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| News & Reviews. |
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Wednesday 26'th January 2005. The Beat Surrender makes a welcome return to Perth on Saturday 26'th February. It will be held at the Grampian Hotel, York Place and promises to be a cracking night of Classic Mod Sounds, Northern Soul, R&B and Revival from DJ's Jimmy, John & Jennie. Tickets are 3 quid in advance or 4 quid on the door. The guys are still finalising the dates for the coming months but it's likely to be held every 2 or 3 months at The Grampian. For further information and to join the mailing list email : thebeatsurrender Tuesday 18'th January 2005. Mod Aid, The guest list for the Mod Mob photoshoot is now being opened and they want to know if any Scottish Mods will be in attendance. If you fancy it email [email protected] When you email you must give the full name of everyone you are applying for and state whether or not you'll be bringing a scooter. There's also now a Mod Aid website, for access click on the photo above. The Boogaloo Investigators play at a benefit night for the orphans of the Tsunami disaster on Saturday 29'th January at The Central Hotel Ballroom. 8:00pm - 02:00am. Entry fee is a minimum donation of a fiver. There will also be DJ's and more live music from The Moonshiners, The Top Notes & The Cobramatics. Sunday 19'th December 2004, YEH YEH - THEN & US (New Recordings Of Tracks From 83 - 86) Picture the scene. The year is 1986 and around half a dozen young Mods are awaiting a Glasgow train, wearing their best Cavern suits, full of youthful exuberance and nervously anticipating the forthcoming events. The reason, Well they'd just discovered that there was a whole Mod world out there, outwith their self confined location in deepest darkest Lanarkshire and this was their first proper glimpse of this Brave New World. When they arrived at said destination they found out that you could actually buy Mod Magazines or Modzines as they were known. Whilst flicking through this zine, There was an article on a band called Yeh Yeh, Who'd just released their first single which was receiving rave reviews. You Will Pay was then duly purchased. This was my introduction to this particular band. Sadly, Yeh Yeh split up soon afterwards. Fast Forward 16 Years. Whilst pissing about with this new fangled (Superinformationhighwaytypethingimybob) Surely this is only for computer nerds !!! I found myself in this newly set up Forum, which to my amazement actually contained people who liked and bought All Types of Mod Music, the shock, horror and embarrassment of it all. During one of those debates, which was about the merits of the music press and the music industries attitude towards Mod Scene Bands in general, A guy replied ''Craig, you're scaring the beejeezas outta me,'' '' Vive Le Revolution.'' This guy was one Andy Houghton of newly reformed Yeh Yeh, see there is a point to my inane ramblings, eventually !!!! Anyway, Andy explained that Yeh Yeh had some unfinished business to attend to ....... The Result. 18 months of hard graft have resulted in Then & Us which I now have in my grubby little hands. This album must surely be regarded as a long lost 80's treasure trove. If it was recorded way back when, then it would definately be selling for inordinately insane amounts on e-bay et al. That's not to say it's stuck in a time warp, mind you, No way !!!! This album has a freshness and vibrant potency about it that all the Classic Albums seem to have, No matter the era ..... As the band themselves say '' Encompassing classic 80's Mod, New Wave, Psych & Soul, There should be something in here to please anyone & everyone .... '' I couldn't agree more, This album shows how a Mod band can mature and be relevant, even in the naughtys. Anyway, Here's my personal opinion, Song by Song !!!! DON'T TRY TO DECEIVE ME - If this song doesn't put a big grin on your face and transfix you back to days gone by, then you've not got a happy bone in your body ***** LONELY IN A CROWD - A tale of self doubt / teenage angst. Plenty of moothy **** ROCK & ROLL GIRL - Obsessed girl groupies ( you lucky bassas ) Nice tune ;-) **** MR JONES - The Bastard son of Smithers / Jones, a song Jam fans will love ***** WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 13 - Possibly reflecting the times when every band tried to be The Jam, in my opinion the worst track on the album, poor in relation to the others *** RATHER SOONER THAN LATER - Boy meets girl, girl wants boy to be something he's not, Boy explains, they compromise and fall madly in love. A Classic ***** LOVERS LANE - Self explanatory, doesn't every town have one. **** MIRROR MIRROR ( Sinister Dexter ) - The Munsters, JFK, The Twighlight Zone, Alice In Wonderland, The CIA, Marilyn Monroe, William Shakespeare, The Conspiracy Theory. Totaly insane & brilliant. (Christ that was a trip and a half ) ***** My missus thought that this song was a rip off of (Space) not knowing that Yeh Yeh were kicking about some 16 years previously. SHOPLIFTING - A wry observation on what (Some) class as a national pastime **** DANCING LIKE A TWISTED WHEEL - Yeh Yeh's very own tribute to the power that is (Soul) music. ***** The Verdict. Yeh Yeh's album comes from within the scene, is aimed at the scene and deserves major support from the scene. These guys have rediscovered the long lost art of what I'd describe as ( Classic English Songwriting ) in which they actually tell a story that could be set in any suburban town / city, featuring characters that you'll find in every backstreet pub in the U.K. Ray Davies & Paul Weller will be proud of you lads!!!!!!! This album represents a lot of the things that introduced me to the mod scene in the first place & you know what, It makes sense. A proper scene band who won't sell out, no matter what, though some would have you believe that some twee 80's Sarah indie guitar band have more relevance to the scene than guys like these. Mods & History eh !!!!!!! There's nothing like it. craigwilsonmodernist.. For further information on how to get hold of the album, e-mail [email protected] Or visit their web site YEHYEH. |
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