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.
This week in the mod world, they're all direct hits. Top to bottom, this is just a great lineup of songs. I'd write more but the truth is in the hearing. So, go listen up.
Direct Hits -- Back to the Sixties (1980) The Sometimes Family -- It's Slow But It Feels Alright (2012) (Download for free here)
Gene Harris & The Three Sounds -- Hey Girl (1972) Brian Auger -- Save Me (1968) The Josephs --The Situation (200?) The Fratellis -- Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night (2007) Agony Aunts -- Tiny Pictures (2011) The Like -- Square One (2010) X -- White Girl (1981)
Modern Lovers -- She Cracked (1976) The Monochrome Set -- Flesh. Trash. Heat. (1975-77)
999 -- Nasty Nasty (1977) Oingo Boingo -- Who Do You Want To Be (1984)
DC Fontana are one of the most interesting bands currently on the planet, blending soul and psychadelia into a deliciously lush and fresh mix. They also have a great knack for blending visual elements with their music, making short films and videos the likes of which are just not done so often these days.
A couple years ago they produced a great series of videos in support of their last album Six Against Eight.
Now they're back to promote their upcoming album Pentagram Man and have a promo video featuring three actors (Richard Taylor as the Pentagram Man, Louise Fulwell as the mysterious lady in the fields and Mark Brindley as the castle doorkeeper) alongside DC Fontana.
According to bassist Mark Mortimer it was shot at various Midlands locations including:
The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham; Tamworth Castle; and, Orton on the Hill (in Leicestershire).
It features parts of two tunes from the forthcoming EP, Sighed DC and the title track Pentagram Man.
Welcome to a special charter modcast ladies and gents with The Shingles. In the hot seat this week with one hand firmly on the controls and one hand firmly on the nearest stewardess is Cap'n Ken. Co-piloting, and if truth be known probably doing all the real work, is Shingle's bassist Daren. They will be flying you through some quite friendly skies. The wayback machine shows that the smoking lamp is lit, the seat belt sign is off, so you know it's gonna be smooth sailing from here on in.
Welcome to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World, the 241st show of that name, if you can believe it. The long march to episode #500 continues, and I'm almost halfway there. Summer seems to have finally arrived in Seattle. Temperatures are pushing the mercury up above 80 degrees, which around here is pretty warm. The skies are blue, the nights are long (not Alaska long, but long enough) and it does indeed seem like the dog days are here at last. As Natalie Babbit put it: "These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after." Well, I don't think I've done anything on this week's show that I will be sorry for after, but you'll have to listen and judge for yourself.
No Doubt -- Paulina (1987)
Stanley Road -- City (2012)
Paul Weller -- Kling Klang (2012) The Primitives -- Move It On Over (2012) Suzi Chunk -- Tripwire (2012) Quasamodo & The Q Orchestra -- Mama's Boy (2012) Mr. Day -- Caveman (2012) French Boutik -- Le Clope (2012)
Frank Popp Ensemble -- Love Is On Our Side (2000) Paul Messis -- Louise (2011)
The Largactyls -- (Girl) Never Grow Up (2012) The Plimsouls -- I Want You Back (1981)
The Invaders -- She's A Heartbreaker (1980)
Prime Movers -- Change For The Better (1983) The Jam -- Saturday's Kids, Live San Francisco (1980)
That's right people, you're getting a double tall mod world today. Two shows in one. Two times the suave. It's kinda like a double album, that's because the first part is Modcast #240, and the second half of today's show is actually a soul show I recorded for the very excellent Mod Soul Review podcast. A while back I was invited to guest host the Mod Soul Review show and this is what I turned in. Dean Stickley (be sure to check out his Mod Mod World guest hosting gig) who runs Mod Soul Review kindly said I could rerun the show on the Mod Mod World, and so here it is.
Pt. 2 -- Mod Soul Review Podcast Fitz & The Tantrums -- Sweet Dreams (2012) The Three O'Clock -- When Lightning Starts (1983) The Untouchables -- City Gent (1985)
The Corsairs -- Wait For Me (1984)
Grady Tate (Schoolhouse Rock) -- I Got Six (1973)
Larry Wald -- Superman (1971)
Paul Anka -- I can't Help Loving You (1966) The Plimsouls -- One More Heartache (1984)
The mod world is open for business, and business is booming people. Mods are winning the Tour de France for god's sake, how much more mod can the world get? And truthfully, I think most of us would be completely disenchanted with mod were it to become a worldwide phenomenon. Since that's unlikely to happen in my lifetime, I'll just content myself with cool new music from the likes of The Brassic, Miles Kane, MFC Chicken and more.
