>Are their any mods out there who are into acid jazz? When I was a
youngster I >was very much into the mod thing, but I sort of outgrew it as I
got older. >However, a few years ago when I discovered acid jazz I was
amazed at the >similarities between the two styles -- soulful music,
sixties-ish look, >dancing, etc. So I'm wondering if there is some sort of
connection between the >mods, northern soul and acid jazz. Any ideas?
Well, the first mods in back in the 60's used to listen to black american
music (R'n'B, Blues & Soul). It was only couple of years after the beginning
of mod that British bands influenced by black american music such as The
Kinks and The Small Faces & the Who came along (not forgetting Beatles & the
Stones).
The greatest hero of the big mod revival in the end of the seventies, Paul
Weller (of the Jam fame) did some soulful / jazzy stuff with his band the
Style Counsil after the Jam split (I haven't had the chance to hear any SC
records yet, unfortunately). The Style Counsil adopted a more sophisticated
image than punky the Jam had, and made way for bands such as the James
Taylor Quartet and the whole sharp-dressing white acid jazz movement in
Britain. I have the impression that James Taylor is also regarded as some
kind of mod hero in England.
Youth cultures like this are diverse, though, and there must be a lot of
differences between people who call themselves Mod. What would be interesting
for me to know is what did being a mod mean to you? (Ok ok, I'm not trying
to start a mod debate here on acid-jazz, but if you're interested in
talking, email me..)
For a nice little history of Mod, check out
http://www.cf.ac.uk/uwcc/suon/gair/peggst/st/st18.html
And now back to the acid jazz..
cheers,
pirkka
PS. Does anyone have info on Mass of Black?