Soul Mods 

		I think it must have been Christmas Eve 1963 when I took out a girl friend (she was called Janice, from Blackley Manchester). We went to see Sonny Boy Williamson at the Twisted Wheel. He was great. Dressed in a bowler hat and amazing black and white tuxedo with tails (one side black the other white!) Yes! He did play 'Help Me'. He was backed by the Spencer Davis group and I remember the awe and respect he got from them especially from Stevie Winwood. He played dozens of different harmonicas, some right inside his mouth and to the disgust of my girl friend; he played a tiny harmonica in his nose! She became a fan later though. Unbelievably when he finished his set, I got the opportunity to buy him a coffee. It was Alexis Korner (and Blues Incorporated) that led the British Blues boom which later led on to the RnB boom all supported by the Mod movement. (Quite a few Rockers liked this music too as rock and roll originated from the same roots.) It moved towards groups digging up USA soul tracks like Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Chris Farlow and the Thunderbirds, The Steam Packet. Cyril Davis and the All Stars, Herbie Goins and The Night Timers, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, Zoot Money and the Big Roll band. I had been to the 'Wheel' often before that night with Sonny Boy but by that time it was becoming a Mod dominated location. The Manchester Mods were probably unique, yes, they followed the London trends, often a little later, being provincial, but a growing core of them idolised soul music, alongside being fans of the UK Mod groups. Every Friday night Ready Steady Go would have soul artists, or play soul records, it was a TV show that few Mods would miss. RSG often had the Beatles and the Who and The Stones on the show. The trouble with the Rolling Stones as far as the 'Wheelers' the Manchester Soul Mods were concerned was that the Stones copied the original artists, and the originals were always the greatest (Dobbie Gray). Original recordings were to become the ONLY versions acceptable. This started the rare record scene off. Brazennose street Also the Beatles turned off Mods because they copied so much Tamla Motown stuff…….only later did a real appreciation of the Beatles and the Stones emerge when the chauvinism had dissipated somewhat! The Small Faces and The Who were appreciated as at least they were doing their own original material. Liverpool was the place, the port for incoming sailors with lots of RnB and Blues records, these soon found their way to Manchester. The USA Air Force base at Butonwood, Warrington, brought lots of Black GI’s and their record collections to the area. Mods and Rockers, were fighting each other at holiday resorts (This was about the time of the Mod riots in Clacton, covered in the press, and in the film Quadraphenia.) Manchester not to be outdone had its own small riots, they started outside the Twisted Wheel to the annoyance of the owners (The Adabi Brothers) so were moved up the street into Albert Square, or to outside the Oasis or the Jungfrau Clubs, just for excitement. The police dealt with them by sending mounted police down the streets chasing Mods all over the city. I remember one night after leaving the 'old Wheel' in ; we began to be harassed for no apparent reason by the police, they kept moving us on around, on and on. Eventually lots of other ‘Mod’ types outpouring from other clubs, the Oasis and the like where shepherded together with us. Then everyone broke out into a run, a riot…… racing down the centre of the streets stopping traffic….up Market Street into Piccadilly. I raced along round a major store, windows all light up with female mannequins inside. Behind me a friend called Denis crashed straight through the window. It was a good job the police were following us he remarked some months later after being discharged from hospital, having nearly died from glass inflicted wounds when he shot strait into the window, lacerating his neck. The police halted chasing us and saved his life! And our criminality record. "Are you a Mod?" No one admitted to being a Mod, that would have been unacceptable. Usually those that said they where, were not. Those that knew did not say. The whole Mod movement was understated internally. But vigorously self expressive to the outside world. No one was the leader. The Mod movement was self generating and given purpose from within. Mods had ideals. Clothes, the look of certain things - more than an outside influenced fashion. RnB, Soul music and dancing where paramount, with girls and scooters next in line.. The whole movement needed no outside endorsements. Mods cared little for what anyone else thought about them, except for other Mods that is. Changing rapidly, it was very intense, you had to be totally committed to be a Mod. You had to constantly be planning to go to Parties but never organise one. Being evangelical about black music was a badge of office. Being a Soul Mod could never be faked. Fashions and styles changed at a meteoric pace, fashions, styles where either 'out' or 'in'. You might be out and think you were in when most of the in crowd deemed you to be out! But if you had ever been in you could catch up, if you'd never been in you were always out. Mod style took over everything, the way you walked, the way you hunched your shoulders. They way in which you buttoned up your suit jacket. The way your top pocket handkerchief was folded. We were deeper in mysterious signs than the Freemasons. The look of the girls you were seen with. The way that the thumbs stuck out of hands in the trouser pockets, which they usually were. It was a total life style. Mods lived breathed and slept Mod. Work was tolerated - a way to get money - to be in. You worked for the weekend. The weekend was the all nighter. Pills featured in our weekend lives: Black and Greens, no not a chain of gentleman’s outfitters, but Amphetemine or Drinamyl capsules (Purple Hearts) Yellows, Green and Clears, Blue's, Black Bombers, Black and White Minstrels, Benzedrine and all the rest of grannies heart tablets did the same…….. After a night at the Old Wheel many Mods from Manchester headed out on their scooters to Bolton. The Boneyard was the venue near to the railway station, an upstairs club. This was a change from the cellar dives we were used too. The Boneyard was a nickname for reasons that time has now forgotten. Was it to do with the black magic of the blues? The clubs real name was the Caroline Lounge named after the pirate radio ship Radio Caroline... on 199. It was a very soulful place with heavy playing of the Impressions, lots of Sue recordings, the Mad Lads, it was the first place I heard 'Candy' by the Astors (written by Steve Cropper) and of course lots of early Motown. In those days Manchester's Soul Mods used to meet in two main places, outside the Old Shambles (speakers Corner) Sinclairs Oyster Bar, was on fairly busy road in those days. The Cona Cafe and outside the Wimpy Bar in Piccadilly. Transactions, sales of soul 45's, exchanges of money for pills would take place here. Fashions and styles changed rapidly, for a couple of weeks people would be wearing see through plastic rain coats, then it all changed to bright coloured jackets, bought as white coats from the Army and Navy stores and then hand dyed into bright colours. Mods lived fashion, Fred Perry three button shirts were always 'in', worn alone with Levis or with suit jackets. Cycling vests and shoes, Levi jeans, Parkers, black sun glasses, even the city gent look was in. Suites. Cufflinks, Braces on our trousers, Broag shoes. Military ties Umbrellas the whole shooting match. Later came the gangster look with the Elliot Ness and Frank Nitty hats. Bags, bowling bags and airline bags became the rage, they where needed for holding a change of clothes after the All Nighters. Long leather coats - always ' in' probably because of the cost (about £40). But most of all Smart was the dress code, and it lasted right through the entire Manchester Soul Mod scene. Right through from 64 to 69 when it was just the remnants of the old Mod scene but essential as a Manchester Soul activist! The Impressions early LP covers showed three very smartly dressed guys, in silver mohair suits. This was certainly an influence upon the Northern Mod scene. Suits with 13", then 15" and then 17" side vents. Then came centre vents, even centre pleats. Who is the coolest guy…..sang Mohair Sam. Top pockets had handkerchiefs, silk ones were the only thing to make the grade. Searches for military and paisley patterned ties took hours, but they had to be found otherwise you could be 'OUT' They were the kings, the cool jerks, the 'In Crowd. They had, Scooters LI 150 GT 200 Cento Lambtretta, Vespa's. Mirrors, Chrome side panels, long aerials with fox tails on top, British Union Flags, G I Parkers, and sun glasses. Short hair back combed for the men. The girls with white lipstick, black eyes, long false lashes, Mary Quante hair cuts, Op Art dresses. The Mods were the essence of Wheel - the Wheel was the essence of Soul. Mods were in fact mysterious; an underground movement, without leaders or organisation, they were spontaneous. They looked nice, smart and clean, and chewed Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. "HiYa, man, are you goin?" "Yeah." "Got any stuff man," "Nah, but I know a guy, commin' along later, he's a friend of mine, coming from Warrington he can fix us up. I'm gonna get blocked to night man." "I' m going to Victoria station now, do yer wanna come along?" Two scooters roll almost uncontrollably towards the centre of the road then come under control as they straighten up and stream off rapidly down Market Street. Aerials trailing back, gleaming of chrome, with the flashing street lights captured repeatedly, in the dozen or so mirrors festooned around the front handlebars. The police raided Manchester's Victoria station as it had developed a reputation for amphetamine drug dealing. The police raid surrounded us all. Those dressed smartly in suits and with short hair where rapidly disassociated from the general rabble, and eliminated. How we laughed as we walked away taking our stash and washing down the pills with coca cola. Heading for the Twisted Wheel. Leaving the police searching the scruffs! Mods had to be seen to be right. Dressed right. Looks were everything, being ' in' and cool was central to everything. This was the very first youth culture that invented itself. Today these things are determined by the record industry the fashion industry and most of all by the advertising industry,. At the Wheel. "Hiyaaa, I'm Dave where you from", Dave shouted out over the sound of the Impressions wailing out 'You’ve Been Cheetin'. "I'm John from Stoke." "Hey I'm from Blackburn. And this pal of mine is from Stockport, he is called Dave too!". "Hello, I'm just going to put my handbag in the middle. I'm Jeanette from Middleton and this is Jean from Failsworth. Have you got scooters?" All the guys in a circle dancing together ignoring the girls. Feeling the sound, the beat, the soul. The intoxication of music and the charge of amphetamine coursing up the spine in rivers of glowing shivers. Dave from Stockport asked Paul from Stretford if he new Alex from London? Alex from London asked if anyone had been to the 100 Club. But even he said the 'Wheel' was the best. By now about twenty girls, their handbags were in the centre of a circle with the boys in silver and blue and grey suits with 23" centre vents or 25" twin side vents, were dancing about them. Short hair cuts, very short. Handkerchiefs in the top pockets. Chewing Gum. Snapping fingers, up down dancing around. 'Night Train, All Aboard the Night Train….Miami …Florida…' James Brown, sounding out a Soul favourite. Then the Four Tops…..'Reach Out'.. I'll be there..... Then: Mitch Ryder ….Break Out ….Everybody ….Breakout….now...Dancing faster, faster and revolving like swirling Dervishes……this is the All nighter. Its T W I N E T I M E yelled Alvin Cash. That Sunday Morning feeling…. or long after last night was all over, at the Wheel All Nighter. The weary Mods would refresh themselves at the Salvation Army street café after a night of feverish dancing, talking, and pill popping. A little coffee a few Dexies, Green and Clears or half a dozen little yellow amphetamines. Then troop along to a morning session at the Stax Club, followed by an afternoon of dancing at Rowntrees (Stakis) and then a solid RnB and Stax soul drive at the Blue Note Club Sunday evening bash. Eventually late Sunday we would go home to try to sleep often with something like 'Oh Carolina' by The Folks Brothers (Blue Beat ) echoing around our minds all night! But this was not really about drugs it was about being able to stay up and dance all night and dance all of the next day too …….. Few if any of that generation today would advocate the use of any drugs. The Youth of today flock to Raves, Ibiza is the holiday “E” location and young people dance till dawn to a techno beat. Our thing was the music, it was all about Soul Music. It was all about being a Northern Soul Mod.