Sunday Morning and Saturday Night.

F modnight

Sunday morning and Saturday night.

Spending the Sunday morning before Christmas at Tesco’s  just didn’t match the Saturday night before.

The night before? That was spent in the countryside, dark and deep – just outside the boundary of Windsor Great Park – the queen’s garden.

 

    l

If you know me you know that’s not where you are usually going to find me – unless it’s

F modnight

It was; 'The High-s' were playing at The Sun, Wick lane, Englefield Green and I was looking for a fix of 6T’s music mixed with The Jam and the world of Soul.

 

Up till now you’ve had a serious reviews about this band, (set lists, the lot) but not today – blame the Doctor, because this time dancing was allowed.

 

I wasn’t alone – this was now a pub full of skinheads as well as this proud MOD.  I think they'll get over the shock, not least because if I’m well enough and a number of other things work out, I’ll be spending New Years Eve with most of them and with The SkaSouls. You never know, perhaps I can help them out with a few style tips!

They didn't need much help with the dancing - this was hardline MOD music, hard and fast with no compromises. That’s why I keep coming back for more and so do the skins.

 

I also won a prize in the Raffle; a number of CD’s including ‘While My (acoustic) guitar gently weeps’ by the lead guitarist Andrew Deevey. That's him on acoustic and I’ll do a proper review of that in a day or so.

Clearly the landlord has a thing about The Modern World and more than a passing brush with the world of Northern Soul, but it always puzzles me how the locals, who are from a very different world indeed, cope with this culture shock every month. It's The Kinks meet ‘David Watts’.

Did I mention what a good night it was?

 

aaaa

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

The High-s.

........

   C

I’ve been banned from dancing for 15 days now and I’m three days into the drinking ban. How come a glass of Coke costs as much as a beer?

Doctors?

It’s high time I got a second opinion. I understand Dr Feelgood comes highly recommended.

          M

It’s Saturday night and I’m heading back to The Sun in Englefield Green. I was there back in September and I've come back for more.
I was due to see some comrades in arms but health got in the way so instead it’s got to be MOD night with The High-s:

That's right it’s the world of ‘Jam Shoes’ and loafers with tassles. Straight ties and narrow trousers. Only it’s happening in a tiny, country pub in the middle of nowhere.

And I’m having to take it easy, following the rules, not getting carried away. Not dancing. Which wasn’t so easy tonight.

I’m with a high octane MOD band churning through the hits of The Who, The Faces, The Kinks and the Jam.

Stage? They’ve got a corner to play in. They definitely need a stage and room for a proper audience. And I think they may be getting one at The Ace Café on the North Circular Road on the 5th December (check the date with lemonrock before you travel). It’s a night of 6T’s nostalgia and a ‘Minimeet’ at the home of Rockers and Bikers – age has obviously mellowed them.

I've caught several of the local MOD bands now, a few to go and as I said back in September, I was hoping to run with it as long as I could. Still running!

Back in the country, I even got Booker T and the MG’s ‘Green Onions’, which, even if there was no Hammond organ, went some way to making up for The James Taylor Quartet cancelling their Brighton gig at the Concorde 2 nightclub on Friday.
The High's are at their best doing 1960's hardline Rhythm and Blues; early Who/High numbers, The Small Faces, but The Jam were there too. The Eton Rifles, David Watts and their fast and furious version of 'Heatwave'. It was a good night with something like 4 encores to enjoy. 

I’m not bitter, not really. At least not after Saturday night. Anyway I've put a link to my MOD page just in case this doesn't make any sense. (if it doesn't work, cut 'n paste it into search)



Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

........

http://helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/this-is-modern-world.html

Modern World.

I found the key to my time machine – it turned out to be an original pair of narrow toed 1960’s suede shoes, a straight tie, a black jacket and a shirt by Mr Ben Sherman. It’s Saturday night, I’m all dressed up and ready for The Sun Inn, Engelfield Green.

Who? What? Where?

The where was the middle of nowhere  (no - it really was).

The what was MOD night.

The who was a band called ‘The High-s’ and here they are;

 

 This was a mixture of the 1960’s and the MOD revival of the 1970’s – my time.

First number up was ‘I can’t explain’ by The Who, and they came up all through the evening, but the 60’s were also represented by The Small Faces (What you gonna do about it), The Spencer Davis Group, The Kinks and more Who (Substitute, Pinball Wizard.

There were ‘High Heeled Sneakers’ and a hard as nails version of ‘green Onions’ by Booker T and the M.G.’s.

For me, you can’t beat The Jam – from just up the road at Woking – ‘In The City’, ‘This is the Modern World’, ‘David Watts’ and a hard, fast, toughened up version of Martha and the Vandelas ‘Heatwave’ that sounded to me as though it came from The Jam’s ‘Beat Surrender E.P. but I haven’t looked it out to check it yet.

There was a lot of soul as background music for the gaps – Motown and Northern Soul. In the crowd I recognised at least one feathercut from a SkaSouls gig– what a double bill that would make. And the crowd loved it – the dancing ended up fairly chaotic and the band wandered out. A good night.

 

Technically they were far better than Wellar and The Jam were in 1977/8, with better instruments, and technology no one then imagined possible. Good sound.

If there’s a ‘but’ coming, it’s because The Jam had something else as well – we were all punks too, not just MODS – that gave it a speed, an edge and an anger that was missing tonight.

Different people, different times, and life today is a lot easier and kinder than it was in 77. Then again, The Jam started off looking back at the 60’s before they did their own stuff and just flew.

In this area alone there seem to be about 5 or 6 MOD bands – I think there’s a scene - I’ll keep an eye on as many as I can and this group from Camberley (a dull town but there’s soul underneath) have a way to go.

While I’m able to, I think I’ll string along for the ride.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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