What is Mod? Mr. Suave's Mod, Mod World is one of the web's original modcasts celebrating mod music, and mod-influenced music from past eras including soul, ska, garage, sixties R&B power pop, punk, britpop, acid jazz, lounge, easy listening and more. SEARCH
The Coathangers are a nearly all girl punk band. They have a hard edged, aggressive sound, but one that is clearly indebted to a love of garage rock, as well as post-punk, new wave sounds. There's a lot of Killer Pussy echoes in the vocals, and a number of the songs bring to mind PIL.
There are sixties garage overtones all over their music, if you listen for it. Probably their most sixtiesish song is "Tonya Harding" with the very farfisa sounding organ work, and the falsetto girly vocals that give way to a more biting chorus. I also like "Getting Mad and Pumping Iron", "Pussywillow" and "Toomerhead".
But there's one song that I can really relate to. Maybe one of The Coathangers has arthritis. As someone who does and suffers on a daily basis I can relate to any song titled "Arthritis Sux".
i don't want broken bones bullied bones fight fight fight rheumatoid i'm annoyed i can't move fight fight fight i can't get up you fucking suck i've had enough fight fight fight
I like learning things. Like I just learned recently the The Specials' "Sock It To 'Em JB" is a cover. (Who says I'm slow?)
It's a cover of sixties soul combo Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers 1966 single. The original features an even more James Brown like style, and some really cool organ work. The JB in question could be either James Brown, or James Bond, both of whom are the inspiration for the song.
Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers -- Sock It To 'Em JB
Welcome to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World, which this week is coming to you from my sick bed where I am fighting off one of those nasty winter colds. Don't worry though, you won't get anything from listening to this modcast ... other than another great selection of mod songs.
Lots of new stuff here for you to groove on. The Modestyare a Swedish mod trio that have a new EP out, Take Modern I, which really rocks. The band mixes sixties and revival flavored power pop with some soulful garage overtones, and a bit of a modern Britpop flare for good measure. So, that alone should make you want to download this podcast and check it out. Go ahead, you won't be sorry.
Smoove turn Gil Scott Heron upside down with this revisioning of his class "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" in part to remind us of what we are capable, for good or ill.
Gert Wilden was a nobody until the cocktail nation stumbled over his labors and fell madly in love. Here was an obscure, classicly trained, Czech musician and arranger, who scored softcore porn and low-budget thrillers in Germany in the late 60s. You can already hear the music in your head I'll bet.
With Xers the world over getting into exotica, lounge, and anything remotely retro sounding in the mid 90s, the kitsch kings at Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records released two compilations of Gert Wilden and his Orchestra. The first was a tribute to his porn music and named after a famous German softcore series, The Schulmädchen Report. The songs were sensual to be sure, but the music was pretty straight-up, sixties, now sound. Naturally, the release was a huge success. Enough so that Crippled Dick released a second set of songs, these written for movie and TV crime dramas and thrillers. I Told You Not To Cry is in my opinion a far superior album. Less exotic, but also less derivative. Where the first brought to mind the likes of Paul Thomas, Lex Baxter and Klaus Harmony, this one instead reminds me more of Henry Mancini mixed with John Barry. It's both more playful and more vibrant, so of course more fitting the crime time themes.
No matter, you're not going to go wrong with Wilden if you're in the mood for some swingin', go-go music.
Gert Wilden & His Orchestra -- Desert Hips
Gert Wilden & His Orchestra -- Green Spider Theme
Gert Wilden & Orchestra -- Schulmädchen Report (Title Theme, Die Dressierte Frau)
The Bamboos are an Aussie group that play down and dirty funky, soul jazz. The group started out as a four-piece combo in 2000, but over the years has expanded with a full horn section, and the addition of vocalist Kylie Auldist.
2010 sees them rolling out their fifth studio disk, strangely titled 4. No matter, this album smokes. There's bound to be something for everyone on here, from the opener, the aptly named "On The Sly", with the inestimable Ms. Auldist, to the Lalo Schifrin like "Red Triangle", to the sitar-fueled "Up On The Hill" which brings to mind Nicola Conte. There's another voice featured as well, Lyrics Born joined the band for their 2009 single "Turn It Up" a very Stax like bit of soul, and Born does a good job of delivering a funky, James Brown styled performance. With the Stax sound covered, the band also gives a nod to motown with the lively, bouncy, "Never Be The Girl". Soul lovers are going to be in heaven when they crank this one up.
Welcome to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World, modcast #156. In honor of Valentine's Day I've done nothing. Nothing for Valentine, but everything for you dear listener -- and it's a much better story.
I've got a couple of brand new tracks from The Eddies and the Len Price 3. The Eddies are twins Dean and Dale Hoth backed up by legendary producer Earl Mankey on the drums. (If you don't know, Mankey was an original member of Sparks when they started out and later became a producer in the LA undergrounds for The Quick, The Last, Three O'Clock, Long Ryders, Leaving Trains and more.) Their new song shows off Mankey's producing with lots of cool sound affects throughout. The Len Price 3's latest album dropped last month to rave reviews, and you won't get any argument from me. They've outdone themselves again. In addition there are a few supercool, superhero number and some sixties stuff. Nothing not to like here.
