As the mod subculture grew in London during the early-to-mid-1960s, tensions could arise between the mods, often riding highly decorated motor scooters, and their main rivals, the rockers, a British subculture who favoured rockabilly, early rock’n’roll, motorcycles and leather jackets, and considered the mods effeminate, because of their interest in fashion. Newspaper accounts from the mid-1960s focussed on the mod obsession with clothes, often detailing the prices of the expensive suits worn by young mods, and seeking out extreme cases such as a young mod who claimed that he would “Go without food to buy clothes”. As female mod fashion became more mainstream, slender models like Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy began to exemplify the mod look.
Media coverage of mods and rockers fighting in 1964 sparked a moral panic about British youth, and the two groups became widely perceived as violent, unruly troublemakers. Newspapers described the mod and rocker clashes as being of “Disastrous proportions”, and labelled mods and rockers as “Vermin” and “Louts”. The punk band The Exploited recorded the song “Fuck the Mods” on the B-side of their first release and the record’s back cover stated “To all the Edinburgh punks and skins – keep on mod-bashing!!” The band performed in Finsbury Park, London in 1981 on the same night that The Jam were playing nearby, and there was fighting after the gigs between the mods who had watched The Jam and the rockers who had watched The Exploited.
The best mod bands are some of the most well known rock bands in music history. Their music fused garage rock, classic R&B and modern rock music of the time and set a template for mod bands in the future. During the mod revival, The Jam, fronted by Paul Weller, became known as one of the best mod bands.
The first of the bands from London’s mod R&B enclave to have a hit record were The Kinks. Though originally named after those who listened to modern jazz, mod bands took elements of that, R&B and soul to form a subculture of rock music that became wildly popular during their heyday. Many Britpop bands tinkered round the edges of mod, other bands created a hybrid sound of soul, funk, pop and jazz that appealed to a mod crowd increasingly diverse in its musical tastes – the likes of Portishead, Massive Attack and Saint Etienne, not to.
While the mod subculture is known for a lot of things, particularly fashion, the most influential aspect of the mod aesthetic is the music. Perhaps the greatest song about youthful rebellion pretty much defines the era in which it was released, as well as the mod sensibility, later examined in The Who’s epic rock opera Quadrophenia. Another jam from The Who’s alter egos The High Numbers is a harmonica-heavy, groovy song that’s perfect for jiving and twisting and, like “Zoot Suit,” nails the mod fashion aesthetic.
The Who’s music was embraced by regional Mods, way more than the London Mods – who probably thought of themselves as a cut above their provincial comrades. Motown’s tours of the UK and their early assault on the British charts with The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas and Marvin Gaye – the sharpest dresser among Motown’s sharpest dressers – was given impetus by Mod record buyers, not just in London, but increasingly as Mods were seen in towns and cities across Britain. TV’s Ready Steady Go! – the Weekend starts here – first broadcast in August 1963 was mandated viewing for every self-respecting Mod and those who just pretended they were Mods but were too young to have a scooter – sixteen was the minimum age for acquiring a licence.
what bands did mods listen to Related Question:
What music did 60s Mods listen to?
Mods wore suits and other cleancut outfits, and listened to 1960s music genres such as soul, rhythm and blues, ska, beat music, and British blues-rooted bands like The Yardbirds, the Small Faces, and The Who, who wrote an evocative portrait of the cultures with their 1973 album Quadrophenia.
What bands did the Rockers listen to?
Rockers generally favored 1950s rock and roll, mostly by artists like Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent Mods listened to 1960s ska music, soul and R&B, as well as British bands such as The Who, The Yardbirds and The Kinks.
Which band was most associated with the mod subculture in London?
Examples of Artists influenced by the Mod subculture are: The Action, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Small Faces, The Kinks, The Beatles, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, The Specials, The Jam/Paul Weller, Oasis, Blur, The Libertines, Amy Winehouse, Miles Kane, Jake Bugg.
Who were mod bands?
The late 1970s mod revival combined musical and cultural elements of the 1970s pub rock, punk rock and new wave music genres with influences from 1960s mod and beat music bands such as the Who, Small Faces, the Kinks and The Beatles. The mod revival was largely set in motion by the Jam and their fans.
Are The Beatles Mods?
Although The Beatles dressed like mods for a while (after dressing like rockers earlier), their beat music was not as popular as British R&B among mods. The late 1970s saw an explosive mod revival in England due to the popularity of new wave mod band The Jam and the success of the film Quadrophenia in 1979.
What drugs did Mods take?
As well as tired housewives, overworked physicians and crazy musicians, a new breed of drug taker emerged: the teenagers. It was mods who really took amphetamines to heart. They favoured Dexamyl – a triangular blue tablet marketed for both neurosis and obesity – and deliberately took too many.
Were the Yardbirds Mods or Rockers?
Were the Yardbirds Mods or rockers? The British R&B/rock bands The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Kinks all had mod followings, and other bands emerged that were specifically mod-orientated. These included The Who, Small Faces, The Creation, The Action, The Smoke and John’s Children.
Who were better Mods or Rockers?
Mods covered larger music genre so it has probably touched more music fans than Rockers. And Mods fashion style seem to be more common today (elegant suit, short and flat haircut ) than Rockers (motorcycle leather protections, pompadour hairstyle).
What era were Mods and Rockers?
Mods – originally called so because they listened to modern jazz in the late 1950s (although later associated with ska, R&B and soul) took the dandy side of the Teddy Boy identity.
Was Oasis a mod band?
You might be wondering what sort of music actually is part of the Mod culture and if you are then you’ll no doubt be surprised to learn that legendary names like The Who, The Beatles, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, Paul Weller (The Modfather), Blur and Oasis are just some of the artists who could be described as part
What is 60’s mod?
The Mods were an incredible 1960’s youth sub-culture who shared a common desire to embrace a new found financial and parental freedom and to stand out above the crowd with regards to originality in fashion, music and social status and what they achieved still influences aspects of contemporary life.
What jackets did Mods wear?
The dress code for shoes were loafers, bowling shoes or chelsea boots. The one thing that made them uniformed was indeed the parka jacket. The military green fishtail parka, the P-53 parka, along with the Vespa, became their symbol.
How do I look like a mod?
Dressing like a mod means wearing stylish and tailored clothing in bold prints, bright colors, and black and white. Men wore tailored suits, polos, and slim-fitting pants, while women wore mini-skirts, twin-sets, fitted pants, and shift dresses.
Are Beatles mods or rockers?
The Beatles weren’t mods. They looked like rockers to start with and then like a band whose manager had told them to smarten up their image. The modernist subculture developed in London in the late 50’s. They tended to be working or lower middle class.
What is a white cross pill?
Noun. 1. amphetamine – a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression. pep pill, upper, speed. amphetamine sulfate, amphetamine sulphate – a sulfate derivative of amphetamine that is used as a stimulant for the central nervous