A Mod Invasion on the Roots Rock Rebel show

When you want to listen to music on the radio that stays clear from the commercial crap that spews from the public airways these days, you have to dig deep. In the last few years, I've turned to some of the best free podcasts the web has to offer. Shows like Dave Smith's Soul and Reggae Show out of the UK, Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World out of the USA, Bonjour Mr Phelps direct from France and the UK based The Modcast are all worth a listen.

I certainly don't see myself returning to the days when I walked my dog Jedi, two times a day, without my indispensable iPod. I can live without a lot of things, but not without my iPod. But when it comes to the trusty FM radio, the Roots Rock Rebel show on CKUT 90.3 FM has a lot to offer. Host Aaron Lakoff will have you hooked on a well balanced diet of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Soul and good old fashion Punk Rock. I always admire people who give the local alternative scene a platform and a place to shine without neglecting the classics. I believe we both have that in common.

So it was quite a pleasure for me to be asked to join him on his Wednesday night rumba. I got to spend half an hour spreading the word of Mod and spinning a few 45s. Of course it's hard to span three generations of Modernism in 30 minutes and you are doomed to only scratch the surface but I had a great time.

Like on any live show, you are bound to make a couple of dumb mistakes. First, when I played my 7" reissue of The High Numbers , I forgot that it's actually played at 33rpm. It's a good thing I caught my mistake in the first few seconds or the listeners would have heard a sped up version of Zuit Suit. No harm, no foul. Plus, the way the decks were set up, they weren't close to the microphones. So when I attempted to bring one closer so I could chat between tracks, it broke off the stand. I was left holding the mic the rest of the set. You have to love live radio!

Regardless of the goofy mishaps and the fact that I'm not as comfortable speaking in English as I am in French, I hope to be invited again some time soon. I was very grateful for the opportunity I was given to introduce the blog to the airwaves.

If you want to hear the show, it's available for download here. I was on the March 30th show.

Root Rock Rebel archives

Make sure to tune in live to Roots Rock Rebel on CKUT 90.3 FM every Wednesday night from 10:30 to midnight. You can also stream the show on the web. http://www.ckut.ca/ For the latest news, gossip and info, check out the CKUT's Roots Rock Rebel Facebook group.

A few Mod rarities

I thought for a long time that it was impossible to find good stuff at a reasonable price at record conventions. I'm slowly changing my mind. The thing is, I love the feeling of finding a rare 45 at a garage sale and paying 1$ for it. But how often does that really happen? And if you are lucky enough to find that obscure garage LP you've never heard of before, it's usually in poor condition.

Record conventions do the sorting out for you so you are usually left with la crème de la crème. The adage "somebody's trash is somebody else's treasure" sometimes also applies. You might put your hands on a valuable early ska Studio 1, Prince Buster or Coxsone single just because the majority of the collectors around you are only interested on Japanese Kiss releases.

I did find a few rare oddities at the last two record conventions I attended. The Pop Montreal record fair was held during the festival of the same name. Aside from a few more "common" albums like The Bar-Kays - Soul Finger, Valerie Simpson's Exposed, Al Green's Gets Next to You, I was very happy to put my hands on decent copies of two of the more influential sixties Quebec garage band Les Sinners and Les Lutins. I sometimes see them priced at up to 150$ each in record shops. So you can imagine my surprise when I only paid 20$ for both of them. It goes to show you that there are deals to be made at record conventions.

On the 7" front, 5$ was well worth the price I paid for this 4 track  2004 release from French Mod band  Les Dragueurs . The attractive record sleeve and white vinyl record was enough to convince me to buy it.

A few weeks later the Record and CD Convention of Montreal was held once more. I always wondered if it was worth paying a few extra dollars to walk in an hour before everybody else. My friend Michel, a veteran record collector and music aficionado, suggested I should do so. The seasoned crate digger was already head first in a box when I arrived.

I joined him as he was going through rows of early Quebec artists 45s hoping to come across some very desirable obscure sixties garage groups. He was flanked by another knowledgeable collector/blogger, Félix B. Desfossés aka DJ Pâté who was looking for the same thing.

As I was patiently waiting for my turn, I decided to go through the rows of English speaking artists. That's when I stumbled upon a single by The Beau-Marks. They were one of the rare groups from Montreal that had an international hit in the early sixties with Clap your hands. The song was recorded in a basement studio only a few blocks away from my place. The single, not particularly rare since it was a big hit, was 5$. There was one thing about the record that I hadn't noticed before Félix graciously pointed it out after he made sure I was going to buy it. All the members of the group had signed it! Not bad for a few bucks!

I should say that Félix is THE reference on Quebec garage rock on the web. You should check out his blog Vente de Garage. It's extremely well researched and even if it's entirely in French, there are tons of clips to listen too.

http://ventedegaragepodcast.blogspot.com/

Another 45rpm that would certainly qualify as a rarity is the mint copy of Mod Socks by the Cleveland, Ohio group The Grasshoppers. The bass player and vocalist for the band, Benjamin Orr, later became one of the key members of the successful group The Cars.

But the major score for the day was not one, but two copies of the only LP released by the Canadian group The British Modbeats. Caught in the British Invasion wave that was sweaping the nation at the time , the band was actually from the small town of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Modbeats released an album in 1966 on Red Leaf Records. I don't think you can get any more obscure than that!

Why 2 copies, you might ask? One of the records is a bit rough with a few scatches but the cover is quite nice and it was signed by all of the band members on June 28th 1967. Plus it came with a couple of newpaper clippings about the band. The other album simply plays great.

The album cover is a thing of beauty. Even if they look more psychedelic, with their bell-bottoms and paisley shirts, than proper mods, I did see an early photo of them wearing suits. The music itself is actually quite good. The downside is that they only recorded covers. The good news is that more then 40 years after they seperated, they are apparently back together! And this time around, they're performing original material. I really hope I get a chance to see them live one day.

You can get more information about The Modbeats through their website.

http://themodbeats.ca/site/

They even have a Facebook fan page!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Modbeats/130175844559

If you have scored an unsual Mod record lately, let us know in the comment section.

The Slackers, still going strong...

You can tell that this great act from New York has been crafting it's art for a while now. The Slackers offer a mixture of sounds that any Mod craves: ska, rocksteady, RnB, soul, reggae and good old rock. They are polished, confident and they know how to whip up a crowd into a frenzy. One thing they are not, slackers! Over the years, they have built up quite a following here in Montreal. They even took requests during their encore and they looked overwhelmed by all the different choices the crowd threw at them.

The band members seemed grateful and certainly gave their all. In fact, they were so exhausted by the end of the show that a little rest was in order. Well, not quite... But I'm sure you get the picture.

I have to acknowledge the incredible performance of the saxophonist, David Hillyard. His solos are out of this world! He's a true professional that has a certain raw edge. Although the organ player, Vic Ruggerio, sings most of the repertoire and has a very solid voice, I was most impressed with the smooth, cool, soulful, crooner type voice of the trombone player, Glen Pine.

Rare are the bands that can still innovate and have a current sound, all the while having a firm grasp of the past. The Slackers is such a band.

Check out what I mean here:

The Slackers live in Montreal

The English Beat, Bad Manners and Chris Murray live in Chicago

I’ve seen The English Beat and Chris Murray a few times before. So one of the main reasons why I drove a total of 1370 kilometers to Chicago was to go see the great British ska band Bad Manners. I believe the last time they came to Montreal was in the 80s.

I know they have always been pretty active in the UK but for me this was quite an event. What a line-up! The English Beat and Bad Manners are two of my favorite bands from my teenage years. The only way I can think of a better line-up is if I had been in the crowd in 1980 during the recording of the Dance Craze album.

To have Chris Murray, my favorite contemporary traditional ska artist as an opening act was more than I could hope for. Chris was as good as ever and although he was alone on stage, his presence rivals that of any 8-piece band. I could tell he was happy that my girlfriend and I were singing along to all of his songs.

Bad Manners didn’t disappoint either. When Buster came out in his fuzzy leopard suit, I knew instantly that we were in for a great set. All the classics were played and it justified the many miles we had traveled to get there. Between two songs, I overheard a guy next to me say: “He might be a bad singer but he’s one hell of an entertainer!” You could say that…

At this point, everybody was sweating profusely, on stage and off. The place was hotter than a furnace in hell! That didn’t stop The English Beat from giving a stellar performance. I was quite impressed with the new kid on the block, Antonee First Class. He toasted a few of his own compositions and it was well received. The boy has talent.

Aside from the intolerable heat, I was glad to have seen my teenage heroes in a city like Chicago. Next time around, I hope they stop in Montreal. And mister Dave Wakeling, what have you done with my pin? (see April 5 2010 post)

Want to see a few videos of the concert without having to suffer from the heat. Follow these links:

Bad Manners - Sally Brown

Bad Manners - Lip Up Fatty

The English Beat - Hands Off...She's Mine (extended version)

A good dose of dirty reggae with The Aggrolites

I’m not exactly sure what “dirty reggae” is but I can definitely say that it’s damn good! The Aggrolites have successfully fused a perfect mixture of ska, soul, rocksteady and roots reggae. The result is what they call “dirty reggae”. All I know is that it works.

Currently promoting their fourth album appropriately titled IV, we were fortunate to have them make a stop in Montreal during the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Even if they are performing almost every night, this doesn’t stop them from being very energetic and in great spirits on stage. They sure know how to get a crowd going! That’s all thanks to singer-guitarist Jesse Wagner. It was quite a different vibe then The Animals show a few days earlier.

When I see an act like The Aggrolites, it gives me hope that there’s a new generation of musicians ready to take the reigns and keep the scene alive. This bunch of young fellows not only have respect for the traditional sound but can also be contemporary and have their feet firmly planted in the 21st century. Plus, I would be foolish not to underline Roger Rivas’s emphatic and dynamic organ playing. He bangs on those ivories like he was trying to put out a fire. He’s an organ-playing maniac!

Want some proof? Check out a video I took of their performance.

The Aggrolites live in Montreal

They were not only a great act on stage but they are a class act offstage also. They took time to take pictures with us and chat a bit.

I also picked up a 45rpm from the vendors table. I didn’t know anything about The Impalers but for 3$, how could I go wrong? I was pleasantly surprised to hear a very infectious traditional sounding ska / rocksteady. My favorite track was the B-side with a tribute to the king of pop himself entitled Return to Jackson. You should check out their MySpace page at:

http://www.myspace.com/theimpalerssf

Parka Avenue meets ska great Chris Murray

The good thing about being a blogger and not a bona fide journalist is that you get to interview only people you really like. And I don't just like Chris Murray, ska musician extraordinaire, I also admire him. So when I learned that he was making his second stop of the year in Montreal, I jumped on the occasion to interview him.

When you meet an artist that you have been listening to for 15 years, you hope he is as nice in person as you imagine. So let's get this out of the way right now. Chris Murray is not only a talented musician and songwriter but he is also a very down to earth and warm guy. The type you would want as a friend. He was generous and answered all my questions. It felt more like two buddies talking about stuff they are passionate about then a formal interview. Although I did mostly just listen...

What you sense from spending just over half an hour with him is how he respects the people that came before him. You can tell by his music and his message that it's imperative for him to give homage to what he calls "the roots". In fact, he made a point to call his music "roots ska" instead of "traditional ska". The difference being that traditional ska was a term in vogue a while back, associated with groups that dressed a certain way, played covers note for note, instead of focusing on learning from the musicians from that era. But when you do, music can only go through a natural evolution.

Since we are roughly the same age and we were both brought up with 2-Tone being a huge influence, I think it's only natural to seek out the originators and give them the credit they are due. So when I asked him if he felt like he was having an influence on the new generation of ska musicians, he said he felt a certain responsibility to pass on what he had learned from the older generation. This is really how a tradition is born.

Parka Avenue: You did a few collaborations with some famous people. Any memorable ones?

Chris Murray: I've been really fortunate. On the most recent release Yard Sale, they are two tracks with Lloyd Knibb, Lloyd Brevett and Cedric Brooks from The Skatalites. I had acted as road manager for a week and a half for The Skatalites in 1994, in California. I had seen them a few times before but that's when I met them. I got to know them, working with them as support crew. Then there was this opportunity where I basically hired Lloyd Knibb and Lloyd Brevett to do this session with me. We did two tracks and maybe a year later, the tracks were still not finished and I brought Cedric Brooks in to play on hooks. [...] That was really a great experience.

Parka Avenue: Were they people you looked up to?

Chris Murray: Oh! Of course. Of course. They're the icons of ska. For me, I really love when I hear that music now, now that I got to know the people. So when I hear someone playing, I know their personality and sometimes the clash of personalities within the group and little stories I heard that inform me of the overall vibe of it.

You can’t fault the guy for not practicing what he preaches because later that evening, a great upcoming ska band called The Beatdown joined him on stage for a good part of his act. I found myself having chills listening to a few of the tunes. That’s a dead giveaway of how music moves me.

Some of you might have missed a great Montreal show but it's not to late to grab his latest release Yard Sale. It certainly has the Parka Avenue stamp of approval. His new song Shades of the Same Color has been playing in my head in a continuous loop for the last few days.

For more information on Chris, visit his website:

http://www.chrismurray.net/

For a glimpse of last Thursday's performance in Montreal, have a look at one of my favorite songs, Ex Darlin'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX0fGSwu6hk

Hey you, don't watch that. Watch this! (Part 2)

Last week I learnt that our beloved Monday nights would be no more. The Skatton Club band will no longer host a traditional ska night at Les Bobards. After months of our blissful ritual, sadly, they will be moving on. Why is this happening? The story doesn't say.

And of all things, their last appearance at the club is on my birthday. What a bittersweet moment it was going to be. So there was nothing that was going to stop me from joining the fellows for one last skanking bonanza.

If you remember my last foray with the Skatton Club (see the February 4th post), I was looking for a do-over. Come hell or high water, I wanted to nail that intro to Once Step Beyond once and for all. And to top it all off, I was going to do it on my 39th birthday, with the whole gang in attendance. How could Andre, the bandleader, refuse such a request?

Even though two of the band members had come off a plane from Winnipeg a couple of hours earlier, they played with full force. They masterfully mixed ska and rocksteady, covering the likes of Alton Ellis and the James Bond theme. The feet started tapping and the beer never stopped flowing. They even threw in some Jamaican mento for good measure. There was a party atmosphere in the air. My lovely girlfriend, who is usually sound asleep at that hour on Monday nights, was made an honorary Skatton Family member for one night.

Everything was in place for my second appearance. The band was briefed this time not to start playing as soon as I opened my mouth. I was going to hop on stage during the second set. Andre, being the gentleman that he is, eloquently introduced me and mentioned that it was my birthday. He even gave my blog a shout out! (Thanks again Andre)

So here I am, I have a chance to redeem myself and there's a captive audience in front of me. "Hey you, don't watch that. Watch this! This is the..." And I drew a complete blank! It serves me right to accept a few pints of Guinness on my birthday before I get on stage! My friends didn't miss the chance to burst out laughing. Andre then turns to me with a smile and says: "Hey, this is what happens when you play live."

Well, I guess third time's the charm. And it was. Plus I got to stay on stage to shout a few other "One Step Beyond". I have to admit, it was one of my best birthday gifts ever.

Hey you, don't watch that. Watch this!

Last fall, a few mates of mine and I made this wonderful discovery. Through word of mouth, I learned that a local band called The Skatton Club was playing traditional ska in this small, cozy club on St-Laurent Street in Montreal.

Les Bobars is the perfect place for the die-hard ska fan to congregate every Monday night. It’s in an intimate setting and it’s dirt-cheap (Only 5$). The seven-piece ensemble put their own twist on the Jamaican classics. Most notable is the traditional guitar “skat” being played by a banjo and the bass violin filling the duties of the more common electric bass. It simply gives it a great vintage sound. Also worth mentioning is the talented horn section. My favorite part is when they each show off their skills during their respective solos.

Although I’m not there every Monday night, I usually look forward to the beginning of the week. Our small group of dedicated Skatton Club followers has been dubbed by Andre, the bandleader, as “The Skatton Family”. For us regulars, it’s a badge of honor. And let’s face it, we rule the place!

Well, I have to be honest. It’s not like a lonesome Mod and ten of his Skinhead friends lay down the law. We are far from Rude Boys of Kingston in the sixties. It’s more because there are usually only 30 patrons in the bar. Plus, we are an approachable bunch too!

But being part of the Skatton Family does have its privileges. For instance, we get to play our music between sets. Our friend Chai also gets to have Monkey Man dedicated to him at every show. I hope that’s a compliment…

So I thought that since I’m part of “The Familia”, I might tempt my chance and ask the band for a favor. I decided to send Andre Desilets, bandleader and tenor sax player, an email.

This is how it went.

Hi Andre,

We never had the chance to officially meet but I am part of the Skatton Family. I’m friends with Frank, Chai, Catherine and company. I’m the guy who arrives on the old Vespa.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate every Monday I get to see you on stage. What a great way to start the week! That being said, I have a special request. I love your version of Once Step Beyond and I was wondering if you would mind letting me do the spoken intro as heard in The Madness song. I noticed that don't have anybody doing it. You would make one of my dreams become reality.

Feel free to say no, I will still remain a loyal fan.

Kind regards and see you soon,

Patrick

Here is Andre’s response.

Wow! I’m touched.

This is really cool Patrick.
No problem for the intro to Once Step Beyond. If you come tonight, we are doing the song in the second set. (You can also do the intro every time you come).

Thanks for your interest. We are trying to grow and we need people like you to feed us.

See you soon!
Have a nice day!

Andre D
Dance & Dream

Very excited about the news, I immediately started practicing the intro, adding my own personal touch.

Hey you, don't watch that
Watch this!
This is the heavy heavy monster sound
The nuttiest sound around
So if you've come in off the street
And you're beginning to feel the heat
Well listen buster
You better start to move your feet
To the rockinest, rocksteady beat
Of The Skatton Club
One step beyond!

I picked out my best suit, ironed my button down shirt and shined my 10 hole Docs. I made sure that I had my camera with me to memorialize this momentous event. Suited and booted, I was ready to go.

I showed up and the usual gang greeted me. I announced to everyone that I had a surprise for them later in the evening. I handed my camera to J-F and asked him to take a picture of the surprise. “When will I know?” he asked. “Oh! You will know!” I responded.

Between the two sets, I passed Andre and he gave the thumbs up. He told me that he was going to call me up after the second song. So here it was, the moment of truth, my 30 seconds of fame…

As I get up on stage, I hear one of the band members say: “Well, well… He’s better dressed than all of us.” Facing the 30 spectators or so, I opened my mouth and as soon as the first word came out, the band started playing! Eh? What? This isn’t supposed to be happening! This part is supposed to be a cappella guys!

Doing my best not to look too confused, I tempted to go through the intro, trying to follow the beat. So there it is folks. That was my big break, my moment of glory. Andre even said that I did a great job and that I was welcomed to this anytime I wanted. The funny thing is, I really had a great time. And plus, what a great story to tell on my blog…

For an idea of how I thought it was going to go:


Madness - One Step Beyond

Once a Mod...

“Look, I don't wanna be the same as everybody else. That's why I'm a Mod, see? I mean, you gotta be somebody, ain't ya, or you might as well jump in the sea and drown.”

Jimmy, Quadrophenia

I became a full fledge Mod somewhere in 1986-1987. I was not part of the original movement of the 60’s (I’m only 38), was not born when the spirit of ‘69 made its mark and missed the ‘79 revival by a few years.

So what made a 16 year old French Canadian kid, living in Toronto, plunge into an obscure subculture; a way of life that would consume a young teenager and that some 20 years later, a wiser adult could not even shake?

I ask myself that question often.

In 1986 my father, working for IBM, moved the whole family from Montreal to Toronto. French being my first language, I attended the only French public high school in Toronto. One would think that being in a French environment, I would not be exposed to the quintessential British youth movement. I was wrong.

My good friend Greg, who also had a dad who worked for IBM, had moved to Toronto a few years earlier and was attending the only French private high school in Toronto. He was responsible for introducing me to a band called The Who. His older brother was a big fan. At that time, The Who was not considered a genuine Mod band. Hell, they were more Rocker than Mod. Just have a second look at the Who’s Next album and you’ll see what I mean. But it was still an introduction...

Greg then made me listen to a band called The Specials. I was hooked! The infectious rhythms of ska, the anti-racist message, the sharply dressed Rude Boys, were all that I needed.

Rebels in suits, advocating non-violence and unity, it was the perfect match. And how could parents of a teenage boy be against their son wearing a 3-button suit to school? I spent countless hours looking at that Specials album cover. I dissected every detail from the shoes they were wearing, the cut of their suit, to the style of their hat.

Album covers. That was my only reference back then. You had the odd magazine article to go on, but that was basically it. I had no one to educate me in all things Mod, no real live role models to emulate, no older Mod to pass the torch. Plus, Internet with its millions of links, was non-existent.

Being a Mod in a French speaking high school didn’t help much either. At least Greg and I did our homework. Every time we heard of a new band, we would tell each other. I remember him giving me my first slim tie. I have no idea where he got it but it was the ultimate Mod tie. It was a skinny, one inch, 60’s brown collegiate tie with a crest in the middle. I still wear it proudly.

By then I had jumped firmly on the train to Skaville. The 2-Tone phenomenon took a few years to cross the Atlantic and I caught the tail end of the wave. But was I more a Mod or a Rude Boy? That is a debate for another day.

It was the start of a long journey to my inner Mod. To this day, I not only dress the part, I am a Mod. This passion for music, style, fashion, design and scooters is more alive in me than ever. This is what this blog will be all about.

I don’t consider myself an expert or an historian. This is a personal account of a French speaking Canadian Mod keeping the faith. This is an intimate look into how a Mod lives in a Modern World. My interpretation is open for debate and your opinion is welcomed.

So keep on, keeping on!