Lack of Interaction!

[John Paterson]

It seems to me and others of my ilke that not enough interaction happens on this wonderful site that people have put so much into! We have the perfect mod forum here,but it seems to be full of watchers! The new untouchables is without doubt the number 1 mod forum out there today,and yet there seems to be a reluctance to participate in discuusion. Have your say and set the imagination free,we wont all like the same things and thats for sure but lets at least have a debate and exchange ideas!! If we dont then this site will only be a bulletin board!! Come on its worth much more than that, have your say and set the imagination free!!

[John Paterson]

Let us know whats on your mind,and share with the members!!

[Rob Bailey]

Hi John, Well said mister it's been a struggle on here the last couple of years to get people involved but it's slowly turning around and with major changes coming to facebook it will become more important.

What would you and others like to see more of on here?

Best Rob 

[John Paterson]

More interaction rob,and u guys have a done a sterling job. Its now up to US members to run with it,there's lots to speak about and i'll do all i can! Thee top site deserves more!!  :-)

[John Paterson]

Dont let it go begging...its here and now!!

[James Thomas]

I agree. I'm new to this site, but would like to discuss ideas etc. I'm particularly interested in how Mods/Beats/proto-Mods have been represented in British fiction (from Absolute Beginners onwards). Are there many good books/articles/anthologies about this subject?

[Rob Bailey]

Morning James, It's a bit of a mixed bag the authors who are from the scene normally do a good job.

Some good books I can recommend include.

The Influential Factor- Graham Lentz

I'm One- 21st Century Mods

Mod a Very British phenomenom- Terry Rawlings

Cheers Rob  

[James Thomas]

Morning Rob,

Thanks v. much for that, I'll investigate further. Thinking about ideas for a blog about 60s British novels/short stories that include Mods or are set in the same cultural world.

Cheers, James

[Rob Bailey]

Great idea James feel free to add what you want on here that is related and relevant, Best Rob

[John Paterson]

Chris, we may have to scrap this discussion very soon! Coz soon there wont be a lack of interaction!!   LOL

[James Thomas]

Thanks Chris,  for further references and supportive comments. I was impressed by Terry Rawlings' book which I was studying yesterday. I learned a lot of new things, especially about how some of the origins of the scene were in the London Art Colleges like St Martins. I am very interested in the interaction between mod and beatnik, perhaps partly because of my love of jazz. I'd love to hear more first-hand anecdotes about that period, and it would be interesting to know if any mods, despite not liking the more trad, jumpery aesthetic, may have gone on any of the CND marches...

On another point, I have always wondered about that mid- to late- 80s period, when mod seemed to be going through a bit of a barren phase in the UK. I remember seeing a lot of 60s-dressed young people (particularly young women) around in about 1987, but they tended to be into the indie pop music scene, enjoying bands who were influenced by a mixture of The Byrds, Velvet Underground and punk bands like the Buzzcocks. Could this partly explain why the mod scene was quite low key around then? There were some bands on that scene that were inspired by mod (Biff Bang Pow!, The Dentists, The Times, TV Personalities), but I've never really found out if mods used to like those groups or not. Does anyone out there know if there was a mod/indie pop crossover around 1987, perhaps in Scotland??

I also read an old chapter by Dick Hebdige in a book about subcultures, which got me thinking...not sure what to make of it, but it raised some interesting points.

[John Paterson]

James, the mod scene both past and present was never straight line so hence should give you a fair amount of scope when compiling your blog of stories etc!! Do your homework and people will always join in mate! Best of luck with that!!!  :-)

[James Thomas]

Thank you John, for your comments. Yes, I will do my research before my first blog post, though I hope to get something written in a couple of weeks time, as I've got an idea for something that I stumbled across yesterday. Best wishes!