Modculture new design to launch

It's goodbye to purple and blue and hello to red, black and white as Modculture gets its first new design in around eight years.

As you can see from the image above, the new design is very different to the old one - although the site layout will be similar to the old one...at least for now. But we have removed all Flash code from the site - which has caused some problems to some users.

The new header and menu are the work of Swifty, best-known for Straight No Chaser magazine, Talkin' Loud, Blue Note, Mo Wax and various other projects you're probably familiar with - and it should be seen on the site from this weekend.

The downside is the number of pages on Modculture - so bear with us in the short term as the old design will mix with the new one. However, in the long term, it should herald in more new content and a new enthusiasm for the site.

Neil Young Archives project

A trailer showing off Neil Young's long-awaited Archives Volume One has been made available to watch through YouTube.

Young demonstrated earlier this week, at an IT conference in San Francisco, some of the features of Archives. The first release in the Archives series focuses on 1962-1972, and is packaged as an interactive 10-disc Blu-Ray collection of material, including hundreds of tracks of music, photographs, letters and other memorabilia. This period covers his early bands, his time in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and first few solo albums. It is also hoped that it will include the unreleased material he recorded at Motown studios, which has yet to see the light of day. Some of his fans will be forced into updating their home entertainment systems in order to be able to play Archives on the new Blu-Ray format.

The first Archives volume (of an estimated five) is scheduled for release this Autumn, via Sun Microsystems/Reprise/Warner Bros. Have a sneak preview below.

YouTube: Spencer Davis Group

YouTube continues to dig up some great musical treasures of the past - including this one of the Spencer Davis Group.

The track is a rough 'n' ready live version of I'm A Man, taken from a Finnish TV show. Great stuff...

Win Mother Earth's Stoned Woman on CD

Stoned Woman by Mother Earth is one of my favourite Acid Jazz releases - and now it has been reissued by Ace Records, which has kindly given us five copies to give away.

Originally released back in 1991, it's a mix of soul, funk and 60s grooves - admittedly with a few rough edges, but all the better for it. The new release has brand new liner notes and six bonus tracks - single b-sides and rarities, including a previously unissued version of George Harrison's My Sweet Lord.

If you want to get in the draw to win one, follow the link below...

Enter the Mother Earth competition

What do you want on the site?

We're about to start our re-design of the website and to go along with it, we want to stick up a load of new content. We hope to expand and improve existing sections, but we need to know specifically what you are interested in.

Do you want more listings? More news? More reviews? And if so - what kind of reviews do you want - clubs, events, films, books, music or anything else?

And do you want more articles - and if so, what kind of articles? And who do you want us to interview? Or perhaps you want something more technical - like a radio station or downloads? Would you be interest in well-designed merchandising?

Please let us know your thoughts abut the above and anything else by contacting the site or leaving a comment below. And if you fancy contributing in any way at all, we're ALWAYS happy to hear from you.

Contact the site

Mods - Sunday Times 1964

If your eyesight isn't up to it, the caption reads...

They have been called the "anti-hoorays".

"But you can tell us by the way we walk - feet out", said one Mod.

"Rockers are hunched. We hope to stay smart for ever, not shoddy like our parents."

More snippets like this to follow over the coming days and weeks.

More photos and snippets at the Modculture Gallery

Detour Records buys Biff Bang Pow

Mod label Biff Bang Pow! has been bought up by Detour Records who will now distribute its back catalogue.

Detour Records started off life back in 1992, mainly releasing new mod/'60s influenced bands. In 1999 Paul Hooper-Keely started up his own label, Biff Bang Pow! Records, following a stint working with Detour on his band The Threads releases. Biff Bang Pow! helped keep the mod scene strong for many years, releasing music by The Fay Hallam Trinity, The Lost 45s, and The Bresslaws, as well as many compilations of new bands. Now Paul has entrusted Detour to the Biff Bang Pow! back catalogue, which will be available to buy alongside all Detour's own new and old releases. Detour intend to carry on releasing records under the Biff Bang Pow! label at a later date.

You can buy Biff Bang Pow! releases from Detour Records via their website here.

New gallery: 80s mod bands

By complete luck/chance, we've managed to recover a number of photos missing, presumed deleted from the very old galleries. They are taking time to recover and resize, but the first gallery of 'old'  photos is back online - 80s mod bands.

A mixed bag of bands from the era, all culled from photos sent into the site over the years. Check it out via the link below. Unfortunately we can't put captions on right now - but that could add to the fun as you guess the names!

If you have any photos relating to the mod scene from any era - 60s through to today - we'd love to hear from you as we rebuild the gallery section. Drop us a line initially via the contact us page to find out more.

View the 80s mod bands gallery

YouTube: Smashing Time TV spot

We haven't done a YouTube clip for some time and as I've just found this superb TV spot for classic swinging sixties flick Smashing Time, seems like a good time to re-start the best of YouTube slots.

Enjoy the clip below - and if you want more cult film and TV like this, you'll get it by the bucketload at our Cinedelica site.

Exclusive 20% discount at John Smedley

John Smedley recently made it into our top five modern-mod labels. And to make it easier for your to pick up some of the company's fine knitwear, we have arranged an exclusive 20 per cent discount at the company's online shop.

Yes, 20 per cent off everything - and there's no catch at all. All you have to do is visit the John Smedley online store, add what you want to your basket, then enter our exclusive code at checkout. You'll magically see the price cut by that 20 per cent.

The code you must enter at checkout is: MDX44

You have until 30th April 2008, but note there is only one discount allowed per customer - so fill your basket before you get the money off. Want to view the John Smedley range? Check out the online store by following the link below.

Visit the John Smedley online store

New: Art and design forums

We have just added some new areas to the Modculture forums - specifically some art and design forums.

We have three sections, covering art and photography, illustration and graphic design plus retro and vintage design. Feel free to post anything you like in those areas - or browse what's already in there.

If you want to keep up with the latest retro art and design news, Retro To Go is updated every day, covering those very things - and that particular site also has its own forum - which you can find here.

Visit the Modculture forums

Mojo new blues & soul CD bonus tracks

The April edition of Mojo magazine comes with a CD compilation of new blues and soul artists. And now the magazine have made more tracks available to hear.

Mojo was inundated with prose of praise for their covermount CD The New Dictionary Of Blues & Soul, and the Modculture Forum was full of glowing reports too. The magazine editors suggest it reflects "a renaissance in old-school soul, blues and R&B stylings on both sides of the Atlantic", with the CD drawing together the cream of the crop. And overwhelmed by choice Mojo had to leave three tracks off the final CD (see tracklisting below). However we don't lose out completely because you can now hear them on Mojo's website. The three tracks in question are Ian Siegal with Revelator, The Budos Band doing Ghost Walk, and Congregation giving us a Dose of Hell.

Here the three tracks here. Mojo 173, also featuring an interview with The Rolling Stones about their new tour film Shine A Light, is out now.

The New Dictionary of Blues and Soul tracklisting:
Eli Paperboy Reed & the Trueloves - (Doin the) Boom Boom
Edgar 'Jones' Jones - Necessary Evil
Sugarman 3 - Chicken Half
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done
Nicole Willis - If This Aint Love
James Hunter - No Smoke Without Fire
New Mastersound s - Return to Gijion
Sharon Jones & Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 nights
Watermelon Slim - Hard Times
The Black Keys - So He Wont Break
Jose James - Blackeyedsu san
Beth Rowley - Nobodys Fault But Mine
Seasick Steve - Things Go Up
Pete Molinai - I Dont Like The Man I Am
Marie Knight - Let Us Get Together

Charlatans free album reviewed

If you followed our advice the other day and downloaded the free Charlatans album from XFM, you'll haver made your own mind up about its merits. If you didn't, there's a review now online.

The album is called You Cross My Path and it's reviewed over on our Electric Roulette site. Why not give it a read? It might save you downloading a 51MB file. Or it might make you do it.

Read our review of The Charlatans free album

Win The London Nobody Knows on DVD

The much-anticipated Optimum DVD release of The London Nobody Knows (1967) / Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (1969) finally hit the shelves this week. But if you want to save yourself some cash, you can win one of the five DVD copies we are giving away in our latest competition.

Two widely differing mini-features, The London Nobody Knows is a fascinating snippet of the lesser-known side of London in 1967 - think decaying housing and theatres, street entertainers, down and outs and street markets. Not to mention the sites of jack The Ripper's murders and the obligatory shots of swinging London - all overseen by veteran actor James Mason. Les Bicyclettes de Belsize is the complete opposite - a frothy swinging love story set to music on the streets and parks of late 60s Hampstead. And yes - there are bikes involved.

You can check out a full review at our Cinedelica site. Or you can just enter the competition via the link below.

Enter the London Nobody Knows / Les Bicyclettes de Belsize competition

Win New Breed R&B With Added Popcorn

As we mentioned earlier this week, just launched by Kent is a real treat for fans of late 50s/early 60s R&B - New Breed R&B With Added Popcorn. And we have five copies of the CD to give away.

Following on from the first two Hideaway Club-driven volumes, this latest episode is a mix of rarities and recent dancefloor fillers on the mod and soul and indeed popcorn scenes. Amongst the 24 tracks appearing here are the likes of Mr Dynamite's Sh'Mon, Eugene Church's Jack Of All Trades, The Charmaines' I Idolize You, album compiler Ady Croasdell's floorfiller Oh Baby Don't You Weep by Luther Ingram and Gladys Tyler's Someone Else Has Taken My Place - which has only been heard on acetate when DJ Roger Banks has played it in clubs.

Expect a full review soon, but in the meantime, follow the link below to get your name in the frame to win a copy.

Enter the New Breed R&B With Added Popcorn competition

Modern-day mod labels

As part of our stop/start series of beginner's articles for the site, I've just published a new one, this time in the area of fashion and more specifically, covering modern-day mod labels.

Essentially, it's our pick of the labels you can find online or on your local high street, carefully avoiding the target-branded rubbish you might see i various bargain bins and low-end retailers. You know what I'm saying.

Anyway, you might not agree with our pick of labels for both men and women, but I'm sure you'll want to find out what's there. You can by following the link below. And don't forget our beginner's guide to mod books from a couple of months back.

Read the modern-day mod labels article

Download new Charlatans album - for free

Judging by a recent discussion on the forums, The Charlatans have a good few fans amongst Modculture visitors - and if that includes you, here's something for free.

You can download The Charlatans' new album legally and for no money at the XFM website. There's no catch - you just click on the songs or the link for the enture album and you get it on your desktop in MP3 format (total file size is 51MB).

The album is called You Cross My Path and the best band describe it as the best album they've ever made. Well, they would, wouldn't they?

Charlatans album download page

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

Win The Urges' Psych Ward CD

As one competition ends, another one begins - this time a music competition, with a chance to win Psych Ward by The Urges.

Described by our reviewer as 'one of the best garage LPs I've heard in ages', it's old-school garage (think the Nuggets box) played a modern day act - from Dublin no less. Check out the review here or enter the competition following the link below.

Enter The Urges CD competition

An interview with Mik Parry

Our 10 questions with... interviews have got off to something of a stuttering start, but we have finally got to interview number two - and the interviewee is Mik Parry.

If you didn't know, Mik is promoter of Sheffield's Pow Wow Club as well as a well-known face on both the mod and soul scenes as a respected DJ. Check out the interview to find out more about MIk, how he got started, his current activities and the records that would always get him on the dancefloor.

Read our 10 questions with... interview with Mik Parry

New album reviews now online

We've fallen behind a little with our reviews, but we are catching up slowly-but-surely. In fact, a batch of new album reviews have just appeared online.

Those albums are Psych Ward by The Urges, Outer Bongolia by The Bongolian, Shout & Shimmy! by The Five Aces and Shapes & Sounds Volume 2 (a collection of late 60s session tracks from the BBC archives).

Many more to follow - we're on fire right now...!

More albums in the Modculture Reviews section

The Who DVD competition winners

A slightly delayed drawing of the winners for our Amazing Journey: The Story Of The Who DVD competition (due to a delay in getting hold of the prizes), but we have now got the DVDs, which will be sent out to the folowing people:

Tim Watkinson (Manchester)
Gill Torri (Aberystwyth)
Mike Taylor (Walsall)
Michael Brown Fort William

- we will be in touch shortly for your postal details. And for those of you who won the Addams Family competition, but had your prizes go missing, I now have replacement DVD sets, which will also be going out this week.

Win copies of Armchair Thriller on DVD!

Not something that comes under the 'mod' header, but if you're a fan of British cult TV, you might want  to win DVD copies of Armchair Thriller. If you're not familiar with the show, Armchair Thriller was a series of mini-dramas made by ITV, very much like other 'creepy' shows of the era (Thriller, Tales of the Unexpected and Hammer House of Horror), except this one was played out over a series of weeks, with each episode ending on a cliffhanger.

The show hasn't been available since on either video or DVD - until now. Network is reissuing all episodes, kicking off with Rachel In Danger and A Dog's Ransom. Both received high praise over at our cult film/TV site Cinedelica, both are available to buy now for £12.99 each and both are available to win in our latest competition.

Three lucky people will each receive a copy of the first two Armchair Thriller DVDs. To be in with a chance, all you have to do is enter your details on the competition page. Good luck!

Enter the Armchair Thriller DVD competition

Glasgow mod scene anthologised online

For those north of the border this should be of great value; Glasgow Mods, a website dedicated to documenting the Glasgow mod scene from the late 1970s through to today.

The site is still in its infancy and is heavy on YouTube footage and photos that illustrate the development of the mod scene through the years, but we’re sure much more will be added in the upcoming weeks. On that note the Glasgow Mods  site encourages people to contribute, so do get in touch if you are or were once involved in that scene. There is a monthly newsletter to sign up to as well.

Perhaps other regional cities will take inspiration from this and set up a similar site dedicate to their particular stories…

See Glasgow Mods here

David Barrow Mod/Soul paintings

David Barrow has exhibited his paintings at some of the country's leading galleries, counts Paul Weller amongst his fans and designed the cover for Ocean Colour Scene's Live At The Jam House album. He also has prints of his mod and soul-based work available on is website.

The two series probably of most interest are his Northern Soul and Mod paintings. The Northern Soul images are based around the Wigan Casino (Barrow was born in the town), with the Mod paintings being more generic 'parkas and scooters' images.

Many of the images of display are in private or museum hands, but you can purchase prints of the work on 300g card, signed by the artist in either A4 or A3 sizes. Prices range between £9.99 and £19.99. Or if you have the money to purchase an original, contact the artist.

Find out more at the David Barrow website

Send Modculture your news stories

We're making an effort to bring you news stories everyday - but we do need your help.

We need your news stories. This can be just about anything - club news, clothing (things you've seen online or in stores), music news, events, art/design, films, scootering, new band recommendations, cool websites, things you've seen in the media, new books - in fact, whatever you see that has any interest to a mod audience rather than just related to the mod scene.

So we can get things online quickly, we have set up a new inbox for your stories. Email anything you have to:
modculturenews@gmail.com

Please note:
You can still contact us in the normal way for general Modculture business, but unless you send details to the news email address, you'll not have your club, event, gig etc featured in the news section/frontpage (as this area is being looked after by separate people from the general site).

New bands: The Branded

Malmö may not make you think of snotty fuzz, as Sweden is generally more famous for the likes of Ace of Base, but if you ask The Branded who the hell Ace of Base are, they just shrug, snigger and whack you 'round the head with a big simple fist. This is my kinda grooop.

The Branded have studied their garage well. They don't ever eat. Just listen to records by The Yardbirds, Count Five and The Sonics. They don't do anything else. This has left them gaunt and slightly cabbaged. Thankfully, this state of ill repair has produced a back pocket full of great singles that strut like a damaged peacock. You gotta love that huh?

Events listings updated

There's still a few to add, but for the first time in a very long time, the Modculture events listings are now up to date.

New events include Beat Bespoke 4, the Italian Job rally in Rimini and the Pow Wow Club. The total number of events should double by the end of the week or when time permits for adding more. If your event isn't yet listed, drop us a line using the contact us form on the left hand menu.

View the events section at Modculture

Vintage/knitted tie clearout

I am running down the sales at Modculture, but still have a huge amount of vintage stock available. With this in mind, I'm selling off many items in bulk.

First up will be ties. I have a large number of vintage and knitted ties in a variety of styles and colours, which I am selling at the following bulk prices:

5 knitted or vintage ties = £15 (including free UK delivery)
10 knitted or vintage ties = £25 (including free UK delivery)

All ties will be shipped randomly, with condition varying from very good to excellent (a few are actually as new, still in packets). I'll try and mix up the colours of each batch, but cannot guarantee certain colours for each batch. If you want to purchase, just drop me a line at:
david@modculture.co.uk
with the header 'ties', saying if you want vintage, knitted or a mix of both. I'll get back to you with payment details (Paypal will be preferred). Any questions, email me at the same address. Overseas purchasers, drop me a line for postage rates.

Fred Perry starts half price sale

Like many other retailers, Fred Perry is kicking off its Christmas sale early - with most of the discounts already available online and in its stores.

The discounts are said to be up to 50 per cent, although most seem nearer a third - with most of the existing stock getting a hefty chunk off the price tags. And as well as clothes, there's also a markdown of accessories, including this rather smart retro green and cream holdall, with both handles and straps, vintage laurel motif and two large pockets.

You can bag this now for £28.

Find out more at the Fred Perry website

Twiggy eco shopping bag at M&S

2007 has been the year of the eco shopping bag - and this Twiggy eco shopping bag from Marks and Spencer is up there with the best of them.

UK readers will probably know that Twiggy has become the face of M&S - but thankfully the bag features her classic 60s mug rather than a modern likeness (not that she hasn't aged well), drawn by fashion illustrator David Downton.

Made from organic cotton, you can buy one instore or online for a bargain £2.50.

Order online at the Marks and Spencer website

Via Retro To Go

10 questions with DNA Groove's Claudio

The first of our 10 questions with... series is now online - and the first person to be interviewed (in a long time) by Modculture is Claudio De Rossi, founder of mod-friendly clothing label DNA Groove.

You can check out Claudio's interview in the interview section of the site, which also houses some of our older interviews, including the likes of Ian McLagan, Steve Ellis and Eddie Piller to name just three.

Expect a couple of new interviews with a range of people every week. And if you have any suggestions for people to interview, you know where we are.

Read the interview with DNA Groove's Claudio

10 questions with...

In an attempt to keep Modculture moving along with fresh content, we are starting a series of weekly interviews - and you could be one of them.

10 questions with... is exactly what it says - 10 questions with a range of people, from people on the mod scene past and present, to musicians, designers, clothing retailers, artists, DJs - in fact, just about anyone with a relevance with mod past, present or future.

Don't be shy - if you want to put yourself forward, please do so, we would love to hear from you. Or if you have a suggestion for someone we should interview, please tell us. Or finally, if you actually want to do the interview (which is as easy as compiling 10 questions in an email), again drop us a line - and the person you want to interview. Chances are we'll be able to get hold of them.

And watch out for the first interviews online later this week. More detailed interviews are to follow when the site re-design is completed.

Drop us a line about the interviews

The Who at Wolfgang's Vault

Ever been to Wolfgang's Vault? It's an online archive of live shows that are free to stream on your PC. And the latest addition is The Who at The Spectrum, Philadelphia in 1973.

This was the Quadrophenia tour, so there's a number of live tracks from that album, as well as a few old favourites too. And if you don't fancy that, there's plenty more Who live shows, as well as an endless list of other acts from various decades - although the majority are 'name' acts so don't go looking for anything really obscure.

It's free to register, once you've done that, you can listen to what you like.

Find out more at the Wolfgang's Vault website

Mod movie Young Birds Fly reviewed

Over at Cinedelica, there's a review now online for the US modern-day mod movie Young Birds Fly, courtesy of UK reviewer Maxine Hayward.

Young Birds Fly is the debut feature of American director Leonardo Flores. Indeed the film has been financed, researched directed and edited by Flores himself. It's the tale of Jill, a quiet American girl who grows as a person within the US mod scene - and eventually, her disappointment with it.

The film is showing at independent cinemas, but as yet, there's no confirmation of a DVD release. We'll let you know if we hear anything. In the meantime, check out the review of the movie via the link below.

Young Birds Fly reviewed

Lee 101J 1966 denim jacket

Fancy a denim jacket with real heritage? You need the Lee 101J 1966 jacket.

This is a replica of the Lee 101J from 1966, made famous by The Beatles, who wore these very same jackets in that year for a Scandinavian photo shoot. The jacket is made from premium Japanese denim and has an adjustable waist, two button-fastening chest pockets and the Lee tab on the chest pocket.

Yours from Oi Polloi for £159.99.

Find out more at the Oi Polloi website

Via Retro To Go

Win Amazing Journey on DVD

Just out in time for Christmas is a two-disc DVD set of The Who's finest moments coupled with rare footage of the band and band members - Amazing Journey: The Story Of The Who and Six Quick Ones. And we have three DVD sets to give away.

Directed by Paul Crowder, Amazing Journey tells the story of the band through the music, footage, new interviews with the band, celebrity fans and musicians, plus recently-discovered concert footage, kicking off with I Can't Explain and ending with the band's most recent tour and recordings. There's also an additional Six Quick Ones disc, which focuses on each individual band member, the mod scene, the pop art movement and more rare footage - including film of the band as the High Numbers at the Railway Hotel - the earliest footage of the band known to be in existence.

If you want to be in with a chance of winning a set, just enter your details following the link below. The winners will be drawn just before Christmas.

Enter the Who competition now

The London Nobody Knows (1967)

I've just had word that a real lost gem is coming to DVD - The London Nobody Knows.

Dating from 1967, this documentary is headed up by James Mason, who takes a look at the 'underside' of the city, including many places long since demolished. It's due for release on 3rd March as part of a package that also includes Les Bicyclettes De Belsize, a 1968 short about a young man who falls in love with a model, filmed around the Hampstead area of London.

More details on the package when we have it. In the meantime, enjoy a clip of The London Nobody Knows below:

Via Cinedelica

New Bands: The Draytones

Last week I caught The Draytones live at the 100 Club - and was very impressed.

A three-piece band with obvious 60s influences, but without the covers and cliches. They've had two singles out so far and a new album on the 1965 label is due out in early 2008 - with predictions of great things off the back of it.

To get an idea of the band, check out The Draytones MySpace page or watch the video below for the excellent Keep Loving Me 45. And if you like what you hear, they're currently touring all over the UK.

Gola 40th anniversary Harrier trainers

In 1968, the Gola Harrier trainer was designed by Fred Dilley as an all-rounder for virtually any sport. And with 2008 approaching, Gola has reissued the Harrier in a special 40th anniversary edition.

Originally available in just white and green, it went on to be released in 200 colour combintations and a few style changes. The 40th anniversary shoe will be faithful to the original design and in the colours you can see in the image - for both men and women. And to add that special touch, they will be sold in the original box design, each containing a leaflet about the shoe.

The shoes retail for £45 as of today from Cazual, postage free.

Find out more at the Cazual website

Marks & Spencer bespoke shirts

Interesting to see Marks & Spencer now offering a made-to-measure service for shirts online.

Admittedly, this seems much more simplified than proper shirt tailoring, you choose your quality of shirt, your material from the store's selection, the fit (including slim fit) , your detailing and then you add your own measurements.

Price-wise, it seems reasonable, with the cheapest type of shirt on offer for £30 - not bad for custom-made in the UK. Although it would be interesting to see a finished example before making a firm judgement.

Find out more at the Marks & Spencer website

Next offers mod-themed bedroom

Looking to kit your room out with targets? Next has just the thing with its mod-themed bedroom.

This is a child's bedroom, but you can get a double version of the bed linen from the website. Everything else is suitable for big or small kids, with the mod-patched lined curtains for between £45 - £70, mod patches large target stickers for £25, the mod patches cushion for £12, the bed linen set for between £35 and £45, the throw for £40, target playsack for £50 and the target rug for £30.

For a better view of the bed linen see over or check the Next website for detailed descriptions of each item.

Find out more at the Next website

Oki-ni vs Fred Perry clothing range

Oki-ni has teamed up with Fred Perry for a new limited edition range of clothing for autumn/winter 2007 - based on a vintage Fred Perry shirt for Action Man.

That shirt featured an oversized logo - seen here now on the Fred Perry Little Big Action Man range, a selection of items featuring a slimline fit and 1950s-style logo. First up is the the Little Big Action Man Polo Shirt (pictured here), made of 100% cotton heavy pique with press stud buttons and wide tartan green tipping. It has no top stitching to give a cleaner finish and retails for £75.

The Little Big Action Man Track Jacket is also made in 100% cotton heavy pique with no top stitching, an oversized zip and ribbing on the sleeves, collar and waistline. That's £100.  Finally, the Little Big Action Man Tennis Jumper is a heavy gage cable knit with wide ribbing and a tartan green 50s laurel. That sells for £195.

See images of the latter two items over the page - and if you want any of the items, they will be available from Oki-ni from Thursday 8th November.

Find out more at the Oki-ni website

New reviews online at Modculture

Just getting into my stride for the great review catch-up, with hopefully at least one (of not more) new album reviews every day for the forseeable future.

First up, two new albums from contemporary acts. Andy Lewis' second album, You Should Be Hearing Something Now! , has just been released on Acid Jazz, containing the Weller collaboration 'Are You Trying To be Lonely' and 13 other new tracks.

Secondly, Scottish Mod faves Modus also have a new album out, entitled 'Sounds From The Kitten Casino'. 10 self-penned tracks, with the album available by contacting the band,

For reviews of both, check out the reviews section of Modculture.