March 10, 2009

Mod-A-Day: The Targets

I've blogged previously about The Targets, which was one of Southern California's best mod/ska bands of the early 80s. The band had a lasting impression on the mod scene of the day, even if they didn't last all that long. The songs that they did were well written, well played, high energy, and infused with both a sixties sensibility and a then-contemporary post-punk kind of power pop. Over the top of it all were some raw horns that only added to the authentic mod feel. Their six song EP Unity Beat was a veritable tour de force for the local So Cal mod scene. The Targets were able to fuse contemporary punk like power pop with sixties R&B and at times a nice ska vibe, that was mod to its very core, never mind the band name. Had they lasted, had they recorded, they could have really made a name for themselves as the region's premiere mod band.

The Targets -- Two Tone Mover