep On Loving You / 8. When I'm Gone / 9. Paradise / 10. Don't Let Your Daddy Know / 11. Back In The Night / 12. She Does It Right / 13. I Don't Mind / 14. All Through The City / 15. Johnny B Goode / 16. Twenty Yards Behind

On the evening of 10 March 2013, Koko in London’s Camden Town opened its doors to 1,500 music fans who knew they were about to witness an extraordinary event. The venue – known as the Music Machine in the punk days and the Camden Palace in the ‘80s and ‘90s – has down the years seen many legends play its stage, from Ellen Terry the Victorian actress, to The Goons who recorded some of their BBC shows there, to The Clash, Madonna, Prince and many more. But tonight the honour was reserved for a man with a special place in the hearts of lovers of raw, honest, exhilarating rock’n’roll music: Wilko Johnson. The electricity around the show had acquired extra voltage due to a sad and poignant fact: just a few weeks before, the former Dr Feelgood guitarist and songwriter had announced he’d been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had only months left to live. The Koko gig – the second of two – was thus promoted as the very last show of a short ‘Farewell’ tour, the final chance for fans to see Wilko perform live on stage. As it turned out, against the odds, the guitarist mercifully remained fit and healthy enough to gig sporadically throughout the rest of 2013, bringing pleasure to fans everywhere from his home town of Southend, Essex to the Fuji Rock festival in Japan. But on this crisp winter’s evening in Camden Town, no one was to know that – and even if they did, they would be glad to learn that Wilko’s party wasn’t quite over yet… Wilko came onstage to a deafening roar and a standing ovation (not that there was anywhere to sit down). The next hour and 20 minutes rushed by, with Wilko, glaring, grinning, and manically bowling across the stage in customary style, as Norman Watt-Roy pulled funkily at his bass strings and Dylan Howe kept the rhythm tight ("he’s the best drummer I’ve ever worked with," says Wilko – and he’s worked with more than a few very good ones). The Feelgoods hits got the biggest cheer, and then a tear came to the collective eye when Johnson left the stage to an emotional rendering of Chuck Berry’s Bye Bye Johnny, waving as he said goodbye - a profoundly moving experience, it must be said, whose atmosphere Live At Koko perfectly captures.

http://cadizmusic.com/2007/index.php?location=%2Fweb%2FCatalogue%2FCADIZDVD127

Miles Kane 2014 UK Tour Flyer

The Glory Boy Mod Radio Show - every Sunday 7pm - 9pm

'Kitten Casino' on Saturday 8th February

UK indie film company gearing up for release of new Motown film

Indie film production company Ace Film is getting ready to release its latest film Tamla Rose.

After a successful screening in the Marche section at the Cannes Film Festival, the film, which is set in Liverpool will be released in cinemas from 13 December 2013.

It follows the film’s namesake Tamla Rose as she and her friends try to make it as a Motown band, charting their trials and tribulations along the way.

The film is set to a backdrop of completely original Motown soundtrack music recorded especially for the production.

Writer and Director Joe Scott said: “Coming from a music background, the advent of the pop video drew me into film-making. It therefore seemed natural to focus on music driven films.

"My last film First Time Loser was a 60's music film with a mostly original soundtrack. The idea for Tamla Rose came from a chance meeting with a passionate Northern Soul fan.

"After researching, it became clear that Northern Soul was Motown style music. However, the scene was influenced by DJs not live music.

"By that time I was hooked and decided to go down the Motown route. I asked songwriters Robbie Pollard and Laura Walton to write original songs in the Motown style and I was so impressed with what they came up with that I hired them to compose the score.”

The feel-good film stars relatively unknown actress fashion model and singer Adi Alfa as Tamla Rose. Also in the band is Alexandra Johnston and Tisha Merry who plays Candi Shimm.

Since filming Tamla Rose, Merry has gone on to become series regular Steph Britton in Coronation Street.

The trio star alongside acting veterans Jake Abraham, who viewers will recognise as the hapless burglar Dean from the hit British classic Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Brookside’s Philip Olivier.

Abraham plays the band’s manager Jim with Olivier playing Kyle, an unruly record company executive who takes an interest in the band and whose unruly antics threaten to put the band’s friendship to the test.

With stellar performances all round, the film is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves iconic Motown rhythms.

Tamla Rose is also an inspiring tale of hope and determination sure to strike a chord with anyone thinking of a career in the music business.

The film will be shown at FACT in Liverpool on Tuesday the 17th of December.

The Karla Milton Collective announce Birmingham gig at The Jam House on 28th January 2014

Baked a la Ska in Manchester on 20th December

Yorkshire Evening Post previews Ocean Colour Scene at the O2 Academy, Leeds

OCEAN Colour Scene released a new album earlier this year but they’re spending the festive season revisiting the halcyon days of a Britpop classic.

Back in 1997 they ousted Oasis from the top of the charts with their album Marchin’ Already.

The previous year the Birmingham band had supported their Mancunian pals at one of their massive concerts at Knebworth. Now they were genuine contenders to be the most popular band in Britain.

OCS singer Simon Fowler remembers there was friendly rivalry between the two groups.

“Noel [Gallagher, the Oasis guitarist and songwriter] sent us a plaque that said, ‘The second best band in the world’ – I don’t know where that is now. I suspect Steve’s dad [Chris], who was our manager then, has got it – but we felt really good about that.

“Our gang was Oasis and Paul [Weller]. We introduced Noel to Paul. Within a week he was wearing loafers rather than trainers. Liam would say, ‘All right, Weller fella’. It’s ironic that he’s now got clothes shops called Pretty Green [named after a song Weller wrote for The Jam]. I think he was a bit jealous.”

They were, Fowler says, “fun times”.

“I’m glad we had them when we could. I couldn’t do that now,” he adds, wryly noting now the band are middle-aged (Fowler is 48) that there’s less partying on tour.

“I said to Steve [Cradock, the OCS guitarist] this morning it’s great to wake up and not feel dreadful. I’ve had breakfast two mornings in a row – I’ve never done that on tour before.”

His memories of writing and recording Marchin’ Already are rather sketchy. “I can’t remember how much of it was written after Moseley Shoals [their 1996 hit album] came out or how much was written around the same time. It’s 16 years ago. We had quite a lot of fun at the time.”

He does, however, recall filming the video for the single Hundred Mile City. “I had to drive a Citroen DS at about midnight. We were filming at Bray Studios in Berkshire. I didn’t realise I would have to drive the car for real through the studio. I don’t know if you’ve ever driven a Citroen DS but it doesn’t resemble any car you’ve already driven, especially when you have been drinking all day.”

Sixteen years on, OCS remain a popular creative force. This year they released their tenth studio album, Painting, and guitarist Steve Cradock toured his third solo album, Travel Wild – Travel Free. Fowler is working with OCS bass player Dan Sealey on the second album by their side project, Merrymouth.

“We’re going to put it out I think possibly in March through Navigator Records. We’ll be doing some gigs around the release of that. We’ve almost finished recording it. I’ve got one vocal to do and Dan is mixing it while we’re on tour.”

One track, he reveals, will be a cover version of The Stranglers’ song Duchess. “It’s such a beautiful song, I’ve always loved it,” he says. “It reminds me of The Kinks. Take away the toccata and fugue organ style and it’s a really lovely folk song.”

As for the future of OCS, Fowler says: “We’ve no plans to knock it on the head. Next year is our 25th anniversary – we might do a couple of gigs to mark that. The plan is then to go out the following year acoustic with a string quartet, like Spinal Tap.”

After two and half decades, the band still revel in what they do. “It’s great to be able to go to so many towns,” Fowler says. “We know England inside out.”

December 17, O2 Academy Leeds, Cookridge Street, Leeds, 7pm, £25. www.ticketweb.co.uk

‘Covach takes students on trip to ’60s psychedelic music’ by Campus Times (University of Rochester).

On Tuesday, music professor John Covach, also director of the Institute for Popular Music, gave a presentation titled, “I Want to Take You Higher: Drugs, Trips, and Psychedelic Music.”

The lecture began with a brief background on drugs in popular music, from “jazz cigarettes” (marijuana) and heroin in bebop to the amphetamine-fuelled Mod scene of the United Kingdom. From there, he described the discovery and subsequent experimentation with LSD. He flailed his arms and swayed wildly while re-enacting the world’s first acid trip. One cannot help but wonder how much of his psychedelic knowledge comes from first-hand experience.

The majority of the lecture stressed the influence that psychedelics had on late 1960s songwriters, as well as pop culture as a whole. As people experimented with LSD, a belief grew that the drug could bring about permanent changes in perspective and awareness. This exploration of the mind was reflected in music that explored new influences and lyrical styles. While playing “Tomorrow Never Knows,” by The Beatles, Covach pointed out the Asian influence of the sitar as well as the lyrics that quoted Timothy Leary’s book, “The Psychedelic Experience.” “White Rabbit” used classical and jazz influences as well as surrealist lyrics based on “Alice in Wonderland.” Many people interpret the novel as a description of a wild psychedelic trip.

Covach did not shy away from giving his own opinions. He ridiculed Leary’s use of “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” as a source of “ancient wisdom.”

Covach’s opinions seemed to line up with those musicians who started to see the drug culture as an “easy way out” to spiritual enlightenment. Even today, one will encounter people on psychedelic forums who swear by the spiritual or religious benefits of these drugs. Some people, Covach explained, make a “secular religion” out of the drugs.

Part of what made Covach’s lecture so compelling was the fact that he lived through the time period he spoke about. This allowed him to provide insight that cannot be learned in books. His face lit up as he reminisced about an era of music about which he is clearly passionate. Everyone in attendance left with a better understanding of psychedelic music, as well as many good reasons to take a music history class with Covach.

The presentation was hosted by Delta Upsilon fraternity, and co-sponsored by Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, and Phi Sigma Sigma sororities.