Skateboarding Mods - the story continues

The one ‘retro’ inspired lifestyle movement that can honestly claim to speed ever forwards without fear of imploding under its own elitist gate or completist snobbery - is that of the Skateboarding Mods.

Since initial articles in magazines and blogs and the subsequent debates on internet blog-casts, the scene has grown from strength to strength alongside ever evolving extreme sporting technologies with parallelled advances in retro-styling of equipment and clothing. Quality products crafted with the modernist eye for style, super sleek long boards, stable, stream line and quick down hills. And terrifyingly twitchy slalom boards that soar down the same steep inclines whilst swerving through plastic cones, not for the faint hearted.

 

The original skateboarding- scooter- clubs that emerged at the spearhead of the scene have grown in size and number, some of them merging into hybrid skate-crews who travel around Europe and the UK to attend ‘Free rides’, weekend gathering around specially closed hills and steep graded super smooth tarmac roads, the better for long fast runs. One such ‘fellowship’ of scooterist skaters is The Blackheath Pandas alignment with The Croydon Scooter Club. Big Wave Dave (Croydon) and Dick D’mage (Panda) are both members of the highly exclusive Self-Proclaimed British Skateboarding Association

 An organisation dedicated to skate safety and encouragement of recreational skating,

spBSA website philosophy reads ‘The British Skateboard Association is the first and best officially self proclaimed, non profit making, organisation of skateboarding based activity throughout the United Kingdom. Fuelled by an unbridled passion for the operation and aesthetic of the beautiful be-wheeled objects, the BSA is an unrivalled inspirational driving force within the sport. Experts in their own fields, BSA Team members both inspire and encourage high end skate athleticism as well as nurture and support safe recreational riding. Honed by practical flair, worldly experience and the rigorous entry criteria that team members must satisfy to qualify, physically and philosophically skilled, the pinnacle of incredible honours won and a symbol of excellence and verve, the BSA ride at the forefront of urethane based action’ (spBSA 20012).

The spBSA are proudly sponsoring the only British race this season sanctioned by the IGSA (International Gravity Sports).

 The Bo Peep ‘Crash n’ Burn’ ^.

Considered one of the most challenging races in Europe, Big Wave Dave is a contender in the men’s downhill category as well as being involved with the events complicated organisation. The need for Speed is urgent.

 

The world record top speed at ‘stand up’ downhill skateboarding is currently held at a lapel rippling 80.83 mph, a more relaxed 40mph being the norm on the informal and fun Free rides. At competition level however the teams take over, time for the echelon in skate athleticism to shine, fearless and svelte, leather clad in full face helmets, resplendent with team sponsor logos, a blur of corporate business, the bitter sweet consequence of a modern, successful and fast expanding sport.

From scooters to skateboards, skateboarding mod to skating modette, take a tip from the sharp skating in-crowd clique, pad-up, strap-up and look good when your shredding the road.

The skaters featured in the photographs included in this article are experienced athletes riding under strict supervision on closed roads. Always wear a helmet !

 

Skateboarding Mods

'Skate Sharp' 
 

Guy Joseph

The aesthetic of a skateboard is as important to a Skateboarding Mod as the style of their shirt collar or cut of their trouser. Elegance of line, nostalgic ride and classic shape, individuality of skateboard defines a Skateboarding Mod’s image. 
 
Jump aside! Skateboards are the new Lambrettas.
 
The fickle tribalism of punk, two tone and mod revivalism coincided with the later days of the seventies skateboard craze. As many self-conscious teenagers swapped their Benjy-Boards for bondage trousers or Pacers for parkas, considering them incompatible with youth culture cool, a few feather headed skateboarders kept true to two causes and skated by day whilst attending Jam gigs by night. Thus was born the skateboarding mod. 
 

Mod on retro-board

Despite sharing a close association with the anti-establishment mood often associated with the skate subculture, these initial skateboarding modernists never infiltrated the music or fashion worlds as successfully as their scruffier contemporaries: skate punks and indie-kid skaters. A hole in the knee of ones bespoke mohair never looks book. This small scene, as a result, faded into folklore, lost but for the odd obscure pub quiz question or the half- remembered beer stained reminiscence of middle-aged polo shirt enthusiasts.

The recent, vibrant and much hyped, Skateboarding Mod revival is the culmination of two positive reactions. Firstly, an eye for sixties styling by professional skateboarders such as Flip Skateboard’s own Geoff Rowley, whose taste in imagery has influenced his own line of skateboard decks and wheels. Targets, scooters and swinging Carnaby graphics adorn his product range and are objects of desire in their own right. A fresh batch of clean-cut skaters, moved by Rowley’s direction, is dressing accordingly. 
 

Romain

Secondly, a wave of the original 79 skaters paying premium prices for the perfect recreation of their childhood ride (ebay auctions in Kryptonics wheels, Alva decks and ACS trucks achieving top quid bids). 

Once a skateboarding mod always a Skateboarding Mod.
 
Small pockets of these retro skaters plus the new converts are congregating into exclusive Skateboarding clubs, akin to the scooterist scene of yore.
 
Brian ‘mind my trucks’ Hall of ‘The Blackheath Pandas’, a regular mid-week chapter of Skateboarding Mods, says ‘We prefer two styles of board, the old seventies skateboards or fast and stable longboards for cruse-ability, a nod towards the scooter. And of course the sharp image is the same on or off a board. No hoodies.’

Blackheath Pandas

Despite the Pandas dress code, indie skaters aren’t completely shunned. The music can unite.
Chris Driveby (Skateboarding Mods Facebook group): ‘Some indie-skater bands wouldn’t sound out of place in the sixties. Arctic Monkeys etc., angular guitars and lyrics based on life in the suburbs, sound familiar?’ 
 
Skate-rophenia - It’s a way of life.
 
Ed Piller, record producer and Powerflex Fives fan: ‘Skateboarding Mods hunt for the appropriate ‘stylish’ components like vinyl hunters seek specific labels, it’s gotta be accurate, it has to look right.’
And what about ruining your suit? Panda Guy Joseph considers the matter: ‘Don’t fall off.’
 
You heard him: ‘Suit up and skate.’

 


  Richard Searle (Double Breasted magazine June 2010)  



PART 2. The Skateboarding Mods story continues here

Corduroy boy draws book.

Followers of Mod Speed may already know that former bass player and co-founder of Acid Jazz band Corduroy has turned his hand to writing books.

Believed to be a member of the mysterious Bohemian Underground Movement, the precocious author has expanded his bibliography with a collection of cartoon art. 

Featuring embarrassed dogs, vengeful fish, pointless super heroes and dubious religious iconography, Sketchistentialism is beautifully drawn, oddly philosophical and blatantly daft.

Get your copy here.

LOL.

Cartoon Book (here).

All books (here).


From Amazon (here).

Smoove, the Northern Monkey

‘The Revolution Will Be Televised,’ announced Newcastle's break beat DJ Smoove on his Acid Jazz debut album Dead Men’s Shirts. This play on Gil Scott Heron’s famous words made first single from the LP, which gained major radio coverage and went on to reach 23 in the beats and breaks charts.

Then Smoove served us ‘Coming Back’, an infectious slice of up-tempo dance floor funk. With powerful vocals, written and performed by Jess Roberts, a northern funk stomper with an up-tempo 60s beat, a string laced Hammond monster that featured Smoove’s mother on the sleeve.

Such was his success that he was asked to take his pick from the Acid Jazz Records catalogue in order to come up with a number of remixes that celebrate the history of the label. A few of them are mixes of his own material but others feature Soul II Soul vocalist Rose Windross, acid jazz originators The Bukky Leo Quintet (which was the only project ever co-produced by the label’s originators Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller), and a version of the R’n’B hit from Andy Lewis which features the vocals of Curtis Mayfield protégé Keni Burke. 

 The remixes were compiled into the album, Gravy. The lead track, featuring Dan Roberts on vocals, is an outstanding version of the Spencer Davis Group classic ‘I’m A Man’.

Another stand out track, originally the B-side of ‘All This Love That I’m Giving’, (another Dead Men’s Shirts single), ‘Tired Feet’ is a kitch-beat easy listening mod-fest of the highest calibre. 

Hmmm, Gravy.....yum!

Dig The New Breed

In the Spring of 2010, to celebrate their twenty-first birthday, Acid Jazz released Dig The New Breed, to look back at it's favourite single releases of the 21st century.

The compilation mixes and matches a variety of musical styles to provide a varied party soundtrack. There's classic northern soul from the likes of Clem Curtis. Cool cover versions like Duffy's ‘Mercy’ (from The Third Degree) and the outstanding mod re-work of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (a sought-after rarity from Pleasure Beach). Including Brazilian samba, folk, jazz, breakbeat and the northern funk of Smoove and Jess Roberts. Even Steve Marriott's pre-Small Faces material makes an appearance. 

You dig ?

1. Smoove – The Revolution Will Be Televised

2. Twisted Tongue – Got A Really Good Thing.

3. Pleasure Beach - Smells Like Teen Spirit.
4. The Third Degree - Mercy.
5. Andy Lewis & Paul Weller- Are You Trying To Be Lonely.
6. Jess Roberts & Smoove – Coming Back.
7. Missing- Three Black Bros (PPO - mix)
8. LeLeo - Ella Briga Comigo
9. Grand Union – Jane Jane.
10. Jinrai – Someplace Else
11. Andy Lewis – One By One
12. Lord Large - Stuck In A Wind Up.
13. Steve Marriott and The Moments -Money Money.
14. Andy Lewis – Love Is Alive In My Heart.
15. PPO – Itchy Feet..

Corduroy boy writes book.

The Absurdist by Richard Searle.

Born in South East London, England, during the swinging sixties, Richard had always wanted to become a cartoonist when he grew up. His ambition to publish a coffee table book of existential drawings never realized, instead fate dictated that he should become a professional musician.

The former bass player and co-founder  of Acid Jazz band Corduroy, recorded five successful studio albums during the nineteen-nineties and travelled the globe many times over.

Previously, Richard spent five weeks at ‘number one’, in the British and International pop charts with the record ‘Spirit in The Sky’, in the comedy psych-punk garage-glam band Doctor and The Medics, touring heavily throughout the nineteen-eighties and surviving much rock mischief.

He finally retired from the stage in the year two thousand, other than the odd cameo session-man appearance, considering himself lucky to withdraw with his sanity and hair still intact.

Believed to be a member of the mysterious Bohemian Underground Movement, Richard still releases music under various guises and is now writing (and drawing) books.

The Absurdist is a light hearted, science-fictional tale about the illusionary nature of reality, lethal cocktails, hairy heroes, unrequited love and wasp hammers. Rude and irreverent, this funny philosophical caper, about two young scam-artists caught up in unusual events, features the prettiest of girls, silliest of toys, quantum physics and giant space propellers in an adventure of absurd proportions.

Buy paperback here.

Buy digital book here.

Amazon books here.

All books here.

More from Twisted Tongue

  

Rapidly following up their critically acclaimed debut single and   album (DMC Album of the Week, **** Record Collector), Twisted Tongue are set to release their new album, ‘A Return to Space’, on Acid Jazz Records on 24th January.

The album is preceded by a leader single of the album title track ‘A Return to Space’, available on 12” vinyl and download from Acid Jazz Records on January 17th.

Side-stepping the p-funk and psyche soul that coursed through their first offering, core mambers Dave Jay & Mark Dalton provide a wider palette of production  techniques on their  second LP, complementing their line-up with intoxicating female vocalist Johanna Lee and collaborating with the likes of Ray Mang (DFA), Andy Dragazis (Blue States), Simon O’Grady (Grand Union) and Nick Ingram (The Yeah You’s) to create a potent mix of hard-edged soul, rock and out-‘n’-out pop. From the ‘Moroder meets psyche’ leanings of album opener  ‘I Bury the Living’, through to the melancholy, lo-fi folk/soul epic ‘I’ve Seen Better Days’ and on to unexpectedly bold covers of Seattle’s Pigeonhed and afro-funk legend Charly Kingson, Twisted Tongue have audaciously extended their musical  remit, providing an album that fuses the acoustic and electronic to dazzling effect.

Check out the Twisted Tongue blog.