Mod
author, Jason Brummell, has a new book out called ‘All or Nothing’ which I have
all ready to read and review. However, having only recently discovered that he
had already got a previous book, ‘All About My Girl, published and in
circulation, I thought it only good form to read this one first.
Jason states
in the preface that he intentionally uses the flavour of the writings of Colin
MacInnes, Irish Jack, Tom Woolfe and Paolo Hewitt in his own book as a
respectful way of drawing on their finest parts.
The
story is set in the Modernist era of early sixties London with the Scene Club
as a central location and the story of intrigue, gangsters and ministerial indiscretions
mixed in with music, clubs, tailoring, scooters and pills. It is based on the
lives of four individuals and is told in the first person.
Within
the storyline, you get parallels to things you’ve seen or read before such as
in ‘Alfie’ (northern girl making her way to London via a lorry), Richard Barnes
‘Mods!’ book (re: cycling shirts, watches worn with their faces on the inside
of the wrist), Guy Stevens DJ’ing and making tapes of rare soul, Ready Steady
Go! scouring the Mod clubs for dancers and the inferences of Pete Meaden and Mickey
Tenner being part of the character’s crowd. Then there’s the suit detail; vent
length, ticket pockets, cuff buttoning design, cloth, colour etc.
In fact
Jason lovingly weaves all of these elements into a rich Mod tapestry in a way
that really does make you feel that you are in Ham Yard or at the Flamingo. And
this can only be done by someone from the Mod scene, someone who knows what he
is really talking about; not some outsider writing from limited research but
zero passion and empathy for us.
And the
story itself is pretty darn good too, ultimately linking to a sixties scandal
that most people will know of.
‘All
About My Girl’ is an excellent book and available via PayPal for just £5 (and
that includes P&P) – full details can be found at the official web site:
Right, I
have to go now – I’ve got the new Jason Brummell book, ‘All Or Nothing’ to read
next…….
Paul Hooper-Keeley
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