Rare look back at Devon's biker and scooter gangs

 

Devon's devoted bike and scooter gangs through the decades are captured in this fascinating look back through the archives.

Thousands of riders and their machines are pictured from The Motorcycle Action Group, Bikers Make a Difference in Paignton, Torbay Mods scooter club, Plymouth Motorcycle Club, Exeter Yokels Scooter Club, Torquay Vintage Motorcycle Club, Bikers Association of North Devon, Plymouth Mega Ride and other one off events are included in a trawl that goes back to the 1960s.

Although Mod invasions started in the mid Sixties on the South Coast, the first time trouble reached Devon was 1970 when a skinhead group arrived by train to clash on Easter Sunday with Hells Angels.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/gallery/rare-look-back-devons-biker-5622474

The Threads are back with a 'one-off' reunion show in Chesterfield on 9th October and picture disc 7" EP on Detour Records

 

The Threads return for a 'one-off' reunion show on Saturday 9th October at The County Music Bar in Chesterfield. Special guests on the evening are The Cycle Paths.

Tickets are just £5 and available to buy via The Cycle Paths' Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Detour Records have just released a picture disc 7" EP by The Threads featuring 'Hey Little Lady' b/w 'The Man With 1,000 Faces' and 'With Ourselves' - the single that was pressed on 7" & 12" in early 1987 for release on Prism Records but never saw the light of day.

The Threads have already returned to the rehearsal rooms and are currently working on a 16-song set that will cover the 'Mind The Threads, John!' 4-song demo tape, the Phase III EP, as well as selected tracks from 'As Yet Untitled' as well as the 'Step Back In Time' anthology CD, 'The Height of the Season' double 'live' album and the 'A Teenage Dream' triple rarities album.

Vespa and Mod culture, from Quadrophenia to Luca: where Italy meets the world

 

https://www.staynerd.com/vespa-cultura-mod-quadrophenia-luca-italia/

Acid Jazz announces that the Makin' Time & The Prisoners albums on Countdown will be available on soft-pack CD from 3rd September

 

Acid Jazz says, "Due to popular demand we have pressed up the legendary Countdown releases The Prisoners - In From The Cold and Makin' Time - Rhythm & Soul on softpack CD."

This is the first time Rhythm & Soul has been available on CD!

We've been asked time and time again for them so now is the chance to grab a copy. Due for release on 3rd September!

The Hurricanes – 'Keep On Pushing Til The End' 7″ out on Spinout Nuggets Records now!!!

 

Artist – The Hurricanes

Release – Keep On Pushing Til The End / Take A Ride Tonight (Organ Mix)

Side A

Keep On Pushing Til The End

Side B

Take A Ride Tonight (Organ Mix)

Label – Spinout Nuggets (Cat No. – SN041)

Release date – 30th of July 2021

Paul Weller: 'The noughties was a nothing period for me'

 

Paul Weller has told Absolute Radio the noughties was a “nothing period” for him and he’s unsure whether he likes a lot of the music he made at that time.

Fresh from storming in at Number 1 with his eclectic 17th studio album ‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ in May, Paul Weller joined Absolute Radio’s Danielle Perry on her show to discuss his latest record and his legendary career so far.

‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ is Paul Weller’s fourth studio album in four years, and Danielle asked Paul whether he’s feeling “creatively vibrant” in this career purple patch.

“It must be I suppose because there has been a lot of records, yeah,” Paul said. “There’s no pattern to a lot of things, they just happen. It's just what happens at the time.

“When I feel creative I just kind of run with it really because there might be time when I don’t write for a long time. But I've enjoyed it. I've just enjoyed writing and making music more than ever probably.”

Paul also reflected on the “liberating” experience of launching his post Style Council solo career in the 1990s, however he looked back less fondly upon his music in the noughties.

“I don’t know if I like a lot of the stuff I made at that time really,” Paul said. “I haven’t heard it since that time. I don't know, it's like anything, if you have a long career - if you want to call it that - you're always going to have peaks and troughs. There’s always going to be great bits and other bits that were sort of ‘so-so’ or you're treading water. So, I kind of sort of feel that I was doing that at that time, in that in that period.

“I've really enjoyed it probably more than any other time in my life in the last 10 years. I've really enjoyed just making music and playing music even more than ever. I don't know why that is. But it was a bit of a nothing period for me, the noughties, and then it got better after that.”

Asked by Danielle if he listens back to his older music, Paul replied: “Not really no. Sometimes before a tour I listen to some stuff just to think about what sort of songs we want to play and put in the set. But generally, because I'm normally working on new stuff I'm more inclined to listen to that.”

Marc Bolan's most complete early 1960s years recordings on CD for the first time

      1.  The Wizard (unused stereo mix) 19th November 1965

2.      Beyond the Rising Sun (unused stereo mix) 19th November 1965

3.      The Third-Degree 3rd June 1966

4.      Hippy Gumbo 25th November 1966

5.      Misfit 25th November 1966

6.      Jasper C. Debussy

7.      The Lilac Hand Of Menthol Dan (Dan The Sniff)

8.      Misfit #2 (different drum mix)

9.      Jasper C. Debussy #2 (Echo on voice)

10.   Hippy Gumbo #3 (different vocals /mix)

11: Desdemona #1 single mix (2.27)

12 : Midsummer Night's Scene #1 single mix (2.35)

13 : Sarah Crazy Child (2.29)

14 : Sally Was An Angel (instrumental) (3.11)

15 : Perfumed Garden Of Gulliver Smith (instrumental) (2.43)

16 : Desdemona #2 (alternate lyrics) (2.27)

17 : Hippy Gumbo (2.38) (Bolan vocal)

18 : San Francisco Poet (1.43)

19 : Gloria (The Road I'm On) (2.47) as Toby Tyler

20 : Blowin’ In The Wind (Take 6) (2.41) as Toby Tyler

21 : Reality (1.48)

22: Song For A Soldier (1.18)

23 : Observations (Basic Track) (2.17)

24: Black and White Incident (1.43)

25 : Jasmine 49 (2.25)

26 : Cat Black (1.20)

27 : You Got The Power (1.48)

28 : Eastern Spell (1.27)

29 : Charlie (1.54)

30 : I'm Weird (1.18)

31 : Pictures Of Purple People (2.19)

32 : Horrible Breath (1.44)

33 : Mustang Ford (1.39)

34 : Hot Rod Mama (2.35)

35 : Observations #2 (2 pianos) (2.13)

36 :The Perfumed Garden of Gulliver Smith (1.53)

37 : Hippy Gumbo #2 (1.53)

 

• For the very first time the most complete collection of Marc Bolan’s incredible early 1960s years. Compiled from tapes original stolen from Marc & Gloria’s home and recently repatriated
• Limited pressing of 1000 copies in card gatefold sleeve with booklet and rare photos
• Liner notes by Andrew J Gardner (The Bolan Society / Warrior Music) and brand-new design by Les Clark and re mastered by Anders Peterson at ghost sound Sweden
• Features some tracks with legendary John’s Children (the band Marc joined for about 3 months) plus solo outtakes of material used for singles in 1965.
• Jasper C Debussy features top session musicians of the time Nicky Hopkins & John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). This was due to be the follow up to the 1965 single Hippy Gumbo but failed to get a release at the time.
• Includes the complete acoustic demos from 1966 re mastered
• Includes the very rare tracks recorded as Toby Tyler early in 1965
• Reality & A Soldiers Song are included on an album for the very first time ever!   Having only ever been released for the very first time, On 7” single in 2016
• Many of the later acoustic demos give more than a nod towards the sound of the Tyrannosaurus Rex material that would be recorded and produced by Tony Visconti a year or so later

The Silence - 'Forgive Me If I'm Wrong' b/w 'Cold On Me' & 'Down Down' out now (limited to 450 copies)

 

 450 copies only - released 11th June  2021

The Silence

A: Forgive Me If I’m Wrong   4:04(Ellison / Dawson)

Bi. Cold On Me   3:02(Ellison / Hewlett)

ii. Down Down 2:57(Ellison)

Andy Ellison

Chris Townson

Geoff McLelland

John Hewlett 

Recorded at Pierre Tubbs parents garden shed in Dorking, Surrey 1965 on 2-track.

Mastered by Anders Peterson at Ghost Sound Mastering & Post Sweden 2020

Design & Layout Les Clark

The Who’s Pete Townshend’s £15 million London home has been sold

 

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend has sold his £15 million London home.

The Richmond residence, which was constructed on Richmond Hill in 1775, was previously owned by The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, as well as stage and screen actor John Mills and record industry executive Derek ‘Dick’ Leahy.

Townshend purchased the property (which is known as ‘The Wick’) in 1996, and the guitarist has now sold the residence through the independent property consultants Pereds.

A property listing for the Grade I listed Georgian house, which looks out over the River Thames, details how the four-storey residence includes a heated swimming pool on the upper terrace, a studio/office suite, four cloakrooms, numerous bedrooms and a “dogs’ room”.

“The glorious views from The Wick are undoubtedly the greatest asset of its sensational position,” Pereds’ listing states.

“Uniquely the only English landscape view protected by an Act of Parliament, the prospect over lush meadows and mature woodland intersected by the River Thames is truly inspirational in all seasons.

“The views have been immortalised in paintings and drawings by numerous artists including Reynolds, Gainsborough and Turner.”

Pereds’ website now lists Townshend’s property as ‘sold’, with “offers in excess of £15,000,000” having been invited.

John's Children - 'There's An Eye In The Sky' LP on limited edition (700 copies) white vinyl

 

Side A

The Love I Thought I'd Found (Hewlett / Napier Bell) 3:01

Strange Affair (Fingers Groin) 2:06

Just What You Want - Just What You'll Get (Townson/ Ellison / Hewlett/ McClelland) 3:01

But She's Mine (Townson/ Ellison / Hewlett) 1:59

Desdemona (Bolan) 2:24

Remember Thomas À Becket (Ellison / Hewlett) 2:20

Midsummer Night's Scene (Bolan) 2:35

Sara, Crazy Child (Bolan) 2:04

SIDE B

Come And Play With Me In The Garden (Ellison / Hewlett) 2:17

Go-Go Girl (Bolan) 2:09

Jagged Time Lapse (McClelland / Hewlett) 2:47

Mustang Ford (Bolan) 2:24

Not The Sort Of Girl You Take To Bed (Ellison / Hewlett) 2:27

Sally Was An Angel (Vocal) (Bolan) 3:11

Hippy Gumbo (Bolan) 2:36

Midsummer Night's Scene (Bolan) 2:37 

Limited Pressing 700 copies on White Vinyl with flip back sleeve

All tracks re mastered in 2020 for vinyl.

Features many tracks with a young Marc Bolan on Guitar & Vocals

Lead Singer Andy Ellison will be issuing his Autobiography in 2021 and this release is part of a series of records to tie in with this book.

Some of johns Children’s original singles command huge prices on the collector’s market

Reviews expected in Record Collector, shindig, Vive le rock.

Design Les "in the sky with diamonds " Clark 

The Circles & Sharp Class at The Waterloo, Blackpool, tonight - tickets still available