Bristol Modernist, 60s & Scooter Weekender 2024

 

Welcome to the Bristol Modernist, 60’s and scooter weekender 2024 page where you’ll find all the information you’ll need for your fantastic weekend in one of the UK’s finest cities. Bristol 2024 is sponsored by www.modclothin.co.uk.

This, our 5th weekender sees us once again take over the city with fantastic events, killer line ups, people with impeccable taste, cool stalls and wonderful scooters. Talking of which in 2024 we celebrate the scootering side of our lifestyle. Cramming in not just a huge Saturday afternoon gathering by the river and a scooter cruise around the city but an exhibition in a converted church and grounds raising money for Prostate Cancer UK and The British Heart Foundation.
As usual the fine Bristol Mod Scooter club will be leading the charge around the city on Saturday taking the riders past its historic monuments ending up at our daytime event at Totos by the river where there is ample parking space to show off the scooters in the sun shine.

The Classic scooter show takes place on Sunday. If you are interested in exhibiting your scooter please get in touch – Pre 1975 models only. Thanks.

With all that cool 2 wheeled action going on we just had to come up trumps with the entertainment to match and we are proud to present you with 4 events over the weekend with Live music and DJ’s.

Part 1 – Friday night – 8pm – midnight – The Louisiana – BS2 6UA
We kick off the weekend action at The Louisiana. We usually host our daytime events at this venue but we thought it was about time we ramped it up. For 2024 we have DJ’s from Scotland’s Mojo Talkin plus the south west’s Go Go Children, Splash of Soul, Glastonbury Soul Club, Ain’t Necessarily Soul and Brighton’s Mod ‘n’ Soul playing all the biggest Mod and soul tracks over two floors. We have a surprise guest joining us for this evening too.

Part 2 – Saturday Daytime – 12-5pm – Totos by the river – BS1 6HU
Totos is right on the riverside in the heart of the city. A perfect way to while away a Saturday afternoon. It’s the place where all the scooters will hang out and fantastic music will be played. The scooter cruise will leave from its departure point and return to Totos for photos, it’s the perfect backdrop for it, there will also be a competition. Your musical tastebuds will be tickled by our live offering of the weekend in the shape of The Original Gravity Allstars from Original Gravity records backed up by some of the scenes true power house DJ’s. If shopping is your thing the upper floor will be dedicated to our market holders Modclothin, Jaymokid Art, Suit Yourself Music and many more.

Part 3 – Saturday night – 8pm – Late – Totos by the river – BS1 6HU
This is our main event if you are into dancing and dressing up, both floors of Toto’s will be buzzing with some of the biggest DJ’s on the scene. This unique riverside venue was such a hit in 2023 we had to have it for 24 but we are going one bigger by booking both floors and filling it with your favourite DJ’s. There is nothing quite like a night time venue that overlooks the river with the city lights twinkling in it whilst you’re dancing with pals to your favourite tunes or chilling riverside with friends old and new. This will be a truly magical evening.

4 – Sunday day – 10am – 4pm – The Trinity Centre – BS2 0NW
To finish off your weekender in Bristol we decided to do something a little special. Our classic scooter show will be held in The Trinity Centre, a spectacular converted church with stunning grounds. Within the church we will be showcasing pre 1975 Vespa and Lambretta scooters, a bar will be open and we will be having stalls and DJ’s. Exhibitors will be showing off a mixture of show winning scooters and their much loved steeds all in a good cause raising money for Prostate Cance UK and The British Heart Foundation. The Trinity Centre is located near the bottom of the M32, 1 mile from the city centre so ideal for popping into on your way home or spending the day admiring the Italian splendour. Your full weekend wristbands includes entry to the show but Classic scooter show only tickets can be bought through the website.

Your live music for the weekend
THE ORIGINAL GRAVITY ALLSTARS – ORIGINAL GRAVITY RECORDS
This full band will be playing hits from the label. A mixture of soul, R&B, Latin and Ska.
www.originalgravity.co.uk

Your DJ’s for the weekend.
SEAN CHAPMAN – INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR DJ
ANDY HILL – CHILLS AND FEVER AND NATIONAL TREASURE
ANDY LEWIS – PRODUCER/ACID JAZZ/BLOWPOP LONDON/SOHO RADIO
NEIL ANDERSON – ORIGINAL GRAVITY OWNER AND PRODUCER
DEAN READ – GO GO CHILDREN
RUSSELL DEAL – COOKIN’ CATFISH CLUB
PETE WHELBOURN - MODCLOTHIN
SIOBHAN NOLAN-FARMER – TIGHTEN UP – SUIT YOURSELF
PAOLO WILSON AND PETE EDMENT – SCOTLAND’S MOJO TALKIN EVENTS
JULIAN ROCHFORT AND PAUL TURNER – MOJO RISING – SUIT YOURSELF
PETE AND PAUL RENDELL – GLASTONBURY SOUL CLUB
SONYA FISHER – UK WIDE – SUIT YOURSELF
JAMES MANU AND MALCOLM BEEDLE – SPLASH OF SOUL/AINT NECESSARILY SOUL
STEVE BOWDEN AND MARK FOXON – MOD ‘n’ SOUL
IAN HURFORD – GET LOADED – SUIT YOURSELF
PLUS SUIT YOURSELF RESIDENTS – ALAN SAUNDERS AND CRIS DAVIES

Important information
Wristbands are available on the website www.suityourselfmusic.com
Full weekend wristband - £37.50 inc booking fee
Classic scooter show only - £5.00 plus booking fee
Please note we do not refund purchases of wristbands however we can accept name changes. Please make sure you are able to attend before purchase – Thanks.
The Bristol 2024 weekender has been kindly sponsored by Modclothin – www.modclothin.co.uk
Check out the site for fantastic clothing and accessories.
Our official photographer is Duncan James from www.madmodsandacamera.com
Check out Duncan’s work including previous Bristol weekends and more
Bristol’s clean air zone – Please note Bristol now has a clear air zone in the city, both The Louisiana and Totos are within the zone. Please check when booking hotels. More information can be found in the below link.
Bristol's Clean Air Zone
Bristol taxis – We recommend V cars 01179 252626. Blue cabs can be flagged down in the city.

Pete Townshend gets his first Jackson at 78… and loves it

 

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/pete-townshend-got-his-first-jackson

Dozens of mods rev up their scooters to make dream come true for pensioner at Wigan borough care home

 

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/people/dozens-of-mods-rev-up-their-scooters-to-make-dream-come-true-for-pensioner-at-wigan-borough-care-home-4455769

Inside The Glamorous, Groundbreaking Story Of Twiggy, The English Model Whose Iconic Look Epitomized ’60s Fashion by Kaleena Fraga

 

https://allthatsinteresting.com/twiggy#16

'Inner City Blues' in London on 3rd February

 

'Loose Caboose' in London on 10th February

 

“As far as solos? I’d turn up, light a spliff, open a beer, and crack on”: Steve Cradock on his relaxed approach to lead work in Ocean Colour Scene, playing with Paul Weller – and why he’s too scared to play the mod legend’s guitar

 

By Andrew Daly for Guitar World

The Ocean Colour Scene man keeps it so minimal in his approach to sound and solos that he admits: “I’m still surprised people do dig what I’m doing”

As a sharp-dressed modern-day mod, Steve Cradock took the music of the ‘60s British Invasion and transported it to the ‘90s as the lead guitarist of Ocean Colour Scene.

But that’s not all – he’s long played sideman to Paul Weller, which only enhances his status as a god of the mods. Of course, Cradock wasn't alone in his exploits as bands like Oasis, Blur, and The Verve did their part to make the ‘90s a vintage decade via timeless riffs, gain-soaked solos and feedbacking tube amps.

Ocean Colour Scene’s 1996 magnum opus, Moseley Shoals, features classics like The Riverboat Song, The Day We Caught the Train and One for the Road – making it obvious why Cradock’s influence looms large. But he doesn't see it that way, telling Guitar World: “Having an ego about what I’ve done doesn’t interest me. I just love playing guitar.

“Seeing as there are so many players still out there, I’m still surprised that people do dig what I’m doing. I’ve learned it’s not about how good you are – it’s the other stuff like being a good band member and being good with melodies that’s important.”

Despite being the proud owner of a timeless discography, Cradock is still at it. And the word is Ocean Colour Scene are working on their first album in a decade. 

“It’s been too long!” muses Cradock. “The demos sound great. So hopefully, the year ahead will be great, and by the end of it, we’ll have that next album together. I’m just happy to be doing what I love, and I’m thankful people still dig it...”

What first attracted you to the guitar?

“It would have been a TV program in England called Top of the Pops. It was the late ‘70s and there wasn’t the amount of bullshit out there like we have these days, from a social aspect. It was more that you went out, played football, rode your bike or listened to music. The options were narrow, and it was music that caught my ear.”

What types of guitars were you using by the time you formed your first group, The Boys?

“I had a Fender Nocaster which had a blank headstock. But it was still at the beginning for me – I wasn’t even calling myself a guitarist yet. I was just strumming chords and making noise. It was basic; the pendulum hadn’t swung yet for me.

“I had my Telecaster, and I paired that with a Fender Twin Reverb. That’s all I had back then. But it was enough because I loved the loud sound – especially at that young age. I was 16 and the rawness of it all was so exciting.”

You met Paul Weller while still a member of The Boys, right?

“I met Paul when I was 17. I had gone down to Jukebox Studios in Marble Arch, London, and played him some of my demos. He was very kind but said they sounded dated, and we were trying too hard to be like The Jam, which I was. But that was the catalyst, and he remembered me when we recorded Ocean Colour Scene at his studio.”

What led you to join Paul’s band in the early ‘90s, after Ocean Colour Scene debuted?

“Well, you’d have to ask Paul why he wanted me, but it came down to him needing a second guitarist, and for whatever reason he liked how I played. Once we went into rehearsals, his work ethic was something I’d never seen.

“Paul had me playing guitar seven days a week, and I was learning new things, chords, and styles, which made me a better player. You can hear how I’d progressed on Ocean Colour Scene’s second album, Moseley Shoals. It’s an example of how you’ll improve if you apply yourself and practice.”

What did your rig look like as you were recording Moseley Shoals?

“By then I was using a Gibson Les Paul and Marshall amps. But it’s weird – I’d chased that sound, but it’s not something I initially liked growing up. As we were doing that album, it became apparent that the combination of a Les Paul and a JCM800 fit the songs.”

And that’s very apparent on a song like The Riverboat Song.

“Right? But that riff… it’s almost childlike. It’s a repetitive nagging line. The only thing I can compare it to that I would have been listening to the timeline is Green Onions [Booker T. & the M.G.’s] or maybe What’d I Say by Ray Charles. It’s a great riff, but any kid can play it because it’s so easy. It’s not very muso, and there’s nothing clever. But it’s memorable.”

What was your overall songwriting process like back then?

“We used to sit in a room and record everything we were doing. I didn’t rehearse much – it was whatever happened in the room. Any melodies present would have literally come from my mind the second I played them!

“As far as solos, I’ve got to be honest: I wouldn’t have thought about them much. I’d turn up, light a spliff, open a beer, and crack on. I’d try to play something that sounded good, and if I did I’d run with it.”

Did the success of Moseley Shoals catch you by surprise?

“We weren’t expecting it. We’d been at it for five years, and after the failure of the first album it certainly was a blessing. So, we were hoping we’d make it, and to have it do as well as it did was a good boost for the ego. Maybe we were ready for it, but that sounds arrogant, right?

“And looking back, Moseley Shoals turned out to be an important album during a critical time. Music was big news again, and we were a part of it. It sounds cliché, but it was our ‘60s. It was a time when everything was possible.”

Paul Weller gifted you a beautiful Rickenbacker 330 in the late ‘90s. Did you use that on any Ocean Colour Scene records?

“Yes! It was the same one he used when he was in The Jam. It was a dream come true to have that guitar, and it took me by surprise when he gave it to me for my 30th birthday. I couldn’t believe it – it was this fantastic symbol from his days with The Jam.

“I used it on One from the Modern and Mechanical Wonder. It’s a great guitar, but I don’t use it anymore because I’m scared. I don’t want anything to happen to it – but I should use it. I don’t see the point in keeping a guitar to store it.”

What does your main touring rig look like these days?

“I’ve been using Blackstar amps for a long time. I love those amps. When Joel Richardson – who runs Blackstar and used to work at Marshall – left Marshall, one of the first-ever Blackstar amps made it into my rehearsal room. From that day onward, I went with them over my Marshall JCM800, which I’d loved.

“As for effects, I only get into those a little. I love delays and have a Leslie cabinet, but not much else. I like to keep things stock. But if I do use pedals, I like Boss stuff. Their DS-1 Distortion and BD-2 Blues Driver are great pedals. Those pair well with the Gibson SGs that I’ve been using for the most part.”

What’s next for you?

“We haven’t done an Ocean Colour Scene album in 10 years, so we’re overdue. We’ve got about three songs as demos, which we like. So we’re moving in the right direction. And Paul has an album coming out in May of ’24, and we’ll tour for that. Stay tuned!”

Paul Weller tells NME he’s, "Not a heritage act" – and has lost fans as a result

 

Paul Weller has said that he has lost fans because he refuses to be “a heritage act”.

The singer-songwriter, who was formerly the frontman of The Jam, discussed his long musical career and revealed that he has fought to avoid becoming classed as a heritage artist.

Although first finding fame in the iconic British rock band in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and later forming the band The Style Council in 1982, Weller has spent the majority of his career as a solo artist – starting in 1992.

Despite this, he says, there always have been people who think he should be sticking to releasing songs that sound like his former bands.

“A few years ago there was a thing where they were talking about heritage acts… I am not going down that road, mate – I’m not a heritage act,” he said on his Desperately Seeking Paul podcast. “I had to fight that term, my own little fight in a sense to get through all that stuff.”

He continued, recalling the impact that the “fight” had on his career as a solo act. “I probably lost a certain amount of audience along the way in this past 10 or so years – the ones that just wanted to hear The Jam stuff.

“But they’ve kind of gone now, I guess they go and see [ex-bandmate] Bruce Foxton’s band or other people – whatever they want to do, whatever makes them happy.”

Later, he reaffirmed that he is glad he fought the label of being a heritage act and advised other musicians to follow their instincts rather than follow expectations.

“It’s been worth it because I’ve proved myself right. If you just plough through that and follow your programme and what you think it should be, eventually you will get there,” he explained. “But it’s easy to get sidetracked by people saying, ‘Maybe you should do this, or you could do that, or make it like the old record’… No, just follow your vision, if you’ve still got a vision.”

Since launching his solo career, Weller has gone on to release 16 solo albums. The most recent is 2021’s ‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’, which reached the top of the Official UK Albums Chart and was given a four-star review by NME.

Back in November, Weller announced details of a UK tour, set to kick off later this spring. The dates kick off with a stop at the Lighthouse venue in Poole on April 4 and continue the following day at the Beacon in Bristol.

From there, he’ll stop in Newport, Southend, Leicester, Sheffield and others, all running throughout the month. The shows draw to a close with a gig in Cambridge on April 21. Visit here to buy tickets.

The run of tour dates follows a previously-announced set of UK gigs for this year. Taking place over the summer, these include shows at King John’s Castle in Limerick, Trinity College in Dublin, the Open Air Theatre in Scarborough, and a sold-out show at the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.

https://www.nme.com/news/music/paul-weller-says-hes-not-a-heritage-act-and-has-lost-fans-as-a-result-3565133

The Veras – 'If You Get The Feeling' CD EP released on 29th December (Spinout Nuggets)

The Veras – If You Get The Feeling CD EP

Track Listing –

If You Get The Feeling (2:57)

Paper Cup Telephones (4:35)

Spaceman (3:27)

Ladies First (3:03)

Way Down South (2:21)

Nothing Comes For Free (3:05)

Label – Spinout Nuggets

Cat No. – SN114CD

Release date – 29th December 2023

The Veras are four fellas making music inspired by all the great music from the 50s right up to about 5 minutes ago, and now have Something To Say…

Making good music since inception, they recently conducted a tour of Japan, and thus collected six of their ‘hits’ onto a CD, including two new tracks, to sell at the gigs. We managed to grab a few for general release too…

Released on Spinout Nuggets, this will be available via the label and the band only.

Line Up:

Matt Bond – Vocals & Guitar

Neil Runalis – Bass Guitar

Jon Gray – Organ & Vocals

Dan Taylor – Drums

Notes:

Published by Spinout Music

Artwork by Neil Runalis.

'On The Up' in Sheffield on Saturday 3rd February

 

Scarborough Mod Weekender set for 2nd & 3rd August