Saturday, 31 January 2015
It was 10 years ago this weekend since we recorded the Mod Aid 20 single!
YouTube
links courtesy of Paul ‘Simpa’ Simpson
Mod Aid 20
Video
Mod Aid 20
– Meet the Mods
Mod Aid 20
– ‘Live’ in the car park
Friday, 30 January 2015
'In the Crowd' with Rick Buckler on 25th June at 19:00.
An evening
in the company of The Jam's legendary drummer Rick Buckler as he talks about
all things The Jam and his life outside of it. The event will also include a 25
minute short film, an on-stage section with Rick and a Q&A session, then
Rick will be chatting with members of the audience and signing copies of his
autobiography that is being released on 11th May.
This event
is intimate and limited to only 120 tickets.
Tickets
are £15 and only available from orders@strangetown.net
A special
mention and thanks to for our promotional events sponsors SME Insurance, Gibson
London and Delicious Junction.
This event
will be the only London event that Rick will be doing to promote his
autobiography after it has been published on 11th May. There are other events
planned taking Rick on tour to such places at Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester,
Brighton, Bristol and Birmingham-more info to follow soon.
Thursday, 29 January 2015
‘Rick Buckler: Autobiography’ available to pre-order from Amazon
Release
date: 11 May 2015
Price:
£14.86
by Rick
Buckler & Ian Snowball
Rick
Bucklers autobiography is the first from a member of The Jam, who some
considered were the ultimate Mod band.
Rick tells
The Jam story from growing up in Woking and meeting fellow members Paul Weller
and Bruce Foxton at school, through their formation in 1972 and tells of the
band's early years before signing to Polydor records.
He
provides a year by year account of The Jam's progress whilst describing what it
was like being a part of the music industry during the 70's and 80's and some
of the characters who he met along the way including the Ramones, John
Enwhistle, Sid Vicious, Blondie, Boy George and Paul McCartney.
Rick
shares his own experiences and thoughts about what it was like to be in one of
the UK's most successful bands who spent a great deal of time recording,
performing and touring.
Following
The Jam's split in 1982, Rick gives a candid account of how he coped and his
subsequent relationship with Paul and Bruce. All three members of The Jam
stayed within the music industry and Rick takes the reader through his years in
Time UK and various other bands up until forming From the Jam.
A must
read for any Jam fan.
Paul Weller announces April Concerts in France, Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany
Paul
Weller will perform in Europe this April, taking in France, The Netherlands,
Belgium and Germany. Paul will make stops in classic venues including The
Bataclan in Paris, The Paradiso in Amsterdam as well as The Docks in Hamburg.
Tickets
went on sale today (29 Jan, 11am) for most shows.
April 2015
Wed 8
April – PARIS, France, Bataclan
Thu – 9
April - AMSTERDAM, Paradiso
Sat – 11
April – UTRECHT, Tivoli
Sun 12
April – BRUGES, Belgium, Magdalena zaal
Mon 13
April – COLOGNE, Germany, Gloria
Wed 15
April – BERLIN, Germany, Admiralpalast
Thu 16
April – HAMBURG, Germany, Docks
Fri 17
April – MUENSTER, Germany, Jovel
Sat 18
April – BRUSSELS, Belgium, Ancienne Belgique
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
The Who's Oculus Rift VR App Now Available
The Who
have released a beta version of their Oculus Rift virtual reality app, called
"The Who Immersive." Already available for iOS and Android, the app
does not require a controller and is described as more of a ride, one you can
take to explore and enjoy the band's music.
"This
experience is a ride, so you don’t need a controller, keyboard...just look
around," reads a description of the app (via VR Focus). "Starting at
the gates of The Who world, you'll travel past sights from their 50 years,
before steering into the Marquee Club, past a Soho Doorway, isolate parts of
'Who Are You' and burst into the stadium with the bone chilling screams of Daltrey’s
'Won't Get Fooled Again.'"
The app is
available for the second iteration of the Oculus Rift development kit, and
you'll need a PC meeting the specs below to run it.
•16GB RAM
•3.4GHZ
Intel Core i7 8 cores
•4GB
Graphics - GForce GTX650
Further
optimizations will be done to The Who Immersive over the coming year so that it
can run on less beefy PC rigs.
When the
app was announced in November 2014, The Who's Roger Daltrey said he hoped it
could "entertain and educate" a new audience.
"I'm
not a fan of smartphones but have to admit they do open up huge possibilities
to entertain and educate," he said at the time. "The music business
needs to use every avenue possible to keep the fans and the music in close
contact. This app will hopefully teach our newer, younger fans everything they
might want to know of our history, and hopefully unearth some odds and sods for
our older ones."
You can view the experience on You Tube at the following URL: -
You can view the experience on You Tube at the following URL: -
Nine Below Zero - Dennis and Mark to release new DUO album
More info
to follow but some ‘live’ dates have been confirmed: -
Saturday
21st February Blackheath Concert Halls, London Part of Arthur Smith's Fun House
Saturday
14th March Kingskerswell Parish Church, Newton Abbot
Wednesday
18th March Chichester Inn, Chichester
Friday
20th March The Crown, 56, Long Lane, Aston End, Stevenage SG2 7HD
Monday
23rd March The Crooked Billet, Henley On Thames
Wednesday
25th March The Prince Albert, Rodborough
Thursday
26th March Venue 2, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Saturday
28th March Selby Town Hall, Selby
Sunday
29th March Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury
The Who to release seven-inch singles boxset and all studio albums on vinyl
The Who
are to release a seven-inch boxset of their first seven singles, the first in a
proposed series of four sets.
The
boxset, entitled The Brunswick Singles 1965-66, covers from "I Can't
Explain" to "La-La-La Lies", with a bonus disc featuring their
only release as The High Numbers, "Zoot Suit"/"I'm The
Face".
As well as
the boxset, which comes out on April 6, the group will release all of their
studio albums on 180g vinyl, plus a double-LP edition of their recent Who Hits
50 compilation, on March 23.
The
remastered editions include their original artwork, and some even feature
replica promotional memorabilia, such as The Who Sell Out, which includes the
original 20" x 30" poster as an insert.
As part of
Record Store Day on April 18, 2014, the group are also releasing a
limited-edition blue vinyl seven-inch of their "Be Lucky" track from
Who Hits 50, backed with their debut single "I Can't Explain".
California State University, Los Angeles, declares “The Mod Revival - 60s fashion returns and here is your one-way ticket to sartorial fabulosity.”
PHK: It would seem that the US have their own brand of Comedy Mods..."
"In
fashion, when a collection hits the runway a trickling down effect begins. One
or two designers showcase a fabulous collection of cohesive elements, and soon
enough the rest of the fashion capitals adapt the same elements within their
collection. Weeks pass and popular brands take on these trends and completely
market them widely… and at this point what you’ve just read reminded you of
Miranda Priestley’s monologue in The Devil Wears Prada, “You think that you’ve
made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re
wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From
a pile of ‘stuff.’
You
shouldn’t take the movie too seriously because the fashion industry is not
exactly how it is portrayed, but among all the glam and glitter in the movie, a
hidden truth hits the screen every now and then. One of those truths is of
course the trickle down effect of a trend. Just like the color cerulean from The
Devil Wears Prada, the mod revival is on its current trickle down. Half way
through the line, now is the time to go and get your 60s pieces if you haven’t
already done so.
First
things first. The biggest 60s trend you should keep in your closet at any cost
is the long-sleeve dress. If you want to look effortlessly cute anywhere you
go, wear a simple A-line long-sleeved dress preferably in pastels for a more
daytime look. This versatile piece can be paired up with practically any
shoe--retro tennis shoes, sandals, clean-cut heels, boots, oxfords, and ballet
flats. Remember that a plain and simple dress can be a total showstopper.
Invest in it.
A list of
60s tendencies is never complete until the mini-skirt is mentioned. This is the
easiest piece to find and slip on—and no I don’t mean those skintight
miniskirts that rise up every 5 steps. The A-Line miniskirt has done some
serious transformation as it used to be seen as scandalous; later it became the
it-piece to wear making it extremely popular, and now the A-line miniskirt has
become preppy and sporty. With so much evolution, this skirt has escalated the
ladder and is back for business. Although colder breezes are drumming in, the
miniskirts are still an up for grabs item on the menu of fashion. Too cold?
Pair them up with some great boots or some sleek tights to bring some warmth to
your miniskirt game.
If there
is no way you can deal with the low temperatures in Southern California, let me
suggest shopping for a real treat: funky colorful prints. With the weather so
gloomy every now and then, our moods can sometimes drop as well. What better
way to feel upbeat and bubbly than by wearing really great 60s bold prints?
These prints will really give you a sartorial centerpiece to the simple 60s
clothes mentioned previously. Word of advice: be sure your prints are
geometric, bold, and with kaleidoscope motifs because they will be your best
friend for winter fashion.
Long
Sleeve dresses, A-lines, go-go boots, miniskirts, simple designs, and funky
colorful prints are the essence of the 60s, but are they in any way pertaining
to the essence of this modern age? Yes and no. Wearing 60s trends can make you
look outdated and--let’s face it--weird. To avoid this we like to use the key
words “60s inspired wear.” The trends do not have to be exactly identical to
those the 60s brought, rather taking elements from those trends and using them
with a modern twist is what designers really aim for. So if you have a really
mod dress, don’t wear voluminous hair and bold jewelry; instead opt for
metallic accessories and particular 21st century embellishments to make it look
more modern.
Just as
trends trickle down the fashion ladder and deplete, another trend revival is
introduced and a the cycle of fashion takes its course once again. The key is
to pay attention to detail and find a balance between returning trends and
modern trends. It is important to use inspiration rather than literal
depictions. Most importantly, 60s fashion was so exciting and so much fun that
it would be inevitable to enjoying the process of streamlining your wardrobe
this winter."
1960s Fashion: The Icons And Styles That Defined A Decade
"From
Brigitte Bardot's beehive to Mary Quant's geometric prints, chart the most
defining fashion moments of the 1960s through its iconic style...
From
Brigitte Bardot's beehive to Mary Quant's geometric prints, the 1960s was a
decade full of iconic imagery and style influencers. It was the era of the girl
group, the gamine supermodel and the It-girls and still provides an endless
source of inspiration.
It’s an
era which continually inspires designers, A-listers and our very own wardrobes.
So let’s take a look at who shaped the decade and the fashion moments that
defined the 1960s…"
‘Weekly Roundup of eBay Vintage Clothing Finds’ by Mary Kincaid, Founder and Chief Vintage Crusader of Zuburbia.com
“No time
to page through thousands of eBay listings? Then just sneak a peek at my Weekly
eBay Roundup of top vintage clothing finds.
This
eclectic mix of designer and non-designer vintage clothing and accessories
caught my discerning eye because of its uniqueness, contemporary feel and
highly collectible nature.
As always,
buyer beware! Be sure to read the listings closely and contact the sellers with
any questions.
This
week's Roundup includes lots of great items, but don't miss the 1890s French
corset, the 1950s Lederer accordian handbag, the 1960s Oleg Cassini swimsuit,
the OMO Norma Kamali leather dress, the Emilio Pucci Formfit Rogers jumpsuit
and the 1800s Tiffany portrait stick pin.”
Garage Rock Music by Ken Foote of CBSDFW.COM
If you
grew up in the 1960’s you most likely heard a type of rock music on the radio
that is now known as “garage rock” or “underground garage rock”.
Garage
rock got its name sort of unfairly because people assumed that all groups
rehearsed in garages. But it actually refers to a style of music, both
artistically in terms of lyrics, mood, and theme, and technically in terms of
instruments selected and how those instruments sound at the end of day
(especially those that were electronic). To me, it is a gritty sound that was
more aggressive than pop music and a little more unsophisticated, an early form
of what we call today “alternative rock” that you hear locally on 102.1 The
Edge (KDGE-FM, owned by iHeart Media).
Many music
historians trace the beginnings of garage rock to as early as the late 1950’s
to the 1970’s, but most credit the period from 1963-1968 as the most predominant
time that this music came out as an alternative to pop music.
If you
lived in the DFW area in the 60’s during the time of the Vietnam War and when
illegal drug use was on the rise among young people, you heard some of this
music on 1190 KLIF — but if you had an FM radio (which was not automatically
installed in cars back then), you tuned more to 98.7 KNUS (both KLIF and KNUS
were owned by legendary broadcaster Gordon McLendon at 2120 Commerce Street in
downtown Dallas).
I had a
high school friend from St. Mark’s, Tim Spencer, who was on the air on KNUS who
had that deep sounding voice that was sexy, and perhaps you thought he might
have been smoking something before going on the air! (NOTE: 1190 is now KFXR
owned by iHeart Media and 98.7 is KLUV-FM owned by CBS Radio).
Here is a
short list of my favourite garage rock bands: -
1. The
Standells (Dirty Water)
2. The
Woolies (Who Do You Love)
3. The
Castaways (Liar Liar)
4. Paul
Revere & The Raiders (Steppin Out)
5. The
Kingsmen (Louie Louie)
6. Sir
Douglas Quintet (She’s About A Mover)
7. Tommy
James & The Shondells (Hanky Panky)
8. The
Animals (It’s My Life)
9. The
Yardbirds (I’m A Man)
10. The
Knickerbockers (Lies)
All of
these songs can be seen on You Tube. If you have Sirius XM in your car, home,
office, or your smartphone, Sirius XM 21 is your 24/7 garage rock band channel.
You can
also hear some of these songs weekdays from 12nn-4pm CT on Sirius XM 60’s on 6
with Pat St. John (you can also hear Pat on weekends on 101.1 CBS-FM in New
York City online and on your mobile app).
See you
next time.
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