Liberating Vinyl Since 1995
The 101 Club in Clapham, South London, was a hugely popular and influential venue for music in the 70s and 80s and a lot of up and coming bands found their way on to the stage here. Alas, as can be seen below, it has long since closed down.
In 1986, a chance encounter revived nostalgia for Mod music through The Gents’ album, which reflected a fading mod revival. Enjoyable, but maybe lacking originality and came too late to significantly resonate.
The notes detail a mini album by The Ambassadors, a Mod Revival band, highlighting its indie origins, memorable tracks, and nostalgic charm, along with insights from lyricist Kurt Fricker about their journey.
The author recalls discovering The Who’s albums “Who’s Missing” and “Two’s Missing” in 1987, appreciating the musical talent in “Who’s Missing,” which he sought for years before reacquiring.
The review discusses Pete Townshend’s Scoop, highlighting its acoustic and demo tracks that reveal his songwriting brilliance. Comparisons to Nick Drake and John Martyn reflect a preference for raw musical simplicity.
We discuss a re-released LP from 1981, highlighting its changed track listing, the historical context of the Mod Revival scene, and specific band contributions, notably of the Purple Hearts.
As I write this we are coming to the end of 2025, a quarter of the way through the 21st Century, and it seems mod revival, the mod scene, power pop, brit pop and the like are refusing to lie down.
The Headboys’ debut album presents a mix of catchy power pop and confused musical styles, featuring notable tracks like “Shape Of Things To Come,” while ultimately lacking a clear band identity.
The Lambrettas, a mod revival band, gained popularity in the late 1970s with hits like “Poison Ivy.” Their first album, “Beat Boys In The Jet Age,” features standout tracks.
Behind Closed Doors was written in a bit of a rush, presumably to capitalise on the success of the first record. It meant that the two main songwriters, Ian Page and David Cairns, worked remotely and apart, each writing in isolation in different parts of the world.
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