Modculture News

We Are The Mods trailer

When we first featured We Are the Mods (the work of E.E. Cassidy), it was described as a US-based teen drama using the familiar territory of 'good girl corrupted by the bad' as well as being a tribute to 60s cult classics like Blow-Up and the early work of Jean-Luc Godard. I've just found the trailer, so you can make up your own mind.

Looking at the website, it seems like the movie is getting a lot of private showings right now in the US, with no sign of a general release or indeed a DVD release. if we hear more, we'll let you know. Trailer below.

Send us your news stories

If you want anything featuring on the Modculture frontpage, in the news section, on our Twitter or indeed anywhere on the site, feel free to send us your news stories.

We'll do our best to list everything relevant - whether it's an upcoming club or event, record releases, live gigs, anything you've seen for sale (fashion, music, merchandise - whatever), interesting clips you've found on YouTube, exhibitions, films, DVDs, books, fanzines, anything you've seen in magazines - if it's likely to be of interest to readers of this site, feel free to send it in.

You can contact us via the 'contact us' button on the site - or just click on the link here.

Send in a news story to Modculture

Win I'm The One by Horst A. Friedrichs

We've featured the book in the past and now we have five copies of I'm The One (21st Century Mods) by Horst A. Friedrichs to give away.

The book is published on 31st August 2009, the work of award-winning photographer Horst A. Friedrichs, wh has spent more than a decade recording the modern-day British mod community, travelling all over the UK, attending allnighters, weekenders and scooter cruises to take his snaps, of which 70 colour and 70 black and white feature, complete with 'real-life descriptions' of what contemporary modernism means to each of the people captured.

Want to win a copy? Follow the link below to the competition page to get yourself in the draw.

Enter the I'm The One book competition

The Damned (1963) reviewed

The Scenester has been out and about again, heading off the NFT to catch obscure early Hammer flick, The Damned.

Dating back to 1963, the film features Oliver Reed and Shirley Anne Field, throwing in everything from teen gangs to strange radiation-affected children. Yes, it's a weird one - and you'll find a full review of the NFT screening right here.

On an early 70s tip, the Scenester has also reviewed Horror Hospital, which showed at the NFT as part of the Flipside Anthony Balch night. If zombies, bizarre experiments and Robin Askwith are your thing, you can check out the review of that event right here.

Terry Rawlings benefit gigs

Rather than my words, here are the words of Gary Crowley on Terry Rawlings and the upcoming benefit gigs for the man:

'I first met Terry Rawlings back in early 1979. Over 30 years ago! Jeez, where did that time bleedin' go? We were both music obsessed teens, hip deep into the Mod Revival scene, who also just happened to love Punk. Especially the Clash and the Buzzcocks. I guess that was our connection. That, and the fact we both loved an occasional tipple! Terry then replaced me as the office boy at Decca Records and we were both up and running and went on to become life long buddies.

I made a living out of playing and talking about music, whilst Terry wrote a series of acclaimed books on his heroes: Brian Jones, the Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Ronnie Wood, and the Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle, amongst others... as well as writing definitive books about his two main passions - British beat groups and all things Mod. These forthcoming gigs, and the range of people offering their services, are testimony to how well loved Terry is by all of us. They'll be celebrations, certainly, and hopefully in the process we'll be able to raise as much dosh as possible to help Terry and his family through this very difficult time...

After all that's what you do for your muckers isn't it?'

The details of both London gigs are now in the events sections of Modculture, taking place on Sunday 19th July and Sunday 26th July. See below for links to the flyers and news of who will be appearing.

Terry Rawlings Benefit at the Rhythm Factory, London E1

Terry Rawlings Benefit at the 100 Club, London W1

Specials shirt competition winner

A little later than intended, but we have now drawn the winner of the limited edition Specials 30th Anniversary shirt.

That winner is Stephen Planson of Peterborough, who will be getting his short through the post very soon. Many thanks to the hundreds of you that entered.

Steve Barrow on Blastphonic

If you haven't read our Steve Barrow interview, you really should - it's one of the best things on the site. And if you want to hear from the man himself, you can as Steve Barrow now has his own radio show online at Blastphonic, called I Like It Like That.

You can catch it every Saturday afternoon (UK time) from 2pm until 4pm, promising 'personal selections from my 50 years of collecting music - everything from Jazz, Blues, R&B, Country, Country-Rock, Folk, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Singer-Songwriter, Old Timey, Reggae, Mento, Ska, African, Brazilian, Pop and various other forms of 'roots'. Anything and everything [with some exceptions of course].'

Sadly there isn't a 'listen again' feature as yet, so you'll just have to drop it into your diary. More on the show and the radio station via the link below.

Blastphonic website

Mousetrap Authentic R&B allnighter

If you're in thev capital on Saturday July 18th and don't fancy paying out for a hotel, get yourself down to the Mousetrap Authentic R&B allnighter.

Expect the very best in classic vintage dance music from the golden age of late 50s and into the 60s on chunky ol' vintage vinyl from Resident DJs Chris Dale, Lee Miller & Rob Bailey plus special guests Mik Parry (Pow Wow), Johnny Hoodoo (Breakdown) & Big Jon (Evolution).

It runs from 10pm - 6am and takes place at Orleans, 259 Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 7DD
(1 min walk from Finsbury Park bus/tube/train (Victoria/Piccadilly lines)).

New Untouchables website

Retro TV W/C 3rd July 2009

Highlights of the week

After ten years away from the spotlight, legendary Motown star and R&B innovator Stevie Wonder returned with a two-night residency at London O2 arena last September. Stevie Wonder: Live at Last (Friday 3rd. BBC 2. 11.35pm) includes classic tracks Living for the City, Higher Ground, My Cherie Amour, I Wish, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) and Superstition. Plus Isn't She Lovely performed with his daughter Aisha Morris.

This week on the radio, blues veteran John Mayall traces the explosion of the blues and R&B in Britain in the early 1960s, with contributions from Bill Wyman, Zoot Money and Eric Burdon in John Mayall's Blues Adventures (Tuesday 7th, BBC Radio 4. 1.30pm).

Friday 3rd July

TV

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Jeff discovers a plot to kidnap the heir to a fortune

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.55pm - 7.25pm
Stan and Jack decide to get fit.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Comedy sketches.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Bodie and Doyle race to identify an assassin.

Sight and Sound in Concert: Thin Lizzy - BBC 4. 10.00pm - 10.35am
Phil Lynott and co perform Jailbreak, Cold Sweat and The Boys Are Back in Town, from 1983.

More Guitar Heroes at the BBC - BBC 4. 10.35pm - 11.35pm (Repeated 12.30am)
New. Archive performances by celebrated musicians Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend, Peter Green and Johnny Winter. Other performers featured include Manitas De Plata, Ry Cooder and Thin Lizzy, while Fleetwood Mac's Albatross and In the City by the Jam are among the classic songs performed.

Film: Magnum Force (1973) - ITV 1. 10.35pm - 12.50am
All-guns-blazing crime thriller starring Clint Eastwood as San Francisco cop "Dirty"Harry Callahan. Prominent local criminals are being killed off in a series of murders where the weapon is always the same: the .357 Magnum. As the investigation gets under way, Callahan and his boss have conflicting ideas about who is responsible.

Flight of the Conchords (8/10) - BBC 4. 11.35pm - 12Midnight
Series two. New Zealand Town. The prime minister creates New Zealand Town between Chinatown and Little Italy, but when the Conchords ask to play at the opening, he insists the event deserves a cooler guest.

Stevie Wonder: Live at Last - BBC 2. 11.35pm - 12.35am
After ten years away from the spotlight, the legendary Motown star and R&B innovator returned with a two-night residency at London O2 arena last September. Classic tracks include Living for the City, Higher Ground, My Cherie Amour, I Wish, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) and Superstition. Plus Isn't She Lovely performed with his daughter Aisha Morris.

Radio

Colour My World: the Tony Hatch Story (3/3) - BBC Radio 2. 7.00pm - 7.30pm
Radio 2's profile of the man who wrote Downtown concludes with his TV work, including themes for Crossroads (1964), Man Alive (1965), Emmerdale (1972) and Neighbours (1985). Plus a look at his Simon Cowell-like persona on 1970s talent show New Faces.

Saturday 4th July

TV

Film: A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) - Film4. 2.40pm - 4.25pm
An imaginative young boy growing up in London's impoverished East End in the 1950s, absorbs a tale about the magical power of captured unicorns from the kindly tailor Kandinsky and goes in search of the mythic beast.

Film: Cat Ballou (1965) - BBC 2. 3.50pm - 5.25pm
Comedy western starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin. Schoolteacher Catherine Ballou returns home to find her father's life under threat from developers who want his ranch land. To protect him, Catherine assembles a motley bunch of outlaws including Kid Shelleen, an ageing gunfighter with a fondness for alcohol.

Radio

Sounds of the 60s - BBC Radio 2. 8.00am - 10.00am
Brian Matthew spins two hours of hits, B -sides and album tracks.

The Funk and Soul Show - BBC 6 Music. 6.00pm - 9.00pm
3 hours of funk, soul and blues presented by Craig Charles.

Feelin' Love: the Donna Summer Story - BBC Radio 2. 10.00pm - 11.00pm
Producer and Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers celebrates the career of US R&B-pop diva Donna Summer, who ruled the airwaves and dance clubs during her phenomenal mid-to late 70s reign.

Sunday 5th July

TV

The Day of the Triffids (1&2/6) - BBC 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
A repeat showing of the BBC's acclaimed 1981 six-part series, starting with the first 2 episodes back-to-back. A hospital patient wakes up to find London in chaos, with most of the population blinded by a meteorite shower.

Film: The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) - ITV 4. 10.00pm - 12.05am
British horror starring Ralph Bates. Cold-blooded young student Victor Frankenstein steps into his father's shoes to continue his horrific experiments in bringing the dead back to life.

Comedy Classics: Rising Damp - ITV 1. 10.45pm - 11.45pm
A tribute to the 1970s sitcom which starred Leonard Rossiter, as the penny-pinching landlord Rigsby whose lodgers included Don Warrington, Richard Beckinsale and Frances de la Tour. Writer Eric Chappell recalls his inspiration for the series and a classic episode Stage Struck follows.

Film: The Jerk (1979) - ITV 4. 1.05am - 2.40am
Comedy starring Steve Martin. Navin Johnson, the white sheep in a poor black family, leaves home to seek his fortune in the big city. Navin's struggle for fame, his invention of the opti-grab device and the earth-shattering discovery of his "special purpose" are just a small part of the Johnson legend.

Monday 6th July

TV

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.50pm - 7.20pm
The Luxton Bus Company Social Club hold a darts match.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.20pm - 7.55pm
Clips from the Carry On films.

Film: All or Nothing (2002) - BBC 1. 11.20pm - 1.30am
Bleak drama directed by Mike Leigh and starring Timothy Spall. During a long weekend on a run-down South London housing estate, a rag tag group of life's survivors struggle to stay afloat in a sea of social and financial despair.

Tuesday 7th July

TV

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.50pm - 7.20pm
Stan and Jack look forward to their welcome seasonal breaks.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.20pm - 7.55pm
Clips from the Carry On films.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Bodie and Doyle are assigned protection duties.

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) - ITV 4. 10.05pm - 12.20am
John Landis' anarchic comedy starring John Belushi. The students of Delta house have a reputation for wild parties and drinking. As the freshmen arrive on campus, the future of the house comes under threat.

Flight of the Conchords (9/10) - BBC 4. 10.30pm - 10.55pm
New. Series two. Wingmen. Bret falls for a girl working at the pet shop, but shyness thwarts his chance of asking her on a date. Determined to lend a hand, Jermaine enlists the aid of a friendly mugger to help make his band-mate look tough in front of his new love interest.

Radio

John Mayall's Blues Adventures - BBC Radio 4. 1.30pm - 2.00pm
Blues veteran John Mayall traces the explosion of the blues and R&B in Britain in the early 1960s. With contributions from Bill Wyman, Zoot Money and Eric Burdon.

All of Me: the Betrayal of Billie Holiday - BBC Radio 2. 10.30pm - 11.30pm
To mark next week's 50th anniversary of her death, Neneh Cherry tells the story of how the jazz-blues legend was betrayed by her manager, resulting in a near-ten-month spell in prison for narcotic offences.

Wednesday 8th July

TV

The Professionals - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Bodie and Doyle are assigned protection duties.

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.50pm - 7.25pm
Stan and Jack are chosen to go on a training course.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Farcical comedy sketches.

Legends: the Andrews Sisters - BBC 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Queens of the Music Machines. Profile of the group.

Minder - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Arthur's safe is targeted by an old acquaintance.

Film: Buster (1988) - BBC 1. 11.30pm - 1.10am
Biographical crime drama, based on the life of Great Train robber Buster Edwards, starring Phil Collins. A small time crook gets a chance to move into the big time.

Thursday 9th July

TV

Minder - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Arthur's safe is targeted by an old acquaintance.

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.55pm - 7.25pm
Stan and Jack take out a boisterous group of school children.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Comedy sketches.

Psychoville (4/7) - BBC 2. 10.00pm - 10.30pm
In an episode based on the classic Hitchcock thriller Rope, David and his mother Maureen are interrupted in their killing spree by the arrival of a visitor and must keep the caller from finding the body in the trunk.

Legends: Josephine Baker - The First Black Superstar - BBC 4. 10.30pm - 11.30pm
Documentary about the iconic black entertainer who was a pioneer in every sense of the word and whose impact on the cultural history of the twentieth century was profound.

Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair

With the first event being a success (over 700 paying punters through the door), the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair returns on Sunday 12th July 2009.

It takes place at The Old Sessions House, Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1R ONA from 10:30am trade (£4 entry) or 11am public (£3 entry), running through to 5pm. For that, you get to take in 35 'quality' dealers from all over the UK & Europe, selling clothing from the 1800s-1980s for both men and women.

There's even an in-house tailor for alterations, an on-site cafe, some vintage tunes over the sound system, dancing exhibitions in the foyer and a vintage-inspired beauty parlour

Find out more at the Clerkenwell Fashion Fair website

History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene

It's been 10 years in the making, which just might give you an idea of the depth of From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz - The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene.

The work of Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove and designed by one of our favourite artist/designers Swifty, this 290-page book looks at the evolution of black music and clubbing in the UK from the early 70s to the mid-90s, taking in the all-dayers, weekenders and clubs, including The Goldmine, Chaplins, Lacy Lady, Berlin, The Central, Chaplins, Crackers, Electric Ballroom and The Wag.

Over 200 DJs, dancers and promoters have been interviewed, including Baz Fe Jazz, Pete Tong, Gilles Peterson, Paul Murphy and Kenny MacLeod, with the words accompanied by a plethora of rare memorabilia and photography. The book is the first to be published by Chaser Publications (from the people behind Straight No Chaser magazine) and is available now directly from Authorhouse for £15.99 or from Amazon in the UK for £18.99.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Retro TV W/C 26th June 2009

Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 26th June to Thursday 2nd July 2009.

Highlights of the week

This week's television and radio is dominated by coverage of this year's Glastonbury festival. Among the highlights are performances from the recently reformed Specials ( BBC 4. Friday 26th, 9pm) and Madness (BBC 4. Sunday 28th, 7pm) both introduced by Mark Radcliffe.
Although a repeat, Soul Britannia (BBC 4, Friday 26th, 10pm) is unmissable. The second part of this excellent 3 part series charting the dynamic impact of black American and Caribbean sounds on British music and society is absolutely essential viewing. This weeks episode explores the time-frame of the early 1970s to the mid 80s, featuring Northern soul, skinheads, Ska and 2-tone. With contributions from Pete Townshend, Paul Weller and Kevin Rowland, among others.

Friday 26th June

TV

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
An eccentric bird-lovers strange will leads to murder.

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.55pm - 7.25pm
Stan begins courting Blakey's niece, who tries to smarten him up.

Rising Damp - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Rigsby is elated to learn he has been left a small fortune in his uncle's will.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Three killings leave Cowley and the team baffled.

Glastonbury - BBC 4. 9.00pm - 10.00pm
Mark Radcliffe introduces The Specials from the Pyramid Stage.

Soul Britannia (2/3) - BBC 4. 10.00pm - 11.00pm (Repeated 3.00am)
Second part of this excellent 3 part series charting the dynamic impact of black American and Caribbean sounds on British music and society is absolutely essential viewing. This episode explores the time-frame of the early 1970s to the mid 80s, featuring Northern soul, skinheads, Ska and 2-tone. With contributions from Pete Townshend, Paul Weller and Kevin Rowland, among others.

Film: Dirty Harry (1971) - ITV 1. 10.35pm - 12.30am
Crime thriller starring Clint Eastwood. Cop "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned case of a sniper who has murdered a girl and threatened further killings if his ransom demand is not met. Dismayed to be partnered with a raw recruit, Callahan is soon at odds with his bosses over whether to pay off the killer.

Glastonbury - BBC 2. 11.00pm - 2.05am
Highlights from today's performances including The Specials.

Flight of the Conchords (7/10) - BBC 4. 11.30pm - 12Midnight
Series two. Prime Minister. Murray tries to arrange a meeting with the US president for the prime minister of New Zealand.

Radio

Colour My World: the Tony Hatch Story (2/3) - BBC Radio 2. 7.00pm - 7.30pm
Radio 2's profile of the man who wrote Downtown continues with his non-stop run of mid-60s gems for Petula Clark, co-written with long-term partner Jackie Trent.

Saturday 27th June

TV

Seven Ages of Rock (6/7) - Yesterday. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Left of the Dial: US Alternative Rock. Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt compares the contrasting fates of two of America's biggest bands, Nirvana and REM, and the hidden links between their most prominent musicians.

Seven Ages of Rock (7/7) -Yesterday. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
What the World is Waiting For: Indie Rock. Julian Rhind-Tutt explores the world of British indie music. The documentary focuses on the Smiths, the influences of "Madchester", iconoclastic artists like Suede, and the media's fascination with the rivalry between Britpop figureheads Blur and Oasis.

The Sweeney - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
A suitcase is snatched.

Lee Miller: a Crazy Way of Seeing - BBC 4. 9.30pm - 10.30pm
An evening of documentaries about female photographers begins with an insight into the life of the celebrated visual artist and model, who posed for Vogue during the 1920s, before becoming the only female photojournalist to report on the Second World War.

Imagine... Annie Leibovitz - Life Through a Lens - BBC 4. 10.30pm - 11.30pm
Now in her 50s and recently a mother, photographer Annie Leibowitz is as much in demand as ever. This documentary is an intimate portrayal by the photographer's sister Barbara of an artist whose images are perhaps better known than she is.

Film: The Last Detail (1973) - Five USA. 11.10pm - 1.00am
Hal Ashby's irreverent drama starring Jack Nicholson, Otis Young and Randy Quaid. While awaiting orders at a naval base in Virginia, two petty officers are assigned the task of accompanying a young sailor convicted of theft to a jail in New Hampshire.

Arena: Linda McCartney - behind the Lens - BBC 4. 11.30pm - 12.20am
Documentary focusing on the life of the photographer and animal rights activist, who snapped rock stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and The Beatles.

Radio

Sounds of the 60s - BBC Radio 2. 8.00am - 10.00am
Brian Matthew spins two hours of hits, B -sides and album tracks.

Sunday 28th June

TV

Glastonbury - BBC 4. 5.00pm - 6.00pm
Including highlights of Madness performance from the Pyramid stage.

Glastonbury - BBC 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
Mark Radcliffe kicks-off the final night of the festival with Madness on the Pryamid Stage.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
Bodie and Doyle investigate the murder of a prostitute, but their only clues are a film and a blackmail plot.

Glastonbury - BBC 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Veteran rockers Status Quo and supergroup Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The Sweeney - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Sergeant Taylor is injured in a shooting incident involving one of the officer's informants.

The Unforgettable... Yootha Joyce - ITV 1. 10.45pm - 11.20pm
Best remembered for playing feisty, sex-mad Mildred Roper in the hit sitcom George and Mildred. But behind the screen image was an intensely private woman, who displayed a mix of strength and vulnerability and hid her personal problems from even her closest friends.

Monday 29th June

TV

Film: A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) - Film4. 12.55pm - 2.40pm
An imaginative young boy growing up in London's impoverished East End in the 1950s, absorbs a tale about the magical power of captured unicorns from the kindly tailor Kandinsky and goes in search of the mythic beast.

Film: Very Important Person (1961) - Channel 4. 1.35pm - 3.25pm
Comedy starring James Robertson-Justice, Leslie Phillips Eric Sykes. When Sir Ernest Pease is captured and taken to a German PoW camp, he and his fellow captives plan an escape.

The Sweeney - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Sergeant Taylor is injured in a shooting incident involving one of the officer's informants.

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.55pm - 7.25pm
Stan and Jack convince Inspector Blake to buy Arthur's old motorbike.

Rising Damp - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Rigsby places a personal advert in the paper - and receives a reply.

Radio

Stuart Maconie - BBC Radio 2. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Tonight's special guest is Howard Kaylan, founder of 60s giants The Turtles. Volman discusses the band's remastered-hits album.

Beverley's Gospel Nights - BBC Radio 2. 11.30am - 12.00am
Last in the present series is a Motown gospel special featuring unreleased singles from the Detroit giant's short-lived early 60s subsidiary label Divinity.

Tuesday 30th June

TV

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) - ITV 4. 6.00pm - 7.00pm
A man claims he is the reincarnation of Marty.

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.50pm - 7.20pm
Stan soon regrets taking in one of the clippies as his new lodger.

Rising Damp - ITV 3. 7.20pm - 7.55pm
New tenant Ambrose soon has the other lodgers under a strange spell.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
Bodie and Doyle investigate an armed robbery.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - ITV 4. 9.00pm - 10.00pm
A terrified Neville is kidnapped and driven through the back streets of Havana.

Film: The Jerk (1979) - ITV 4. 10.20pm - 12.20am
Comedy starring Steve Martin. Navin Johnson, the white sheep in a poor black family, leaves home to seek his fortune in the big city. Navin's struggle for fame, his invention of the opti-grab device and the earth-shattering discovery of his "special purpose" are just a small part of the Johnson legend.

Flight of the Conchords (8/10) - BBC 4. 10.30pm - 10.55pm
New. Series two. New Zealand Town. The prime minister creates New Zealand Town between Chinatown and Little Italy, but when the Conchords ask to play at the opening, he insists the event deserves a cooler guest.

Wednesday 1st July

TV

On the Buses - ITV 3. 6.55pm - 7.25pm
Stan's plans are thwarted.

The Professionals - ITV 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
Cowley masquerades as the Home Secretary.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.25pm - 8.00pm
Farcical comedy sketches.

Legends: Roy Orbison - the "Big O" in Britain - BBC 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
A celebration of the life and career of Roy Orbison, featuring interviews with the musician's widow and manager Barbara Orbison.

Minder - ITV 4. 8.00pm - 9.00pm
An incriminating tape is mistakenly delivered to Daley Videos.

Film: Sexy Beast (2000) - Film4. 11.05pm - 12.50am
Cat-and-mouse crime drama starring Ray Winstone. Retired criminal Gary Dove's idyllic Spanish life is shattered when a psychotic associate from London is sent to persuade him, by any means necessary, to compete one final job. Featuring a genius, foul-mouthed tour-de-force from Ben Kingsley as ' Don'.

Thursday 2nd July

TV

On the Buses - ITV 3. 7.00pm - 7.30pm
Stan and Jack tease Blake.

Minder - ITV 4. 7.00pm - 8.00pm
An incriminating tape is mistakenly delivered to Daley Videos.

Carry On Laughing - ITV 3. 7.30pm - 8.00pm
Comedy sketches.

Rising Damp - ITV 3. 8.30pm - 9.00pm
Rigsby wines and dines Miss Jones.

Psychoville (3/7) - BBC 2. 10.00pm - 10.30pm
How did children's entertainer Mr Jelly end up the way he is? David and his mother go under cover as beauticians to dispatch their next victim.

Meet the British - BBC 4. 11.30pm - 12.30am
From semi-naked women to prize-winning goats, this documentary examines the weird and wonderful ways the government has tried to promote Britain's image abroad.

Modculture forum webmail amnesty

A number of people have tried to join the forum with webmail addresses (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc), despite it saying clearly that we don't accept those addresses for security reasons. So for one week, we're having an amnesty on these addresses.

Basically, if you've signed up with a webmail address fairly recently (or want to use a webmail address), get in touch with is via the 'contact us' button on the site, letting us know the username you've used or the email address you want to use (so we can look out for it). We'll then authorise all accounts.

This is a limited deal, designed to allow people who do not have access to anything other than a webmail address to contribute to the forum - so get in now, while you can.

Contact the Modculture website

Cult Clip: Outrigger in 1984

If you ever went to the Outrigger in the 1980s, you might appreciate this clip of the club, dating back to 1984.

Apparently from BBC Midlands Today, the film has been retrieved from an old video tape and given a new lease of life courtesy of YouTube. Even if you didn't go, it's still an interesting insight into the mod scene of the mid 80s.

Skaville at Filthy MacNastys

If you fancy taking in some ska - for free - in London, you need to check out Skaville at Filthy MacNastys.

Comprising of Nick Welsh (Selector and Bad Manners) and Louis Alphonso (Bad Manners), they'll be playing a selection of ska hits acoustically on Saturday 4th July at 68 Amwell Street, London EC1.

For more about the band, see above. Or just turn up on the night - you don't get value like this very often.

Filthy MacNastys website

Brighton Mod Weekender 2009

Just added to the events listings is the write-up and flyer for the New Untouchables' Brighton Mod Weekender 2009.

It takes place from 28th - 30th August 2009, offering 3 nights of entertainments, 2 allnighters, 4 live bands during the daytime events and a host of guest clubs plus a scooter ride out. There is also a launch of ‘I’m One’ (21st Century Mods) by Horst R Fredriechs (which we featured the other day), with 15ft prints of some of the images featured in the book on display on the wall of Sea Life next to the daytime events venue.

if you want to know more, check out the link below to the listing on the site.

Brighton Mod Weekender 2009 listing

Caf! in Hastings in July

If you happen to be in the Hastings area on Friday July 10th, it's well worth your while to pop into Caf!

Residents Southern Sam and Rowly will be joined by Mark Raison to spin R&B, northern, 60s soul, funk and hammond grooves - all on original vinyl of course.

It takes place at the Basement Bar @ Bar-Celona, 4 Claremont, Hastings, TN34 1HA. Entry is free.

More at the MySpace page

Brutus Trimfit shirts now on sale

We've previewed these on the site for some time now, so we're finally glad to see the Brutus Trimfit shirts in the shops.

As we mentioned previously, the shirts offer all that classic 1960s detailing, with a slim fit, bold button-down collar, box pleat and a choice of tartan, black gingham or blue gingham as colours.

The first batch of stockists are Jump The Gun in Brighton, Oi Polloi in Manchester and Hip in Leeds, all three offering online sales too if you don't happen to live nearby. You will also be able to buy them directly from Brutus at the end of the month. The shirts are priced around the £45 mark. More images over the page.

Brutus Trimfit website

New Look Summer Shift Dresses

New Look is probably best known for affordable fashion that moves fast, which happily means that once in a while they take a chance on some very retro pieces. These Shift Dresses are a great pair of sixties looks that are affordable and effortless.

Both the Circle Print Dress and Button Shift Dress start with a simple, chic cut that instantly looks vintage. The high neckline and mini length hem are kept classic by the cut being structured, not tight to the figure. The colour palettes are bright, without looking too modern and keeping these dresses grounded in sixties influence.

Get yours from New Look now from £30.

Find out more from the website

Via Retro To Go

Tuk shirts now available at Coggles

We have featured Tuk's slim-fit shirts in the past and by all accounts, a number of you have bought the shirts in the past. Sadly, Tuk has operated strictly online until now, which means you don't get 'hands on' until you get your shirt through the post. That's not the case anymore.

If you happen to be in York, the Coggles store now has stock of its first batch of limited edition Tuk shirts (with and without button-down collars), which you can view via the link below. The price is the same (indeed, you can order online from Coggles if you prefer to get it shipped from within the UK), but if you can get to the store, you can actually try one on before you splash the cash.

Apparently other stockists are also being sorted out in the UK, so if you can't make it to north Yorkshire, sit tight and hopefully a stockist will arrive near you.

Tuk shirts at Coggles

ModCloth Carnaby Street Dress

A hug portion of the retro reproduction looks available today are sixties inspired, but it can be surprisingly hard to find a true Swinging London look from new clothing. This Carnaby Street Dress from ModCloth is a perfect mid sixties mod look.

Taking a simple, menswear inspired waistcoat, this treads the line of femininity perfectly for mod style. The sharp monochrome palette, deep V back and sleeveless look provide vintage looks, while detailing like octagon buttons and epaulettes add flair.

Get this dress online from ModCloth for $47.99.

Find out more from the website

Via Retro To Go

20 per cent off at John Smedley

One of our favourite retailers (and of course, one of our top five modern-day mod labels) is offering something very special for just one week only - 20 per cent off the entire John Smedley range at the newly-relaunched and improved John Smedley online store.

Yes, 20 per cent off the lot, from the classics to the latest styles, which makes it pretty much the perfect time to top up the collection of lightweight summer knitwear, much of it made from John Smedley’s soft and light Sea Island Cotton to keep you cool when the temperatures rise. Free UK delivery too in case you're wondering.

The offer only runs until this Sunday (28th June), so there isn't much time to hang around. If you want to add to your wardrobe, just enter the offer code JSJ22 at the basket stage of your transaction - your 20 per cent will then be knocked off the price. Follow the link below to visit the shop and check out the range.

John Smedley website

Mind Yuh Business in July

One for your diary next month - Mind Yuh Business at the Dex, London SW9.

If you can't make out the flyer above, the night offers a live set from Lack Of Afro, along with DJs Tim K (resident), Ashley Beedle and the always-excellent Mary Boogaloo. Expect a mix of vintage soul, ska, funk, boogaloo and lots lots more.

You'll find the Dex at 467-469 Brixton Road, London SW9, with the night running from 9:00pm - 6:00am. Advance tickets can be purchased for £8 or it's £10 on the door. You can pick up tickets from J B's Records, 36 Hanway St, London W1 and Beamish & McGlue, 461 Norwood Road, London SE27.

Mind Yuh Business on MySpace

Specials 100 Club winner

With the gig being this week, we've had to draw the winner of The Specials at the 100 Club competition winner today and that winner is:

Astrid Edwards (London)

Sadly we just had the one pair of tickets to give away, which is a shame as the number of entrants we had could have filled the venue several times over. Look out for further competitions very soon.

Zepii retro-styled electric scooters

Fancy cruising round the streets on a vintage-style scooter, but don't want to do further damage to the environment? You need one of these Zepii retro-styled electric scooters.

Obviously being both new and electric, this isn't one for the purists. But if you want something cheap and nippy for getting around town, it might be worth a look. Taking its design inspiration from the vintage Vespas (not to mention some nifty lights and a backrest), the Zepii offers between 50 and 60km of travel from an eight hour charge from your mains, costing around 8p for 40 miles of riding and of course, throwing out absolutely no emissions. Top speed? We don't know, but we suspect you'll not be burning rubber when the lights change.

If you want one, check out the Zepii website for the lowdown, with prices around the £849 mark, which seems pretty reasonable for something that costs peanuts to run. See over for another image of the scoot.

Find out more at the Zepii website

Via Retro To Go

London Street Soul 1988 - 2009

I've been overlooking the reviews of late (purely due to lack of time - hopefully it'll be back on track soon), which is a shame as I really need to get a review of London Street Soul 1988 - 2009 (21 Years of Acid Jazz Records) online.

Released by BGP on 29th June 2009, this is a well though out collection of some of the label's finer moments, skipping many of the obviously tracks in favour or some lesser-known, soulful grooves that the label has produced over the years. So rubbing shoulders with the likes of Paul Weller/Andy Lewis, Mother Earth and the Brand New Heavies are more obscure (but equally worthy acts) like Could Nine, Humble Souls, Sandals and Night Trains.

I've spun it a good few times already and it really does make a great summer soundtrack. Look out for a full review soon, but if you want to pick up a copy, Amazon is doing pre-orders now, priced at a very palatable £10.98.

Find out more at the Amazon website

I'm One by Horst A. Friedrichs

We usually get advanced warning of the various mod-related books that come out, but the first we've heard of I'm One (Trust In Mod) by Horst A. Friedrichs is via a pre-release piece from Amazon.

To be honest, the piece makes the book sound pretty awful, but read between the lines and it sounds much better. Skip most of the text and get to: 'Whether shot in Margate, Scarborough, Brighton, or London, Friedrich's photographs could be right out of 1966 in the way they capture the essence of Mod. This rare collection of stunning images provides a sensitive portrayal of Britain's Mod community from the past decade and a unique insight into the diversity of the contemporary Mod scene.'

So essentially a photobook of the modern-day mod scene. Which sounds just fine by us. We'll try and get a copy for review, but in the meantime, you can pre-order for £16.99 for an August delivery.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Meet David Bailey in London

We loved the Olympus EP-1 Micro Four Thirds camera (that we featured earlier in the week), a mix of high-end technology and old school looks, it's the camera we really want to own this summer. If you want to get up close and personal with one, you can do so at Jessops in central London - and meet David Bailey as an added incentive.

Some versions of the retro-styled camera will be on sale on the night, while others can be pre-ordered so you get one as soon as they land. If you do pre-order, Jessops is apparently giving away a free 'Cross' pen to the first 50. we've no idea what that is but it's apparently worth £300. And of course, you can get tips off the coolest photographer in the history of the world too.

If you can't get to the Jessops New Oxford Street branch on 25th June at 6pm, the full range of EP-1 cameras has just gone online, you can check them out (and prices) via the link below. Alternatively, see over the page for the classic David Bailey Olympus ad from the 1970s - we just couldn't resist putting it up.

Find out more at the Jessops website

Soulsville in Glasgow

By all accounts, the first Soulsville went down well, so it's no surprise to see it returning, this time on Friday 26th June 2009.

The monthly night specialises in Motown, northern, Spector sounds, blue-eyed soul, Stax/Atlantic and funk, running from 7pm until 1am at the Mono Cafe/Bar, King's Court, King Street, Glasgow.

Admission is free and if you want to know more, see above or email here.

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Brighton Mod Weekender 2009

Caf! in Hastings in July

Brutus Trimfit shirts now on sale

New Look Summer Shift Dresses

Tuk shirts now available at Coggles

ModCloth Carnaby Street Dress

20 per cent off at John Smedley

Mind Yuh Business in July

Specials 100 Club winner

Zepii retro-styled electric scooters

London Street Soul 1988 - 2009

I'm One by Horst A. Friedrichs

Meet David Bailey in London

Soulsville in Glasgow