Mod Revival
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| Mod Revival | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins: | Mod, punk rock, Ska, Northern soul |
| Cultural origins: | mid-late 1970s, London & South East England |
| Typical instruments: | Guitar - Bass - Drums - Some brass |
| Mainstream popularity: | Mainly late 1970s-early 1980s, with some continuing interest |
| Derivative forms: | Big influence on Britpop, British Ska revival |
| Regional scenes | |
| London, "Home Counties", pockets in northern England, e.g. Huddersfield | |
| Other topics | |
| Timeline of punk rock | |
The Mod Revival, also known as Punk Mod (or Mod Punk), was a music genre and subculture in the late 1970s and early 1980s, mainly centred in South England.
Contents |
[edit] Overview and history
Largely spurred on by The Jam, who were the biggest band of the genre — and the film Quadrophenia, which romanticised the original 1960s mods — the revival took its energy from the punk rock and new wave music of the time. It also took inspiration from 1960s mod bands such as The Who and The Small Faces. Its mainstream popularity was relatively short, and it has been criticised for lack of originality, however its influence has lasted for decades. The movement post-dated a Teddy Boy revival, and mod revivalists sometimes physically clashed with Teddy Boys, and with skinheads (a successor of Mods), casuals and punk rockers.
Like their 1960s mod predecessors, revival bands were often self-consciously British (i.e. using Union Jack flags and the Royal Air Force roundel) and were from working class backgrounds (or aimed to appear so). Bands associated with the mod revival include The Chords, The Purple Hearts, The Merton Parkas, Secret Affair, The Lambrettas, and The Scene. In Northern England, the Huddersfield band The Killermeters produced the anthem SX 225, and formed the nucleus of a small local mod revival scene.
In the early and mid 1980s, a scene closely linked to the original mod ethics grew up around the Shepherds Bush nightclub Sneakers, run by Paul Hallam and Richard "Shirley" Early. The club encouraged rare Rhythm and Blues and soul music, as well as smart tailormade clothing. Another main player at the time was soon-to-be Acid Jazz creator Eddie Piller. Beyond London, the mod revival ignited interest in the original 1960s mod movement on a UK-wide basis, with most cities in Britain having a mod scene to some degree.
A range of styles and tastes (both music- and fashion-wise) became apparent, with some revival mods interested in live performances by bands such as The Truth and Makin' Time. Others turned to the Northern Soul scene, which underwent a change of pace in the mid 1980s; with slower, RnB-style records becoming popular at allnighters such as Top Of The World in Stafford or at the 100 Club in London. Some Mods went psychedelic and got into rare UK and United States garage rock music (partly sparked by the re-issuing of works by bands such as The Action and The Creation). Many mods joined the scooterist scene, which led to the scooterboy phenomenon of the 1980s. Many mods enjoyed a mixture of these styles, although some renounced any previous involvement with the mod subculture, particularly the scooterboys.
[edit] Differences from 1960s Mods
Although there were notable exceptions, there were some general differences betweed the mod revival and the original mod movement:
- Whereas the original mods looked forward (although maintaining nostalgia for British cultural icons), the mod revival was a conscious effort to harken back to an earlier generation.
- The mod revival had strong punk rock and new wave music influence, noticeable in a quicker tempo and more aggressive attitude. Another influence was pub rock, a direct precursor of punk, which was popular in many of the areas of England that the mod revival was later found.
- Many involved in the mod revival wore less peacockish, colourful, and dandified clothing. This was noticeable in some audience members, who preferred the jeans and Fred Perry tennis shirt look to tailormade suits (often due to financial constraints).
[edit] Mod revival influence
- The mod revival had some crossover with Two Tone and ska revival movements of the late 1970s and early 1980s, best known for bands such The Specials, The Beat, The Selecter, and Madness. Often these bands wore mod-like clothes, and their roots in black music paralleled that of the original mods.
- Although not strictly a mod revival band, The Vapors, were often seen as allied with it, and were championed by Bruce Foxton of the Jam.
- Mod revival members such as Paul Weller formed The Style Council, a mid-1980s soul-influenced band.
- The 1990s Britpop movement was influenced by the mod revival, both in music and fashion.
- Contemporary bands such as The Ordinary Boys take much of their inspiration from the mod revival.
[edit] Notable mod revival bands
- The Jam
- The Merton Parkas
- Secret Affair
- The Scene
- The Chords
- The Lambrettas
- The Killermeters
- Back to Zero
- Purple Hearts
- The Sets (Australia)
[edit] Mid-1980s mod revival bands
- The Gents
- Makin' Time
- The Risk
- The Moment
- The JetSet
- The Threads
- The Inclyned
[edit] External links
- The ModPopPunk Archives Information and sound samples
- Mod Revival Information, photos and forum
- Mod-ernworld Information and photos
- Mod Radio UK Online mod radio (1960s & revival)
- The 1979 Mod Revival Article by Garry Bushell
| Punk rock |
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