'Heavy Soul' Issue 14 Out Now!!!

Issue 14 of 'Heavy Soul' is out now and has interviews with new bands THE KUMARI and FRENCH BOUTIK as well as Spanish songstress MIRI MAY and ace Scottish Hammond band BUTTON UP. Stuart Deabill also talks about the inspiration behind the THICK AS THIEVES book and there are also articles on Dutch band THE KIK, Belarussian beatsters THE STAMPLETONS, Scottish band THE BEAT MOVEMENT, Acid Jazz, the second part of the NOLAN PORTER interview, a review of BRIGHTON MOD WEEKENDER, THE GENTS and Paul Davis writes a few words about his introduction to Northern Soul.

There is also the two eight page supplements; one on legendary '79 Mod Revival band THE MODS who appeared on the Mods Mayday '79 LP and issue four of the West Indian Music Appreciation Society newsletter as well as the 20 track Club Sounds CD that this issue features artists like Gil Scott-Heron, Pete Rodriguez, Lonny Lester, Marjorie Black, Nolan Chance, The Supremes, Booker T, Jimmy McGriff, Slim Harpo and many more

There are two ways of buying this issue; the standard way and also the special version that comes with the new EP by button up; the Covered E.P. featuring versions of If I Could Only Be Sure, I Spy For The F.B.I., I Got A Line On You and Bert's Apple Crumble...

'Mods: The New Religion' book by Paul 'Smiler' Anderson available to pre-order now

Paul 'Smiler' Anderson's book, 'Mods: The New Religion', that is scheduled for a February 2013 release, is now available to pre-order at Amazon and W H Smith for £24.95.

The write-up says, "Mod may have been born in the ballrooms and nightclubs around London but it soon rampaged throughout the country. Young kids soon found a passion for sharp clothes, music and dancing, but for some it was pills, thrills and violence. The original Mod generation tell it exactly how it was, in their very own words. First hand accounts of the times from the people who were actually on the scene. Top faces, scooterboys, DJs, promoters and musicians build up a vivid, exciting snapshot of what it was really like to be with the in-crowd. Packed with rare pictures, ephemera, art and graphics of the era. Featuring interviews with Eddie Floyd, Martha Reeves, Ian McLagan, Chris Farlowe and many more."


All you need to know, following Paul's excellent 'Expo' at Reading and previous book, is that this will be a 'must have' book for your Mod library. It's great to have a Mod book written by a Mod for a change, rather than those from outside of the scene who tend to have limited knowledge or their own view on things (and so, quite often, completely miss the point).

My copy is pre-ordered already - looking forward to February 2013. What are you waiting for???

Secret Affair - New Studio Album Out Now

The new studio album by Secret Affair, 'Soho Dreams', is out now on the I-Spy label.

30 years after 'Business As Usual', the new album contains 11 songs and is available from Amazon, HMV etc.

Meanwhile, Secret Affair are currently undertaking a full UK tour to support the release throughout September, October and November.

The full track listing is as follows: -

1) Soho Dreams
2) Turn Me On
3) Walk Away
4) Soul Of The City
5) I Don't Need No Doctor
6) Land Of Hope
7) Love's Unkind
8) Lotus Dream
9) All The Rage
10) In Our Time
11) Ride

Mod Comedian in Lichfield on 16th September

Mod comedian, Ian Moore, will be appearing at the Guild Hall in Lichfield on Sunday 16th September in the 'Comedy With Cake' show. The show starts at 3pm and also features Simon Bligh and Debra-Jane Appleby. Tickets are £10 and can be booked online via the Facebook page, 'Comedy With Cake'

GARRY BUSHELL'S ESSAYS ON THE MOD REVIVAL FROM THE ‘79 FRONTLINE.

The Mod Revival of 1979-80 put life and laughs into an increasingly grim post-punk UK scene. Snobby music press hacks tried to write it off as a hype manufactured by the film industry to plug Quadrophenia.

Not true. The roots of "New Mod" were actually in The Jam and their All Mod Cons album which inspired a generation of teenagers to embrace the joys of Fred Perrys, Harrington jackets, Vespas - and powerful songs with great tunes.

Garry Bushell was the first rock writer to cover the scene, reviewing the Purple Hearts, the Jolt, the Chords and Secret Affair in rapid succession between 1978 and 1980. He was also the only one who gave the young backstreet bands a fair hearing.

This is his funny, informative and affectionate history of the rise and fall, rebirth and lasting influence of the Mod Revival as it happened. Including all the major bands and most of the minor ones.

Available for the first time ever in book form, includes never before seen photographs.

200 pages with unseen photographs of  The Chords, The Jam, The Purple Hearts and Secret Affair.

Released early September 2012. First 1,000 copies numbered.

Issue 272 of Blues & Rhythm Magazine Out Now

Blues & Rhythm Issue 272 is out now.

The main cover feature is ‘Post War Blues - The Sam Charters Story Part One’ by Hasse Andreasson and Hans Schweitz. Also featured is ‘Buddy Guy – A New Biography’ reviewed by Neil Slaven.

You’ll also find a ‘Blues History of Albert King’ by Ray Templeton and a spotlight on Vocal Harmony Groups where Tony Watson looks at the New Bear Family Series.

There’s a ‘Post War R&B - Atomic Boogie’ piece by Dan Kochakian plus: Words Words Words, Chris' Curiosities, Chicago Blues Festival, Harrison Calloway, Johnny Otis, Bentonia Blues, Robert Cray.

Paul Hooper-Keeley to speak on Youth Subculture at University Conference

On behalf of ‘The Interdisciplinary Network for the Study of Subcultures, Popular Music and Social Change’ (a cross-disciplinary research network for scholars and students interested in the relationship between subcultures (in all their forms) and the wider process of social, cultural and political change), I have organised a Symposium on ‘Ageing Within A Youth Subculture’ at the University of Derby. 

The Symposium, sponsored by the ‘Centre for Society, Religion & Belief, will be held between 1pm and 5.30pm on Friday 9th November at the University of Derby Enterprise Centre, 37 Bridge Street, Derby.

Speakers

Dr. Paul Hodkinson (Goth)

Dr. Pete Webb (Punk)

Dr. Patrick Turner (Hip Hop)

Dr. Samantha Holland (Alternative Women)

Dr. Nicola Smith (Northern Soul)

Paul Hooper-Keeley (Mod)

In addition, Alan Fletcher (original 60s Mod and author of the Quadrophenia novel and the Mod Crop trilogy) will be the special guest for the second part of the event – an interview/round-table/Q&A session.

New 'All Mod Icon' out on 6th September

The new issue of Paul Weller/The Jam magazine, ‘ALL MOD ICON’, is out on 6^th September 2012.

Pre-orders are from 9am on Monday 20^th August.

 This strictly limited edition will cost you £4.99 + £1.20 P&P (Total = £6.19) in the UK via Pay Pal to allmodicon@hotmail.com but email for details of overseas shipping rates.

The Action – Book Launch Update

News has just reached us here at the Modernist Society Blog that the long awaited book on legendary 60s Mod band, The Action, (please see our full report in a previous post) is now scheduled for release towards the end of September. 

In addition, there will be a special launch event in London in early October at which all people who have pre-ordered the book will be invited to attend.

The Who have no plans to tour ‘Quadrophenia’ in the UK

As you will note from a previous post on ‘Modernist Society’, The Who have announced a massive tour of the USA & Canada where, from early November 2012 until the end of February 2013, they will be playing ‘Quadrophenia’ plus a number of their hits.

With the ‘Director’s Cut’ box set of Quadrophenia being released late last year, and the recent BBC4 ‘Quadrophenia’ night showcasing a documentary on the making of the album, a screening of the film and a ‘live’ concert from around that time, my hopes were raised of seeing ‘Quadrophenia’ played ‘live’ in the UK either this autumn or circa Easter 2013.

There the trail went cold – www.thewho.com had no information of any dates other than the aforementioned North American shows.

 

Taking matters in to my own hands, I contacted Nicola Joss, Pete Townshend’s PA at Eel Pie Publishing, to see if she could shed any light on the matter for me. Disappointingly, her response was, “There are no plans at the moment for UK dates next year, but please keep an eye on thewho.com.”

So there you have it – loads of dates in North America but no plans for any shows at all in the UK. If, like me, you would like to see The Who play ‘Quadrophenia’ in the UK in 2013, then I suggest you join me in contacting www.thewho.com to let our voices be heard ‘Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere’ we can!!!

Issue 2 of ‘Sussed’ Modzine Out Now

Having made quite an impact with issue 1, I was pleased to see issue 2 landing on my doormat. Produced by Joe Moran and Ray Gilligan in Dublin, it uses the sub-title, ‘A user’s guide to modernism’. 

With a heavy focus on the Irish scene, we are treated to an excellent interview with Irish face, Hugh Burns (The Keepers etc.). There’s a regular focus called ‘The Junction’ on current Mod clubs in Ireland and plenty of reviews of the latest Mod friendly music and fanzine releases from around Europe. 

There’s an ‘essential’ listing on Boogaloo and Latin tracks and a look at Mod girl fashion entitled ‘La Mod Feminine’. Bands including Towerbrown and Resoul are featured and there’s an exclusive on Leonardo Flores’s epic coming of age Mod opus, ‘Young Birds Fly’. A focus on Ska’s influence on Mod and an article called ‘A Mod Life in Shoes’ makes this a very entertaining read. 

For details of how to buy your copy, email seosaimhm@gmail.com now!