DOUBLE BREASTED - ISSUE TEN

The early excitement of running a fanzine soon wears off so credit to Double Breasted for keeping their enthusiasm and reaching double figures. As ever it’s neatly put together and covers the current mod scene with an occasional glance over its well-tailored shoulder. Next to the usual reviews are pieces on a new Reading, Steady, Go exhibition in deepest Berkshire, the Terracina Mod Weekender, the London International Ska Festival, band Groovy Uncle, and The Impressions’ classic Young Mods’ Forgotten Story LP. Plus there’s a free five track live CD by Scottish beat combo The Laynes.

Price (including P&P) is £2.75 for UK customers and available by PayPal from doublebreasted@hotmail.com. Use that address for any other enquiries too.

DOUBLE BREASTED - ISSUE 9

Small yet perfectly formed, Double Breasted once again demonstrates the art of quality fanzine production. Snappy articles on the current mod scene stretching from Edinburgh and London to New York and Berlin give issue nine a strong international flavour. The highlight though is an interview with Ronnie Jones who talks about fronting the Night-Timers and playing the likes of The Flamingo and The Marquee in the mid-60s.

I couldn’t help but chortle at one question posed to a 44-year old be suited fellow sat astride a lights and mirrored SX125: “Do you think there’s such a thing as a ‘Mod Life Crisis'?” Someone should write a book on that.

Double Breasted issue 9 is available now, priced £3. Find it on Facebook or MySpace.

DOUBLE BREASTED ISSUE 7

Not only is Double Breasted a well put together and attractively designed fanzine, it also manages to make the mod scene look like a forward thinking, intelligent and vibrant place to be.

The usual fanzine fayre of club, gig and record reviews are supplemented by interesting more left-field articles. I’d never heard the word “maven” until Neil Lee’s piece and Richard Searle informs me there are skateboarding mods (yes, really). Cristina Alonso’s guide to Barcelona should see EasyJet’s profits rise, Mace also does his bit for air travel with flying to the States on record buying trips, and Claudia Elliott and Jonathan Marsh suggest further reading.

Lots more to discover within its 36 glossy A5 pages. Three quid includes P&P. Find them on Facebook or email at doublebreasted@hotmail.com.

DOUBLE BREASTED ISSUE SIX

Fanzine editors, don’t know they’re bloody born. Back when I were a lad (cue Hovis music) I’d be there in my bedroom, kneeling on the floor, leaning on the bed, using my Prehistoric Animals book as a table, armed with a portable Woolworth’s typewriter, some scissors, some Pritt Stick and a wad of third generation photocopies of pictures of The Action, spouting off about records, books, clubs and whatnot. You can imagine the result: not unlike an uglier MonkeyPicks but with more spelling mistakes and even worse grammar (if you can believe that).

But that was then, things move on, and I’ve nothing but admiration for those who continue to self publish in paper and ink like the trio responsible for the unashamedly Mod, Double Breasted. Issue six is the first one I’ve seen since the first couple and it has really come on in leaps and bounds. Along with a strong layout and design (no sign of Pritt Stick) there’s plenty to read. Next to the usual club pieces, record and book reviews, and adverts dressed as articles, the big scoop for me is the interview with Stan Lewis who formed the R&B label Jewel Records in 1963. Good work. I also like the interview with Dave Walker from the Modculture website whose curmudgeonly mood contrasts nicely with the everything’s fab tone of much of the rest. If I was going to offer one piece of constructive criticism (which I am) then it would be for a stronger editorial personality to come through.

I got my copy from my tailor George Dyer (Threadneedleman), who is featured here and now I’ve given him another plug I’ll be looking for a few bob off my next hipsters, but I think it costs about £3. Find them on Facebook or e-mail them at doublebreasted@hotmail.com. The next issue is due in June.