Buddy Miles R.I.P.

Buddy Miles, the American drummer who played with Jimi Hendrix in his Band of Gypsys, has died at the age of 60 at his home in Austin, Texas of congestive heart failure.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1947, Miles was performing in his father's jazz combo by the age 11. Within a few years he was an in-demand session player for top r'n'b groups. He earned his dues playing with the likes of the The Ink Spots, Ruby and the Romantics, Wilson Pickett, and The Delfonics. Then in 1967 Miles joined forces with guitarist Mike Bloomfield to form rock and soul outfit Electric Flag. Later he teamed up with Hendrix and bass player Billy Cox in the short-lived Band Of Gypsys following his work on Jimi's Electric Ladyland double-LP. The Band of Gypsys made just one album, a live set recorded on New Year's Eve in 1969-70, and two of Miles' songs, Them Changes and We Got to Live Together, were included on the album. In later years Miles played with the likes of David Bowie, Muddy Waters, Barry White, Carlos Santana and Stevie Wonder.

A statement on his official site www.buddymiles.com said that a tribute show will be announced shortly that is open to all to attend.

New retro shop: The Beehive

A new shop in south London, The Beehive, is set to become a new mecca for fans of retro music, clothing, and accessories.

For many years 320 Creek Road in Greenwich has been the home of retro kitsch shop Flying Duck. This is no longer the case as Carolyn and Presley said goodbye to the premises last month. But in its place has emerged a real treat: the multi-faceted Beehive. Four traders from nearby Stockwell Street Market have jointly taken over the running of the premises to offer a unique 'four-in-one' shopping experience. Calneva Vintage Collectibles, aka Frances, sell 1950s and 1960s collectibles for the modern home. Alongside her is Ollie, who deals in a wide range of vintage clothes and accessories. Thirdly we have Casbah Records, run by Graham, who specialises in a range of '60s music genres, selling both original and reissue CDs and vinyl. And last but not least we have coffee provided by the people behind London Coffee Roasters, to help you relax with a well earned break. Sounds like a great place to spend an afternoon.

Calneva and Ollie started trading last week, and the finishing touches to the remainder of the shop are being made now, and will be open we're promised by the 8th of March. Why not pop down soon: and say we sent you, of course.

The Beehive, 320-322 Creek Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9SW. DLR: Cutty Sark.

Retro TV W/C 29th February 2008

Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 29th February to Thursday 6th March.

Highlight of the week

After being heavily trailed over the last couple of weeks, Mad Men finally comes to our screens (BBC 4, Sun 2nd 10pm & BBC 2, Tues 4th 11.20pm). Written and produced by Matthew (The Sopranos) Weiner, this polished drama is set in the world of 1960s Madison Avenue advertising executives.

BBC 4 are showing related programming throughout the month, with documentary series Selling the Sixties starting Sunday 2nd at 9pm. Interviews with advertising execs from the 1960s tell the story of how they sold the American dream. 

The Boiler in Barcelona

The Boiler returns to Barcelona on Saturday 8th March at the Jazz Room in the city.

It promises rhythm and soul from guest DJs Damien Hewitt (Manchester), Marco Moretti (Milan) and Albert Petit (Valencia) alongside the residents. The Jazz Room is at Calle Vallmajor nº 33, Plaza d’Adrià (Barcelona), with the night running from 23:30 - 05:00, admission 10 euros (including a drink).

Future dates are May 10th with Jo Wallace (London, UK), Roberta “Underground Blues” (Teramo, Italy) and Moonwolf (Castello), July 11 & 12th - the Boiler’s 5th Anniversary with Barbara Grassi (Genova, Italy), Alan Handscombe (London, UK), Neil Henderson (Manchester, UK), Batman (Paris, France) and a band to be confirmed, September 13th with Warren Boogaloo (UK), Alvaro de Diego (Madrid) and Ivan Muench (Barcelona) and finally, November 8th with Mick Moyland (UK), Merv Parnell (UK) and Paul Bennett (UK).

Find out more at the Boiler website

New UK Brian Wilson shows

Brian Wilson has announced three UK shows, due to take place in June.

Dubbed the 'greatest hits' shows, Wilson and his band will be digging deep into his back catalogue to offer a trio of unique shows for his fans here. The ex-Beach Boy will open the 2008 Kenwood Concert season on June 28 before taking his band to Ipswich's Regent Theatre on the 29th, and then finishes at London’s Royal Albert Hall on July 1st. The ticket details are as follows:

Kenwood House: £27.50 to £36.00. Click here for more.
Ipswich Regent Theatre: £50.00. Click here or call 0844 576 5483. Tickets go on sale Friday (February 29) at 9am.
London Royal Albert Hall: £35 - £75. Call 0207 589 8212 / 0207 434 2222 or click here. Tickets go on sale next Friday (March 7) at 9am.

And if you are looking to buy a new outfit to wear to the shows your luck is in as to coincide with the shows there is a brand new range of official merchandise available. For details and more on Wilson see the official Brian Wilson website here.

Finger Poppin' Time in London

The Finger Poppin' Time crew are promising the best in Club Soul, R&B, Ska, Latin, Boogaloo on Saturday 1st March at The Cavern in Walthamstow.

DJ's for the nigh are local residents Alice Fowkes, Mark Ellis, Jo Sadler and Tim 'The Mod' Fuller, spinning tunes at a 'great friendly venue' within easy reach of Walthamstow tube (Victoria Line).

Find out more at the Modculture forums or drop Tim a line via email here.

Madrid's s.m.a.r.t. club - March 2008

The s.m.a.r.t club in Madrid returns on March 15th 2008 with the usual top-notch selection of guest DJs.

Playing mod and soul sounds are Mary Boogaloo (Rome), Niamh Lynch (London) and Ana Vila (Barcelona), playing with resident Bego Cueto.  It takes place ar the Clamores Club, 14 Alburquerque street (metro station: Bilbao).

Time: 01:00 till 05:30
Entrance: 10 Euros (one drink included)

Find out more at the s.m.a.r.t. website

Lennon's Magic Eye to go on display

A mosaic created by John Lennon in the mid-60s is to be seen by the pubic for the first time when it goes on display at The Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool.

"The Magic Eye" was a 16ft by 6ft artwork feature of Lennon's Kenwood estate swimming pool (in Surrey). The mosaic is thought to have been inspired by his interest in spiritual matters following The Beatles 1967 visit to India to study the teachings of Maharishi Yogi.

Weighing over two tons and made up of approximately 17,000 ceramic pieces, it has been painstakingly restored by ardent Beatles fan Tom Lorimer, a technician at Liverpool John Moore's University. Lorimer had been contacted by Merseyside businessman Wladek 'Butch' Reszczynski, who had been asked to clear items from the derelict site of the 1984 International Garden Festival. The story goes that he found The Magic Eye and stored it in a field in the Wirral, only belatedly discovering the Lennon connection. Lorimer says;

John Lennon was fascinated by Indian mysticism. He designed The Magic Eye based on the Maharishi's teachings about the Eye of Knowledge or the Middle Eye. It was in very poor condition. Moss was covering it in parts but I offered to restore it and Butch agreed.

The Magic Eye goes on display in early March at the newly expanded Beatles museum on Albert Dock. For more on the museum and the artwork visit The Beatles Story website here.

Garage Greats 45 reissue series

Here in the UK some enterprising souls have set up a new label Garage Greats, dedicated to re-issuing the best and rarest garage 45s from around the world.

The first batch of ten records include classics such as Fe Fi Four Plus 2’s ‘I Wanna Come Back (from the World of LSD)’ The Heard's version of 'You're Gonna Miss Me', and The Plague's ‘Go Away’. Some of these 45s are so rare as to be simply impossible to find no matter how deep your pockets (less than 20 known original copies in all cases). Each 45 has been remastered at London’s Abbey Road studios for ‘maximum playback enjoyment’. In keeping with the original releases the original labels have been reproduced faithfully. Each release is a hand-numbered limited edition of 500 that comes in a generic Garage Greats house bag.

The website www.garagegreats.com has been registered and advertised but is currently inactive (hopefully that will change soon). In the meantime  you want to purchase any of these 45s your best bet is from Bomp Mailorder in then US and Soundflat in Europe.

Leeds in the 60s photo exhibition

Swiss photographer Eric Jaquier was a resident of Leeds in the late 60s, filling his time as a stay-at-home husband with photography of everyday life in Leeds. And 38 years later, those photos are on display in Leeds as part of the Strangely Familiar exhibition at PSL.

It's now a great record of British working-class life in that era - everything from children playing in the street, houses and shops, city centre architecture, businessmen heading to work, people killing time around town - even mods on scooters, years after the movement's heyday.

The photos sit alongside more modern images by Peter Mitchell, comparing the city past and present. Strangely Familiar runs from 27th February - 10th May 2008. See the link below for information about the gallery.

Find out more at the PSL Gallery website

Via Retro To Go

Afterglow returns to Glasgow

The team behind Glasgow's Friday Street are reviving their Afterglow night after an absence of a couple of years.

It kicks off at The Twisted Wheel in the city on 8th March and admission is free. All the other details are on the flyer above - otherwise, check out the link below for more information.

Friday Street MySpace site

Mavis Staples announces European tour

Legendary soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples has announced a European tour for April and May.

The one time Staples Singers member and former Stax Records employee had many top 40s hits throughout the 1960s and '70s, and was at the heart of the civil rights movement in the States. Staples continues to produce breathtaking vocal performances live and on record (most recently heard on her upcoming album We'll Never Turn Back, produced by Ry Cooder). The European tour dates are:

Paris Banlieues Belues (9th April)
Brighton Dome (10th)
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (11th)
Gateshead Sage (12th)
Manchester Bridgewater Hall (14th)
London Barbican (15th)
Basingstoke Anvil (16th)
Bristol Colston Hall (17th)
Leicester DeMountford Hall (20th)
Amsterdam Paradiso (23rd)
Brussels Ancienne Belgique (24th)
Amiens La Maison de la Culture d'Amiens (29th)
Odense International Blues Days Festival (1st May)
Bergen Music Fest (2nd)
Trondheim SAS Royal Garden (3rd)

Support on the UK dates comes from Mississippi-born experimental jazz-gospel singer Jhelisa Anderson.

For more on Staples visit her official site here.

'Kickstart Rideout' London scooter run

The first newsworthy scooter run of 2008 takes place on Sunday 9th March in London.

Kickstart Rideout, organised jointly by South London Revival and The In Crowd scooter clubs,  is an annual scooter run through the capital. The starting point is the London Eye at 11am and takes in a stop at Marble Arch around midday and finishes at the Royal British Legion in Edgware at approximately 1pm. When at the final destination you can expect food, drink, live music and DJs, as well as fundraising efforts for The Children's Trust. The event attracts scooterists from all over the south and is sure to be an occasion to saviour if the weather is kind. To see what last years' Kickstart Rideout looked like click here for photos and video.

For more info see the South London Revival S.C. website here or contact John Pattemore on 07770 868390.

J. Simons set to close?

It's probably true to say that J. Simons in London's Covent Garden is one of the most significant and important men's retailers in the UK. And it could be set to close its doors next year - unless you can help.

If you're not familiar with the store, it's a longstanding mods' favourite, with John Simons opening his first store (The Ivy Shop in Richmond) in 1965. As the name suggests, its aim was to sell genuine/timeless American Ivy League clothing - a modernist look at odds with the 'way out' look of Carnaby Street at the time. The current J. Simons was a continuation of this ethos, opening in the 70s to sell a mix of classic old and new styles, again primarily sourced from the US market. If you're after a Harrington, an Oxford button-down or a good pair of loafers, it's the place to check.

Brighton Beach Leeds Cockpit Allnighters

Brighton Beach is returning to the Cockpit in Leeds - offering an Allnighter if the university hours of the regular Leeds Brighton Beach are a bit short.

The first one is on 8th March and monthly afterwards. It's described as an 'aftershow party' and starts at 3am (when the university BB ends), running until 6am - when most trains out of the nearby Leeds station start up. And to differentiate it from the the earlier night, this one will have an all-60s soundtrack - soul, r’n’b, northern, boogaloo, garage & beat, along with a chill out room playing cult 60s films.

The aftershow will cost you £3 on the door. For reference, the earlier Leeds University Brighton Beach is a two-room events, running from 10pm until 3am, costing £5 in advance.

Brighton Beach website

Original Ikon unveils Bruce Foxton shoe

This particular writer has no intention of watching From The Jam (the Foxton/Buckler Jam spin-off), but I've no issue if anyone is looking a night of nostalgia. Likewise, I'm not going to be rushing out to buy the Bruce Foxton shoe from Ikon - but if you fancy a pair, here they are.

Original Ikon will be selling the special edition Bruce Foxton styled shoe this spring,  a four eyelet Gibson shoe with light punch detail across the vamp and toe. The upper is pure white, full grain leather, with black and white checkerboard calf linings, finished off with contrast black stitch detail.

Bruce’s signature is laser etched onto the white sole and each pair will be limited and numbered, sold in a cloth shoe bag and in a 'luxury shoebox'. You'll also get a photo of Bruce on the current tour thrown in. Price? No idea, but all will surely become clear in the coming weeks.

Original Ikon website

Footnote:
A very similar pair of shoes is on the Ikon website right now called the Wilson. None of the limited edition detailing, but selling for £55. Interesting to see the difference in price against the new pair.

Retro TV W/C 22nd February 2008

Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 22nd February to Thursday 28th February.

Highlights of the week

BBC 4 precedes a month of programming relating to the advertising industry with The Hard Sell, A new six part documentary series exploring 50 years of British TV advertising which begins on Tuesday 26th, 10.30pm. The 1980s indie record label Postcard is recalled in a new documentary Caledonia Dreamin' (BBC 4, Friday 22nd,10.00pm).

On the Radio this week Paul Sexton begins a 4 part series profiling Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Jerseybeat - the Four Seasons Story (BBC Radio 2, Weds 27th, 11pm), while Tracey McLeod presents Will you Still Love me Tomorrow? (BBC Radio 4, Thurs 28th, 11.30am) examining the role in pop of the girl group.

Soul Revolution 2008 dates

After the sell-out success of the first run of dates (including a stellar New Year's Eve party), east London's Soul Revolution club returns for more regular action this year at The Bedroom in Rivington Street, Shoreditch.

Set to take place bi-monthly from Friday March 21st, Soul Revolution unashamedly peddles upfront soul sounds for dancers. A northern & rare soul main room is provided to aid this, with resident DJs James Trouble, Val Palmer, and Mick H alongside special guests spinning uptempo soul 45s. First guest up is Karl Heard from the Burnley Allnighters. Meanwhile Manchester's Steve Cato plus guests host the smaller, more intimate Soul or Nothing Suite, playing Jamaican soul, r'n'b, beat ballads, cross over, and experimental '60s sounds. What's more, the venues kitchen will be open on the nights to provide some soul food to accompany the soul music!

On top of the dates already announced we should expect a three room allnighter just before Christmas to really get those soul walls tumbling down.

Tickets are £8 in advance from the Soul Revolution website here. Advance booking is recommended to guarantee entry.

Mod icons set to play charity shows

In the next couple of months London will see performances from modernist icons at two charity events.

First up is the Childline Rocks fundraising event which takes place at the indigO2 on Thursday March 13th. Hosted by radio presenter and Old Grey Whistle Test fave 'Whispering' Bob Harris, amongst the line-up are '60s legends The Zombies, The Shadows drummer and songwriter Brian Bennett, Ian Paice and Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple, and The Who frontman Roger Daltrey.

Then in April the capital plays host to the annual Teenage Cancer Trust Gigs at the Royal Albert Hall. The brainchild of Roger Daltrey, the series of shows help raise awareness and funds for the unique charity. The highlight of the 8th year of shows has to be the April 10th night, where Paul Weller and Ocean Colour Scene man Steve Craddock will perform an acoustic set together. This will then be followed by a performance from new soul songstress Duffy. Also of note is the following night, where contemporary Scottish garage rockers Figure 5 will open for The Fratellis. Tickets for both these shows are on sale tomorrow (Friday) morning from 10am, so don't delay in booking.

For more information, including where to buy tickets for both events, click here for Childline Rocks and for the Teenage Cancer Trust shows click here.

Leeds Smokestack Mod Weekender

2007 saw plenty of great mod clubs and events, but possibly the best UK one was the Leeds weekender organised but the 25th Hour Collective. So its no surprise that many are already looking forward to the 2008 version.

The May event, this year dubbed 'Smokestack Lightning', has much to offer over its three days and two venues: live music on the opening night, a top selection of DJs joining the 25th Hour crew to spin all manner of vintage black music sounds, a scooter run, and the already infamous 'North v South' 5-a-side football clash. Will the north get their revenge for last years defeat? You'll only know if you show up!

25th Hour Present
Smokestack Mod Weekender
23rd May - 25th May 2008
Leeds, Yorkshire

Friday
@ Smokestack, 159a Lower Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6LY,
9pm until 3am. Free Entry
Live: 'Cuppa T & The PGs'

Saturday and Sunday afternoon
@ Sandinista, 5 Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, LS2 8JP,
1pm until 5pm. Free Entry.
Open decks, stalls, scooter ride out.

Saturday and Sunday night
@ Smokestack
8pm until 3am. £5 on the door.

Weekend guest DJs:
Alan Handscombe (Capital Soul Club)
Paul “Smiler” Anderson (Steppin’ Out)
Mark Ellis (Steppin’ Out)
Lee Miller (New Untouchable s)
+ 25th Hour Collective: Jonathan Marsden, Neil Lee & Nic Brady

To get in touch with the organisers email them at twentyfithhourcollective@yahoo.co.uk or telephone on
07753283048 or 07956886917.

See also:
25th Hour Myspace
Smokestack Myspace
Sandinista Myspace 

Help needed for book on original mods

Are you an original mod from the 1960s with plenty of tales to tell and photos to illustrate your youth? If so then here's your chance to be documented in print form.

Original West London mod Barrie, who still rides his Vespa top this day, is a writer by trade and is currently writing an extensive book on the original mod scene, the music and the people that lived it (to be published by Guerrilla Publishing). He is asking people to contribute  not only their own personal stories to the project, but also any pictures they have, and particularly those from outside the London area. Barrie is keen to smash the myth that many people have about mods not existing outside the metropolitan area.

So what are you waiting for? Contact Barrie via email on barrie@modness.co.uk or by telephone on 07969 629073.

2 r'n'b club battles

It seems the popularity of the DJ battle royale is still much in evidence, as shortly we see two such mod events happening in the UK.

First up is Basics Vs. Hard As Nails in Edinburgh on Saturday March 15th. The Hard As Nails London team travel up to Scotland to show off their soul and r'n'b sounds against Basics' Kevin Conn and Davie Hudson in whats been dubbed 'The Battle Of Britain'. Up there the folk know how to party so this one should see some whirlwind dancefloor action.

Then three weeks later on Saturday 5th April the Rugby Soul Club allnighter second room will lay witness to the mighty powers of the Shoutin' The Blues team taking on the No More Doggin' crew. Midlands r'n'b mania in excelsis: truly a night to savor for blues enthusiasts.

For the full rundown on The Battle of Britain see the Basics Myspace page here; for more on the Midlands meet see Rugby Soul Club site here. Alternatively check the modculture forum for discussions on both.

'Edgar Jones & Friends' project

Having released two rhythm'n'blues enthused albums with his backing band The Joneses, Edgar Jones has recorded a new album, The Masked Marauder, billed as Edgar Jones and Friends.

Containing all the hallmarks of his previous records, this new album sees the influences of electronic music to produce a freaked-out, soulful voodoo groove. This new venture is essentially a two man affair: Jones alongside a good friend/next-door neighbour, a mysterious character who we're told 'suffers from  agoraphobia'. As the album took shape friends would drop in to record different parts for certain songs. It has worked to good effect too, for according to Jones' label the new album has nominated for the Mercury Music Prize (although the nominations have still to be officially announced - perhaps this is a 'Modculture.com exclusive' for you!).

The Masked Marauder is released by Viper Records on March 17th. You can order it from here. In the meantime Edgar Jones And The Joneses play The Jazz Cafe in London on Sunday February 24th. Tickets are on sale now at www.jazzcafe.co.uk, www.meanfiddler.com and www.seetickets.com. Or you can call 0870 060 3777.

Louis Feraud 1960s dress

When it comes to this Louis Feraud wool dress, it's all in the detailing.

A 1960s dress, made of wool and fully lined in taffeta, featuring short sleeves and V-neck trimmed with navy. But check those buttons and that belt - which use the target design and might just be worth the price tag alone if you have plans for using them on something else.

Just one of these available as a size 12 - priced at £40.

Find out more at the Vintage Revival website

Twiggy bath hand puppet

Not just a plaything, this Twiggy hand puppet is a bath time mitt too.

Available from Twiggybits in association with MonkeyInADryer.com and Frothco.com, the Twiggy puppet is individually handmade before being colour  screenprinted with the cartoon Twiggy design. And the back made of terry cloth - which means Twiggy can give you a rub down in the bath (although we'd rather not go there).

You can pick one up online for a limited time, you can pick one up for $20, which is around £10.

Find out more at the Twiggybits website

Via Retro To Go

Rock 'n' Roll Soul returns

Rock 'n' Roll Soul has found a new venue  from  Saturday March 15th, the clubs brand of 60s soul, punk, psych and funk can be found at the Cock, East Poultry Avenue, Smithfields in London every month from 9pm - 3am.

It's described as a 'pleasantly dishevelled meat traders' pub', but it does have pub prices on the drinks, which has got to be a bonus. And admission is still £4 (for badge-wearing members).

If you want to know more about the club or the night, check out the Rock 'n' Roll Soul website below.

Rock 'n' Roll Soul

New band: The Moons

One of the best power pop bands of recent years, Northampton's The On Offs, are currently on hold. But in the meantime bassist Andy Crofts from the band has started a new project: The Moons.

Moving from bass to guitar, Croft's new outfit have much more eclectic influences than The On Offs. From listening to their four track demo the basic sound seems to be a mix of chirpy Britpop-type tunes polished off with Beatles/Kinks melodies. But there is much more to The Moons than this. On Nightmare Day the band mix ska rhythms with twangy, echo-y guitars to great effect. And Intermission Rag continues with the Joe Meek-style twang, alongside studio effects (theremin, tape delays etc.) and finishes with a spooky snippet of Crofts singing 'Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside'. It makes for an intriguing song; one that perhaps the old maverick Meek himself would have been proud to produce. More importantly, it hints at some potentially fascinating future Moons material to accompany their sharp guitar pop.

The band are launching a charm offensive in London with several gigs coming up in the next few months. They are sure to add more UK dates soon: why not ask them to come to your town? For as long as The On Offs are, er, off we should perhaps count ourselves lucky to be hearing The Moons producing such interstellar tunes. With a little luck and some hard work hopefully the lad will be heading for star-dom before too long. Remember, you heard them hear first.

Listen to The Moons yourself at their Myspace page here.

The Creation make their live return

Pop art mods The Creation have just confirmed their first live show in years, at London's famous 100 Club on Oxford St on Thursday 24th July.

The current line-up consists of Eddie Phillips (guitar/vocals), Simon Tourle (vocals), Tony Barber (bass/vocals), and Kev Mann (drums). Not only will we be hearing The Creation classics like 'Making Time' and 'Biff Bang Pow!' that night but the band are set to play (pre-Creation band) Mark Four material as well. The current line-up have been working on new material over the past year or so, and to preview some of these new songs they are set to produce a 'gig only' 45 of new material to be sold on the night.

And if this wasn't enough to get you excited, the gig also sees top DJs Gary Crowley and Dave Edwards spinning '60s sounds.

Tickets are 20 pounds plus booking fee and are available through the 100 Club website here. Hear more of The Creation on their official Myspace page here.

Paris R 'N' Soul Allnighter

I don't usually need an excuse for a weekend in Paris, but if you do, maybe the Paris R 'N' Soul Allnighter will make it worth a trip.

The date is 15th March 2008, with R&B, Club Soul, Jazz and Boogaloo promised from Alan Handscombe (London), Thierry Steuve (Brussels), Damien Lapeyre (La Rochelle) and Stephane Yver (Paris).

It takes place at Les Coulisses, Place du Tertre, Montmartre, 1 rue du Mont-Cenis 75018 Paris, doors open at 11pm and admission is 9 Euros.

Find out more at the 7 of Clubs MySpace site

'Otis Blue' gets expanded

Regarded by many as Otis Redding's first masterly endeavor, his 1965 album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul has some new life injected into it through the release of an expanded, 2-CD reissue from Rhino Records.

The groundbreaking release from the king of Stax Records will now be augmented by remastered mono and stereo mixes, live performances from 1966 and 1967, as well as previously unreleased alternate mixes. 

The tracklisting for the bonus material is as follows:
Disc one bonus material
I've Been Loving You Too Long (Mono Mix)*
I'm Depending On You (B-side)
Respect (Mono Mix)*
Ole Man Trouble (Mono Mix)*
Any Ole Way (B-side)
Shake (Live At The Whisky A Go Go, 1967; Stereo Mix)
Ole Man Trouble
Respect
I've Been Loving You Too Long
Satisfaction
I'm Depending On You
Any Ole Way
Disc two bonus material
Respect (1967 Version, Live In Europe)
I've Been Loving You Too Long
My Girl
Shake
Satisfaction
Respect
* previously unreleased

It probably goes without saying that this is a must have for the die hard fans. But for those who have yet to discover this unique album then this new version gives you the perfect excuse to investigate further.

The reissued album hits the stores in the US on April 22nd and can be expected in the UK around that same time. For more on Rhino see their website here.

Pama International: tour and new album

The soul and reggae influenced outfit Pama International release their 5th studio album 'Pama Intl Love Filled Dub Band' on Rockers Revolt on the 25th February.

Making music which they themselves describe as '21st Century roots, rockers & reggae, soul-fueled and dub-induced', Pama Intl draw from King Tubby, Black Ark, and Stax Records to great effect, and have quite rightly built up quite a following in the last few years. Alongside all Pama Intl's usual suspects this new LP features guest appearances from heavyweights like Rico Rodriguez, Sir Horace Panter (Specials), Michie One and Paul Heskett (Swinging Cats).

 

In support of the album the band are touring the UK this month, finishing with a special extended show at London's Koko with very special guests (including members of Madness). The tour dates are:
Bath Moles (23rd February)
Norwich Waterfront  (27th)
Oxford Academy (28th) 
Milton Keynes The Pitz (29th)
Exeter Phoenix (1st March)
Glasgow Arches (7th)
Edinburgh The GRV (8th)
Newcastle The Cluny (9th)
London KOKO (12th)
Ticket prices and door times vary; contact the band or local box office for further details.

You can pre-order the new album from here. For more on the band check their website or Myspace.

Retro TV W/C 15th February 2008

Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 15th February to Thursday 21st February.

Highlights of the week

Not much to highlight this week I'm afraid. BBC4's excellent Saville Row series concludes on Monday 18th 9pm, while for old nostalgics and young 'newbies', ITV4 screens a double bill of Quadrophenia  followed by The Kids Are Alright on Thursday 21st from 10pm. 

The Dead 60s call it a day

The Dead 60s, perhaps the only ska-influenced band to have any sort of mainstream success in recent years, have split up.

Writing on their website dead60s.com earlier this week, the band said

We decided to call it a day just after Christmas. There's no big story, no falling out between us. We just felt like the band had run its course, time for us all to branch out & try other things. A big thanks to everyone who has been partial to the success that we had and to all the amazing gigs/tours/nights out that we experienced along the way. And so, on to new things and new music. We will keep you posted of our new projects & hope to see you all soon..Feri bhetaula, Matt, Charlie, Ben & Bryan.

The Liverpool band released their debut album The Dead 60s in 2005 on Deltasonic Records and more recently had a Fred Perry Harrington jacket produced which they had specially designed. The bands' second album Time To Take Sides was released in France last August and was scheduled for release in the UK last month. It never materialised, presumably because of the decision to split. Whether the album will eventually come out remains a mystery for now.

UK soul club gets commemorated

Ask any soul fan about the history of soul clubs in the UK during the 1960s and invariably The Golden Torch on Hose Street in Tunstall, Stoke-On-Trents is mentioned. Later to be known simply as 'The Torch', it started as a band venue in 1965 (The Pink Floyd, The Who etc all played there) but by the end of the '60s it was known for its northern soul nights put on by Christ Burton. By the early 1970s its allnighters were attracting attendees from around the country.

Legendary artists such as The Drifters, Edwin Starr, Jnr Walker, Major Lance, JJ Barnes and the Stylistics all appeared on stage there. The club also helped launch the career of everyone's favourite nightclub owner, Peter Stringfellow.

And now The Torch's historical value has been marked with the erection of a black plaque. Some of the club's heyday regulars, led by Steve Hoskins and John O'Brien, cobbled together the cash to pay for a plaque to be put up on the building in its place (sadly the original building was demolished in the 1990s).

John O’Brien said ‘it has been playing on my mind for a while, and I just decided to do it…it’s full of special memories for not just me but lots of soul fans…it’s a worldwide famous club and it deserves remembering…it was unique, you cannot replicate it’. If you're in the area anytime why not check it out.

Paul Weller announces UK tour dates

Paul Weller has announced a UK tour for the spring to support his new studio album, 22 Dreams (which is released in June). Tickets for the UK tour go on sale Saturday 16th February. Dates are:

May 2008

Mon 5th:  Halifax Victoria Theatre
Tue 6th: Stoke Victoria Hall
Thu 8th: Blackpool Empress Ballroom
Fri 9th: Middlesbrough Town Hall
Sun 11th: Doncaster Dome
Mon 12th: Derby Assembly Rooms
Wed 14th: Motherwell Concert Hall
Thu 15th: Dundee Caird Hall
Sat 17th: Bournemouth Opera House
Sun 18th: Bristol Colston Hall
Mon 19th: Leicester De Montfort Hall
Wed 21st: London Hammersmith Apollo

TICKETS: £30.00 (£35.00 London) maximum 6 tickets per household
24 Hr Tour Hotline: 0870 735 5000
Online booking at www.bookingsdirect.com

Soul Sauce in London

If you happen to be in the London area this weekend (Saturday 16th February), it might be worth checking out Soul Sauce, which promises top notch soul sounds for a very good cause.

The DJ line-up includes Eddie Piller, Andy Lewis and Ady Croasdell, with the action taking place at the Cock Tavern, East Poultry Avenue, Smithfield Market, London, running from 8pm until 2am.

Tickets are £8 on the door (or £5 advance), with profits going to Cancer Research UK. For further details, check out the MySpace site or email jimpiddington66@aol.com.

Find out more at the MySpace website

Barefootin’ in Canterbury

The Blush Organisation are launching a new night in Canterbury on Saturday 23rd February under the name Barefootin'.

The venue has 'lovely, inviting wooden floors' and with a playlist of the best in rare sixties soul and vintage r&b, they should get good use. Full details are:

Barefootin’
Saturday 23rd February
Scribes
King Street, Canterbury
DJs: The Blush Organisation + guests
Sounds: Soul steppin', finger poppin', boog-a-loo beats
7pm – 1am
Admission free

Find out more at The Blush Organisation website

Barbican's Jamaican film season

London's Barbican centre is hosting The Harder They Come season, celebrating the best of Jamaican cinema.

In terms of movies, The Harder They Come is obviously heading things up, followed by director Perry Henzell's follow-up movie, No Place Like Home, 70s cult classic Rockers, Smile Orange from 1976 and recent flick One Love. Also featured in the season is the stage version of The Harder They Come and a live show headed up by Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Full details are on the Barbican site, with the season kicking off on 6th March.

Find out more at the Barbican website

Eric Burdon and War reunite

Former Animals singer Eric Burdon will join forces with WAR for the first time in 37 years to play a one-off concert at London's Royal Albert Hall on Monday April 21st.

When the New Animals disbanded in 1969 Burdon helped create the multicultural Californian funk band WAR. They made two albums together and had a huge hit with the Latin-flavoured 'Spill The Wine'. The show coincides with a major Rhino Records reissue campaign that will see 1970's Eric Burdon Declares WAR and The Black-Man's Burdon hit shelves on March 24th. The Best of Eric Burdon & WAR and The WAR Anthology will then follow on April 14th.

Tickets for the gig will go on sale at 9am on February 14th and can be obtained by phoning 0844 576 5483 or clicking online at www.livenation.co.uk.

Ben Sherman Spring collection out now

Ben Sherman have just announced details of their 2008 spring collection to buy instore and online. All the usual mod and casual wear essentials are present as usual. But of particular interest this season is the range of items that have the Ben Sherman logo, rather than the usual ‘Ben Sherman’ words, placed on the left breast pocket area. Influenced by Fred Perry perhaps? Regardless of inspiration, they definitely add a touch of class to a range which hasn’t changed too much over the years.

Pick of the men’s section has to be their polo short with vertical stripes, whilst the pick of the women’s section is a toss up between the lovely long lined black Mac and the knee length skirt with waist bow detail. Ben Sherman also seem to do a rather nifty line in headwear, including the classic skinhead pork pie hat, checked flat cap, and the Pete Doherty-approved Trilby. As always with Ben Sherman, try to avoid the shoes...

To buy online and check where your nearest stockist is see the Ben Sherman website here.

Women's Mod is Dead t-shirt

Hang on, that picture looks familiar? Isn't that the cover image for Richard Barnes' Mods book? is it officially licensed? I doubt it - and a company called Fluffy Noodle is even claiming to have designed this Mod is Dead t-shirt by just adding a target.

For reference, this is a women's t-shirt, made from 100 per cent cotton and printed on a light blue shirt. And in its favour is the price tag of $14.95 (around £7.50).

But I'm guessing that still means a good £5 profit.

Find out more at the Buy Olympia website

Purple Heart Club in York

If you are in the York area, make a date in your diary for Friday 14th March, which sees the next Purple Heart Club.

The night promises R&B, 60s beat, hammond, northern, ska, psych, freakbeat, garage and Britpop. Which just about covers everything as far as I can see. Resident DJs are Red Ed (Brighton Beach & VFM),  Dan Guest (Brighton Beach & Into Tomorrow) Andy Ingram and Gary Brown.

It's at the City Screen Basement Bar in York, admission is £4 with the night running from 7.30pm - late.

Find out more at the Purple Heart Club website

The Hideaway Club 9th anniversary

The Manchester mod scene continues to flourish under the guidance of its Hideaway Club, which this month celebrates its 9th anniversary on the 23rd February. Expect to hear as always the very best in classic sixties club sounds and new breed R&B courtesy of resident DJs Neil Henderson, Mike Warburton & Paul Welsby. For the anniversary bash they have invited guest DJs in the form of Barry Tasker, Dave Byrne, plus one further 'special mystery guest'.

And as its their birthday they are pulling out the stops by staying open an extra hour (until 3am), and giving a free CD to all members on the night. Arrive early and be prepared for a busy, dance-filled night!

THE HIDEAWAY CLUB
9th Anniversary special
Saturday 23rd Feb
Upstairs @ the Waldorf Pub,
Gore Street,
(next to Malmaison  Hotel)
city centre Manchester
9pm - 3am
£4 members / £5 Guests

See The Hideaway website here, which is where you can join up and receive member discount on club entry.

Second Sonics show added

Having already scheduled a London show on the 21st March, garage rock legends The Sonics have now added a second show two days later. The second date at The Kentish Town Forum, announced after the first show sold out, will see support from current garage favorites and Southend scene trailblazers The Horrors.

Tickets for the new show can be brought from here (and it seems there are some tickets left for the first Friday show too).

There has been speculation also that a well-known contemporary Swedish garage band have been lined up to support the band on their first date, although nothing has been confirmed as yet.

For the latest news on the gigs check the New Untouchables website here.

Retro TV W/C 8th February 2008

Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 8th February to Thursday 14th February.

Highlights of the week

BBC Radio 4 provides the real highlight this week with Mods! (Saturday 9th), documenting the history of the mods from the modern jazz-loving Soho underground of the late 50s to the seafront clashes with rockers in the early 60s. 1960s news reports are spliced around archive interviews with original mods and a soundtrack provided by the Who, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and Jimmy James and the Vagabonds.

Meanwhile back on the telly, the recent Scott Walker documentary: 30th Century Man gets another airing on BBC 4 (Friday 8th, 9pm), and the second episode of Saville Row continues on the same channel Monday 11th at 9pm. Preceding it at 8.30pm is Ready To Wear, which disappointed last week with a sketchy overview of the history of the suit. Hopefully this weeks programme will be better,  focusing on the 50s phenomenon of being a teenager and charting the rise of Teddy Boys, mods, rockers and hippies.