• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
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Topic: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

I just saw an article about MODS, but I don't understand a clue.
They are or were often associated with groups like THE WHO, THE KINKS. So far I am right I think, and most of them were born in a higher class, and had a more specific "dress code"  but you had also a movement called ROCKERS, probably with another "hair style".
Has someone an idea about these MODS? Didn't they disappear when the "hippie" culture started to find his way.
A strange fact: when a "movement" like the "HIPPIES" started in the USA, it took about 3 years before it started in Europe (I don't know for Britain.)
I mentioned the WHO and the KINKS but if you listen to "my generation" or "you really got me", I have more the impression that songs like these are (pre-hard)rock songs.
Am I missing something? I mean what kind of culture was this in England, and is there a movement now in 2007, similar to the 60ties?
_________________________________________________________________________________

GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: MOD- MUD, HIP- HOP

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
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Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Hi Phil,
I can tell you that the who and the kinks are both rock bands, as are a lot of bands from the 60's that were classed as "mods".
It was more the style of clothes they wore, nicely pressed trousers with a firm crease down the middle, a shirt with a big collar and a three buttoned jacket. And when it was cold they wore a parka. ( a british army coat) over their nice clothes.
They drove about in scooters ( just as the film Quadraphenia shows) and this is probably why the rockers and mods did not get on well. The rockers that were mainly big bike riders didnt see scooters as real motor bikes and probably a lot of slagging off went on that led to fights.

Rockers Were into led zep, sabbath, stones, and more that I cannot think of right now.

Although you have entitled this ENGLAND : the sixties etc, this was all over britain but mainly stemmed from London. the so called mod bands played in Scotland,wales and Northern Ireland too so it was not confined to just England.

The film quadraphenia shows a good story of one guy's life in the 60's when the fights were rife with rockers and mods but people have to remember that it is a film, made up through fiction but based around a true fight at Brighton in 1965. I know a few that thought this film was based on a true story and everything they saw is real, just like some think braveheart was all real.


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: Scotland.
  • Registered: 2006-07-13
  • Posts: 218

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Ken,

I would say that The Who and The Kinks certainly turned out to be Rock bands, but they were most definetely Mods when they started out (check out their clobber at the time). Although in the case of The Who I think it's fair too say that they were more Mod when they performed as The Detours and The High Numbers, their manager at the time Kit Lambert (a prominenet Face at the time) probably exerting an influence over them to adopt Mod fashions etc.  As they matured musically they certainly left there Mod roots for Rock, no question there.

Other acts around at the time that Mods were into would include groups like The Small Faces and The Animals. In the case of The Small Faces, they took their name for Mod parlance at the time; 'Faces' being the trend setters with 'Tickets' being merely followers of the fashion.

Mods were definetley the classier dressers of the two factions.

At the time (in the early to mid 60's) Mods were into various styles of music, most notably Soul and Blues ( or was that just the pills?? lol). Rockers, although certainly being fans of Zep, Sabbath etc were, in the beggining anyway, into acts like Gene Vincent, Elvis and the like.

Like you say, Quadrophenia (a terrific film) gives a pretty good account of the rivalvry between the two factions.

A better way of clarifiying the two would be to say (imo at least) that Rockers were greasy, dirty and smelled. Whereas Mods were super cool, clean and didn't smell!!!! lol wink

Mod; clean living under difficult circumstances.


Craig.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.
  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
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Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

lol moddish @ the greasy bikers and pill poppers.

I still say all these so called "mod " bands were not actually mods, or they were but not the music.
I see "mod" as a fashion not the music. It is only because the fashion sensed "mods" like a certain bands music that they were called a mod band, but the music was and is rock music.

just like punk bands, the music is rock it is punks that was into the music.

Now if we get onto Ravers and rave music, then yeah it is all cr*p but rave msuic is in fact Dance msuic that ravers like. NO idea why they would like that, I tihnk they are too much out their faces on drugs to really know what they are listening too.lol

anyway, back on topic.....
Paul Weller called himself and probably still does, a mod. even though they started out as a punk band. The music? well ........ it is still rock music whether punks or mods like them. Bruce Foxton considers himself to be a punk even though he dressed like a mod and now he does again. ( and I cannot wait until the 15th of december when i go to see them, also got some great videos on youtube of "two from the jam")

So, all this stuff about styles of msuic and fans, it is the fans that carry the label in terms of rockers and mods. Even though there could still be a good argument to consider some rock music as mod music because it was people that considered themselves to be mods that liked that particular music. And if a band said they were rockers but mods liked them, they would not have much of a choice but to go along with the fans in what they want ( thats if the band wanted to stay successful)

I think the things with mods and rockers was simply the dress sense and what they drove rather than the music.

I love what is considered mod music and also punk music and rock music and country music and folk music and some blues and country. What am I classed as?
A punk rock mod wearing a cowboy hat wearing a kilt with a harmonica in my mouth.

lol lol

too long a name.


I am a Ken

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Hi Docphil,
Can i just get this one out of my system first RAY DAVIES, YESSSSSSSSSSSS.
i loved him,thought he was the finest thing God ever put on 2 feet. Now with that out of the way. It was about style i feel more then Music... The music complemented the scene.. Young hip  Fashion stylist were really coming into there own.  Mary Quant, Little Black dress still in vogue today. Soft knitwear,
with frilly shirts/blouses.
Because of all the talk on shopping on the songwriting forum in the last few days
I actually went for some retail therapy after my work today.. All Mary Quant styles are in the stores.. Along with the floral tops and shirts i wore in those times... Hers was a wee bit more conservative...
But Hot pants and knee boots
done it all.. Mini Skirts! i still have a photo were my undies can be seen plainly
so short were my clothes. But i had the pins then for that style. and everyone wore them.
It was also about Hair. Todays layered Bob I would have had then. Had my lovely long hair cut to be in fashion. Everyone wanted Vidal Sasson Hair styles.
I was recently sent an old video clip of Linda Ronsteadt! May as well have been looking at a younger version of myself..
Black liner and false lashes were all the rage, also now back in fashion.
Now i worked with woman and Men who were Rockers. Lovely people,
but they always looked scruffy looking.. The dark clothing and dark jeans,
did nothing for them.. but that was there choice. They also would have been more into early Queen, and David Bowie etc.
Beautiful wonderful colourful times, full of hope for the future. The best music
ever..I danced to everything from the Four tops, Roberta Flack,Kinks,Dave Clark Five. Supremes,Hollies, Peter and Gordon,Jeff Becks the list is endless...

Can someone turn back the clock for me please? I swear i am still only 19. Just never grew up, well my body did , my head is still young Thanks be to the Divine.

Your everywhere and no where baby, thats where your at?

On that note Docphil Ill say goodnight . Pleasant dreams Darlin.

Thanks for that trip down memory lane.. Now wheres thoses Mini Skirts i kept...

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

I am sure about the fact that THE WHO, despite of their sometimes "heavy" songs, like MY GENERATION, were considered as MODS. Why did so called "authorities in music" put those groups in or MOD or ROCK?
________________________________________________________________________________

GITAARDOCPHIL "SINGS": T T TALKING ABOUT MY G G G GENERATION

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Scotland.
  • Registered: 2006-07-13
  • Posts: 218

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Ken,

What yer saying is bang on the money.
I hope it kinda clarrified things for the Doc. smile

It's all about pigeon holing a group into a certain genre innit?  Personally I don't like to do that but find myself falling foul just the same.

It's like the argument I have with my mate ( who insists in putting everything in a genre) about AC/DC. He's adamant that they are a Heavy Metal band or a Hard Rock band at the least, whereas me, being the pedantic swine that I am, insist they are a Heavy Blues band just to annoy him!! lol

A wee side note on The Who, When I seen them at the SECC they came on stage and were met with a chorus of 'we are the Mods' from a section of the crowd, too which Roger replied 'We aint fackhin Mods!'  Cue an abrupt cesation of the 'chorus'. lol

The beauty of being born way after the event means I can flit quite happily from 'Mod' music into 'Rocker' music without having to change my parka or bike!! smile

Craig.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.
  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
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Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

pmsl, I was at that concert too. What a gig.

I still want Pete Townshend to do a solo tour before he retires. He is superb live on his own.


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 338

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Just to be controversial for a moment. Was Clapton a mod or not ?

He played with the Yardbirds, a classic mod band ( see those suits and ties ), and certainly dressed the part himself. Yet, he left and joined Mayall because the Yardbirds went too commercial , hence the Beano album.

So . . . was he or was he not a Mod ?

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

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  • From: Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 338

Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

Or does this answer my question ?

http://www.loughrigg.org/yardbirds/images/early.jpg

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

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  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
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Re: ENGLAND: THE SIXTIES: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODS versus ROCKERS

ah ha,
the big question is, did the mods like the yardbirds?

if so, then they must have been, and yep, they certainly do look the part to be.




Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending