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@125clothingco
Legendary English film star & all-round stylish gent Bill Nighy discusses the importance of being dapper in the latest ShortList Magazine; naming John Smedley as his favourite casual brand.
We currently have 10 polos in stock at TNB Indie Arcade; a mixture of long-sleeved and short-sleeved, Medium/Large and all under £20.
Come and grab yourself a bargain. Timeless fashion for the 21st Century Mod.
#125cc Inspirations: No.11 - Absolute Beginners
I'm kicking off this year's #125cc Inspirations blog posts with a novel that I read in the New Year; the iconic 'Absolute Beginners' by Colin MacInnes. Quite fitting that I should choose it with Paul Weller being my last subject of 2013 as he chose the book amongst his Desert Island Discs selection.
Now obviously I don't want to give too much away because I don't want to spoil it for anybody that might end up reading it, but 'Absolute Beginners' is an incredibly vivid and engaging snapshot of youth culture in London right at the birth of the entire Mod subculture.
The unnamed narrator is essentially an 18-year-old Mod; he travels the streets of London on a Vespa, dresses in fine Italian clothes and can be frequently found at Jazz gigs and clubs. Released in 1959, the novel incorporates fictionalised elements of the 1958 race riots. If anything, it is a defiant protest against racism, and a yearning protection of how London should be as opposed to how it's seemingly become.
Released on the eve of the Swinging Sixties that transformed London and Western culture forever, this was clearly a very unnerving time of change for a teenage 'absolute beginner' in the country's capital, and you can't help but feeling a strong sense of scepticism from the then 44-year-old novelist behind it.
That said, it's written fantastically well; the narrator and protagonist never drifts from his witty, dry and cocksure approach to his day to day dealings. The coming of age clashes with his parents as their relationship inevitably evolves is both cuttingly poignant and at times amusing, and his relentless pursuit of Crêpe Suzette is a battle that we've all fought at some time or another.
Anyway, this isn't supposed to be a book review, so I'll leave it there. But if you're remotely interested in the Mod subculture, the Swinging Sixties, kitchen-sink dramas or British youth culture in general, then this is an essential read.
The Jam released a single about it, Bowie soundtracked the feature film and Patsy Kensit became famous as a result. Can't all be bad, can it? One of a trio of London novels; Colin MacInnes' 'Absolute Beginners' is my first #125cc Inspiration of 2014. Happy reading...
Now that we're well and truly off the ground at TNB Indie Arcade in Sheffield, we've made the first steps to adding our stock online.
At the moment we have a small range of items available through our eBay store, and will be adding new items on a weekly basis. Deliveries available worldwide.
And last but not least, we'll also be selling hand-picked vintage womenswear online very shortly as well. So keep your eyes peeled!
#125cc Inspirations: No.10 - Paul Weller
Paul Weller, quite simply known as "The Modfather", is undoubtedly responsible for kick-starting fires in the bellies of millions of Mod revivalists around the globe; from the birth of The Jam in 1976 right until present day.
He is seen by many as the principle figurehead of the Mod Revival movement of the late 1970s and 1980s, to the extend that he's almost level-pegging with Pete Townshend of The Who as the ultimate Mod icon.
Stating his earliest musical influences as The Beatles, The Who and The Small Faces, Weller began playing the guitar at the tender age of 11, and over several decades has established himself firmly as one of the most respected British songwriters and lyricists of all-time.
As a fifteen-year-old lad, it was my first viewing of 'Quadrophenia' (see #125cc Inspiration No.4 on protagonist Jimmy Cooper) and then a subsequent obsession with The Jam (as opposed to The Who) that led to my lifelong love for the Mod movement.
Admittedly at the time (I was only young) there was also a love affair with The Ordinary Boys, probably the most successful Jam tribute act of all-time, but it wasn't long before Weller sat at the forefront of my musical idols. His snarl, his aggression, his rebellion and his effortless charisma completely took hold; I spent my two years at Sixth Form College dressed from head to toe in Ben Sherman and Fred Perry, scrawling Jam lyrics on my notebook and failing miserably to find a girl that even vaguely resembled Steph from 'Quadrophenia'.
Weller's lyrics beautifully epitomise British working class culture, to the extend that it's actually prevented him from being much of a success internationally, and for me it perfectly embodies everything that I associate with the Mod identity. As mentioned in the previous paragraph; the rebellion and the challenge of authority. Bold working class sensibilities. Quintessentially British, but borrowing plenty of influences from abroad. Razor sharp and boldly stylish; proud, defiant and immaculate.
Visually as well as lyrically, Weller has always stood tall amongst the best of them. Some people just inherit a movement and an idea and an identity, magnify it and present it to the masses. For me, this is Paul Weller to the Mods.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why he's my 10th #125cc Inspiration.
#125cc Track of the Week: No.10 - Otis Redding 'Wonderful World'
An easy choice after this week's #125cc Inspirations post on the King of Soul. He has a plethora of tracks to prove from, and this is my personal favourite!
#125cc Inspirations: No.9 - Otis Redding
Still known to this day as "The King of Soul", Otis Redding is one of the most popular singers of all-time, and one of the main driving forces behind the rise in popularity of Soul and R&B to the white record buying public of the early-to-mid 1960s.
Few artists genuinely merit the sheer level of love and admiration that Otis commands even now, and it's impossible to speak about the Mod subculture without handing a large chunk of credit to this man. It was almost immediately after his Stax Records releases became available in Europe that he became a prominent figure on the scene; playing a hugely influential role to many bands including The Small Faces.
Otis was one of the acts to truly pioneer the iconic "Stax sound", and it was partly down to his popularity that fellow Stax acts such as Booker T & The MG's and The Mar-Keys were able to travel to the UK as frequently as they did.
In the September of 1966, the No.1 rated British TV music show 'Ready, Steady, Go!' dedicated an entire episode to Otis Redding, and at this stage it was clear that he enjoyed far a more intense level of success in the UK and Europe than he did back home in the States.
His popularity in the UK was cemented once more when he was named 'No.1 Male Vocalist' in the highly acclaimed 'Melody Maker' magazine, and it was on his return to the US that his career arguably reached it's peak in June 1967 at the Monterey Pop Festival.
Backed by The MG's and sharing a bill with the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, The Who, Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix; Otis was to play to his largest crowd ever - an incredible 30,000 people gathering to cement the highlight of the weekend.
Tragically, it was only 6 months later that Otis Redding suffered an extremely premature death at the tender age of 26. Despite several warnings due to heavy rain and fog, the small plane due to take Otis to Madison, Wisconsin took flight. The driver called for permission to land just four miles from their destination, but shortly afterwards the plane crashed into Lake Monona; leaving only one survivor.
It's heartbreaking to think that somebody as unfathomably talented and influential as Otis Redding could die at such a young age. But the fact that he's still a well loved household name nearly five decades later is testament to just how good he was.
So raise a glass to The King of Soul; this week's #125cc Inspiration and a true musical icon. We're lucky that his legend will always live on.
#125cc Photo of the Week: No.9 - Cuddle amongst chaos on Brighton Beach
#125cc Track of the Week: No.9 - Booker T & The MG's 'Green Onions'
An obvious and predictable choice, but an essential one nevertheless! One of the ultimate Mod anthems!
#125cc Inspirations: No.8 - Flamingo Club
Opening on Soho's Wardour Street in 1952, the Flamingo Club both played a key role in the development of British R&B and Jazz as well as becoming an official "centre" for London's Mod scene by 1963. The precedent was set a decade before any Mods frequented the venues; high quality Jazz was on the playlist and men were required to wear ties on entry.
In the early days, the club managed to gain a high reputation over a very short period of time, and managed to attract guest performances from stars including Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. However, it was resident bands such as Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (pictured above) that really brought the Mod scene to life at Flamingo.
The band owed a debt to scores of American GIs who'd visit from their bases at the weekend. They'd play in the Flamingo from midnight until 6am - one of the pioneers of the infamous "all-nighters" - and it was these American GIs that brought over many of the records that inspired Georgie Fame and his contemporaries.
"They brought records with them and one of them gave me 'Green Onions' by Booker T & The MG's. I had been playing a piano up until that point but bought a Hammond organ the next day." - Georgie Fame
Another crucial aspect of this integration - the fusion of different music, fashion and cultures - was the role that it played in the breakdown of racial prejudice in post-war British society. Mods were quickly identified as being a very "racially open" group, and their whole identity was indisputably based on black culture.
Later on, the club was also credited with introducing Ska music to a white audience, and many of the personnel involved as well as the equipment used in the club were of Jamaican origin. This is a prime example of how Mod culture borrowed inspirations from around the world; initially stylistically from Italy and France, and then musically from Jamaica and Afro-Americans.
Before long, the club became recognised as a meeting place for many famous musicians; The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and even Jimi Hendrix all being regulars. #125cc Inspiration Brian Jones and Paul McCartney went to see The Byrds there in 1965.
Inevitably, as with many of the iconic Northern Soul clubs, the Flamingo Club didn't last long. It was later renamed the Pink Flamingo, before eventually closing in 1967.
I'm always fascinated when I read up on the origins and the catalysts of the original Mod movement and I had no hesitation whatsoever in choosing the Flamingo Club as one of my #125cc Inspirations.
#125cc Track of the Week: No.8 - The Elgins 'Heaven Must Have Sent You'
One of my favourites from the Motown/Tamla Motown back catalogue. It reached No.9 in the Billboard R&B Chart when it was released in the US in 1966, but didn't become a hit on these shores until it was reissued in 1971; reaching No.3 in the Singles Chart.
A classic Northern Soul tune!
#125cc Inspirations: No.7 - Northern Soul
It's impossible to delve into Mod Culture and Mod Revivalism without at some point encountering the phenomenon that is Northern Soul. It is, even now, by far one of the most iconic and intriguing subcultures to have emerged from the British Isles. We often hear people harking back the legendary all-nighters, and doing everything they can to try and recreate the magic of Wigan Casino or Twisted Wheel, and the BBC's Culture Show recently featured a Northern Soul documentary.
Now it's important to state that Northern Soul didn't actually run simultaneously with the original Mod movement. As the Mod scene died off in the mid-to-late sixties, Northern Soul shot to popularity towards the back end of the decade. And as indicated in the name of the movement, this time it was the North of England that pioneered as opposed to London and it's suburbs.
Initially, it was the Tamla Motown-driven sound of the mid-1960s that spurted interest on the dancefloors, but rather curiously it quickly became lesser-known records that Northern Soul fans and DJs began to crave. Essentially, records that had failed to make any impact on the mainstream a couple of years earlier. Consequently, the rarer the record the better; limited edition 7" singles from small regional US labels were much more likely to be heard than chart-topping hits.
The scene was christened by Dave Godin; a journalist that ran the Soul City record store in London's Covent Garden:
"I had started to notice that Northern football fans who were in London to follow their team were coming into the store to buy records; but they weren't interested in the latest developments in the black American chart. I devised the name as a shorthand sales term. It was just to say, 'If you've got customers from the North, don't waste time playing them records currently in the U.S. black chart; just play them what they like - 'Northern Soul'."
Rather unfortunately, due to an inevitable reputation as a drug as well as a dance haven, Twisted Wheel was closed down in 1971. But by then, the movement had spread far and wide, and the Northern Soul scene reached it's peak in the mid-to-late 1970s.
In hindsight, it's quite remarkable to look at not only the distinctive style and fashion of the Northern Soul days but also the incredible levels of skill and athleticism involved in some of the dance moves. This wasn't just a few people nipping out to bob along to Gloria Jones over a few pints; this was an extremely serious activity.
And whether this is a good thing or not will always divide people, but you'll always continue to see the classic Northern Soul fist emblem emblazoned across garments long into the 21st Century. Only the other day I saw a girl in her early teens alighting the tram in Sheffield with a "Northern Soul - Keep The Faith" hoodie.
There is some degree of authenticity in contemporary appreciation of the scene, though; the Wigan Young Souls is a wonderful movement that appears to be well-and-truly keeping the principles of Northern Soul alive and well.
Almost every city has at least one radio station with a dedicated Northern Soul show, and most still have dedicated Northern Soul nights in Town Halls and Working Men's Clubs - well, at least in the North, anyway.
So next time you're up town and nobody can be arsed dancing, raise a glass to the Northern Soul movement. Also, when you've time, be sure to scour the internet for footage of their dancing. Your life is guaranteed to be better for it. And that is why Northern Soul is this week's #125cc Inspiration.
#125cc Track of the Week: No.7 - Jimmy Ruffin 'What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted'
A classic Motown ballad from 1966; with a healthy dose of melancholia in true soul fashion! Just bought this on 7" from TNB Indie Arcade. Love it.
#125cc Photo of the Week: No.8 - Mods en route to Brighton, 1964
#125cc Item of the Week: No.7 - Dark brown woollen jumper with shoulder & elbow pads (M) £18.00
#125cc Inspirations: No.6 - Brian Jones
Inspirational founder and original leader of The Rolling Stones, unfortunate founder of the 27 Club owing to a mysterious and untimely death, and all-round style icon; Brian Jones has pretty much every ingredient required to go down as one of the biggest stars of the 1960s.
His unique and flamboyant style consistently contrasted with the perceived rules of fashion. And through a combination of peacock glamour and the smart English gentleman look - sometimes as understated as he was ostentatious - he remained consistently at the forefront of cutting edge style in arguably the most stylish decade we've ever known.
It's quite openly documented that Jones was an outsider in the Stones pretty much from the off, and despite having a central role in the early days, it wasn't long before Jagger and Richards overshadowed him.
"He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs. ... Very influential, very important, and then slowly lost it ... highly intelligent ... and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away." - Bill Wyman
It would appear that his estranged role in the band that he formed and initially drove forward will have been inextricably linked both to his distinct clothing and also his serious drug problem that developed over the years.
But regardless of this, his image and status amongst rock folklore will always live on. My favourite quote about Brian Jones comes from Anita Pallenberg, stating that he "wanted to look like Françoise Hardy". Hardy of course being the incredibly stylish and beautiful wife of #125cc Inspiration No.2 Jacques Dutronc, and indeed a star in her own making.
So whilst there's mystery and tragedy and many different versions of many different stories, one utterly irrefutable fact is that Brian Jones is a timeless style icon; and that's why I've chosen him as this week's #125cc Inspiration.
#125cc Photo of the Week: No.7 - A rather cool looking Mod gentleman
#125cc Item of the Week: No.6 - Fools Gold Fred Perry polo (L) £17.00