Northern Soul and Mod!!

[John Paterson]

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!!

[John Paterson]

Chris, though its laughable about Bad Manners being touted as a mod band in the pub you spoke of,i  can see where he went wrong and is my point exactly! Look maybe i care too much!! But its the way i am!!

[Chris Newport]

Yeh , I think I know what you mean mate :

I went to Mousetrap last Saturday night and came away absolutely refreshed and buzzing . I got into work on Monday and was telling a colleague about it and how good the music was not to mention the people . His reply was "what was they playing ? The Jam and that ?"

Oh man , it makes me cringe when people say things like that ! I end up trying to explain differences to them and feel frustrated because they look at me with a bequizzled and baffled look on their face . It also makes me feel like some sort of supreme being and proud too . Ever get that feeling and situation ?  : D

On the National scene so many people don't even have a clue what theyre having rammed down their throats half of the time so how the heck is a newcomer gonna understand the difference let alone Joe Pubic ( woops , did I sbell that rite? ) .    ; )

You can never care too much mate , that's what seperates the elite few from the masses !  ; )

[John Paterson]

Your thread says it all Chris, look ive nothing but respect for the true Northern Soulie's. Its no doubt a dedicated lifestyle choice just like mod! But there is no doubt that there are those who want the two to converge,WHY. More foot traffic at the do's, pounds make prizes!!!

[Chris Newport]

: D  The mad thing is , ive just been talking to the Mrs about it and said :

What so many people just don't understand is , its a whole attitude and way of thinking . Its almost something of an addiction in a way . I even make sure im dressed up just to walk down to the Chinese takeaway 150 yards from our door . Sitting about indoors I even feel I should be waring something else other than my p j bottoms and a tee shirt .

Just the other day we was in a rush to go out after we had a shower and stuff , and she said to me "hurry up and put some clothes on" . My reply was "a mod don't put some clothes on , he gets dressed !"  : D

Argh ! Am I going mad with it ?   : D

Anyway , back to the topic ?   : D

[John Paterson]

Maybe i like you are going mad! The thing is when i go to an event thats touted as MOD i dont want to turn up at a scooterist event! Again no harm they have there scene and we should have ours! It needs to start being what is says on the tin!! Is it too much to ask??

[Chris Newport]

Youre name should be "Spot on John" !   ; )

Totally agree mate ! I suppose it could be compared to buying a pack of crisps labled roast beef and when you open the bag theyre roast hoarse meat flavour or something .  : D  I think ide want my money back plus the travel cost it took to go and buy them . (unless you walked to the shop of course , in which case ide want compensation for my troubles) . : D 

Keep caring mate , that's exactly what I intend to do .

ANYBODY GOT A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM ?  

[John Paterson]

It would seem its a problem that no one wants to comment on, ''let sleeping dogs lie''  springs to mind!!

[Chris Newport]

Ruff Ruff ! : ) 

Yeh , well I suppose the problem is how can you badge something up as mod when other people keep doing the same with something that's not ?

If you had a plain tin and didn't know if it had beans or peas in it how would you find out without opening it ?

Argh ! Frustrating or what !

The only answer to it that I can think of is change the name . But then it would perhaps lose its own identity & how would any newcomers know where to look ?

Or would that be the true essence of mod (to keep ahead and evolving)?

AAAAAARRRGH ! Not much we can do about it eh .    >: ( 

[James Thomas]

I think hybrids are interesting.

I once knew a man who on Wednesday nights would ride his 1958 Lambretta down to a club where they played Ray Charles, Arthur Alexander, Muddy Waters and a little of the Small Faces on occasions too. On Saturdays though, he'd be down the batcave in his black leathers and cape swaying to the sounds of Nick Cave, Bauhaus, The Chameleons and Joy Division.

He could never decide if he was a moth or God.

[John Paterson]

Thats not a Hybrid, thats just playing dress ups!! Nowt to do with being a mod!!!

[James Thomas]

It was a joke.

perhaps not a good one, but a joke nonetheless. In my mod world, there is always room for humour.

[John Paterson]

LOL, if it works for you it aint a bad thing!!