Archive for February, 2009
by Modculture 20 February, 2009
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 20th February to Thursday 26th February 2009.
Highlights of the week
BBC 4 celebrates the magic of Motown this weekend with two nights of shows to mark the 50th anniversary of Berry Gordy's iconic record label. Motown at the BBC (Fri 20th. 8pm, repeated 2.25am & Sat 21st. 1am) is a new compilation of some of the iconic record label's greatest names filmed live in the BBC studios including Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops and the Jackson 5. Legends: Motown Invasion (Fri 20th. 9pm, repeated 1.25am & Sat 21st. 10pm) is a new documentary revealing what made Motown special though the lens of two decisive moments in 1965 – the Motown Revue UK tour and the Sounds of Motown Ready Steady Go! TV Special. Arriving in London in March 1965, the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder were bussed across Britain on a tough but crucial tour. The TV special, recorded during the tour, kicked open the door, thrusting Motown's slick routines and magical music into front rooms across the nation.
Continue Reading
by Modculture 20 February, 2009
Following last years successful series of 45s, Kent are back with a trio of new reissues that will have most mods salivating – and maybe upsetting a few DJs along the way, no doubt.
Mike Pedicin's scene favourite 'Burnt Toast and Black Coffee', the last original of which sold on eBay for $1667, has been placed on 7" alongside TC Lee & The Bricklayers 'Up and Down The Hill'. Another mod fave rave is Little Willie John's 'I'm Shakin', which has The Stratoliners 'What Do You Want With My Love' on the flip. Finally Cody Black performing 'I'm Slowly Moulding' is coupled with Roosevelt Matthews with Billy Ball and The Upsetters and 'You Got Me Diggin' You'.
All three 45s are out to buy on Kent/Gusto from Monday (
February 23rd), and available to buy from
Amazon for £4.89 each
here.
by Modculture 20 February, 2009
It's not often an eBay listing gets us excited, but from a design perspective this 1960s space-age-styled carry cot is fascinating.
This fibreglass yellow baby basket is spectulated by the seller to be made by Lambretta or Vespa, though we're not so sure about that. It seems unlikely that you were meant to strap your baby to the back of your scooter along with your luggage.
Available
here for the substantial sum of £330, this rare and unique item might be just what the new mod parent such as yourself is after.
by Modculture 19 February, 2009
Finding everyday dresses from your favourite vintage period is becoming increasingly difficult. Fashion designers may continue to take inspiration from the 20th century, but few are producing truly retro daywear.
These dresses from Eley Kishimoto's Cacharel collection are great reproductions of 1960s daywear. With whimsical prints and pretty cuts, they're ideal for spring and summer daytimes.
The dresses costs £250 and £260 from left to right, and are both available to buy online from ASOS.
Find out more from the website
by Modculture 19 February, 2009
Can't say we feature Topman on this site very often (for good reason), but I've just noticed something rather useful – this vintage-style tie clip.
Yes, rather than wandering round junk shops or paying over the odds for something high-end, you can pick up this tie clip in gold (colour, not metal), with a look that's hard to distinguish from a vintage find.
And best of all, it's cheap – just £6 online.
Find out more at the Topman website
by Modculture 18 February, 2009
It's been reported that Rod Stewart is set to record with new soul-funk outfit The Dap-Kings.
Daptone Records – home to The Dap-Kings – headquarters in Brooklyn, New York were unfortunately robbed this week, and in a statement
Gabriel Roth, Dap-Kings bassist and band leader, let it slip that efforts were underway to sort out space and equipment quickly in order that Rod The Mod could record with them for a scheduled session.
The Dap-Kings are best known as Sharon Jones backing band, and recieve high praise whenever they tour Europe, so the results of this collaboration could well be worth seeking out.
In other Rod Stewart news, its been confirmed by
The Faces organist
Ian McLagan that recent reports on the band having recorded an album are somewhat overstated. He said on his
website that:
The rehearsals were a lot of fun, everybody was in fine form, but nothing's happened since November. Don't believe anything you read about an album in the works, or a tour being planned until you read it here, because this page is bullshit free. I kid you not.
by Modculture 18 February, 2009
Manchester's new soul sensation night
The Beat Boutique celebrates its 1st anniversary this Friday.
The wildly popular club plays R&B, northern soul, Motown, and a touch of ska and funk every last Friday in the heart of the city, and the special day for them is this Friday, February 20th. The resident DJ trio of Pauls Walker and Barker and Liam Quinn are joined for the night by special guests Steve Cato (Soul Or Nothing/Soul Revolution) and Gav Needham (Brighton Beach). The first 100 through the door on Friday will get a free anniversary CD too. If you want to see what all the fuss is about we recommend you get down early to give yourself a chance of getting in (and that CD).
THE BEAT BOUTIQUE 1ST ANNIVERSARY
@ THE RUBY LOUNGE, 26-28 HIGH STREET, MANCHESTER M1 1QB
10.30PM – 3.30 AM, TAX £5
The Beat Boutique
Facebook page is
here.
by Modculture 16 February, 2009
Rather than waiting for this week's TV guide, we thought we'd flag up Motown Night on BBC4 a little bit earlier.
Set the recorder from 8pm on Friday 20th February, when Motown at the BBC starts, offering BBC studio performances from the likes of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops and the Jackson 5.
After that (9pm), you can check out The Motown Invasion, a documentary chronicling the Motown Revue UK tour and the Sounds of Motown Ready Steady Go! TV Special from 1965.
And last (but not least), you can catch the superb Standing in the Shadows of Motown movie at 10pm – the story of Motown's in-house band, the Funk Brothers.
Find out more at the BBC4 website
by Modculture 16 February, 2009
If you are a scooterist who wants to help fight the battle against cancer then look out for the
Above The Clouds scooter collective.
Not a traditional scooter club, Above The Clouds is instead a loose group of people who want to show their support for the work of Cancer Rsearch UK. No fees, no rules, just patches and badges to buy with which to display your allegiance.
You can join Above The Clouds on
Facebook here, or email co-ordinator Jim at
jimpiddington66@aol.com to register. And don't forget to look out for Above The Clouds representatives at the scooter rallies this year, as well as future fundraising events from the group. Previous events in 2008 were well supported, so Above the Clouds is a logical progression for the cause.
by Modculture 16 February, 2009
Modculture has discovered that Italian-made ties and scarves by Nick Bronson are available to buy online in the UK.
The Milan-based Nick Bronson family business has been making fine silk ties since 1948, and their slim, square-ended tie range is just the perfect accompaniment to achieving that bespoke mod look. Available styles are a mix of plain and patterned, so there is something for all tastes.
As they retail at
£34-39 at
This Is London they are competitively priced next to other bespoke silk ties by, say, Paul Smith.
Liberty in London are reported to be selling some of these ties for even less money, so shop around the department stores if you can.
The Nick Bronson
website is
here.
