Modculture News

Ham Yard - mod mayhem in London

Not many specific mod events in London right now, so it's worth slipping Ham Yard into your diary for December.

Taking place at the Cock Tavern in Smithfield, you'll get a night of 'mod mayhem', including soul, R&B, jazz, funk, reggae, soundtracks and timeless mod classics from DJs Val Palmer, Mark Ellis. Paul Newman, Thierry Steuve, Jean-Paul Seculaire plus 'very special guest' to be confirmed.

Full details in the events section - smart mod dress is 'preferred'.

Ham Yard in the Modculture events section

Brian Auger gigs in Leeds

A little last minute, but you've still got time to pick up some tickets to see Brian Auger at the Sela Bar in Leeds - indeed, you can get discounted tickets too.

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express play in Leeds on 9th and 10th November, with tickets 'officially' selling for £17.50. But you can get a 'mod' guest list for £10. Just mention the Mods Guest List when buying your ticket and you'll get the cheapies!

The venue address is Sela Bar, 20 New Briggate, Leeds and you can find full gig details at the Facebook gig pace.

Brian Auger Leeds gig details at Facebook

British Style in the Sixties book

If you've any interesting in 60s style, you'll want to get your hands on Photographing Fashion: British Style in the Sixties by Richard Lester.

Published this week in hardback by ACC Editions, the book features 'newly discovered' images of British fashion taken by world famous photographers for The Sunday Times during the 1960s, using the top models of the day. Indeed, these photos are published for the first time since their original appearance in editor Ernestine Carter's fashion pages.

Photographers include John Cowan, Terence Donovan, John French and Patrick Hunt, fashion designers include Mary Quant, John Bates, Gina Fratini, Foale & Tuffin, Biba, Jean Muir, and Ossie Clark. What's not to love? See one of the shots over the page and if you like what you see, this 160-page book is available at Amazon for £23.10.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Via Retro To Go

Baracuta pop up shop - Covent Garden

Looking for a cheap Harrington? Get yourself down to Covent Garden for the newly-arrived Baracuta pop up shop.

Available for the next three months, you'll find it at 9 Shorts Gardens, London, WC2H 9AT, where you should be able to pick up plenty of classic Harringtons at half price along with the new A/W stock.

Not sure about the opening hours, give them a call on 020 7836 2636.

Baracuta website

GDU at London's A Go-Go

London based Hammond quintet the Gene Drayton Unit will be playing their unique blend of 60s-style hammond jazz in the capital, specifically at the A Go-Go night.

Along with a live set from GDU, tunes will be supplied by DJ Tim K (Mind Yuh Business), so expect a mix of vintage soul, ska, funk, boogaloo and much more.

Admission is £6 adv (w/flyer)/ £8 on the door. Buy tickets here for the night, which takes place at Peter Parker's Rock n' Roll Club, 4 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LP. Times are 8pm - 3am, band on at 9.30pm.

A Go-Go ay MySpace

Fred Perry 100th anniversary sweaters

They might be a little chunky for some, but if you want something warm, the Fred Perry 100th anniversary v-neck sweaters should do the trick.

Made from 100 per cent premium lambswool and made in Scotland, these extra-soft v-necks feature the 16 leaf laurel and 100 embroided beneath it and are produced in very limited numbers - so once they're gone, they're gone.

Various colour options available, you can pick one up for £95.

Find out more at the End Clothing website

Spotify Playlist: Soul does rock

If you're already bored of our 20 beat classics playlist from yesterday, here's another one to keep you going into the week - soul does rock.

As the name suggests, this is soul acts covering rock standards and a few more obscure tracks, everyone from Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to the Blind Boys of Alabama and Merry Clayton (although annoyingly, we could compile her version of 'Gimme Shelter', as it's not there).

18 tracks (including one medley which effectively pushes to to 20) and well over an hour of tunes, you can access it via the link, as long as you have a Spotify account.

Soul does rock Spotify playlist

Bel & Bel Vespa chairs now on sale

Remember the Bel & Bel classic Vespa chairs we featured last week? We knoew just about everything about them, aside from two vital things - the price and indeed, where to go and buy one. Well, that information is now available.

The Scooter Swag site has got the lowdown, claiming the chairs are 'a really exclusive product' and 'a limited series made from old Vespa scooters from the scrap yard'. The company also points out that the chairs are handcrafted and come with documentation that guarantees the chair’s authenticity.

So what about buying? Well, you can order directly from the designers if you inform them of your choice of colour and finish), with the starting price set at 1,800 Euros, although there are some finished examples for sale right now - a pearl white with white upholstery is 2,000 Euros, a silver grey with black upholstery sells for 1,800 Euros while a silver grey with black upholstery and flash lights is yours for 1,900 Euros. Delivery costs also need to be factored in. More via the website.

Find out more at the Bel & Bel website

Fonxionaires 45 on Rowed Out label

Adam does a fine job of knocking out interesting new mod-friendly sounds with his Rowed Out label, with the latest 45 from the Fonxionaires being well worth a closer look.

It's a 4-track vinyl EP titled 'It's R&B Time', featuring four authentic club R&B tunes - 'Uncle Willie Time' (as featured on the 'Immediate Pleasure' CD), 'I Do The Jerk” (Bill Pinkney club soul cover), 'Drive me' (Stu Gardner’s wild R&B mover) and 'What is this' (Fred & Bobbie northern soul cover).

You can hear the first track on the label's MySpace page or if you want to buy one, it costs just £3.50 plus postage. More details at the label's website.

Rowed Out Records website

Spotify Playlist: 20 beat classics

No, this isn't a Georgie Fame Spotify playlist, although Fame is on 20 beat classics.

To kickstart a regular Spotify playlist section (please feel free to send us your own), this is a random selection of 60s beat gems, with a bit of garage, blues, pop and weirdness thrown in for good measure.

20 tracks, around an hour of music, you can get it by clicking on the link below, then signing into your Spotify account (if the service is available in your country). Playlist? You'll have to load it up to discover that.

20 beat classics playlist on Spotify

Retro TV W/C 6th November 2009

Barry Murphy returns once more to trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to), finding anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 6th November to Thursday 12th November 2009.

Highlight of the week

'Queen of the Pinups' Bettie Page was a model of the 1950s who became an iconic favourite of retro-loving pop culture fans during the 1980s and '90s. She began posing for photos in the 1940s as a way to make ends meet while working on an acting career. Her shapely figure, easy smile and trademark hairstyle - long black hair with bangs - made her a fan favourite, while photos taken by Irving Klaw have helped Page become a subversive symbol of 1950s kitsch.

Director Mary Harron's biopic The Notorious Bettie Page (BBC 2. Sunday 8th, 11.10pm) stars Gretchen Mol as god fearing Nashville girl Page, who swaps her conservative home for the bright lights of New York, hoping to find fame as an actress. Instead, she makes it big in a saucily different way, becoming one of the most iconic fetish models ever.

Friday 6th November

TV

Film: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - Channel 4. 12.50pm - 2.20pm
Classic sci-fi thriller starring Kevin McCarthy.

Film: The Fly (1958) - Film 4. 3.05pm - 4.55pm
Cult 1950s sci-fi horror in which a scientist ends up half human/half fly.

Booker T at the Cambridge Folk Festival - BBC 4. 8.30pm - 9.00pm
Musical performance by Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Booker T Jones, accompanied by members of The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop - BBC 4. 9.00pm - 10.00pm (Repeated 2.25am)
One of the biggest selling bands of all time are back on the road. This is their story, told in their own words.

Rock Family Trees - BBC 4. 10.00pm - 10.50pm
The career of Fleetwood Mac, famous for their complicated inter-band relationships as well as their music.

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood - BBC 4. 10.50pm - 11.50pm
Coverage of the duo's 2008 concert in Madison Square Garden, New York, featuring performances of Blind Faith hits Presence of the Lord and Can't Find My Way Home.

Peter Green - Man of the World - BBC 4. 12.45am - 2.25am
The story of the blues performer who found fame in the 1960s as the lead guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, but left the public stage for years as he battled drug addiction and mental illness. Featuring archive footage and interviews with Noel Gallagher, Carlos Santana, his former bandmates and the musician himself.

Film: Hud (1963) - Film 4. 1.15am - 3.35am
Contemporary western starring Paul Newman. Hud is a moody, selfish son of Texas cattleman Homer Bannon. They are always at each others' throats. When their cattle are diagnosed with foot-and-mouth disease, the conflict between father and son comes to a head.

Film: The Sorcerers (1967) - BBC 2. 2.00am - 3.25am
Cult British science-fiction horror, directed by Michael Reeves and starring Boris Karloff and Ian Ogilvy. Set in Swinging Sixties London, a well-meaning professor discovers a way of controlling another person's mind through hypnotism. With "groovy" scenes set in Blaises night-club, low budget hallucination effects and a young Susan George getting slashed up with a pair of scissors, this is proper mod-horror.

Radio

The Film Programme - BBC Radio 4. 4.30pm - 5.00pm
Francine Stock is joined by Matthew Sweet, who discusses his campaign to rewrite the history of British cinema and uncover neglected classic films.

Saturday 7th November

TV

The Thick of it (3/8) - BBC 2. 10.10pm - 10.40pm
New. Series Three. New secretary of state Nichola is stuck in a hotel bedroom in Eastbourne, struggling to finish her speech for the annual party conference. Glenn unveils his secret weapon - tragic widow and people's champion Julie Price - but things start to unravel when Malcolm tries to get in on the act.

Krautrock: the Rebirth of Germany - BBC 4. 12.30am - 1.30am
Documentary examining how radical German bands, known as Krautrockers in the music press, developed a new musical identity that influenced many British bands.

Radio

Sounds of the 60s - BBC Radio 2. 8.00am - 10.00am
Brian Matthew spins two hours of hits, B -sides and album tracks.

The Funk and Soul Show - BBC 6 Music. 6.00pm - 9.00pm
3 hours of funk, soul and blues presented by Craig Charles.

Sunday 8th November

TV

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: the Making of a Movie Classic - Five. 1.45pm - 3.00pm
Examining the success of the 1939 musical. The original movie is shown directly afterwards.

Film: Duel (1971) - ITV 4. 3.00pm - 4.30pm
Steven Spielberg's menacing thriller starring Dennis Weaver. Travelling salesman David Mann is used to driving long distances, but on an isolated stretch of road he encounters a smoke-spewing ten-ton tanker truck whose sole purpose seems to be to crush him and his car.

Film: Octopussy (1983) - ITV 1. 3.50pm - 6.15pm
Action-packed spy adventure starring Roger Moore. A British agent killed in East Germany is found dressed as a clown, clutching a priceless Faberge egg. James Bond sets out to solve the mystery and finds himself pitted against Octopussy, a businesswoman with her own private army.

Minder - ITV 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
Terry is approached by a private investigator.

Film: The Notorious Bettie Page (2005) - BBC 2. 11.10pm - 12.40am
Breezy biopic of the 1950s pin-up icon, starring Gretchen Mol, Jared Harris, Chris Bauer and Lili Taylor. God-fearing Nashville girl Bettie Page swaps her conservative home for the bright lights of New York, hoping to find fame as an actress. Instead, she makes it big in a saucily different way, becoming one of the most iconic fetish models ever.

Peter Green - Man of the World - BBC 4. 12Midnight - 1.30am
The story of the blues performer who found fame in the 1960s as the lead guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, but left the public stage for years as he battled drug addiction and mental illness. Featuring archive footage and interviews with Noel Gallagher, Carlos Santana, his former bandmates and the musician himself.

Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop - BBC 4. 1.30am - 2.30am
One of the biggest selling bands of all time are back on the road. This is their story, told in their own words.

Monday 9th November

TV

Film: Please Sir! (1971) - Film4. 4.50pm - 6.50pm
Spin-off from the TV sitcom. When the pupils from Fenn Street School get the chance to go on a trip to the countryside, Bernard Hedges (John Alderton) makes sure his class is included despite his colleagues' disapproval. Classic British romp featuring Duffy, Frankie Abbott, Maureen & the gang. With a groovy theme song from Cilla.

The Sweeney - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
A bad dream has Regan's girlfriend fearing for his safety.

Film: Starter For 10 (2006) - BBC 2. 9.00pm - 10.30pm
Spirited coming-of-age drama starring James McAvoy. It's 1985 and Brian Jackson is starting at Bristol University. Given the opportunity to fulfil his dream and appear on TV's University Challenge, he falls for his team-mate and plans to win her heart through his general knowledge skills.

Film: An American Werewolf in London (1981) - Five. 11.00pm - 12.45am
Gory horror starring David Naughton and Jenny Agutter. Two American travellers are attacked by a creature while walking on the Yorkshire moors. The survivor, David Kessler, is taken to a London hospital, where he begins to experience bloodthirsty visions.

Radio

6 Music Plays it Again: The Reverend Al Green (1/4) - BBC 6 Music. 12Midnight - 12.30am
2005 music profile by Paul Sexton.

Tuesday 10th November

TV

Film: Fathom (1967) - Film4. 4.30pm - 6.25pm
Terrific tongue-in-cheek spy spoof starring the 'statuesque' Raquel Welch. Bikini clad, skydiver Fathom Harvill is recruited by a top secret Western agency to retrieve a vital lost atomic device hidden in a rare Chinese dragon by parachuting into a house occupied by some Chinese 'reds'. But Fathom soon realises that nothing is as it seems. Johnny Dankworth provides the cool jazzy score.

Minder - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Terry leaves his fingerprints on a stolen lorry while doing a job for Arthur.

Only Yesterday - the Carpenters Story - BBC 4. 9.00pm - 10.00pm
Documentary about the lives of the 1970s pop duo, whose wholesome brother-and-sister image hid a destructive secret. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with friends and family.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - ITV 4. 9.00pm - 11.10pm
Double bill. The lads camp out in Thornley Manor.

Good Arrows - ITV 4. 11.15pm - 1.20am
One-off mockumentary set in the world of darts, co-written and directed by Irvine Welsh. Faded star Andy "the Arrows" Samson opens his doors to a filmmaker, letting slip a host of revealing and embarrassing secrets in the process. Starring Jonathan Owen and Katy Brand.

Radio

6 Music Plays it Again: The Reverend Al Green (2/4) - BBC 6 Music. 12Midnight - 12.30am
2005 music profile by Paul Sexton.

Wednesday 11th November

TV

Minder - ITV 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
Terry leaves his fingerprints on a stolen lorry while doing a job for Arthur.

Flight of the Conchords (5/12) - BBC 4. 10.00pm - 10.30pm
Series one. Jermaine reconnects with Sally, and, as a result, moves out of the apartment.

Film: Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) - BBC 1. 11.50pm - 1.20am
George Clooney directs and co-stars with David Strathairn in this thought-provoking period drama based on the true story of the CBS news team's fight to broadcast criticism of senator Joe McCarthy during the communist witch-hunts of the early 1950s.

Radio

6 Music Plays it Again: The Reverend Al Green (3/4) - BBC 6 Music. 12Midnight - 12.30am
2005 music profile by Paul Sexton.

Thursday 12th November

TV

The Sweeney - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Eddie Monk wins a large amount of money - but hen gets blackmailing phone calls.

The Thick of it (3/8) - BBC 4. 11.55pm - 12.25am
Series Three. New secretary of state Nichola is stuck in a hotel bedroom in Eastbourne, struggling to finish her speech for the annual party conference. Glenn unveils his secret weapon - tragic widow and people's champion Julie Price - but things start to unravel when Malcolm tries to get in on the act.

Radio

Brel et Moi: Alastair Campbell on Jacques Brel - BBC Radio 4. 11.30am - 12Mid-day
Former Labour strategist Alastair Campbell reveals his passion for the music of the late Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel.

6 Music Plays it Again: The Reverend Al Green (4/4) - BBC 6 Music. 12Midnight - 12.30am
2005 music profile by Paul Sexton.

Exclusive 10% John Smedley discount

Looking for some sharp, mod-friendly knitwear for the winter months? John Smedley is (as ever) the place to look for something classic and stylish. And we have an exclusive discount right now.

From this week until November 15th, you can get 10 per cent off ANYTHING in the John Smedley online store. Just go to the online store, go to the checkout with your purchase and enter JSMOD to get the 10 per cent discount.

You can use the code as many times as you like and of course, pass it on. And don't forget, we're also running a competition to win £225 to spend at John Smedley. You can enter the competition here.

Visit the John Smedley online store

Cameo pop memorabilia auction

Purely by chance, I've just discovered the Cameo Fine Art Auctioneers in Midgham, Berkshire, which has a Music & Entertainment auction on Tuesday 10th November 2009 - and by the looks of it, there's quite a few interesting and well-priced items.

There's certainly plenty of vinyl listed, although sadly, much is in 'job lots', so you'll probably need to go crate digging at the auction house for the real gems. But there's also plenty of memorabilia too, everything from books and autographs to original posters.

At a quick glance, I spotted an original Lee Dorsey gig poster from the 60s and an original The Harder They Come poster, both for not much cash, but for something a little bit quirkier, how about this Selecter poster from '70s? Very much a rough 'n' ready poster for a student union gig, it's very distinctive and well worth a punt for around £40. See the full listings via the auction house website.

Cameo auctioneers pop memorabilia auction listings

Sir Peter Blake limited edition wall signs

As part of the artist's ongoing 'affordable art for all' series and to promote a 'culture of sustainability', Sir Peter Blake has produced these limited edition 'I Love London' and 'I Love Recycling' wall signs for Creatively Recycled Empire - and you can buy both right now.

Featuring the artist's iconic heart, target, star and rainbow motifs and printed using a 10 'spot' colour lithographic process onto 56% recycled tinplate, they are limited to 5,000 sets, priced at roughly the same as the 'affordable' Babe Rainbow was back in 1967. If these go on to be as collectable, the wall signs could prove a shrewd investment.

Each artwork measures 169mm x 219mm, with two holes have been punched in the top left and righthand corners for easy wall mounting. They also come with the maker's authentication certificate. Want a set? Right now, they're being sold at an introductory price of £60 for the two. or you can order each one individually for £30.

Find out more at the Urban Remade website

Via Switched On Art

Randa & The Soul Kingdom album

If you love your soul and funk (or just plain funky soul), you'll probably enjoy the debut Randa & The Soul Kingdom album.

Gritty funk and soul with plenty of horns and big soul voice (courtesy of Randa Khamis, ex of Speedometer), this Lance 'Bamboos' Ferguson-produced album is very much in that 'modern take on vintage soul' market that seems to grow by the year.

But don't take our word for it. Freestyle Records has very kindly stuck a load of the tracks (or at least, part tracks) on its site, so you can get a flavour of it before you buy. if you do buy, you can choose between vinyl and CD, priced at £12.49 direct from Freestyle or a more palatable £9.98 from Amazon.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Weller Lost & Found; Real R'N'B & Soul

Not the first time that Paul Weller has knocked up a soul-based compilation album, but Lost & Found; Real R'N'B & Soul is the first time he's compiled one with Keb Darge.

The double album claims to feature forgotten soul tracks from the '50s and '60s, with Darge picking the songs on the 'A' side of the record, while Weller has chosen the tracks for the 'B' side.

You can see who comes off best over the page (that's where you'll find the tracklisting), with the end product released on January 18th 2010, presumably on the BBE label, which has released previous 'Lost & Found' compilations.

BBE website

Side A Tracklisting:
Keb Darge’s Choice
Big Mama Thornton - 'They Call Me Big Mama'
The Brothers Of Soul - 'Come On Back'
The Tempos - '(Countdown) Here I Come'
Epitome Of Sound - 'You Don’t Love Me'
Daddy Cleanhead & The Chuck Higgins Band - 'Something’s Going On In My Room'
The Casanova - 'Two We Got To Keep On'
The Creations - 'A Dream'
Elsie Wheat - 'Tippin'
Sarah Dean With Freddie Mitchell Orchestra - 'Long Lean Daddy'
Billy Fair & Orchestra - 'I’ll Be True To You'
The Cadets - 'I Want You'
Velma Cross & Her High Steppers - 'I’ll Be Oh So Good'
Big T Tyler - 'King Kong'
The Flirtations - 'Stronger Than Her Love'
The Great Experience - 'Don’t Forget To Remember'

Side B Tracklisting:
Paul Weller’s Choice
The Intruders - 'Hang On In There'
Major Lance - 'Rhythm'
Margie Joseph - 'One More Chance'
Tammi Terrell - 'All I Do Is Think About You'
The Dells - 'Wear It On Your Face'
Bobby Bland - 'Honey Child'
The Radiants - 'Aint No Big Thing'
Albert King - 'Crosscut Saw'
Jimmy Witherspoon - 'Money Is Getting Cheaper'
Billy Watkins - 'The Ice-Man'
Eddie Giles - 'Losin' Boy'
Emmitt Long - 'Call Me'
Slim Harpo - 'I Got Love If You Want It'

Shake your Hips! in Hitchin, Herts

In the Hertfordshire area? Or at least, able to get there? Well, Shake your Hips! should be in your diary.

Taking place on Friday 20th November 2009 at Remix, 20-21 Hermitage Road, Hitchin, it offers up a top-notch DJ line-up including Roger Banks, Rob Bailey (New Untouchables), Marco (Almost Grown) and Leon (Shake Your Hips), spinning R&B, soul, latin, boogaloo and 60s club sounds.

It runs from 8pm until 2am, with tickets £4 advance or £5 on the door, which is certainly cheap enough. More details on the MySpace page.

Shake your Hips! on MySpace

Adam of London Crombie-style coats

It's gone cold, big coat cold in fact - so maybe one of these Adam of London Crombie-style coats will be just the job.

Yes, the same Adam of London responsible for the shirts (including the big-selling polka dot shirts), these are essentially crombie overcoats in everything but name, offering up a British-made, all-wool coat with high-quality lining, concealed buttons, contrast collar, three large pockets and a breast pocket.

Choose from six colour variations (you can see another one over the page) and a number of size options, all priced at £195.

Find out more at the Adam of London website