Suited and desert booted: June 2014

Friday, 27 June 2014

Secret Affair

The one band, that for me, epitomises the 80´s Mod Revival...Ian Page, Dave Cairns, Seb Shelton and Dennis Smith..the original line up of Secret Affair.
From their first live Outing as Secret affair (previously Page and Cairns had been the New hearts) they supported for The Jam at Reading University in February 1979.
Their song, Time For Action" reached number 13 in the UK Charts which put them as "Top Dogs" in the Revival movement, they even created thier own record labe, I-Spy.

Thier first Album, from 1979, Glory Boys.
Track list:

Glory Boys
Shake And Shout
Going To A Go-Go
Time For Action
New Dance
Days Of Change
Don't Look Down
One Way World
Let Your Heart Dance
I'm Not Free (But I'm Cheap)

Thier second Album, from 1980, Behind closed doors.
At this Point some of the drive was going out of the Revival movement and few of us stayed true. The "downturn" is reflected, IMHO, in this Album. Still got something but It lacked the drive of the previous Album.

Track list:

What Did You Expect?
I'm A Bullet
Only Madmen Laugh
When The Show's Over
My World
Sound Of Confusion
Life's A Movie Too
Through My Eyes
Live For Today
Streetlife Parade

Thier third Album from 1982., Business as usual.
The titel of the Album suggests a continuation of previous Output, but not at all. This one gets the drive back and really kicks, two Songs in particular, "Dance master" and the brilliant "She´s on fire", one of my favourite Songs.
Why it didn´t do so well suprised me..especially the two mentioned Songs. Still, shortly after this, The band broke up.

Track list:

Lost In The Night
Follow The Leader
Do You Know?
Hide And Seek
I Could Be You
Somewhere In The City
She's On Fire
Three Wise Monkeys
One Voice In The Darkness
Dancemaster
The Big Beat
One Day (In Your Life)

The "Anthem" of the Time........and In July 2011, Secret Affair re-recorded "Time For Action" for Save The Children. The latter spearheaded their campaign for health workers in poor countries, and over 42,000 people signed the petition in the UK which was taken to David Cameron in September 2011, resulting in funds for the cause endorsed and approved by the United Nations.

Secret affair reformed in 2002 and Play at the time of writing this. In December 2014 they will re-release , 'Glory Boys' to celebrate thier 35 years of Keeping the Faith.
They have a site ...www.secretaffair.info

Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Blast from the Past

Exactly when and where these pics were taken I don´t know. What I do know is that the Driver of the Lambretta is Donald Campbell..and the Passenger is my Grandfather.

Lambretta in the pic? - An 1954 to '56 - 125LD or 150LD Mk.II The scooter shown is the electric start version. The hump behind the rear seat is a cover for the batteries. Non-electric start models do not have this hump.

Monday, 9 June 2014

Motown - 20 Mod Classics

Another of my collection, bought mainly on the strength of the Album cover although it does contain some decent Songs.

Tracks A Side
Marvin Gaye - Can I Get A Witness
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Heatwave
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying
Diana Ross & The Supremes - When The Lovelight Starts Shining Thru' His Eyes
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Quicksand
Marvelettes, The - As Long As I Know He's Mine
Marvin Gaye - You're A Wonderful One
Mary Wells - My Guy
Temptations, The - The Girl's Alright With Me
Stevie Wonder - Hey Harmonica Man
Tracks B Side
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street
Marvelettes, The - You're My Remedy
Temptations, The - Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - That's What Love Is Made Of
Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Velvelettes, The - Needle In A Haystack
Marvelettes, The - Too Many Fish In The Sea
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Come See About Me
Temptations, The - My Girl

All the Songs on the Album are from 1963 - 1964 like These;