PHK's 'Rainy Town' c/w 'Our Illustrious Leaders' 7" single now available to buy via Bandcamp

 

'Rainy Town' is the second single by PHK (Paul Hooper-Keeley of The Threads, The Mark Three, and previously The Deep Six) and is the follow-up to his 'Sanctimonious Sue'/'The Luvvies Brigade' single released in January by Intervallum Music. Once again, the bespoke and original artwork for the sleeve and labels has been drawn by Makin' Time's Neil Clitheroe.

This single is taken from the forthcoming PHK album, 'You Should All Be Ashamed Of Yourselves', and takes on the subject matter of poverty, hunger and homelessness in our constant battles against rising taxes and bills along with the impact of inflation and the cost of living crisis on our lives.

The flip is called, 'Our Illustrious Leaders', and looks at how power corrupts, with many people in leadership or poilitical positions caring more about what their position can do for them personally, rather than what they can do for the people they are supposed to be representing.

'Rainy Town' c/w 'Our Illustrious Leaders' is available to buy as a limited edition heavyweight 7" vinyl single at Paul Hooper-Keeley's Bandcamp page, using the following URL: -

https://paulhooper-keeley.bandcamp.com/

Heavy Soul Modzine - Issue 63 Out Now!

 https://www.heavysoul45s.co.uk/product-page/heavy-soul-modzine-issue-63

Small Faces are cover stars on the new issue of Uncut

 

There has been unprecedented support from the press for 'The Autumn Stone'! 

It all begins with Uncut magazine's Autumn Stone-themed issue & front cover, 16-page feature with exclusive interviews plus rarities CD!

The Uncut feature has been written by Rob Hughes and has new interviews with Kenney Jones, Andrew Oldham, Gered Mankowitz, Peter Frampton, Jerry Shirley, Mollie Marriott, PP Arnold, Glyn Johns, Pete Townshend, Nice Records co-owner Nigel Adams & Small Faces reissue producer Rob Caiger.

The cover-mount CD in exclusive Small Faces sleeve features the matinee performance from 'Live 1966' & remastered tracks from 'The Autumn Stone' plus two exclusive songs not on the boxset:

Uncut is in UK shops from 28th March.

Detour Records re-issue THE THREADS' 'Step Back In Time' anthology CD 25-years after original release

 

25-years ago, Detour Records collected together virtually all of the recorded output that had been released by Lincolnshire Mod band, The Threads (established in 1982), and mastered it into the 22-track anthology CD collection, ‘Step Back In Time’. This captured the band’s very first demo tape, ‘Mind The Threads, John!’, that sold over 100 copies at the first Mod Aid Alldayer in Walthamstow in December 1985 alone (going on to sell 500 copies). The Threads then recorded ‘Step Back’ and ‘Alison’, with Producer Ed Ball (The Times/TV Personalities) for the first Phase III EP in May 1986 before completing their ‘As Yet Untitled’ LP for Unicorn that was released in 1987. These recordings, along with tracks recorded for various compilations, flexi discs or records that never saw the light of day at the time, made up this anthology CD, which quickly sold out on release in 2000. Back in the day, The Threads also made prominent ‘live appearances at the Lincoln Mod Rally (1985), Mansfield Athenians Alldayer (1985), Purple Hearts Come-Back Allnighter in Peterborough (1986), the Lowestoft Easter Mod Rally (1986) and the 1987 National Mod Meeting in Lincoln (as well as playing across Europe too). 

In the interim, The Threads have appeared on two prominent Cherry Red box sets: ‘Millions Like Us (The Story Of The Mod Revival 1977-1989)’ & ‘Into Tomorrow: The Spirit Of Mod 1983-2000’ as well as having a double ‘live’ LP, ‘At The Height Of The Season’, and triple rarities LP, ‘A Teenage Dream’, released on Germany’s Time For Action Records, showing the continued interest in the band. 

Over the years since, the band members have been constantly asked about when the ‘Step Back In Time’ anthology will be released in hard format again. Now we can announce that 25-years later this is finally happening, with Detour’s limited-edition run of just 200 copies in a budget format (card sleeve instead of the old jewel case and booklet) to keep the price down and get the music back out their again. But not only can you hear the recordings in hard format again, you will also be able to sing along with the songs ‘live’ with The Threads already confirmed to appear at London’s Mods Mayday Alldayer 2025 (Sunday 4th May), a special free admission ‘homecoming’ show at The Courthouse in Skegness, Lincolnshire, on Saturday 17th May, and the performance of two sets at The Cavern in Liverpool on Sunday 25th May as part of the IPO Festival (with more dates to be confirmed and announced shortly).

<<< ONLY 200 COPIES PRESSED >>>

FEATURES: -

STEP BACK 

JOANNA 

IN THIS TOWN 

SQUARE ONE 

THE MAN WITH A THOUSAND FACES 

GOODBYE 

DARE 

ALISON 

MEMORIES OF MY MISSPENT YOUTH 

HEY LITTLE LADY 

SORRY 

WITH OURSELVES 

HAPPY 

SHE’S THE ONE 

A TEENAGE DREAM 

COLD 

SHE IS A STRANGER 

FEELING BLUE 

I’LL CATCH YOUR TEARS 

YOU SAY ... I SAY 

LONELY STREET ... MY OLD FRIEND 

ALISON (ALTERNATIVE VERSION)

£9.99 

https://detourrecords.co.uk/epages/es785745.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es785745/Products/DRCD026RE

'Mod Crop - The Musical' by Alan Fletcher and Steve Wallis at Scarborough Spa from 26th to 29th May

 

"This is your return ticket to the mid 60s. Track back with The Mod Crop and revisit those heady Mod days of that decade…the decade. Share the story of three Mod youths growing up England in the mid 60s, trying to ‘live cleanly under difficult circumstances’ daring to be different. Amidst the relentless peer pressure, which drives Mod forward, lies the need to hold down jobs and cope with the demands of friendship within the group and relationships with the opposite sex.

This brand new musical, written by Steve Wallis & Quadrophenia novelist Alan Fletcher proved a huge hit with the public during it's debut at the Nottingham Theatre Royal.  

Based on Alan Fletcher's cult published novel Brummell's Last Riff… MOD CROP features songs from the classic 60's Mod songbook, She's About A Mover,  The Clapping Song,  Going Out Of My Head,  Catch The Wind,  Walking The Dog and many more.     This is not Mods and Rockers, it‟s what really happened…"

Boom Boom Boom Boom – The Blues Photos of Brian Smith. OUT NOW

 

THE RARE AND UNSEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF BRIAN SMITH.  

Taken in and around Manchester in the early 1960s at the big venues like The Free Trade Hall and iconic club venues, many from The original Twisted Wheel.  Newly scanned and restored, mostly from original negatives.

https://easyontheeyeshop.co.uk/product/boom-boom-boom-boom-the-blues-photos-of-brian-smith-1962-1966/

Detail Magazine - Issue 16 - out in March featuring Rick Buckler, Eddie Phillips, PP Arnold, Shel Talmy, Bruce Foxton and Paul Hooper-Keeley

Claire Mahoney says: Busy working on issue 16 this morning to get this baby off to print. A special issue this one and that's reflected in the music choices. Not only have we added in a 10 page special remembering Rick Buckler (our Matt Deighton feature moves to Summer to make way), we have some superb interviews with The Creation's Eddie Phillips and PP Arnold, plus articles on 60s sound man Shel Talmy, jazz critic Leonard Feather and artist Vinyl Soul man Matt Grainger. Waxing Lyrical is on Bruce Foxton by non other than fellow bass player Andy Lewis. 'Sometimes, Always, Never' comes from The Threads' Paul Hooper-Keeley -  I could go on and I probably will.....but I'll save that for more posts about what's coming up in this fabulous issue - you are gonna love it.

54321 - The Countdown Records Story book by Terry Rawlings now available to pre-order

 

Countdown Books presents...
the pre-sale launch of The Countdown Records Story a new limited edition, fully illustrated book by author Terry Rawlings marking the 40th anniversary of the label Countdown Records.

From producing Extraordinary Sensations fanzine in Paul Weller’s studio, discovering US band The Untouchables to eventually signing a licensing deal with Stiff Records, Terry takes the reader on an unexpected, at times hilarious personal journey with the infamous Mod record label.

Featuring contributions from label artists Makin’ Time, The Prisoners, The Kick and Countdown co founder Eddie Piller along with a forword by Gary Crowley.

Pre-Order now only at www.ourfavourite.shop

The James Taylor Quartet 'In The Hand Of The Inevitable' 30th Anniversary Edition - 2LP, CD & Digital OUT NOW on Acid Jazz

 

OUT NOW… James Taylor Quartet’s vital ‘In The Hand Of The Inevitable’ - special 30th Anniversary Edition 2LP, CD & Digital.

The James Taylor Quartet were the original group on the acid jazz scene, and this was their 1995 triumphant Top 40 return to the label. It became James’ best-selling album, and in retrospect his most popular album amongst his fans.

The original vinyl issue was missing two tracks that were on the CD and this 30th Anniversary Edition is released on double vinyl with those two tracks now included. The release includes picture sleeve inner sleeves with in-depth sleeve notes by Acid Jazz’s Dean Rudland and new pictures from the album sessions, housed in a wide-spine sleeve. 

The CD and digital releases include two tracks from the album sessions – ‘Love Ballad’ and ‘Astral Plane’ - which only appeared on single releases. The former is a cover of the LTD / George Benson classic and the latter a great slice of ‘80s influenced electro-funk.

Shindig! Magazine reviews the PHK 7" single, 'Sanctimonious Sue' c/w 'The Luvvies Brigade'

 

My Generation Weekender at Butlin's Minehead on 9-12 January 2026 to be headlined by Ocean Colour Scene