new untouchables

21st century modernist & sixties underground music culture

I have been a mod for quite a time,BTW i expect or demand no admiration! over the last few years theres seems to be a mixed up view of the thing we call Mod! Folks from outside the home of mod seem to think that NS and the mod movement are 1 in the same? For those who are fresh to the scene well its an easy mistake to make!! But we are talking about scenes that can live on there own merits! We the older mods have a duty to carry the torch and its mod values for there true meaning! The only reason i can see for linking the two totally adverse scenes is a profit based raeson! Why you may ask? Why have the expense of putting a nite on for 100 mods when u can have 300 of everyone!! And the answer is in the whole fabric of mod itself. Not like everybody else, well im afraid its lost its Kudos!! We the modern day torch bearers have sold ourselves down the bloody river!! Norhtern soul does not need Mod and vice versa,in fact northern soul was an opposite reaction to mod! Scooter riding people of the Revival period followed there peers of the day into the scootrboy scene,with its anything goes culture. recession was given as a reason. Coz it became too expensive and elitist to live beyond your means! But the true essence of being mod was never about how much dosh you hsd. It was about thinking outside the box, and making the best about your situation! We are carrying a legacy forward and we are making an arse of it for the new generation, we are making it so complicated for the new blood. Who's to blame, the profiteers...... bending and shaping to please everyone! Mod was never about that,in fact it was the very opposite!! its caused rifts in the past for the very same reasons......people should hang there heads in shame!!

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Good evening folks; now I'm really going to put the 'mind-blast' on ya!

Firstly, thanks for the reply John - hope we can meet up on the boat on Modfest Sunday; have a drink and discuss this and much more whilst 'groovin' on the Thames!

Been thinking of late - Modernism; the true meaning?

I am sure that MODs, historians and 'higher beings' (aren't they one and the same) believe that Modernism (the movement) preached a life of 'looking forward; embracing new sounds, new ways, new technology and rejecting the past'.

OK, brace yourselves; here it comes.

So; Modernism today?

To 'a man' (or woman); do we not ride Italian machinery that is at least 50 years old; source far and wide for that 1959 watch or Korean war era Parka; do we not long for that 'rare groove' from black 50's America?

Do we not want to be an individual, but belong to a tribe?

Would not the true 'Modernist' be wearing cloth cut from the latest fabric; be riding some hybrid machine and listening to the very latest tunes?

The 'biggie' - are we at best, 'Revivalists' or at worst a 're-enactment' society and not MODs at all?

I have been called everything from someone who likes to 'dress-up'; 'play-act' to a member of the 'Twisted Knot' (a battle re-enactment group)! Must say; it's got me thinking?

So; Revivalists, Actors or MODs... discuss; I 'throw it out to the floor'!

Interested to hear views.

Thanks guys; 'stay cool'!

There will always be Knockers to our way of life, but we make it easy for them when we re invent a scene that encompasses two different genres as above. Ive always said that ''Being different'' will only make us the same. there are only so many variations of a theme!!"

Think the confusion is born out of the scooter scene,attend any scooter rally up and down the country and you will be met by a main room featuring a king kurt or Bad manners tribute act and a smaller northern room,scooters are associated with mods,the organisers of these rallys try to cater for everybody scooterboys,skinheads,mods and scooterists in general,though the organisers are themselves scooterboys they lean more to the green jacket grass skirt wearing variety,Brighton is not a scooter rally its a 60s Mod weekender that a lot of us take our scooters to,newbies to the scooter scene are ticking these rallys off to their collection and they are starting to come and have a look at Brighton believing it to be another rally,they will either be horrified and never come back or they will embrace the culture,talk of going undergrond is myopic they"re just checking us out thats part of being a mod look on it as educating the masses

Morning;

Must agree, scooter rallies are NOT for Mods although a few attend either out of confusion (or like myself) because pure 'Mod' events are rare, and due to where I live, virtually impossible to find.

Leeds does 'boast' something called 'Brighton Beach' although this is an 'indie' night attended by students wearing parkas who want to dance to the Kieser Chiefs?

I attended Brighton with some 'scooter boys' who felt out of place; they thought the 'ride out' was too short and that everyone had turned-up to 'show off'. They said that they wouldn't go back.

It is a scene of two cultures but I do think the Northern scene is more aligned to that of Mod (much more than the scooter boy scene) - it is not about scooters. Maybe I am a bit biased as I have my (dancing) feet in both camps; maybe it's because up North, there is no Mod scene and I without the Northern scene, I would have a very 'dull' social life.

 

I don't want to 'knock' Leeds but there seems to be a great divide between the South and North historically when it comes to Modernism. I originally come from the Birmingham/Coventry area which did have a Mod scene in the 60's. I have friends from Glasgow and Edinburgh who report a scene there.

I have not (so far) heard of a big scene in the Yorkshire area.

I think this is down to location and industry with the Yorkshire area being very agricultural and the big cities of Leeds, York and Sheffield not embracing the scene; due to an rural economy and lack of external influence. The big 'port' cities such as Liverpool enjoyed the influx of multiculturism; as did the Midlands. London and the outskirts have always enjoyed a very 'cosmoplolitan' flavour which is (sadly) lacking in the Northern cities who prospered through Wool and Steel rather than banking, art and advertising.

OK, Vivienne Westwood is a Yorkshire lass (who quickly up-stick'd to London) but I can't trace many 'influencers of Mod' from Yorkshire.

From what I can see; Mod was very London based although it did branch up to the Midlands.

The outer provinces seem to have been to far out from what I can gather.

Northern was exactly that - 'Northern'; from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester and filled the North/South void.

As per my original post; I admire anyone who 'doggedely' embraces a scene and keeps to its core ethos (Nortern, Skin or Mod). You are right Derek; Brighton is purely a 60's weekend and not a rally; for me it was everything I wanted and more, unlike the IOW weekend which was as confusing for me as Brighton must have been for 'hardcore' scooterists.

I have heard rumours that the IOW is not going to happen and Brighton might be the only August Bank Holiday event; that would be a very 'interesting' scenario indeed.

must agree adrian, for instance by the time mod became big in scotland the scene had moved on down south to something entirely different.....flat top,pilot jacket and italian army trouser brigade! But have heard that the Scootyerboys were not welcomed into the northern soul scene! NS was not about the Liberator etc. but scooterboys were reaching out to be recognised not having there own scene as such! Back to nowadays,we have guys who's cousin was a mod who wear Parkas and deserrt boots with ripped jeans who's slogan is ''Once a mod'' WTF??? Its these guys who think nought of mixing the scenes,they have no dedication to the mod scene but think they have a god given right to call themselves one!! And the organisers of modern day events are loving this type of event attendee!! Its all about the money....Full stop. If you follow the path of being true i suppose it only makes it more special!! The worrying thing is the Ambassadors of mod could actually be the guys who lead to its destruction, trying to please everyone, historically has destroyed empires!!!

Understand your problem Adrian I live in Derby where there is a big NS scene,its the nearest alliignment to mod we have, JP is right northern does have a seperate identity,been threatening to get something going in Derby for a couple of years now,but its just easier for us to travel the 15 miles to Nottingham where theres a thriving mod scene.the Hubble Bubble and Ronnie Londons are both top mod events,will be at modfest this easter got tickets for Sunday on the thames,see you there lads should be a blast,

I think they wont even realise there's a difference Del, the dillution has went too far! 21st century Modernist and 60,s Underground??? I seen it all before and sure the Scootourists did play dress ups for a while before moving on to the next new-ish thing,and i do hope im wrong but everything seems to be commercially driven now first and foremost! There's a glut of do's and so called events with the word MOD attached now! Imagine coming into this scene now without being guided by someone from a mod(in the true sense background), most have no chance!!

In case you didnt know, there are more members on this site than 4!  this subject always sends a chill through the so called mod generation!! The movers and shakers are once again guilty by there abscence, its easy in life to not comment or have a view on things..yes its called a kop out by any other means!! Rose tinted specs are one thing,but plain old wrong is just that,this subject is all thats wrong with the so called mod scene! Whatever you are in life, never lose your voice. Without that you are nothing!!! Always have the courage of your conviction!!!

Well said that man ! Rah , Rah , Rah !   

Hi John , hope yah all well and good !

You may well be rite !

But also I think that some people cant see in front of their noses (what ever floats the boat is not for me to decide) . Some can be just into this or into that and that's their choice .

What does annoy me is the ones who feel theyre god and their word is final , that's just ignorance .

I cant remember where I read it but some time ago I came across some guy who said that mod is narrow minded and restricted in its music and clothes . He obviously thinks he is god the idiot !

Personally , I "love" R&B , Northern , Garage , Hammond & Harmonica , a smidge of revival , slice of 2 Tone & Ska , Soul & Motown , a varied diet as you can guess . If it moves me I like it , simple !

The only Northern I don't really go for is all the disco stuff , but that's not to say that its crap , its up to them who like it .

As far as is Northern mod or not ? Yeh , its like two different scenes but why does it have to be like that ? Who made the rules ? After all wasn't mod music rooted in soul in the beginning and when did it begin ?

Catergories of music can evolve and cross into other areas endlessly .

Im definitely not a Evil fan (woops I meant elvis fan)  : ) , but its amazing how much soul the man sang and sang it with soul too . Not in my record collection of course but once again its up to them who go for that .

The dam fools !  ; D

Lets just hope that any new blood can work it out for the rest of us eh , as long as they keep the credibility going im not offended !

I have a problem with my boss though , he has a pub locally and sometimes has bands play there . He wondered why I burst into laughter one day when he said "come over to the pub at the weekend , ive got a mod band playing youde like called Bad Manners" !

: D  Some people just don't  undrerstand do they .

These three northern dudes were at brighton last year!!!

XD    Nice one John ! Me and the Mrs cracked up at it .

Are they Mods do you think , or just plastic wannabe's ? Hmm , original 60's ide say because they have no brain buckets on .

I tell you something though , they need to get their hairs cut , and by the way theyre riding theyre gonna get knocked off being all over the road like that .

Dam young petty hoodlams hunting in packs like rats no doubt !

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