Darron J Connett

To hear
Darron J
klick here!!!

Darron J. Connett is a name you'll soon find hard to forget. One of Shepherds Bush's finest, he's not just another fresh faced wannabe off West London's conveyor belt of music. He's real. A musician of depth, integrity and immense talent. And to cap it off, he's a top bloke.

He was given his first development deal with Savage Records at the tender age of 16. When most boys were more interested in football and porn mags, Darron spent most of his time locked in a studio learning vocal techniques under the expertise of Steve Roberts, former Bass-O-Matic singer/song writer (Fascinating Rhythm, No.9, 1990). As Darron matured, so did his music, he served his apprenticeship as the front man for various bands gigging and writing throughout the '90s, before finally quitting to go solo in 2001. He joined forces with producers and brothers Mat and Ville from the much hyped band, Snow Dogs.

The result? A collection of tracks that scream "hit".
Darron J Connett has that special "something"
and its time to unleash it on the world.

With his varied and eclectic influences from luminary artists like Paul Weller, John Holt, Oasis, Small Faces, The Kinks and Elvis, teamed with a killer look that compliments his music, its no wonder Darron's star is on the ascent. His effortless style has already caught the eye of Milan based fashion agency RA-RE (www.ra-re.it) who have signed him as a model and the face of their 2004/05 range.

Other recent projects have also seen Darron providing the music for restaurateur Antonio Carluccio's promotional video. Currently recording in Atomic Studios, London Darron is busy adding to his catalogue of edgy Indie tunes. And with recent acclaim from BBC London presenter Gary Crowley, and ex-NME/ Melody Maker journalist Paolo Hewitt, who described 'Early in the Morning' as "Obvious Single material," 2005 sets to be the year for Darron J Connett.

Taken from: http://www.darronjconnett.co.uk/25859.html

Freebooting Profiteers - retro futurists

To hear
Freebooting Profiteers
just click here!!!

Freebooting Profiteers
are a new powerpop beat group
ransacking the waves of rock’n’roll...

Freebooting Profiteers Are a Revival of the Past, Arising out of the ashes of West Yorkshire mod/garage rock combo (Thee Mighty) Uptight, Jonny Magus and Travis McDougal have formed a new band power pop pioneers Freebooting Profiteers. Taking the best bits of Britpop, Mod Revival, the Jam, the Kinks, 60’s garage rock and punk, then mixing them up into something new, the Freebooting Profiteers are their own 21st century Britpop Mod Revival. In the short span of their EP, Lame in the Brain the band manage to compress thirty odd years of musical lineage into six fantastically enduring songs.

Lame in the Brain has enough jangly guitars, soaring harmonies, power chords, and candy coated la di da’s that the record should come with warning from the British Dental Association. The songs are sticky sweet concoctions and “Daydreaming,” “Mile End,” and “Lame in the Brain,” are like sticks of rock candy that last forever.

Lame in the Brain is a crackingly good and a heck of a throwback record that manages to blend the superlative elements of 60’s mod with 90’s Britpop. With their EP, Lame in the Brain, the Freebooting Profiteers have proven themselves worthy of earning the title of being one of the best unsigned bands in Britain. Hopefully they won’t remain unsigned very long.

Paul Zimmerman

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/

Little is known about this four piece so I’ve managed to locate their website and found that these guys hail from the Leeds/Wakefield kind of area and describe themselves as "a new red-hot rock’n’roll band, mixing it and having a real good time." Its quite obvious from the get go where their influences come from, you can hear The Jam, The Kinks and Mersey Beat in their music. I definitely detect a Paul Weller kinda feel too. The highlight of the set is their song called "Who Killed Nancy", which is an upbeat, almost punkish number which really stands out from the rest of the set. Definitely the best vocal performances of the night with wide ranging dynamics and spot on harmonies. Also this band seem to be enjoying themselves, the bassist running around his little area of the stage and the singer/guitarist making shapes and playing to the crowd. These guys are definitely here to entertain.

mistermonst3r for Urban Decay E-Zine http://www.udecay.co.uk/content.php?review.220

Lame In The Brain 8 Track Demo: Freebooting Profiteers have their first recording now available with the release of 6-track mini-album ‘Lame in The Brain’. The new CD contains the tracks Daydreaming, The Miner, Mile End, Yet Another Great Smile, Narcotic Splinters and Lame in The Brain. The tunes were recorded on Dave Fairbrother’s 8-track at his iPurple Sound Studio!. Dave is also famous for being the drummer in the magnificent mod beat combo The Lost 45s UK.


From the last newsletter from the Freebootin' boys:
We will be playing some juicy gigs over the next few months starting with a date at Leeds Metropolitan University on Sunday 25th September. In the same week, we’re playing The Soulbowl at the Citrus Rooms in Barnsely on Friday 30th September. This event has DJs spinning northern soul/mod/ska/indie tunes as well as two live bands. We’ll be in support of the awesome ‘The Stabilisers’. ‘The Stabilisers’ feature Allan Crockford formerly of The Prisoners, James Taylor Quartet, The Solarflares and Billy Childish's Headcoats, this is definitely a gig to check out. On Friday 7th October we’re venturing out to Birmingham, to play a mod/indie night called The Melting Pot @ The Boiler Room. This event features two live acts as well as top DJs spinning cool tunes over two rooms. At the end of October we’ll be playing another Mod/Britpop night at The Mixing Tin in Leeds, again featuring great DJs with live music by ourselves and the magnificent Lost 45s UK. As you can tell this a is scorching run of gigs, but at the beginning of November we’ll be playing at the massive Hemsby Winter Warm-up Scooter Rally which has ‘The Undertones’ and northern soul legend ‘Dean Parrish’ in performance. We should be playing on Saturday the 5th of November, Bonfire night. This looks like it could be a very cool gig. If folk are available, come down and support Freebooting Profiteers at one of these gigs.

Taken from:
http://www.myspace.com/freebootingprofiteers

Freebootin' homesite:
http://www.freebooting-profiteers.co.uk/

the Dead 60's

The Dead 60s - a razor-sharp four-piece composed of singer and guitarist Matt McManamon, organist and guitarist Ben Gordon, bassist Charlie Turner, and drummer Bryan Johnson - are a return to the original British punk distillation combining garage rock urgency, skanking rhythms, shouted choruses, and romper stomper energy. Drawing its name from a decade of sonic inspiration, The Dead 60s knows its musical history and how to deliver it to a new generation of punk enthusiasts. "The whole point of the name is that it means we're into the '60s but at the same time that it's over, history. We're more interested in the future…" explains Turner.

While The Dead 60s didn't officially exist until a mere two years ago, its constituents have been collaborating in various configurations for nearly a decade. McManamon and Turner met and began writing songs together at the tender age of 11; similarly, Gordon and Johnson started playing together in their early teens. Simultaneously captivated by his father's Beatles records and the Irish folk heroes favored by his mother (especially Christy Moore and Shane McGowan), Matt began writing lyrics and playing guitar after a single impromptu lesson from his uncle. Schoolmate Charlie grew up listening to heavy doses of punk and dub, and honed his skills on the guitar before switching to bass. The son of a piano teacher, Ben studied piano and guitar before his taste for reggae-tinged punk acts like The Slits and PiL led him to the organ. After much early exposure to soul and rock steady, Bryan gravitated toward drums at the age of 13 and has remained behind the kit ever since.

Ironically, what brought the four punk enthusiasts together was their determination to stay beyond the fringe of the local music scene. "Yeah, we're different," explains Turner, "but you know what? That's exactly what people need to hear right now. Something to freshen them up, a new sound with a new feeling, and that's what we are. That's what The Dead 60s are here for." Longtime acquaintances after having spent the bulk of their formative years playing the same local venues, McManamon and Turner finally joined forces with Gordon and Johnson in early 2003. The band members' shared enthusiasm for herky-jerky punk funkers Talking Heads and dub pioneer King Tubby ensured that their output would differ radically from the neo-psychedelia that had come to be associated with the region. While the band remains expressly unpolitical in their lyrical content ("Politics are best left to politicians," quips Johnson), song titles like "Loaded Gun" and "You're Not The Law" evoke the graffiti-esque sloganeering of the late 1970s. Intensive rehearsals and songwriting sessions in a South Liverpool garage yielded a highly original batch of signature material: driving pop crossed with thrashing punk; razor-sharp skank over bouncing hip hop grooves; spooky horrorcore ska morphing into throbbing layers of spacey, echoing dub. "We all have short attention spans and don't like sticking to one specific sound or style," admits Ben. Despite the experimental nature of the band's approach to songwriting, The Dead 60s were able to lock onto a highly accessible sound that immediately appealed to everyone from punk fanatics to reggae enthusiasts throughout their native UK. "What we do is more of a dance thing," explains Charlie. "It's not something that's totally new to people. It's good head-nodding music."

Within less than a year of their inception, the buzz surrounding The Dead 60s was deafening. In spite of a relentless tour schedule, the band somehow found the time to hole up in Liverpool's The Ranch studio and record their debut album, out May 31, with mystery producer Central Nervous System. The result is an exhilarating, all-out aural assault that will leave listeners hot, sweaty, and screaming for more. The album's first single, "Riot Radio," is a furiously infectious dance track replete with snarling vocals courtesy of McManamon, wailing sirens, and a percussive guitar line that hits you like a round from a semiautomatic weapon. The Dead 60s are clearly a band determined to come at their music from a unique angle and have rapidly found a receptive audience on their travels around the UK and the U.S.

taken from: http://www.thedead60s.net/

Here's what the British press has to say, so far!

"Rally the troops, shout it from the rafters and tell your mum you won't be home for tea - the time is now. Yes, brothers and sisters, the long-awaited ska revival is upon us... Think The Specials, Lee 'Scratch' Perry and The Clash - the good shit." - NME on "Riot Radio"

"...The Dead 60s sound is taut and powerful. They are awesomely tight. Songs don't so much end, as surge into each other with startling shifts in mood and tempo: from cavernous club dub, to the ska of forthcoming single, 'Riot Radio,' to the ferocious and energizing take on the early 1980's punk-funk favored by Franz Ferdinand." - The Guardian

"Infectious ska punk replete with sharp teeth and steel-capped dancing shoes." - Q Magazine

"Forcefully direct bursts of pop urgency.... a gangbusting four-piece channelling the spirits of The Clash and The Specials" - Mojo

THE DEAD 60S MAKE THEIR U.S. DEBUT
WITH SELF-TITLED ALBUM OUT NOW!

Coming off an extremely successful 2004 where they toured with The Thrills, Morrissey and Kasabian, The Dead 60s have gained critical acclaim for their UK hit single, "Riot Radio," which went to U.S. radio April 19.

Hailing from Liverpool, The Dead 60s sound nothing like anything the city has ever produced. Putting classic songwriting aside, this foursome brings wired-up punk energy, super heavy reggae grooves and booming dub echoes to the forefront. The Dead 60s have always been determined to stay totally separate from the insular music scene around them. "We want to make a social comment," says bassist Charlie Turner. "Our songs should be graffitied on every wall in the country. We're interested in sloganeering, not interested in proper songwriting in the conventional sense."

The Dead 60s - Matt McManamon (vocals/guitars), Charlie Turner (bass), Ben Gordon (guitar/organ) and Bryan Johnson (drums) - have been honing their radical assault since early 2003. Previously only released as singles in the UK under the Deltasonic label, the bands first full-length studio album was produced by Central Nervous System at The Ranch in Liverpool. For more information on The Dead 60s, visit their official site at thedead60s.com.

The Dead 60s Finished A Headline Tour In The UK
in March And they wrote about their adventures
at thedead60s.com. Read about it!

Doll Squad

To hear
Doll Squad
click here!!!

A bevy of beautiful women, each one in a mini-skirt, each one with a deadly weapon, band together to form a rock 'n' roll Dollsquad. Cool?....They're positively sub polar man!

Julie: A very tall strawberry redhead who moonlights as a show-girl at "the electric orange peel". This mini-skirted man-trap is the grooviest private eye in the business. "When teamed up with an electric guitar she will blow your mind!"

Joey: A very tall bitchin' brunette with a knack for trouble and "a voice like a velvet glove cast in iron". An undercover chanteuse, this hellcat has a sway for go-go dancing and asphyxiation with microphone chords while applying her lipstick at the same time!

Janet: A tall raven-haired superchick who had to tender her resignation as an air-hostess because even the automatic pilot made a pass at her. She doubles as a kung-fu instructor by day and a double naught spy by night. "This AAA grade girl-bomb will shell-shock you with her explosive bass guitar!"

Claire: A petite but lethal blonde bombshell and a vivacious vixen with many talents. The most happening time-keeper ever created, Claire doubles as a laboratory scientist who keeps Dollsquad well into the retro-colour sounds of the swinging sixties. "She can paralyze you with insatiable lust by her pounding drumbeats and her dream girl smiles".

taken from the the doll Squad site:
http://www.geocities.com/dollsquad_rock/index.html

DOLLSQUAD REVIEWS

Melbourne's very own secret agents of groovin', Dollsquad are a blend of garage rock, 50's girl pop and 60's biker chick flicks. I am well impressed and I want these gals at my next birthday to fill the room with vibes the size of Russ Meyer flavoured D-Cups. You hip yet? Dollsquad are gonna give those Gore Gore Girls a run for their cash. I am diggin' big time...Bust this: These gals even have their own action figures! Gimme! Gimme!... and tell 'em I sent ya. Ted V.Mikels would be proud.

Damo, Issue #11 of Long Gone Loser
- Australia, July 2005

"60's girl group superheros, Dollsquad, shake it up with some good powerful femme vocals. Fun stuff. Best prefer the fast tracks to Baby Doll...

http://www.x2rr.com/june_2005_reviews.htm June 2005

DollSquad are from Australia and combine a 70's powerpop wallop with a penchant for the sixties. These 4 songs offer respite to anyone with a shine toward the girl group genre in general. Dollsquad swing in a most agreeable fashion and this niftily art-directed CD-EP sets the stage for a full length release, hopefully later in 2005. They should do a short 10" vinyl run of this in the meantime to stoke the fire. Enquire about the Dollsquad action figures while yer at it.

Lindsay Hutton The Next Big Thing
http://nextbigthing.blogspot.com/ -July 2005

"Excellent powerpop garagerock with a 60s girlgroup flavor, I dig, baby, I dig! The stomping "In The Meantime" is sure to get any party going into a dance frenzy, mucho radio potential (in a perfect world)..."Roll With You" and "Boy From Germany" pick up the beat with a vengeance. Kinda if The Runaways met Nikki & The Corvettes at a Crystals show. If Phil Spector beats the murder rap on killing Barbarian Queen Lana Clarkson (I doubt it), his first job should be producing these Aussie ladies. Just make him leave the gun outside, okay?

Jens. Lowcut ish 25, Denmark -June 2005 (also online @ http://www.lowcut.dk/025_lc/reviews/index.asp)

"Hot babes in knee-high boots playing guitar? What's not to like? Tasty 60s garage punk from these Melbourne lushbuckets"

Betty Paginated Website
http://www.bettypaginated.blogspot.com/ May 2005

"Straight up 60's garage rock from an all female group that knows their ways around their instruments. These groovy pussycats from Melbourne Australia shake their sexy tails, dig their melodic claws in and never let go. Not that you'd want them to"

Christopher Curry. MK Magazine
- USA May 2005

"...Musically falling somewhere between Nuggets-styled garage rock and CBGB's mid-70's rock and roll side (think Heartbreakers), Dollsquad are four ladies who got it goin' on. Although only a 4-song EP Dollsquad make the most of every note here and deliver with a whole lotta attitude. Okay, "retro with attitude" will likely make you think of The Hives or something. Well, Dollsquad are quite a bit more sincere than that....meaning that throwing out "yeah man!" every other line isn't what they're about. They bow down to Detroit in the supercharged "Roll With You", dare to say the "Boy From Germany" is the coolest guy in town, and their "In The Meantime" is way more fun than that song by Helmet of the same name. Fun's a big part of Dollsquad, clearly, but their musical muscle impresses quite a bit. Drummer Clare pounds the skins like a woman possessed and guitarist Julie sounds schooled in the Thunders-style of meshing punk rock with its more traditional roots. Add that to bassist Janet's big sound (uh, I think I have a crush on her) and vocalist Joey's tough-girl voice and you've got a whole lotta danger. A good kind of danger"

Claudio Sossi. Bumpershot Magazine
- Canada May 2005

"This EP title pretty much nails the vibe. Chix with axes, attitude, hot riffs, licks and chops live n direct from Go-Go town"

Aaron Cumbersome. Cumbersome Record Store
- Australia May 2005

"...DollSquad appear to be growing much more confident as a live act, with the band sounding noticeably tighter...Guitarist Julie is becoming increasingly more aggressive and assured in her playing...and lead singer Joey Backseat commanded the stage with her usual serpentine grace...Janet's bass lines are as chunky and competent as ever, while Clare Moore's usual display of powerhouse drumming showed yet again why she is such an integral part of the band's sound...One gets the feeling the DollSquad roller coaster may have only just begun"

John Harrison. Beat Magazine
- Australia May 2005

"Four track EP from this much loved all gal garage band from Melbourne. With a love for groups like The Stems, Standells and The Pandoras and a keen sense of 60's style, the Doll Squad are a scene..."

Sanity Music / Reverberation,
-Australia May 2005

"Phew!! Great new 4-track CDEP by this Australian all girl band! Imagine a Russ Meyer movie theme as played by today's girls outta the garage! Dressed up in sharp 60's dresses these girls are ready to conquer the planet of theee apes..."

Lutz Raeuber. Soundflat Mailorder,
-Germany April 2005

"These girls look fab! The sound is definitely more power-pop than average 60's garage"

Massimo. Misty Lane Magazine,
-Italy April 2005

"One of the most distinctive, original and exciting bands to come out of Melbourne in a long while, DollSquad are a gorgeous group of talented glamour gals who play a unique brand of 1960's influenced guitar based garage pop with distinctive punk overtones..."

John Harrison. FilmInk
- Australia April 2005

"...garage rock n roll complete with all the harmonious shoop bop bop's you could ever ask for!...and did I mention they are a shit load more original than...." 83 out of 100

Pete Pee. Peezine
- Australia April 2005

"...DollSquad from Australia a stylish all-girl four-piece playing sweet doo-punk-pop. They have a sultry, shakin' sound as well as a punky sound and their roots are very deeply embedded in the music and the look of the 1960's.... I highly recommend the well designed ep to every fan of sixties girl-pop" 8 out of 10

Joachim Hiller. Ox Fanzine
- Germany April 2005

"...They play some very nifty and attractive garage r 'n' r which brings to mind The Gore Gore Girls for instance, competent and catchy. Lead track "In the Meantime" is as catchy and instantly likeable as anything of its ilk you'll ever hear whilst 'Baby Doll' is a slow burner..."

Paul Martin. Shindig!
- England April 2005

"Any band with their own super cool action figures is alright by me...plus Joey Backseat has the best snotty twang since Ronnie Spector..."

Clem Bastow. Inpress
- Australia March 2005

"...they flaunt Buzzcockian kicks, Shangri-Las vocal shimmers, hot urge and a sassy pride Bikini Kill would kill for..."

Shane Moritz. Beat Magazine
- Australia March 2005

"...Their music is great. Garage pop with a squirt of punk. Sounds more Runaways than The Go-Gos - more Detroit Cobras than the Del Monas..."

Mike Korbik. Guitars Galore
- Germany March 2005

"...There's almost as much pop history packed into the four tracks here than the whole series of 'Walk On By' and it's played with gusto, finesse and spirit...Like The Crystals on a Harley or The Shirelles with a rock heart...it's hip to be retro when you do it your own way..."

The Barman. i94 Bar
- Australia March 2005

"You seldom see such a well designed release where the image and the sounds suit each other so well: the four Melbourne girls love their mini skirts and go-go boots as well as their 'B52s' haircuts and play brilliant 60's pop with a garage touch which also reminisces to the mod sound... It's as if the Shangri - Las played the Mods May Day in 1979 at the London Bridgehouse...Awesome. Our record of the issue!"

Sir Paulchen. Moloko Plus
- Germany 25/3/05

Taken from:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dollsquad

a short chat online with Wardy of the Tides

The members in the band are all into the scene. Myself, Wardy ( frontman ) and SiMoD ( bass ) have got Vespa's, Jonus ( drums ) and Gav ( guitar ) would like one.


A few inspirations past + present are:- The Who, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Jam, Secret Affair, The Kaizer cheifs, The Killers and a whole lot more.
Acts we are favouring at the moment are, The kaizer cheifs and The killers also The ordinary boys are good.
The MoD scene at the moment isnt great in south wales. We have a few scooter clubs and we do go out for ride outs when the suns out. We dont have places for mods togo to in the evening, exept our gigs.
We define a mod by the way he looks, dances, dresses and whether or not he has a scooter. Your not 100% Mod without one.
Quadrophenia made us become sharp ones if im being honest but now its about the whole tag that comes with being a mod, I mean its something different isn't it?
Our favorite assesories has to be Our Vespa's as my personal vespa is a 1961 GL, and SiMoD's a Px 210 mallossi. Fav. Clothing is probably our shirts/ T-shirts that we wear. You have to try and be cool.
As a MoD related band the most important thing is Style and clothes. As long as we look right we're happy. The Music speaks for itself.
Scootering is important, as anyone will tell you, without one your the same as every other normal person. As soon as your riding a lambretta/Vespa your on a different planet.
Two films everyone should watch are Quadrophenia and anything that Jim Carrey's in.

Regards Wardy From The Tides.
exclusive for ModModBlog
visit the Tides at:
http://www.thetidesonline.com

the Itch / accrington england

to hear
the Itch
click here!!!


Easter '92 - Brothers David and Colin Benmore decide to form a band. They enlist friends Pat Gallagher (lead vocals) and Mark Griffiths (bass) and the Technical Itch was born. June '93 saw heir first gig in a pub in Burnley - a few months later a three track demo of original material was produced. 12th June '94 - After taking a shine to the demo Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69 booked them to support him at The Mill in Preston. July '94 - Jimmy Pursey invited the guys to his studio to record a new track 'Wigan To Brighton.' This track was later to be Reproduced by Rex Seargent(producer of some of New Order's tracks). September '95 - A deal was struck with Detour records and 'Wigan To Brighton' was released under the bands new name 'The Itch.' It became radio 1's John Peel favourite so much so rang Dave the bands drummer to say how much he liked it. May '97 sees the release of their debut album - Avenue Parade on Detour records. Friday 2nd January '98 - The Itch headline at The 100 club, London and were joined on stage by Chris Pope(of The Chords, fame). Feb '99 Chris Pope produced a couple of demo tracks for the band. The Itch did a remake of Secret Affair's - Time for Action (with Ian Page on keyboards and adding some vocals) and release it own their own record label 'Mod Inc'. April '99 - Ian Page joins The Itch again for the launch of the single and performs Time for Action' with them in front of a sell out crowd at Rishton, Lancs. 2000 - The Itch perform at Mods Mayday event in Clacton and at Isle of Wight scooter fesival. But when singer Pat Gallagher decided to call it a day just over 3/4 years ago the band's future hung in the balance. After and unsuccessful search for a replacement bassist Mark Griffiths took on the extra duties, giving the outfit a new lease of life. Still popular on the live circuit the band returned to the studios earlier last year with Ian Page (of Secret Affair fame) assisting on production to record a new single 'Kiss You' written by the band. With a 'B' side still to be recorded, due to the bands heavy schedule of live dates and trying to get Ian Page away from his band duties to perform at the mixing desk once more. Over the past few years The itch have supported the likes of:- Stiff Little Fingers afew times, Sham 69, Bad Manners, The Affair (ex-Secret Affair), Buzzcocks, Steve Diggle band(ex-Buzzcocks) and Edwin Starr to name a few.

Taken from:http://www.myspace.com/theitchaccringtonengland

After a hugely successful 13 years of being one of Lancashire's best known live bands and now as a three-piece, the Itch have just been approached by Ian Page from Secret Affair to record a new three-track single "KISS YOU" with "Biff bang pow" records later this summer. Earlier this year they supported the Buzcocks at King Georges hall in Blackburn and went down a storm at Darwen Music festival along side other bands including Spear of Destiny. The band are also in the working on on some great new original material which will hopefully be ready later this year.

Over the past 13 years the band have built up a large following of supporters who won't be disappointed when the new material is ready. Check out our news page to find out where The Itch are performing for 2005.

Taken from: http://www.theitch.biz/home.htm

the Marksmen

Marksmen, Not known as the creative centre of Norwich, with one pub, a convenience store and one hundred yards between them, Silver Hill is home to The Marksmen. Reputations from former bands led them to meet and in 2004 their individual styles and sounds came together and ideas and songs weren't far behind. What they produce is a combination of powerful vocals, frenetic organ playing, smooth funky bass lines and emphatic drumming, which is all brought together by perfectly timed guitar riffs. What will strike you is that all five elements of the band have equal importance in creating the music.

The band's effort, enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of playing live, creates an infectious party atmosphere. This has deservedly led to an ever-increasing loyal and passionate following! In January 2005, they completed their first set of recordings at Toerag Studios in London . The Marksmen have got an exciting summer ahead, which sees the release of this debut EP on Biff Bang Pow Records. The band are also looking forward to their heavy schedule of gigs, which will see them playing to many new audiences in venues around the country.

The band line up is as follows:
Graeme Hewitt - Lead Vocals
Marcus Nunn - Guitar
Dan Woodcock - Bass Guitar
Ade Lee - Drums
Giles Hewitt - Hammond

Taken from: http://www.biffbangpow.org.uk/

The opening track on their new single, “She Said”, is particularly effective. There’s feedback, Hammond and guitar. There’s a video of it as well, a group of stylish silhouettes in a marquee, which is worth watching. “Soul Rider” reminds you of the Doors, a little slower, more bluesy. “All This Time”, from “Shout” is also here. Then it gets going again with “Hang On”, another faster Hammond driven track.

taken from: http://sohostrut.co.uk/biff.html

the Bresslaws

To Hear
Bresslaws
click here!!!


The Bresslaws are a band based in the Medway Towns in Kent - the former playground of Thee Milkshakes and the Prisoners, and more recently The Buff Medways and The Solarflares. The Bresslaws sound owes a lot to the heritage of the Medway Garage bands but they add their own unique style to the genre.
“What sort of music do we play? We are a bunch of Mods playing in a Garage band. I think that is the best way of summing it up,” says lead vocalist Vic Bresslaw. “Or should I say a ‘Set' of Mods – definitely not a ‘Gaggle' though” he adds. “We are a five piece band playing the music that we love. We were brought up with the sounds of the Mod and Ska revival from 1979 onwards, and then the Medway Garage scene which took off in the early eighties and is in fact still going strong. The sixties are obviously a great influence on us, as with all Mods, and you can probably hear many influences within the sounds that we play.
So who are these Bresslaws? On lead vocals is Vic, bashing away on the skins is Spud Gun, plucking the bass strings is Doctor. Backing vocals and guitar is Stretch and the man with the magic fingers on the keyboard is Lofty. “The sound we hope has a raw live quality to it. We record our tracks, (with Jim Riley from Ranscombe studios at the controls) in two or three takes and we hope to get that down to one or two as we record the album on the occasional Saturdays once a month. “Why not record it in one go? Well, we have jobs, like the vast majority of people in bands, Saturday is a day that we are all available, when I haven't got to take a Wedding that is.” After scratching away at the surface, we were surprised to find that Vic Bresslaw was in fact a Medway Vicar, the Rev'd. Andy Harding.
So who are these Bresslaws really? “There's me, Andy Harding (Vic Bresslaw) on Vocals; Gav Davies (Stretch Bresslaw) founding member on Guitar and a former John Lennon in Beatles tribute band ‘the Bootles'; Tony Bailey (Lofty Bresslaw) former bass player of Mod Revivalists ‘The Heads' and well known local musician; Si Phillpotts (Spud Gun Bresslaw) skinhead drummer and stalwart of the Bristol indie scene of the 80's with ‘The Artisans' and ‘Sweet Georgie Brown' and Paul Fox (Doctor Bresslaw) on Bass and a leading light in the Isle of Sheppey scooter scene and if you have any scooter mechanical problems – he's cheap! Oh, and is your name anything to do with Bernard Bresslaw, the Carry On film legend? “Yes. It's our tribute to the great man. He gave so many people so much joy and laughter and he should never be forgotten.” I only arsk'd!

taken from: http://www.biffbangpow.org.uk/

The Bresslaws announce their presence to the world
with the promo "Captain Fantastic" EP.

The Bresslaws are an outstanding garage band. The sound is reminiscent of the classic 80's Medway sound of Thee Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars and the mighty Prisoners, yet it manages to remain fresh. The songs are simplistic melodies and are easy to sing-a-long with from the first listen.

"Captain Fantastic" is an almost perfect booty-shakin' song. "Moonlit Night" shows a sensitive side not evident in most bands in the genre. "Backfist Baby" has a harder edge that brings visions of later era Jam or more melodic Clash. Look for great things coming soon from The Bresslaws! They have just been signed to Biff Bang Pow records, and will be releasing Captain Fantastic commercially in July.

Captain Fantastic, indeed!

© Ryan Richardson 2005
Taken from: http://hammondbeat.com/

van Courtland Rangers - are go

Formed on the 25th Anniversary of Britain's Mod Revival, the Van Courtland Rangers are taking Pete Meaden's motto, "Clean living under difficult circumstances", to heart. After years of heartbreak and disillusionment in the underground, the members of the Rangers have taken it upon themselves to spread the gospel of hope. The sound is a glorious amalgam of early 60's pop and late '70's punk, with liberal doses of surf and Jamaican rock-steady. Their sordid tales of modern life are set against euphoric pop melodies and driving rhythms, a perfect balance of yesterday and tomorrow.

Psst! Wanna download some free music? We now have seven songs for you.Visit our mp3 page (click here) and hear your favourites:

Taken from: http://www.vancourtlandrangers.com/

A short chat with Ash of
van Courtland Rangers

· Tell me just shortly ‘bout the members… who are van Courtland Rangers?

The band is me, ash wednesday, vocals. Ken Insipid, bass, Rupert Pirrahna, guitars and Ernie Goodguy, drums. Ken and i have been playing in Vancouver bands for about 15 years. The problem was that nobody really saw the world the same way as we did. Because of my voice most of the bands i played in were harder punk bands. I'd show up at a gig in my suit and parka, get up on stage and belt out these punk tunes then go home and listen to reggae and ska. Finally, i called Ken, who was in the same situation and just said,"Let's start the band we should have been in all along." We went through a ton of members trying to find the right guys.

· Name a couple of your main inspiration sorces, Any particulary influences?

Our idea was to play the music we love. Our influences are mostly '79 era revival bands and the early punk bands like Gen-X. Ken is a sucker for sweet, bubblegum pop songs and Motown...me too. We love the Kinks, early Stones and a lot of the '60's Northwest garage bands like the Sonics.

· How are the modscene in your area?

Once we started the band we thought there'd be no audience at all for our music, BUT, at the same time we were getting it together about 4 other bands were forming in town with similiar ideas. The Parrallels, the Abbott St. Racket, the Tranzmitors, the Outs, the Invaders and a couple others. So, suddenly we found ourselves in the middle of a really vibrant, supportive scene.

· How would you defind a Mod?

A mod to me is someone who cares about themselves. Someone who's trying to broaden their perspective.

· Favorite assecoires/clothing… As far as my personal style, i like to wear suits and hats, look sharp. I work in Canada's poorest neighbourhood with homeless life long drug addicts. I used to live in this neighbourhood myself and through perserverance and a bit of good luck i was able to get out and improve my lot in life. Now i come back to this neighbourhood looking sharp everyday, as an outward expression of success and hope. My most important clothing articles are my parka and my hats. I see them as a flag of individuality.

· Music, style or clothes, whats most important for you as a modrelated band?

Music is the most important to me but without the look you're only half way there.

· A film or two one has to see… I just got a copy of the 5 minute documentary on the California mod scene, "MODS". it's pretty cool. www.400blows.com

*Best dressed men through time and space: Weller
*Best modsongs ol’ school: My Generation
*Best modsongs revival: Down in the Tubestation...
*Best modsongs today: Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
*The best modband ever: the JAM!
*Best ways to the artifical paradis: a strong back beat.

Thanks man, -ash-

Exclusive for Mod Mod World

the Moving Sounds - a perfection in action

The Moving Sounds was started as a trio back in year 2000, by bass guitarist Peter Rosén, drummer Per Wollbrand and guitarist Lars Nordin. The intention from the beginning was to play music inspired by the 60s, but not raw garage punk as a lot of other bands influenced by that great decade. Instead, the idea was to play music with more of a modflavour - a combination of sixties rhythm 'n' blues and soul or The Creation mixed with Booker T & The MG's.

Quite soon after the start Fredrik Forsman, previously in Babysnakes and Jim-Jams, joined on organ and Jonas Lindholm started handling the vocals. In August 2000, Staffan Flodmark replaced Lars Nordin as guitarist. Apart from playing at the Stockholm mod club Snap, The Moving Sounds were also invited to play at Lambretta Club Stockholm’s club Soul Cave – the crowd went wild and word about the band started to spread. This resulted in a number of other gigs. With Staffan joining they started to write their own material. After extensive performing, song writing and rehearsals it was time to put the new songs on tape. Together with engineer Thomas Johansson they recorded four songs in their own rehearsal studio, during a weekend in May 2001. These recordings resulted in a four-track vinyl EP – Perfection EP, released in October 2001 on their own label MSSC Records, in 500 hand numbered copies. The EP received rave reviews by The Uppers Organization, New Untouchables and others. The record is now practically sold out.

The year 2002 started out a bit slow for the band. The singer Jonas spent the first five months abroad, enjoying a round-the-world- vacation, leaving the rest of the guys rehearsing instrumentally. Fortunately The Moving Sounds were booked to play at the Italian 60's festival Beatfever in Verona. After adding two other gigs in northern Italy, the band went on a small but successful summer tour in July. During the following autumn they played in Gothenburg at Run 'n' race scooter meeting, Club Uppers in Stockholm, the Sundsvall Maximum Garage festival, Purple Weekend mod festival in Spain and Club Pigall in Oslo. In October they recorded three songs and in January 2003 they released a brand new single called Am I Good To You?

During 2003 The Moving Sounds performed at the 1st sinful mod weekend in Gothenburg Sweden. In June 2003, the band toured Germany, including gigs at the "Men from U.N.K.E.L. Mod Weekender" in Kassel and at Club Unique in Düsseldorf. The Moving Sounds also played together with De Stijl and Paris at a big one-off club night in Stockholm. The autumn was spent writing and rehearsing new songs. In November the band was invited to play at Club Beatbox in Stockholm.

Now it's 2004 and The Moving Sounds will release their first longplayer and in mid July they hit the road again for a small German/Italian tour...

(to be continued...)

Keep your eyes and ears open!

Members:
Jonas Lindholm - vocals and percussion; A supporter of Manchester City who discovered his singing abilities in the 6th grade, performing alone, in front of his music teacher. Jonas has played with several cover line-ups and played live all over town. He's been a member of The Moving Sounds since early 2000 or as they say, "when it started moving". He was asked to join by Lars Nordin who played guitar at the time. "We did a couple of numbers, and that was it". He loves of course 60s music but he's open minded and he always keeps an eye open for new exciting stuff.
Fredrik Forsman - organ; Fredrik has before joining The Moving Sounds played in various groups. Among them Baby Snakes and Jim-Jams. Once on a European tour he played with the Italian mod band Statuto at a gig in Milan. Fredrik's playing adds groove and coolness to the band's sound. The organ gives The Moving Sounds a richer spectra compared to similar bands without it, but of course someone has to play it. When Fredrik doesn't play he enjoys riding around on his Vespa P200E.
Per Wollbrand - drums; One of the founding members of The Moving Sounds. Played just as Peter in the band Baby Lemonade during the early nineties. He likes to sit high on his throne and is probably the most hard hitting drummer in the country :-). Per participates a lot in the song writing process not only providing the drums and percussion but also in the arranging phase. As everyone else in The Moving Sounds Per has a big interest in music and especially in the Velvet Underground which is according to Per the greatest pop group of all time. One of the best mod club he has visited is probably the Hipsters Club in San Diego, California.
Peter Rosén - bass;One of the founding members of The Moving Sounds. He started the band with Per and Lars Nordin because "there's no one around doing it, most of 60s influenced bands of today plays heavy garagerock". Before The Moving Sounds Peter played bass in a band called Baby Lemonade. Despite the love for the 60s and 60s music Peter really enjoys writing new stuff - as long it sounds good (read: as long as it sounds like a 60s-song). You can read an interview with Peter on the mod forum Uppers which will give you more details.
Staffan Flodmark - guitar and backing vocals; Staffan's career started out in the public music school's bossanova ensemble, Blue Sky. In his teens Staffan tried to play the bass in a band called The Vegetables. When guitarist Lars Nordin moved to Oslo, Staffan was asked to replace him and gladly joined. As a guitarist he prefers to keep things simple and claims that he ain't no virtuoso. In his temps libre he likes to watch Louis de Funes movies or maybe have a nice brew with his friends.

taken from: www.movingsounds.nu

Said about The Moving Sounds!

“One of Sweden's best kept secrets are coming back with their second release which follows their debut EP, Perfection. Our initial reaction is that the group is much stronger now. /…/ No Conversation is a great tune, which actually sounds very reminiscent of one of the better UK groups of the 90's, The Clique. /…/ Beatfever Boogaloo is a fuzz-laden update on what could have easily been a lost studio creation between Steve Marriott and Brian Auger. That's no small compliment, but completely deserved in this case. /…/ Friends, keep your eyes and ears on this band! “

Brian Poust, WWW.UPPERS.ORG

“The big stars of the night were The Moving Sounds from Stockholm. With hand clapping and the right poses, they really made Pipeline swing. During the song “The Sky” the whole dance floor looked like spastic Mick Jagger imitations.”

Review of the “Garage Party”
in Sundsvall in Swedish newspaper Dagbladet

“…when the organ/guitar attack starts, the crowd breaks out into unrestrained dancing. An exciting set of garage, soul and r’n’r. With a feeling not seen in years they skilfully mix own songs with new interpretations of non-destroyed covers. A triumph!”

LIVE POINT- Spettacoli a VERONA,
www.livepoint.it/newpoint_articolo.asp?art=303

“The five headed band from Stockholm seems to be an absolute must to see…”

mod-scene.de, www.mod-scene.de/ger/index.html

“…this ep is great with a distinctive american hammond fuelled fuzzed up garage-pop sound. all 4 tracks are winners. /…/ buy this record and we will do our best to bring them over to these shores for a show in 2002.”

The New Untouchables, www.newuntouchables.com

“This EP, the first recorded effort by Swedish beat combo The Moving Sounds, features four finely crafted snapshots of mod groove, centred around the feisty organ pyrotechnics of Fredrik Forsman. /…/ their undeniable musical ability and songwriting talent shows a lot of promise.“

Jesper Kern, WWW.UPPERS.ORG

“…another proof for the fine skills of this top notch band.”

Copasetic mailorder, www.copasetic.de

“Dressed up in sharp suits these 5 young lads bash out some groovy organ drenched Mod Freakbeat, which will make your hips swing!”

Soundflat, www.soundflat.de

“Killer new 4-track Big Boss Hammond blast from this smartly dressed Swedish quintet…”

Detour Records, www.detour-records.co.uk

“…Incl. "Beatfever Boogaloo", a great groovy Instrumental dance killer!!” “Cool Swedish Mod freakbeat con organo. /…/ Groovy!”

Butterfly Records, www.butterfly-records.com/default2.asp

“When I think of Mod I think of this band. They have the definitive Mod sound a perfect blend of classic and new.”

Another Face in the Crowd,

The Official American Mods Website, www.another-face.com

The Clamour - maximized, energized, uncompromised

Take a blender, throw in Collin on rhythm/ lead guitar, Michael on vocals, Chris (former Distraction) on rhythm/lead guitar, Jon on drums, and Ryan on bass. Add a lot of 60's flavour, and a sizeable collection of vintage guitars and amps, and you'll get a spicy little drink we like to call The Clamour!

Taken from: http://www.myspace.com/theclamour

The Clamour are a Mod/Garage/Amped up R&B band like Southern California has not seen in sometime. The Clamour is made up of ex-mastermind of The Distraction Chris Bradley and ex-members of The Phantom Surfers, The Fuzztones, and The Checkers, and some new kids to the scene that are going to knock your socks off! All I can say is ...People Get Ready NOW!

Taken from: http://www.unitysquadrecords.com/news.html

A short onlinechat with Michael

· Tell me just shortly ‘bout the members…
Well there’s me on vocals and harmonica (michael), theres jon on drums, ryan on bass, collin on his union jack sheraton guitar, and chris on usually his 330..

· Name a couple of your main inspiration sorces in the ol’ school and the modern world the 1979 revivals…
The main ones are the Rolling Stones and all those other great 60's British groups (The early Who, The Kinks,etc..etc.. etc..) and garage groups and then probably the Jam for the revival days..

· Are there any particulary acts from the new modscene you’re favorising?
Hmmm its really hard to say what people classify as mod.. New albums I've been listening to are the new Weller album, The Blue Van's Art of Rolling, etc.

· Whats your opinion on the new modscene in general?
I wish it could be like the 60's scene but I think thats asking too much..

· How are the modscene in your area?
Its decent.. I wish it was better and some more youngbloods would try to hold the torch... but hold it right you know...

· Do you got any plans to cross the pool and play in Europe?
Definitely... we really need a damn goood booking agent and publicist to get the word out over there and when we are there I think we are going to try and play as many free shows as possible and just rock the fuck out...

· How would you defind a Mod?
Its really hard to say.. The more you get older the more you realize how much you really don't know.. I think it could be something you were born with.. maybe a mod gene? hahah! I think the word changes all the time... I'm sure what people classified mod in like 1959 in its infancy was different then in the mid 60's at its height and even more different in 1974 when it was totally dead in England to the mainstream. Im sure the word even changed more post the revival and even post-Britpop era. So it continues to change.

· What made you become a sharp one?
Haha.. well I think its the mod gene... actually I really don't know.

· Favorite assecoires/clothing…
Well I used to be more into suits than I am now... Nowadays I'm really into turtle necks, suit jackets, and a nice pair of trousers with a scarf.

· Music, style or clothes, whats most important for you as a modrelated band?
Well.. I think the music is the most important... The other stuff just adds to it... Its like a sundae without a cherry on top.. its not complete with it all..

· Are scootering important?
To some of us. Actually Collin repairs scooters... Chris has one and I think Jon and Ryan may buy one soon.. I think I'll buy one soon enough...

· A film or two one has to see…
The Yardbirds scene in "Blow Up"..

Best dressed men through time and space
David Bowie in his mid 60's mod phase, Steve Marriot, Paul Weller.

The best modband ever
Small Faces

Best ways to the artifical paradis (pills, booze, music, girls… whatever)
All of the above..

exclusive for Mod Mod World

listen to the Clamour at: http://www.myspace.com/theclamour

The Clamour's debut EP is out now. Get it while it's hot. You can order directly from the label for $5 ppd: send well concealed cash or check to:

Unity Squad Records
PO BOX 1235
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
or paypal $5 to: gy88@mail.com

Interview: Collin Whitley

In the current world of pop princesses and nu-metal garbage plugging up the air waves and billboard charts, it's nice to see a decent band rise to the call and make music that's actually worth a listen. In the same vein as early Who and Small Faces, The Clamour are revving up audiences into a '60s R&B frenzy. Unlike their beloved British influences, The Clamour grace Southern California with their mod sounds, playing their way into their local fans' hearts. Collin Whitley, guitarist and co-founder of this novel band, was able to sit down and give me the recent scoop on what's happening in The Clamour's noisy world lately.

You guys focus mainly on 60's R&B music. What made you want to play that genre of music? I think the other guys in the band and I were fed up with seeing all the other groups around us in the local scene with nothing new to offer. It's not that we have anything new to offer either, but we have such a strong link with bands from the past. We want to recreate the music as a tribute.
What bands do you look up to most? I'd say probably mid '60s British R&B bands. White British groups imitating black solo artists. Stuff like The Rolling Stones, The Who and Small Faces.
Are you guys mostly influenced by British groups as opposed to bands from the US? Pretty much. We do like stuff on Motown and Stax Records, but it's really the British cover versions that we all love.
Is the band ever planning on going to England? We'd love to. I have been many times myself and I think it would be great if we could go over there and play some shows, but that's at least a year away at this point.
Why did you start playing guitar? Guitars are cool, that's why!
Where you ever interested in playing anything else? I played the drums for a little while unsuccessfully.
Are you guys planning on recording an album at all? Yeah! We want to go back into the studio in about six months, but the main thing right now is to just sell some singles and play a lot of shows.
Are you guys planning of playing outside of Southern California anytime soon? Yeah, hopefully soon. We're thinking about setting up a west coast tour this up coming fall; going down to San Diego and heading all the way up to Seattle and back, stopping at San Francisco and Santa Barbara amongst other cities. There are a couple people we've been talking with up north that want to put together some shows.
Are the age differences within the group a problem at all? I know Chris Bradley's around 30 and your drummer Jon's only 17. I think it adds interesting dynamics to the band because our youngest member, Jon, is 17 and the oldest was our bass player Chris Barfield, who is at least 36, but he quit a couple weeks ago. That leaves our other guitar player Chris Bradley who's 29; then Mike and I are both in the middle. I think it's interesting actually; it's not awkward at all for us to be hanging out, since we are all on the same length musically and confident enough with each other. It's not an issue at all.
Who's going to be your new bassist now that Chris Barfield has left? We're trying people out this week. We're unsure at the moment, but we'll find somebody. Chris likes the band, we're all good friends, but he's got too many other bands at the moment to give The Clamour all the time that we currently need.
How has the band changed over the years? We were really different a long time ago. It used to just be me, Jon, Mike, and this other guy Jim. I think it was a lot more relaxed back then and the songs were a lot looser. We would only have a couple original songs and the rest of our live sets were covers; we'd just play a loose Jam cover, things like this. As time went on, we started adding numbers, focused on song writing and really discovered we could do a lot on our own and expand. The more shows we played, the bigger our audience got and the more we had to keep up with demand. I remember seeing you guys play at a backyard party a while back; then you started playing at the Knitting Factory and all these places. It was really different. That backyard party was a horrible show! Everyone hated us!
I just remember some guy coming on stage and singing nonsense with you guys. I think that was some drugged out skinhead guy that came up and started to sing along and improve his own lyrics. I thought it was nice because that show sucked and it made it interesting at least.
What are your future goals for the band? Just getting our record out this month.
What's it called? "The Clamour". It's only a three-song single.

By Mor Fleisher 2005

Taken from: http://www.inabetterworld.com/

Punx In Parkas - compostmodernists

Punx In Parkas (P.I.P) are a spinoff from the alcoholromantic combo De Osaligas Kapell (chapell of the unholy)if you wanna see who they are and listen to mp3's with that band please be welcome to visit their homepage just click here! The two members that's involved in this project, Brandtosaurius: vocal and guitar Pebbles:guitar: organ and bass and their sidekick Dr Oh No:drums, sat in the studio one dark night together with a couple of whitvineboxes and a drummachine, suddenly they woke up and had made a recording of the ol' soulclassic "midnite hour" and on that way it was...

After that it just rolled on, an they decided to do a cd under the name Punx In Parkas - Totall Modness, with new versions of classical modnumber as My Generation, Makin' Time or Whatcha Gonna Do 'bout It... They still workin' on it, the tracks added to this page is nothing but raw mixes of their nightly adventures. but as long as there are enough vine involved they gonna keep trying 'til they got the record out, at the moment they thinkin' of put it out on their own label, but a couple of indielabels in Sweden are interested in doin' something with this futuristic modernists, so we'll see what the future have to give this unorthodox modband...

They guys are inspired by acts like ol' shool mod like artwoods, creation, act!on, small faces, the Who & the mod revival with band as Secret Affair, Chords, lambrettas, makin' time, the Jam, killermeters and the punx of course all the 1977 scen in general but sex pistols specially, and some avantgardists like Public image Ltd, Residents, suicide and Captain Beefheart... we could go on 4 ever here but that would be kinda boring...

Taken from: my space.com/punx in parkas

Roundabout - Maximum PowerPoP

to hear
Roundabout
click here!!!


Are you a fan of classic 60's R'n'B, and what is best in British Powerpop? Then you've come to the right place. Roundabout are by far the finest Mod band you are gonna to see in the South of England, if not further. Imagine a smoke filled basement bar in 6T's London, grooving to the sounds of the Yardbirds and the Small Faces. Well that's Roundabout. They roll like a steam train. You just don't get much better than this!

Roundabout - band history

Longer ago than they care to remember (1992-Ed), there was a band called Quiet Melon. Taking their name from the infamous Small Faces/Artwoods hybrid, they played raw 60's influenced garage and R'n'B. Sort of Prisoners/Creeps but without the keyboards!Band

members were :-
Rob Dady - Rhythm guitar
Lee Armitage - Vocals
Nigel Gwennap - Lead Guitar
Paul Doody - Bass
Hoppy - Drums

After blagging support slots with Glen Matlock (ex Sex Pistols), The Selecter and Doctor & the Medics, they were soon headlining themselves, and built up a loyal following. Like all line-ups though, it couldn't last. And anyway, The band couldn't keep up with Hoppy's drumming! Time for a change, and in came Kieron Battles on drums.A name change (for one gig only they were called Decembers Children) and couple of demo's were released, and despite lots of interest from the majors (Chrysalis records take note), the band never managed to sign the exclusive deal they'd hoped for. Paul left to pursue other projects, and Kieron went on to join Cinnamon Smith. Nigel, being Nigel, went off (he has a tendency to let his mind wander) and continued doing his thing with Black Cat. So in came Lee Harris (ex Tree House/The Cynics) on Bass, Matty Bane (ex Hip Tracies) on drums, and Steve Paul on Lead Guitar.

But something wasn't working. Lee Harris was really a frustrated guitarist so left to do his own thing. Rob switched to Bass (a smart move), which left a space for another guitarist, and in came Steve (Jock) Hendry. Now they were Roundabout!! This line up carried on quite successfully for a year or so, but there was trouble brewing in the ranks!! Lee Harris (the old bass player) was in the throws of forming a new band, Carnival, and the best singer he'd seen was already in a band, Roundabout infact. This was very flattering to singer Lee, and as he was already thinking it was time for a change, agreed to join him. Lee then sang in both of these bands for 6 months, but Rob was not best pleased, and Lee was subsequently sacked! The 2 of them not parting amicably, which was a great shame as they'd been mates for years.

Still.....on with the story. Steve Paul had new work commitment and so had to leave, which left just Rob, Matt and Jock. They needed a new singer and guitarist. They found and asked Nigel who as well as playing guitar now took on the keyboards, so he was back. Just a new singer required. Who could they find? Up step Andy Gibbons (ex Reverberation) who quickly learnt the songs and the show went on.Rob continued writing songs (on his own since Lee had left) and into the studio they went. Out they came with the album "It's nice to be nice" - a selection of old and new songs, Released by Arc Records. Incidentally, you'll notice that there's no songwriting credit for Lee Armitage as he and Rob still weren't talking, even though he was partially responsible for some of the songs. The album received much acclaim, but the touring was taking its toll. The boys like a drink at the best of times don't you know, amongst other things!! So they split. Simple as that. What once was great came to an end. Quite abruptly. Back to their day jobs. Back to the Hell of their day jobs!! A year went by. Jock wasn't happy. Rob wasn't happy. Lee (now ex Carnival/Nixon) wasn't happy. "Lets get the old band back together", cried Jock."Oh, go on then", was the reply.Rob and Lee made up, Steve Paul came back on guitar, but Matty bane was now firmly ensconced in The More Specials. They needed a drummer, and up stepped Joe Tatley (ex Inflatable Sharks).

The line up was now
Rob Dady - Bass guitar
Lee Armitage - Vocals
Jock Hendry - Rhythm Guitar
Steve Paul - Lead Guitar
Joe Tatley - Drums

They rehearsed a batch of songs that came together so quickly it was unbelievable, and within a matter of weeks were back out gigging again. How they had missed it, and judging by crowd reactions, how they'd been missed!! They carried on for 6 months, but Steve Paul wasn't enjoying the live work (if he was honest, he preferred the studio anyway), so Ben (Phil O’pino) Watts was drafted in as his replacement. During all this, Lee had had a little boy, Oscar, and Jocks girlfriend was pregnant (with Jessica). Jock decided to leave, so Ben took over lead guitar. Erin Bardwell (ex Skanksters/Unity/The More Specials) was also drafted in on keyboards. Then Jock decided he didn't really want to go. So he stayed.

Now there were six!!
Rob Dady - Bass guitar
Lee Armitage - Vocals
Jock Hendry - Lead Guitar
Ben Watts - Rhythm Guitar
Erin Bardwell - keyboards
Joe Tatley - Drums

Into the studio again to record the EP "Maximum Power Pop". Maximum as a nod to The Who. Power Pop as the only way they could now describe the volume/intensity of their new live shows. Lee was a Mod after all!! October 2002 saw the departure of Joe and Jock to join Nova, a local covers band. It was a shame, but meant that original band members Matty Bane and Steve Paul could rejoin. This was the first time this original line up had played together in quite a few years, and the gigs rocked. Anyone who saw their version of Tin Soldier that night in December at Riffs would testify.Erin then left after the Christmas 2002 show to concentrate on his solo album, and Matty went with him. How could he refuse? They were recording in Jamaica after all!! So in came Steve Rose (ex Steerpyke) on drums. The next few months were filled with lots of recording and a few gigs (not enough), and then a break in the summer as Steve Roses’ wife Charlotte gave birth to their twins, Isaac and Esmé. A brother and sister for Maisie. During this break period, Ben decided to go his own way, and left to form a band with ex Roundabout singer Andy Gibbons and ex Carnival guitarist Lee harris, the latter now playing drums. The Quezon City Rocket Corps. were then born! So, in came new boy Sam Drew on keyboards.

The line up was now:-
Rob Dady - Bass guitar, b. vox
Lee Armitage – Vocals, harmonica, guitar, tambourine, maraccas
Steve Paul - Lead Guitar, b.vox
Sam Drew - keyboards Steve Rose - DrumsIncidentally,

Matty Bain has now joined legendary Ska outfit Bad Manners. Dec 2003 saw the departure of Sam Drew, to be replaced by Dean Sweeney on guitar. Dean was a friend of Lee and Robs from years ago. In fact Lee was nearly the singer in Deans band The Rhythm Method back in 1985, but unfortunately it never came off as the drummer left to join the Army. But that's another story. Incidentally the bass player in that band was local Face Dean Belcher. He's now a famous photographer. You can visit his site here.

The current line up is now:-
Rob Dady - Bass guitar, b. vox
Lee Armitage – Vocals, harmonica, guitar, tambourine, maraccas
Steve Paul - Lead Guitar, b.vox
Dean Sweeney - Guitar
Steve Rose - Drums, b. vox

Do yourself a favour. Check out this band now while you've got the chance. You will not be disappointed!! You can buy roundabout material at detour-records.co.uk.

taken from: http://www.roundabout.2cuk.co.uk/

Earthquake, Volcano, Pulsar, Sitar. All parts of the equation. Strange cigars in the sky. Speeds of light, speeds of sound, we all get signs; few of us make sense of them. It's the punctuation that counts; the lightning and the thunderbolt, and in the meantime Roundabout. Scrambled messages, crossword clues, morse, enigma and millennium machines. We all get signs. Sounds in the sky. Count the seconds between the flash and the thunderbolt -that's how far out they are. Do the maths. Speeds we can only guess at - light, sound; what's the speed of speed? Lightning striking the same people over and over again.

This is Roundabout. It's nice to be here. It's nice to be nice......

What they say about Roundabout:

Its Nice To Be Nice :A beautifully crafted & produced album.
Whimsical melodies to the fore, with some great R & B tunes as contrast.
(21st century saints fanzine)

Maximum Power Pop:A nod to the halcyon days of early Who club bands...
(Swindon Evening Advertiser)

taken from: http://www.myspace.com/roundabout

More Roundabout at:
http://totalmodness04.blogspot.com/

Clamour - Get Clamourized!

to hear
Clamour
click here!!!



Like 95% of the Hollywood population I am not from here. So when I moved here a couple years go I was lost to find a mod/soul scene that put on all-nighters like the ones that I would attend in the warehouses in Brooklyn and Jersey City. Eventually I met some like-minded souls that pointed me in the direction of what I was missing. It was here that met Mike.

The first thing that I noticed about Mike was his attention to detail. Whether it is with his style of dress, soul dancing moves, or music. I soon became friends with Mike and got the scoop of what was going on around Hollywood in the Mod/Garage scene and it was not long before he started to tell me about the band he was putting together. The Clamour started as a concept of guitarist/vocalist Mike and original bass player Jim before meeting up with Jon who took on the task of drummer. Deciding that a three piece wasn't going to work for the direction they wanted to take the band in, the Clamour set out to round out the line up. The first of these additions was guitarist Collin.

"I was at this house party in Long Beach," explains Mike, "were I meet this smartly dressed gent named Collin. He was the only other guy dancing to the early Who." "Mike came up to me and struck up a conversation about the merits of the Small Faces' records and other such interest to see how I felt about music," insists Collin.

Collin knew Chris Bradley from the Huntington Beach bands The Intelligista and The Distraction and Chris knew Chris Barfield who plays/played in such acts as the Phantom Surfers, Fuzztones, the Headless Hearsemen, and the Regent Sound. With the addition of Chris Bradley on second guitar and Chris Barfield taking Jim's place on bass the group was in place. The band's roots are based in 60's R&B and garage but other relative genre are present such as indie rock, 60's surf, 90's Britpop, and punk . Even Trojan ska/raggie bleed through at times.

"Our sound is a byproduct of NOT actually living in the 1965, " Collin is quick to point out about the bands traditional roots with a modern flare. "The sound just Clamoured together," jokes Jon. "It all fits, right down to our looks." "Basically I think all of us are tired of seeing the same old people at the clubs and we want a change," Mike told me. We want a new generation of fans to embrace us and we want it now!"

That sums up the bands live shows. If you caught their performance at the Mod Mayday event in Los Angeles you noticed this in their energy. With the faithful up front doing classic dances such as the jerk and the mashed potato, the Clamour's set culminated in an explosive fury that destroyed both the band and their equipment. And if you missed it, what the hell are you waiting for?!?! Get your ass down to one of their shows. You won't be disappointed.

As of now the Clamour are writing material to record and shopping themselves around. They would prefer to stay with an independent label but would never turn down major as that would give them the chance to work with heroes like Andrew Loog Oldham, Shel Talmy, or Phil Spector (back before the afro day of course.). June 8, 2005

By Glen "Raw Funhouse" Gubernat
Taken from: http://sugarbuzzmagazine.com/hl.html

more Clamour at:
http://totalmodness04.blogspot.com/

the Pills - amphetaminpop

to hear
the Pills
click here!!!


The Pills are turning heads wherever they travel with their over-the-top brand of power-pop. This brash young band from Boston executes their manic live shows with the poise of seasoned pros and the unrestrained energy of the most hyperactive garage combo. The Pills came to be when guitarist/singer David Thompson met bassist/singer Corin Ashley outside a Boston record store as they waited in line for tickets to see the Replacements open for Elvis Costello. They recognized each other from the local club scene and struck up a conversation. Both were dissatisfied with the state of rock in 1995, being the tail end of the grunge revolution. They wanted to do something exactly the opposite of standing around in your street clothes, staring at your shoes and everybody just playing an open G chord while some lead singer moaned. Conveniently, David and Corin's bands broke up not long after they met and they had a chance to put this plan into action. The danger of the nascent Pills being just another Boston pop band was thwarted by the discovery of one Clyde O'Scope. A chance guitarist by vocation, Mr. O'Scope was discovered outside the legendary Boston rock club "The Rat" after being escorted from the premises. Clyde was the X-factor the boys needed to create their unique sound. Add the absolute shellacking that Jamie Vavra gives to any drum set he's associated with, and you get the band that Boston's leading local music publication says is "poised to become America's greatest band."

Already the press and radio have begun to notice. In addition to the countless snippets of praise from local and international press, the Pills 1997 vinyl single Scooter Gurl received substantial amounts of airplay throughout the Boston area, and was a favorite at local rock clubs and mod-flavored dance clubs. WFNX included the B-side in its top 10 local songs of 1997 and WBCN asked the Pills to be the only local band to play in their 1998 Xmas Rave festival. Jim Beam Bourbon sponsored a national talent search that named the Pills as the best unsigned band in America which eventually led to the band being signed. The Pills are most at home in rock clubs. They regularly perform throughout New England and have recently completed their first national tour playing with such artists as Reverend Horton Heat, Jimmy Cliff, Julianna Hatfield, The Smithereens, The B-52s and The Village People (true!). The wide variety of audiences all reacted positively to the high energy that the Pills bring to the stage. Sharp shards of guitar mix with lush vocal harmonies and an uncompromising sense of volume to leave the audience pleasantly stunned. This is music for fast driving that guarantees to make your toe shoot up in your shoe.

Review by John D. Luerssen: Since 1995, The Pills have been Boston's preeminent power pop faction, blending a hard-hitting guitar assault akin to the Smithereens with the rapid roar of the Jam. A Fistful of Pills finds the group more forceful than ever, with the addition of one-time Shods and Mighty Might Bosstones guitarist Dave Aaronoff. The tight, bluesy blast of "Hang On Tight" starts the commotion that evolves into the quirky roar of "Butterfield 8." Fascinations with early Cheap Trick and the Knack abound, if the blistering "Good Thing Going" is any indication, and the undeniable, spirited delivery of tracks like "Brand New Pair of Eyes," and "Rock & Roll Heart" prove that whether it's bassist Corin Ashley, or guitarist David Thompson handling the lead vocal chores, the results are usually good. "Rub My Eyes" is even brilliant, recalling 1970s nuggets by the Records and Bram Tchaikovsky, but the thirty-second shot of "Continental Breakfast" is pretty disposable. The countrified "Ballad of Don Crawford" affirms suspicions that there could be more to the Pills in the future than just skilled, easily digested mod rock. Just the same, the bulk of A Fistful is a blast. Now take your medicine.

As one might expect, there's a vast difference in effect between pharmaceutical grade amphetamines and your average white crosses or truck stop speed. The former will create a more focused excitability where everything sounds and appears more sharp, down to the most minute details. By contrast, the latter will render you a babbling, irritable lunatic, the back of your brain tingling, and in larger doses induce out and out mania from little more than a compound of pseudoephedrine, caffeine and (sometimes) gingko biloba. One can largely make similar comparisons in the world of underground pop music, and I don't mean "indie", but the far more tasteful brand of power pop. There are lots of simply amped up bands bouncing off the wall with tons of energy and attitude. This is all fine and well on stage, but how many of these bands really have their songwriting skills up to snuff and can present an album's worth of material that doesn't all sound the same?

The Pills, through their second album "Kick In" show that they are the Dextro-amphetamine amongst a field of "yellow lightning" and ill-advised sophomore year chemistry experiments. Pulling in a wider range of instrumentation including keyboards and a (minimally used) horn section, The Pills exhibit a greater depth than many of their peers, while putting forth every bit of energy and aggression that today's kids require of their favorite pop bands. Songs like "Pop Goes Mandy", "Dictionary" and the updated beat-era sounding "Apologize" show both originality and respect for influential pop bands who have gone before The Pills. All three of these songs are radio friendly, as is "Thumb Star". Further, while this Boston foursome has a more healthy, yet less menacing appearance than your average band of rock and roll stars, this is the kind of album that could, in a just world, propel these guys to an attractive major label deal, and the hit single they deserve. The boys have already appeared on the teen-oriented American television show "Dawson's Creek" performing "Spork" from this album. Of course, major labels seem to have a way of making good bands implode (see: The Interpreters) so maybe we should just skip to the next paragraph."Kick In" has all of the classic power pop elements; relentless riffs, incredible hooks and unadulterated energy. The Pills, however, exceed in a couple areas where most bands fall short. First of all, they are able to slow the tempo down without losing momentum, as we hear on "Halifax" with both wailing guitar noise and a little bit of saccharine vocals on top. "Dictionary" also applies, and is also a fine example of another strength of The Pills; not only can David Thompson sing, but Corin Ashley can harmonize! Add in the fact that Ashley's bass playing is equally melodic as it is rhythmic, providing a great counterpoint to the melody to their songs and you've got the whole package wrapped up quite nicely in an easy to swallow, uh, pill form.Face it, you're going to hear more about The Pills sooner or later, so you better start getting it now. Take it from your good friends at Uppers - a likely endorsement to be sure - but still a recommended prescription. Don't settle for the generic brand, either.

taken from: http://www.pillsrock.com/bio.html

More Pills at:
http://totalmodness08.blogspot.com/

the Grasp - A Wasted Weekend

to hear
the Grasp
click here!!!


The bands sound has been described as “Jangling Rickenbacker guitars and a driving, thumping back beat combine to create an electrifying mix of mid 60's inspired guitar pop”.

Line-up…..The Bands current line up sees Andy Taylor on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, whilst Gary Weeks provides the main guitar sound of Grasp with his Rickenbacker leads. The band’s rhythm section is Spencer Taylor on Bass and Mark Hines on Drums.Taylor’s stage prowl and backing vocals provide a perfect harmony for the rasping soulful voice of his namesake, whilst Hines drumming style has already drawn comparisons with the busiest and maddest drummer of them all, Keith Moon.

Live…. Over the last few years, the band has built a loyal following in the Home Counties and this year has embarked on various mini-tours across the UK. London venues such as “the Garage”, “the Dublin Castle”, the Purple turtle” and “the 100 Club” are still frequented on returns to the capital, but the demand for Grasp to play further a field continues to grow. Kicking off proceedings at “V2000” was a big highlight for the band and dates at Liverpool’s” the Cavern Club” are currently being arranged.

Recordings….“A wasted weekend” was the result of mounting pressure from the bands regular audience to produce a more in full product as previous recordings have all been standard three track demos. Recorded between January to April, 2004 at Spencer’s newly completed home studio, the project gave the band their first experience of recording and producing themselves. With many lessons in do’s and don'ts learned, the band is working towards new recordings in the near future.

A contract with BiffBangPow records for the debut single “Time to go” is the high point of Grasp’s career so far with the single due out in September 2005. The single was produced by Secret Affair Frontman, Ian Page at springvale studio’s in Suffolk.

Interest from the music industry has been good, and the bands songs will feature on two compilation albums being released in 2005. “Don’t know why?” is featured on BiffBangPow Records “Shout” album, and “Time to Go” will feature on “This is the modern world” being released in the US by Howitzer records in July.

Management….. In September 2004, the band signed with FrontRow Consulting ltd, a management company fronted by Andy Cullen, who now manages the band. Initial feedback sees the relationship blossoming and the band working hard with gigs and recording throughout 2005.

taken from: http://www.grasponline.info/