What is Mod? Mr. Suave's Mod, Mod World is one of the web's original modcasts celebrating mod music, and mod-influenced music from past eras including soul, ska, garage, sixties R&B power pop, punk, britpop, acid jazz, lounge, easy listening and more.
Welcome to the 100th modcast of Mr. Suave's ModMod World. This is a special episode of the modcast with some of the best stuff I've ever shared with you all. In honor of busting out 100 modcasts over the last two years I'm celebrating with an ice cold martini (or three) and as usual, some fantastic music.
I've got lots of cool stuff on this show including The Men, Manfred Mann, The Jam and The Jetset. But, if you're like me and you love The Style Council, and you dig Burt Bacharach and James Taylor Quartet, then I guarantee you will love hearing the brand new title track from Rinaldi Sings' new album Bingo (available Aug. 4 from Tangerine Records).
And, if you head on over to the modcast homepage at mistersuave.com you will get two fabulous bonus videos, one from Rinaldi Sings, a rare track you won't see anywhere else of The Funseekers live at the Mods Mayday '89 show. (If you're interested in more Funseekers check out their 4-part movie at Youtube "A Northwoods Holiday")
Okay, got questions? Wanna just give me a shout out, well then you can e-mail me at rob@mistersuave.com, and if you're more of the web 2.0 type then you can check out Mr. Suave on Facebook or Myspace and friend up with me.
Now: a heads up for you all. I'm going to have another very special modcast next week, Mod Essentials: In the Beginning. Recently a friend asked me what mod is and if I could put together a short playlist of the most quintessential, foundational, mod songs. And you know, I was blown away by how hard it was. I found that you can't narrow down to a dozen or so the most quintessential mod songs. Not to mention it's a totally subjective thing. What I think of as quintessential mod songs will be much different than another mod's picks. And what is quintessential, again it's pretty subjective. When I first got interested in mod music, I think I would define it as those were the songs that made me a mod early on, the songs that I simply loved that were already considered mod songs. Later as I discovered all sorts of new music, I would say that it was songs that when I heard them they make me think mod, they make me think of the mod sound and what it means to be a mod. Anyhow, the question got me to thinking: I bet there a lot of people who'd be interested in hearing what I think are the most essential mod songs. So, I'm going to do a periodic series of modcasts picking the dozen or so most essential mod sounds each time, corresponding with a specific genre unique to mods, or a specific mod era. Next week I'm starting where you should start, at the beginning, in the sixties. Thank you to Mark for asking the question of what a mod is and what mod music sounds like and getting this ball rolling.
Finally, I want to thank all my listeners for the past two years and 100 modcasts. Especially, a big thank you to Ken from The Shingles, as well as shout outs to other supporters who help make this show rock and roll -- like Dean from The Eddies, Steve Rinaldi of Rinaldi Sings, Mike Tholefsen, and the lovely Mrs. Suave -- can't wait for you to get home because Baby You've Got It.
Mod on!
Once more into the vault my friends, once more into the vault. Step back in time, to a time when the modcast was young and fresh. Step back to December of '06. I've opened up the vaults and dusted off a classic modcast that I think you'll enjoy. Again.
This is modcast 31 and I'm finally getting around to presenting what I think are the essential tracks for the modern mod's music library. These bands represent just a bit of the latest wave of music reflecting sixties R&B, power-pop and soul influences.
Word is spreading of a very wild weekend coming up soon. The official Wild Weekend in fact, the Wild Weekend Power Pop Festival in Austin, TX on August 29th and 30th. Just to be clear I am (unfortunately) not getting a dime, nor a nickel nor a penny, nor anything else, for plugging this gig. It's just an effing fantastic lineup of power pop bands new and old. One that, if I wasn't poor, and old and lame, I would damn sure be getting my ass down to Texas for. You can get your ass over here to find out how to get tickets.
The line up is pretty spectacular with some legends of the genre coming together for the show: The Boys, The Pointed Sticks, 20/20 and Nikki Corvette to name a few. Nikki has even recorded some new material in the last year or two. The others have played some limited reunions, but these will be the first, or the most prominent, of such shows in the US for most of these guys. And it's about time.
Thankfully, to keep the dinosaurs in line, there are a few new kids on the block doing their best to give punk rock a solid power pop public send up: The Baby Shakes with their blistering girl group meets garage rock sound, the Cute Lepers (maybe my fave of the whole shebang) with their welcome back to '79 sound, and The Pleasure Kills with their Blondie rules sound. Sound good? Damn straight.
All in all this might be the best festival line up of the summer. How could I not give you a taste of that?
Welcome to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. I'm opening the show with some solid soul with style from the heartland, from the brand new release by the Diplomats of Solid Sound - for the first time featuring the Diplomettes. The new CD --which will be released July 8th-- simply sizzles with soul and wicked good R&B. I've also got another brand new track from the Modfather himself, along with some French mod sounds, and some great sixties psychadelia.
Recently a friend asked me what mod is and if I could put together a short playlist of the most quintessential, foundational, mod songs. And you know, I was blown away by how hard it was. I found that you can't narrow down to a dozen or so the most quintessential mod songs. Not to mention it's a totally subjective thing. What I think of as quintessential mod songs will be much different than another mod's picks. And what is quintessential, again it's pretty subjective. When I first got interested in mod music, I think I would define it as those were the songs that made me a mod early on, the songs that I simply loved that were already considered mod songs. Later as I discovered all sorts of new music, I would say that it was songs that when I heard them they make me think mod, they make me think of the mod sound and what it means to be a mod. Anyhow, the question got me to thinking: I bet there a lot of people who'd be interested in hearing what I think are the most essential mod songs. So, I'm going to do a periodic series of modcasts picking the dozen or so most essential mod sounds each time, corresponding with a specific genre unique to mods, or a specific mod era. Next week I'm starting where you should start, at the beginning, in the sixties. Thank you to Mark for asking the question of what a mod is and what mod music sounds like and getting this ball rolling.
Finally, I want to thank all my listeners for the past two years and 100 modcasts. Especially, a big thank you to Ken from The Shingles, as well as shout outs to other supporters who help make this show rock and roll -- like Dean from The Eddies, Steve Rinaldi of Rinaldi Sings, Mike Tholefsen, and the lovely Mrs. Suave -- can't wait for you to get home because Baby You've Got It.
Mod on!
I'm opening the show with some solid soul with style from the heartland, from the brand new release by the Diplomats of Solid Sound - for the first time featuring the Diplomettes. The new CD --which will be released July 8th-- simply sizzles with soul and wicked good R&B.