A guide for the drinking mod

This is just a little something I worked up to honor Alan Sherman's classic song, "The Drinking Man's Diet". The diet works. Song works even better. Not so sure about my video. But if you like it, vote it up at Youtube.

What's that you say ... she's a mod?

Mach Pellican was an Australian punk band that proved yet again, mods were just punks in suits. With soul sensibilites.

Winter Warming With Remington Super 60

Loungey. Or, maybe loungarific. If you have to come up with one word to describe the new Remington Super 60 EP, that would be it. The band's previous reelases, especially Go System Go!, were a bit more poppy. More poppy in the way that Sergio Mendes is more poppy than say Les Baxter or Esquivel. Go System Go's title track, and "The Impractical Guide To The Opposite Sex" conjure up images the likes of which are usually conjured by classic songs like "Music To Watch Girls By" and "Bond Street" (though "The Impractical Guide To The Opposite Sex" has an opening few bars that sound like they were pulled right off of Style Council album). But RS60 isn't just retro regurgitation, there's a contemporary vibe to their sound that is akin to Stereolab or St. Etienne without being derivative.

But I digress, because this little review is about the band's latest release, the five song EP Winter. It clocks in at a speedy eight and a half minutes, but what an eight and a half minutes. It's dreamy, and frosty around the edges. It is Winter after all. Each track has it's own unique hook like the tinkling xylophone of "Sweet Winter", or the melancholy whistling of "The Lonely Cowboy". Still, there's a consistency throughout that makes this a completely uniform package. This is pop influenced lounge music, or maybe lounge influence pop music, but either way it's delicious.

I traded some e-mail with Christoffer Schou RS60's musical mastermind, and he kindly answered some questions.

Mr. Suave: Tell us a little bit about yourself and about Remington Super 60 and Nice System -- and how they all fit together.

Christoffer: Well I am a 35 year old (but in my mind much younger) Norwegian guy who has given my heart and soul to music! I make a living making music for various commercials (all sounding similar to Remington super 60) my ad work can be seen here.

I started Remington Super 60 back in 1999 originally with my friend Benedicte and then later Magnus. We have released 4 albums (counting the Nice System one) Eps, 7"s, and appeared on numerous compilation albums. All of our releases are spread across various indie-labels around the world.

I originally started rs60 as a "Casio pop" project, I have collected small Casio keyboards for many years. When we recorded the Nice System album we used more acoustic instruments so I had a plan to have rs60 as a Casio band and Nice System as an acoustic band. But now I think Nice System sounds a lot like rs60, so I will probably call all of my releases Remington Super 60 in the future.

Benedicte is BTW no longer in the group. My girlfriend Elisabeth is doing the singing now! Magnus is still there and also my other friend Anders appear from time to time.

A nice Thai chap has leaked almost all our releases online, they are pretty hard to find so I don't mind people downloading them :)

Mr. Suave: What/who are your main influences, both stylistically and specific artists?

Christoffer: When I first started composing music and producing (1998) the Japanese artist Cornelius had a huge inspiration regarding my sound, when it comes to my melodies my biggest inspiration is Burt Bacharach. I heard a song by him early 90s on the radio and many memories started appearing (it turns out my parents were listening a lot to him when I was very young) I have never fallen so much in love with music as I did when I truly discovered him.

Other than that I do DJ from time to time playing mostly old rnb, garage rock, early ska, latin soul, Georgie fame etc..

Mr. Suave: What are you currently listening to, and what would you recommend to us?

Christoffer: If i were to recommend one artist it would be a project called Safariari. It's my friend Jon Kristian’s project (whom I run cafe2001 [a record company] with. All his albums can be found on Spotify. And I would advise people to start with his first album Zeebra Knights which is my all time favorite Norwegian release!

I originally released that album on my own label with the name Save New York. We released it the day before 9/11 so we had to withdraw it and sell it to another label.

And back to my current favs!
Laurel Aitken - Bachelor life
Incredible Staggers - Do the ripper
King Khan and his Shrines - Torture
Betty O'Brien - She'll be gone
Beach Boys - Tears in the morning
Beatles - Julia

Mr. Suave: Who is an artist you like that people might be shocked to learn about?

Christoffer: I think I am pretty true to my taste and style so not many shocking artists there. Although for some reason I have a weak spot for 70s disco. I don't listen to it at home, but whenever I hear Bee Gees, Tavares or similar on the radio I do smile and nod my head with the beat!

Mr. Suave: What's next for Remington Super 60?

Christoffer: I have a children's project entitled "Robo and Friends" that's "under construction" and also have plans to release a couple of more free EPs on my own label Cafe2001 [a record company]. We get a lot of downloads so it’s a nice way to spread the music. Although I am also looking for various labels to collaborate with.

From the Vaults: Modcast #56 Swingin', Skankin' and How

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. Take a giant step outside your current listening constraints and journey with me all the way back to the breezy by gone days of 2008. I've opened up the vaults and dusted off a classic modcast that I think you'll enjoy. Again.

Listen Now

First there was the big 3rd wave ska scare of the mid 90s. That was followed by the swing-revival, which swept up the ska scene and swirled it around like a fancy Charleston two-step move. There's no denying that the ska and swing scenes have a very symbiotic relationship with ska bands becoming swing orchestras and swing combos playing skanked up songs to audiences full of checkerboard accoutrements. So this week I'm spinning skankin' swing sounds. [Originally broadcast Oct. 2008]

• Cherry Poppin Daddies -- Don Quixote
• Royal Crown Revue -- Hey Pachuco!
• The Flying Neutrinos -- Mr. Zoot Suit
• Kingpins -- Bordel
• W's -- Flower Tattoo
• Dem Brooklyn Bums -- Hot Rod Vinnie
• The Swingvergugen -- Technicolor Yawn
• Bombskare -- I'm So Happy
• The Know How -- Selfish
• Indigo Swing -- Indigo Swing
• Tri-State Conspiracy -- Empty Space

Ingrid Lucia and the Flying Neutrinos -- Sunny Afternoon

Big Bad Voodoo Touring

Franz Ferdinand -- Love & Destroy

Graduate -- Elvis Should Play Ska

Here's 80s wavers Tears for Fears sowing their seeds of love back in their early mod/ska days when they were still called Graduate.

Modcast #188: More than just a dog and pony show

Welcome to Mr. Sauve's Mod Mod World.  Get things off to a rockin' start with the opening track to Social Distortion's forthcoming album due out later this month called "Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes". Ya gotta appreciate a band that opens with an instrumental, especially a cool, garage tune like "Road Zombie".  Reminded me of The Goldstars who opened their 2010 EP in a similar style. Anyhow, it's good that Social D has a new album, and from my first few spins it's pretty much what you'd expect a little Stonesy, a little Hank Williams, a whole helluva lotta punk rock guitar.

The show goes on from there with a swaggering rock and roll arrogance that even blows me away. And I put it together. Go figure.


Listen
Download

Social Distortion -- Road Zombie (2011)
Los Peyotes -- Garaje o Muerte (2011)
Mothers Children - That's Who (2010
The Ace -- Loose Cannon Woman (2010)
The Like -- Walk of Shame (2010)
Paul Bertolino -- Just Another Breakup (2000)
The Lolas -- Dog and Pony Show (2001)
The Contrast -- Caught in a Trap (2007)
Smash Palace -- Win it All (2010)
Good Shoes -- The Way My Heart Beats (2010)
Parov Stellar -- Booty Swing (2010)


Los Peyotes - Garaje o Muerte


The Like - Wishing He Was Dead

The Beautiful South -- Don't Marry Her

Thee Fourgiven - Anything

Modcast #187:Out of Sight

Welcome to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. This modcast is mod and then some, which means that you are definitely starting your year off right. Make a resolution right now to listen to every modcast this year. Beat's working out or cutting back on whiskey or whatever other silly ideas you have about making your life better.


So 2011 is upon us. 2010 is dusty, though the music is still bright and shining. And shining bright on last week's modcast was my list of top albums of the year which you can still dig up if you wanna. And, you know you wanna. Besides, it's currently my most recommended modcast of the year.


In the meantime you can dig on some old and some new with this modcast, which if I do say so myself, is out of sight!


Download
Listen


Baby Lemonade -- Please Consider Us (1993)
Galileo 7 -- Never Go Back (2011)
The Game -- Gonna Get Me Someone (1966)
The Untouchables -- Dancebeat (1982)
Beggar -- Broadway Show (1979)
Thee Mighty Uptight -- Take Take Take (2002)
Mr. Day -- Tears Of Joy (2010)
The Crooks -- The Beat Goes On (1979)
The Moons -- Let It Go (2010)
The Mods -- Out Of Sight (1980)


Mr. Day -- Both Sides (live @ le Zebre Paris 2010)


The Men -- Leaving Fairview Park

Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day

Resolve: Sharp Suits in 2011

Betty & The Werewolves -- Paper Thin

Modcast #186: Out With The Old The Best Of 2010

It's time to ring in the new year in the mod world. Closed out 2010 last night partying at my usual haunt here in Jet City, and today it's time to ring in the new year with a whole modcast showcasing my favorite albums from this past year, which was a pretty damn good one as far as music goes.

2010 brought us a lot of cool music from the ultra mod sounds of The Moons, The Men, The Ace and The Modesty to the pogoing power pop of Betty & The Werewolves, The Candy Hearts and Caroline & The Treats, all while garage rock fans got new stuff from Tres Bien, Mondo Topless and The Booze. It was quite a good year for soul and funk with new albums from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Kings Go Forth, The Diplomats of Solid Sound, Healer Selecta, Eli Paperboy Reed, The Apples, The Bahama Soul Club, Gabin, and Chris Joss. The Hot Rats checked in with one of the best covers albums I've ever heard even as Soulive turned in a soulful Beatles tribute, and a few old timers dropped some pretty good bombs on us like Devo, Ocean Color Scene, Paul Weller and The Vibrators.

As is usually the case when you put together these year end lists of the best albums there are inevitably some great records that don't make the cut. Case in point, all the great stuff I just listed above didn't even make this modcast. So you know that what is here is damn good, the best of the best, the cream of the crop. In my humble opinion.

Happy new year and here's hopin' that 2011 is as great as 2010 was.

Listen
Download

DC Fontana -- Six Against Eight (Listen to their interview)
She & Him -- Don't Look Back
The School -- Valentine
The Like -- He's Not A Boy
The Goldstars -- The Race (Listen to their interview)
The Len Price 3 -- Pictures
The Above -- Bollywood Woman
The Young Veins -- Young Veins (Die Tonight)
The Parties -- Annie (Listen to their interview)
Teenage Fanclub -- Baby Lee
Fitz And The Tantrums -- Moneygrabber