A mod-grandfather's guide to fashion and music

As a quick addendum to my recent post on (gulp) Quadrophenia, here are a few words about music, clothes and ... survival. Sort of. Because, as is always the way, no sooner had I done my oh-so-insightful blog on Franc Roddam's film, than I immediately bumped into a bunch of mod (or mod-ish) records and also caught sight of this rather ghastly sneaker/plimsoll/trainer thing:

Yes, there I was, innocently sitting on the Windrush Line going down sarf, when I noticed the bloke opposite me with this footwear. Actually, what I first noticed was that he had a nasty black eye and cuts and bruises on his face (poor guy). Probably in his late-fifties/early-sixties (my age), apart from his bashed-up physical state he was very much Average Bloke. Except for those Lambretta trainers. (Or because of those Lambretta trainers?). Normally I probably wouldn't have given his shoes a second glance but I'd just immersed myself in the juvenile thrills and spills of Quadrophenia so I found them strangely fascinating. To my mind they're both ugly and bland at the same time, but still - "Lambretta", the RAF roundel! The mods live on. But they live on via ersatz fashion lines. Back in the early-2000s, I saw a few bands affiliated to the Billy Childish/Medway scene who were more or less full-on mod revivalists. These people took their clothes, hairstyles and accessories very seriously. Tight-fitting narrow-lapelled three-button suits, pointed-collar flower-pattern shirts, winklepicker boots with zip-up fastenings, back-combed top hair with amazing grown-out bangs, you name it. This devotion to a look went well beyond the "guides" you get these days from clothing companies like Atom Retro (though AR's stuff is actually surprisingly detailed). Having an understanding of the cultural history of clothing and styling is all to the good, which is why someone like Derek Guy is deservedly well-known for his informed accounts of how clothes are bound up with specific socio-cultural-historical configurations. For example, check out this genuinely fascinating article on the early-60s mods of north-east London (Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington, Clapton, Hackney Central), including the involvement of a pre-psych Marc Bolan (aka Mark Feld). But the problem is ... well, things like those navy-blue Lambretta shoes. These are just the third- or fourth-generation knock-offs. Sure, everyone's free to wear whatever they wish, but I must admit I find the sight of 60-year-old blokes half-heartedly wearing this pale imitation of 60s mod clothing a bit depressing. Somehow it's become the cosy dad/grandad default fashion - a Fred Perry, Levi's, Adidas trainers, a jacket vaguely Harrington-like. I say: bring back grandads with dark-grey three-piece suits and heavy fob watches in their waistcoat pockets. But enough on clothes. What about the music? Oh yes, because immediately after my Windrush Line/Lambretta footwear experience I stumbled across a biggish stash of mod 7" singles in a charity shop in Streatham. "Have a look in that box, there's some good records in there", said a cheery geezer at the counter. Were they good? Well, it was all mod/mod-adjacent stuff: lots of Jam records, several by mod revivalists like the Lambrettas and Secret Affair, and a good number of sixties R&B and soul records (from The Who through to Motown). It was undoubtedly the former record collection of any self-respecting mod-grandfather. I bought three (£2 for the three, thanks cheery geezer on the counter), and here they are, all 80s reissues: 

Not exactly mod records (though Louie Louie features in Quadrophenia) but three great records nevertheless. Yeah man, all hail the mods, or at least dig this music. Sounds like these live on, rather better than the clothing really. For example, my first encounter with Louie Louie was (weirdly enough) via Joy Division and Ian Curtis mentioning it ironically after their messy cover of Sister Ray on Still. So yeah, ditch the ugly Lambretta footwear and stick a record on: Louie Louie, oh no, take me to where ya gotta go ...

1: The Kingsmen, Louie louie

2: Dave And Ansil Collins, Double barrel

3: Kinks, You really got me

4: Count Five, Psychotic reaction

5: Holland-Dozier, Don't leave me

6: Kinks, All day and all of the night