The Mod Generation

The Society of Cool

Rob The London Mod

A Second article from Rob, to whom I am extremely grateful for his participation in this wee site - his 'on the scene' insights are bringing the 60's mod world alive in a way I find a lot more satisfying than any of the 'mod' books I have seen.

"Ready, Steady, Go would show some Mod fashions and dances by the studio audience of which I was a member (however, it was filmed live, so I never got to see myself). Some great artists performed, including Solomon Burke, Millie Small, Martha and the Vandellas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rufus Thomas, Isley Brothers, the Who, Kinks, Animals, and many more. The sister and brother duo, Inez and Charlie Foxx, also appeared. Their "Mocking Bird" was released on Chris Blackwell's Sue label in September 1963 and they were a support act on the Rolling Stones tour in 1964. They performed at The Scene Club and I got Charlie Foxx's autograph. Following Michael Jackson's tragic death (25 June, 2009), news commentators asked whether Jackson got his Moonwalk dance from James Brown. But prior to Brown's use of the step, Charlie Foxx did the same Moonwalk during his performances. In actuality it is probably much older."

As before Rob is pleased to recieve your feedback.

If you can use the 'Add Reply' box rather than 'reply to this' as it can get confusing having previous comments repeated.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Cameron on July 13, 2009 at 17:53
Great information once again Robert. It is all incredibly interesting stuff, and as Mods, the detail is always the most interesting. I for one would not have imagined that Jerry Lee Lewis would have been popular in a Mod club. I also always imagined the London Scene club as always being packed out during its peak.
Permalink Reply by Robert Nicholls, Ph.D. on January 12, 2011 at 22:42

Steve Temple: Off the cuff, if was asked to name typical Mod R&B of my era, I would trot out James Brown’s Night Train, Mockingbird, Twine Time, Turn on Your Lovelight, I Need Your Loving, Beat Me to the Punch, Hello Stranger, The Dog, Harlem Shuffle, Last Night, Can’t Sit Down, etc, etc.  But we early sixties Mods would get a kick from Presley’s early Sun Tracks such as “Mystery Train,” or “That’s Alright.”   Although later in the 1980s music came to symbolize disparate and rival groups, in the later 1950s – early 1960s, there was a smooth transition between Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rhythm and Blues, and there wasn’t much of a schism between Teddy Boys and Mods either, for example my move from one to the other was a smooth evolution.  Guy Stevens, reckoned to be the paramount R&B disc jockey, added unusual Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins (for eg “Matchbox”) tracks to the mix occasionally to add interest.  And yes, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley were staples, alongside the bluesier Howling Wolf, Louisiana Red and Muddy Waters.  Remember the Stones first 45 release was a Berry Song, and Diddley’s “Pretty Thing” was a key part of their stage act. But that was only in the early days, the tracks became more soulful and more sophisticated as time went by.

Permalink Reply by Alvaro Rubio Romo on July 13, 2009 at 20:49
Fantastic reading Rob! Thanks for sharing.

I've already heard about the detail of The Scene Club was not that crowded as you could think for its legendary status:

"The Scene was really where it was at, but there were only about fifteen people down there every night. It was a focal point for the mod movement. I don't think anyone who was a mod outside Soho realised the fashions and dances all began there." (Pete Townshend)

Any ideas about it? Maybe for being apart of Soho centre like Wardour St.??
Permalink Reply by Chris Cameron on July 13, 2009 at 21:52
I always thought I was quite well read with regards to the Mod scene, and then I come across guys like you who are miles better Alvaro. You also have a name that is almost as cool as Chris Cameron ha ha.
Permalink Reply by April Prior on July 14, 2009 at 18:03
where is the second article Stephen, isn't this from the first one. Or Mibees ahm jist gettin' daft in my auld days.

I agree with no more replying to posts, instead just use the box at the top of the page, can't we turn off reply to comment and still have reply to post?

I had a look, we can't do that. We need to just remind people how to reply, it gets messy really fast.
Permalink Reply by Robert Nicholls, Ph.D. on July 15, 2009 at 14:21
Thanks Stephen: For your help and support. Professional as always.
Thanks Chris: Guy Stevens would have found unusual Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins tracks to drop in ocasionally to add interest to the R&B mix, but that was only in the early days. Although later (by your time) music came to symbolize disparate and rival groups, in the later 1950s – early 1960s, there was a smooth transition between Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rhythm and Blues, and there wasn’t even much of a schism between Teddy Boys and Mods, for example my move from one to the other was a smooth evolution.
Thanks Alvaro: Yes, I had seen the Pete Townsend quote and had thought of using it. Maybe because it was Monday night when Guy Stevens was DJaying, or because the Scene was tucked away in Ham yard, a cul de sac off of the main street. Fifteen may be an under estimate. There could be two or three dozen and sometimes it got quite crowded, but during Monday evening it was a bit informal, people were coming and going, checking in and checking out.
Thanks April: Some of the material in the latest article appeared in the previous forum. Later, I am going to get to your earlier comment about people carrying guitars. It is true. I carried one. Not to the clubs, but to parties and when we went down to St. Ives for holidays.
Alvaro SOS. You guys are more Internet savvy than I am, being limited pretty much to Google, and may be able to help me. In 1964 I attended a Tamla Motown Review at Finsbury Park. I don't recall the date and don't remember the complete roster of performers. I have verified (Little) Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, I got Melvin of the Temptations autograph so I know the Temptations were there. I have read Smokey Robinson was there presumably with the Miracles, but I am not certain who else. Are there more thorough search engines for such data than Google. If you can help it would be appreciated.
Permalink Reply by Clifford Raven on January 9, 2011 at 16:13
Well Rob, I've read/scanned it all and I can see your enthusiasm for the music, the times and the history has not diminished from the time I met you 1962 ish and we talked a good blues in those early days from Rock to skiffle to R n B   to Bluebeat. Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Broonzy  Johnson and on and on. Circumstances parted us but I have memories of going to that run down church hall cum Assembly Rooms in Waltham X that would be now back of their shopping precint that you refer to as a mod club where we saw that singer with an eye patch J.Kidd and the Pirates also The screaming Lord Sutch we were still Rockers then. Yes and didn't that Little Hall manage to get the top acts even Little Richard, seemed unbelieveable didn't it. Must mention the Dance Hall in Finsbury Park no not the Astoria but a little dance hall  opposite to Balls Pond Road you got the tickets for me you and your mate the Motor mechanic from Forsyths garage, was it Mick? had the Thames van conversion, saw the Liverpool sound that night, all of them.  
Permalink Reply by Robert Nicholls, Ph.D. on January 9, 2011 at 23:55

Cliff: Great catching up with you after what, nearly fifty years? We’ll be able to swap some memories of those good ol’ days.  Meanwhile, I had asked the Edmonton/Tottenham blokes whether they remembered “Monkey” the Edmonton Teddy Boy ca. 1960-61, but came up blank.  But you are older than me (by a month) and may remember him.  He was quite a loud character and wore drainpipes and a blue drape jacket with a black velvet collar. There was a park somewhere near the North Circular / High Road, crossroads where I would stroll with my girlfriend Pat S.  It was part of Monkey and his henchman’s turf but I felt secure because Monkey has befriended us at that time as fellow Teds. Monkey carried the Teddy Boy look right on through the 1960s though fashions had moved on around him.

Permalink Reply by Clifford Raven on January 10, 2011 at 17:12
MONKEY..... no don't recall a monkey, a CHANGMAY I recall,  now when you think of it that could be misconstrood as monkey, couldn't it. Could well imagine he was a ted in a blue drape jacket with black velvet collar and cuffs those drapes all had those. CHANG MAY or changy as his friends would dare to call him at there peril on a bad day, was of a very violent disposition. He lived in Lorenco Road not a proverbial stones throw from the the Park that I think you are trying to remember that being Pymmes Park which was on the NCR which was Silver Street, flanked in the east by Victoria Road (Brucie Forsyth's home road) flanked on the west by Sweet Briar Walk. I had chance on one occasion to have been brushed by him and his gang of cohorts in the Pymmes Park Inn Victoria Road when I was having a few bevies with my friends the pub was crowded and and the cry went up CHANGY'S coming in, he's after some one, with that several unrelated customers made a dive for the back doors and the windows of the gents (the windows were a waste of time stuck solid)  my two mates melted away leaving me holding two pints. I then witnessed and smelt half a doz of the most unsavoury individuals you would not want to meet in a dark alley. Long haired, piercings, tatoos, scruffy leathers, this was the gang. These were so well known running of the manor/turf that even the Kray brothers came out off their east end to warn them of, but he was such a nice bloke,Changy, do anything for anybody so his sister said, my wife knows his sister then and now, That was around 68 ,one question what were you and your girlfriend doing down in this neck of the woods from Enfield, this is N18 your worried mate Cliff   
Permalink Reply by Robert Nicholls, Ph.D. on January 11, 2011 at 0:12

Yes, I remember the Finsbury Park gig that we went to, the Beatles, Gerry & the Pacemakers, et al (pacemaker has a different meaning these days, I think I’m about ready to wear one LOL).  I wonder what the name of the dance hall opposite to Balls Pond Road was, and more importantly what was the date?  I never saw Little Richard at the Waltham Cross Club and I’m 99.99% sure he never performed there.  I did see him on October 21, 1962, at the Walthamstow Grenada with Mick (Mike) Seegar and maybe you were there too.  I’ve written about the memory: “A rush of communal adrenaline erupted when the curtains of drew back to reveal Little Richard standing at the piano playing the opening bars of “Lucille.”  My mate Mike mistook the cheers for jeers and started yelling racial epithets.  “Ger off you toasted Irishman,” he hooted.  This surprised me because I hadn’t realized Mike was still resolving his racial attitudes.  But I showed him my clenched bunch of five and told him to pipe down, which he did, resolving his attitudes on the spot, and as the pounding music cast its spell he was soon cheering along with the rest of us” (Sam Cooke was on the same bill).  Nice rap, about CHANGMAY.  It sure sounds like Monkey, and yes, it was Pymmes Park (thanks for the reminder).  But are you sure about the piercings and the tattoos, did teenagers do that in the early sixties?  Thanks also for the reminder about Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, I’d forgotten about him.  What part of Enfield were/are you from I don’t remember.

Permalink Reply by Clifford Raven on January 12, 2011 at 11:03
Rob, that's right, Granada I was there with you and Mick. 62 it was, and recall the incident,  can see the raised fist of five and that wild look in your eye, believe it was the first time I met Mick and thought he's a funny one. We'd paid all that money to go and see one of (it transpired) musics greatest icons and be entertained and here was this twerp throwing insults of the like you used to see in lodging house windows of the 50's "No Blacks No Irish No Vacancies"  What had I got myself into but he was your mate, so I made allowances . Tatoos and Piercings have been around sice ancient Egytion times most probably before, I know that, the P P I incident took place in 68 by that time Changy (oops, careful may be a bad day) and his his friends were grown mature people. He was left school early 50's and most probably had his drape Jacket then but was not wearing it on that night. piercings were mild nose and ear but tatoos were as violent and nasty as they are now viz hate on one knuckle conditional love on the other dotted lines round the neck imploring someone to cut here . Remember I come from working class Edmonton which has become encompassed with the middle class borough of Enfield we are Enfieldians now much to the distress of Enfieldonians and that hall in W.X was imperial hall methinks we were going there in 62 Richard Penniman was not there that night but there was a flyposter seen by me later in sixtytwo with his name on it maybe he was rounding of his tour 62 with a little diversionary evening. will keep up with you on a more private forum later .
Permalink Reply by Clifford Raven on February 10, 2011 at 12:35
Back reference to your enquiry of Monkey the Edmonton Teddy boy that you were in conversation with back in 1962/3 Pymmes Park. I have made some enquiries as to the character Chang May ( my suggestion as to him being Monkey) this person was born in 1940, so 62/3 would of been 22/3 yrs age, he died of a cancer related illness at age 44yrs in 1984. We did have until recently, another character living not 120 yds from where I am now living and this person was also one that carries his liking for the TB style to this day. He is of our age Robert, even now of slim build and slight stature wearing crepe creepers and a hair style of the fifties, my own children when they were young always refered to him as "Rock n Roll Dave, I have asked if he was ever called Monkey but so far replies have been in the negative.   

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