SIDEWALK SOCIETY - STRANGE ROADS: THE SONGS OF ROLLED GOLD (2017)

When The Action’s album’s worth of 1968 demos first sneaked out in the late 90s it offered an insight into their progression from exemplary covers band to a unit finally concentrating on their own material. With Reggie King still at the helm for a little longer, the songs were short and snappy, retaining elements of soul and incorporating a West Coast flavour influenced by The Byrds and The Association.

The Rolled Gold material was a work in progress with the audio quality less than pristine so, despite the obvious quality, there’s always been an element of ‘what if?’. What if the songs had been completed and recorded properly? What if it had been afforded a decent production? Would it sound more like The Notorious Byrd Brothers or Traffic’s second LP?

Sidewalk Society have taken up the challenge of rerecording the album. There’s no escaping this is the work of a Californian powerpop band (some of the cymbals crash a little loudly and there’s an occasional Who chord in the guitars) yet they’ve balanced being faithful to the originals and infusing them with extra touches: piano more prominent in the mix, a touch of brass here, a stirring of strings there. Few can sing like Reggie King so Dan Lawrence’s vocals are distracting at first but the ear gradually adapts and the songs are, even to a rabid Action fan, given a fresh sparkle with some of the original muddiness removed.

The Action were bold in their covers – Kentish Town lads take on The Temptations and The Marvelettes – and Sidewalk Society have been here, like the Action they’ve put themselves into the music. The brass and strings are highly effective, not too overpowering but enough to add extra layers so these recordings feel like the finished rather than simply copied versions.

Being an Action nut, I was sceptical about this project. My initial reaction was to expect one listen and to question the point but sustained plays has altered that view. It offers a greater appreciation how incredible The Action were during this phase before they morphed into a far looser incarnation as Mighty Baby. Such is the standard of material it serves to strengthen the bewilderment as to how such a set of musicians achieved so little commercial success. Strange Roads should escalate – if that’s possible – the esteem The Action are held in and does no harm to Sidewalk Society either. That’s got to be considered a success.

Strange Roads by Sidewalk Society is released by Fruits de Mer Records.

An edited version of this review appears in Shindig magazine.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE ACTION

Those of you who do the social media thing might’ve come across @theactionmod on Twitter posting bits and bobs about The Action. Knowing I was quite a fan they wanted to ask me a few questions and, not needing much encouragement to gush about one of my pet subjects, I was only too willing to answer them. Worth mentioning here also about an excellent Facebook page Mighty Baby & The Action 1964-1971 which consistently posts interesting stuff and has the added attraction of memories from people there at the time and even occasional posts from band members. Anyway, here's the Twitter thing for those not on it. 

Hi Mark, Thanks for your time, how are you?

Pretty good thanks. Always happy to chat about my favourite band.

You've been a follower of The Action for many years now, can you me tell how and when you first heard them?

Like many of a similar age, via Edsel’s The Ultimate Action compilation. As a young Mod in the early to mid-1980s I used to hang out on Carnaby Street on Saturday afternoons and clearly remember buying the LP from The Merc. I guess I knew they were supposedly a Mod band from the 60s and that was enough to invest some pocket money.

Were you a fan of just The Action’s music or did their Mod look also appeal? If so, which threads specifically?

I’m sure I would have gotten around to them eventually anyway but it was their Mod connection that initially introduced me to their music. That said, even though I still pretty green to the world of Mod - I was about 14 - I could tell they sort of lived slightly to the side of it. Songs like ‘Shadows and Reflections’ pushed into more interesting territory to discover. The photos inside the album showed Reggie King in a flowery penny-collared shirt and Alan King’s trousers have a bit more of a flare to them and they’ve both got on these great shaped shoes. I was still wearing clothes more closely associated with The Jam so it was a big influence to see this slightly post-Mod look.

Can you tell us what are some of your favourite tracks by The Action?

‘Since I Lost My Baby’ isn’t just my favourite track by The Action, it’s one of my favourite tracks ever. I love it, absolutely love it. The 12-string intro, Reggie’s lead vocal, the harmonies, oh man. It’s a superb song anyway – credit to Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore – but to improve on the original took some doing, but they did. Other favourites: ‘For Once In My Life’, ‘Wasn’t It You’, ‘Shadows and Reflections’, ‘ ‘In My Lonely Room’.

You have interviewed all the members of The Action including the sadly missed Reg King and Mike Evans. Do you have any further stories you can add from the interviews you have done with the band?

I don’t know about stories but it was a real honour to chat to them over the years. I’ve not interviewed Bam yet, I should try to complete the set. Pete Watson and Reggie King were first, and they were a while before the reformation came to pass. Pete was in temporary accommodation but invited us to his digs and while most of his stuff was in storage he still had his Rickenbacker with him, 25 years after leaving the band. To hear his stories, and have him play a couple of chords then let me touch this sacred artefact was amazing. Reggie was quite a character who I met a few times and on the last time told him how much ‘Since I Lost My Baby’ meant to me and how I thought it better than the Temptations’ version. Reggie didn’t agree and thought I was putting him on at first but once he realised I was being totally serious he was very gracious and, I think, a little bit secretly touched. The song was played during Reggie’s funeral service and the circumstances and the acoustics in the small chapel made hearing his voice like that incredibly moving.

Along with Steve Marriott, Steve Winwood and Eric Burdon, would you say Reg King is as great a white English soul singer?

I don’t think race, nationality, genre, gender or comparisons are relevant or necessary; Reggie King was a great singer, full stop.

Why do you think The Action didn't have the success of The Small Faces, Spencer Davis etc?

It’s been debated a lot but I think they got off to a slow start with their writing, it wasn’t until their fourth single they put out an original song. They were first and foremost a live band. Playing the clubs, taking existing material and putting their own twist on it was great and what they loved doing but it wasn’t the same as having a Marriott/Lane type song writing team. It’s a shame because things like The Boys’ ‘It Ain’t Fair’ showed massive potential even before the Action, and afterwards when Reggie was doing his own things (see Looking For A Dream collection) proved he and they should’ve focused more. But in their defence I don’t think commercial success was especially high on any of their agendas. It’s another thing I like about them, it wasn’t about the fame and fortune, it was about doing something they loved. That’s how I like to think of it anyway.

You were fortunate enough to have seen The Action when they reformed? Was that a dream come true?

If I’m honest, no, it wasn’t. I was contacted early on by Doug Bannon from the New Untouchables as I had a few phone numbers and stuff but I told Doug I didn’t think it was a good idea. Some of them had been out of music for decades and I couldn’t see it working. One of the things I loved about The Action was their mystique and how they were perfect from their recordings to their photographs. I’m not keen on bands reforming at any time, let alone one I treasure so much, and potentially spoiling their legacy. I should stress I realise this is a very selfish attitude and one I changed over time in relation to The Action. It was fantastic for them as people to reconnect and play some shows. I’m pleased they did it and that they were able to do it with all the members present; all fabulous blokes. Those shows feel all the more poignant now, sadly.

Are you hoping for further unseen/unheard The Action delights to be unearthed?

Of course. It’s been incredible over the years for all the additional things to surface: the Rolled Gold material, the things Circle Records and Top Sounds have put out, some old footage, the In The Lap Of The Mods book and such like. I still get a massive buzz just to see a different old flyer or gig advert or the tiniest press cutting reveal itself. The Holy Grail would be for the Ready Steady Go appearances to miraculously appear on-line. I’ve dreamt about it. One day, one day…

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE MOD: FIVE ALBUMS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

Those fine people at Adaptor Clothing – purveyors of modernist garb from Mikkel Rude, John Smedley, Brutus, Fred Perry, Bass, Baracuta and so forth – have scooted up and asked for five albums that inspired me from the “Mod subculture”. Never one to turn down an opportunity to chat about records, Mods and myself, I thought it’d make any interesting post, so let’s see.

All five on the list were acquired during the formative stages of my Mod conversion, a long time ago, during the early to mid-80s, and all provided a bedrock which sustains to this day. Back then Mod adhered to a very strict set of rules. Things were or weren’t Mod and no one had much difficulty with it. It felt a unified scene; there was a kinship with others, as you shared the same values and passions. It was a wonderfully exciting time. Non-Mods hated us and it only added to our sense of righteousness and air of superiority.

Mod today is wide open. There are a multitude of factions; people have individual takes on what it means and it’s been assimilated into the mainstream. It is now possible to pick and mix elements and different generations put their own spin on it: it stretches from the late 50s/early 60s modern jazz of John Coltrane or Tubby Hayes to current young guitar band The Spitfires and talented individuals like Paul Orwell. There are parts I feel no connection with but at the same time it’s been at the core of nearly everything I’ve enjoyed over the years. It’s led to the best nights out, with the best dressed people, listening to the best music, and it still steers into new areas of discovery. All of that can be traced back to the influence of these five albums, listed in the order I encountered them.

THE WHO - MY GENERATION

It’s testament to Townshend’s understanding of his young Mod audience that Mods continue to love The Who even long after the band moved from participants to occasional observers in the scene. Their debut LP is a record full of macho swagger, feisty attitude and flickers of vulnerability.

I’ll sheepishly admit to miming with a tennis racket in my bedroom mirror to ‘It’s Not True’, ‘The Kids Are Alright’ and ‘La-La-La-La-Lies’ (I skipped most of the bluesy tracks). They made me want to be in a band. Many years later when I was, playing my second ever gig, I attempted to do-a-Townshend during the final song in the set. After ramming my cheap guitar into the amp I tried smashing it on the stage. What I hadn’t considered was the stage was built of plastic beer crates and when I axed it to the floor it immediately bounced up, almost whacking me in the face. It didn’t look good, the guitar survived unscathed and I never tried it again.

The sleeve perfectly fits the record: the military-style stencilling; David Wedgbury’s photograph showing them stood next to highly inflammable propane drums; hair dyed orange and black; the clothes; jackets made of union jacks draped over their shoulder; Keith Moon with the face of an innocent cherub. They’re extraordinary looking geezers, especially Roger Daltrey who fixes the camera with a mix of frown and smirk. He’s telling the onlooker to f-f-f-f-off. What teenager couldn’t relate to that? I was lucky enough to get the album signed by Daltrey and he couldn’t have been friendlier or more accommodating. “You guys look great,” he kept saying to my group of friends.  It meant the world to us. We tried to approach Pete Townshend but he screamed “Argh, Mods!” and darted down the stairs. Even that felt like a compliment.

GEORGIE FAME – 20 BEAT CLASSICS

If you’re going to “do Mod” you need to assume a position of cool. Not everyone can do it. Some try hard and if you have to try hard you’re not cool; it’s one of life’s unfortunate truths. Coolness radiates from Georgie Fame. Whereas The Who turned up the volume, thrashed instruments, demanded attention, Georgie sat behind his Hammond – which he made the Mod instrument - and with the minimum of fuss served up a selection of soul, jazz, bluebeat and threw in a few pop touches. This was a Mod diet and this compilation served as an invaluable entry into those worlds. And look at the photograph here. Poised to light his fag, sleeves rolled up and about to get to work. Georgie means business. I love the look: the way his hair is cut in a French Crop and he’s wearing a simple pink button-down. It’s understated, there’s no need to overdo anything. Georgie Fame had exquisite taste in clothes and in the music he adopted. If you want a neat definition of Mod, there’s one right there.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – MOTOWN CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 3

Imagine a world without Motown. Makes me shudder. With a $600 family loan Gordy built his empire of labels which continue to fascinate and inspire. Even now previously unreleased gems surface and that’s in addition to absorbing all the rarities hidden in the dark recesses of Hitsville’s vast series of releases. Someone at school also gave me Tamla Motown Presents 20 Mod Classics which was equally important – it’s probably a better LP  - but Motown Chartbusters Vol. 3 was one of only a few records I managed to “borrow” from my parents and being an original 60s copy felt more authentic and treasured. It has this amazing silver and glittery sleeve, as if Tamla Motown knew what a special record it was so threw extra money at it. It’s full of classics: ‘Roadrunner’, ‘I Heard it Through The Grapevine’, ‘Stop Her On Sight’, ‘Get Ready’ etc. Songs built to last. Who can ever tire of listening to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ ‘The Tracks of My Tears’? For all the incredible records and songs I’ve unearthed in a never ending quest to discover something new and exciting, sometimes the very best are right there in plain sight. It’ll be one hell of day I find anything to top ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – ON THE SOUL SIDE

One of the earliest Kent compilations and the first one I bought. Soon after, in the school holidays, I attended my first all-nighter, at the 100 Club. It is incredible those all-nighters are still running and although I’m no longer a regular I still dip in and out. Ady Croasdell, for his efforts with Kent and the 100 Club all-nighters, isn’t a musician but his influence on me – and many, many others - has been immeasurable. To Ady, it’s always been about the artists, not the DJs, a point too frequently forgotten with the who-played-what-where-first debates. It’s interesting to note there are no references to “Northern Soul” on this LP – it’s all “60’s Soul”. To me, 60’s Soul is pure Mod and Northern Soul is something else. There’s plenty of overlap of course between scenes and sounds but my mind’s eye associates the former with sharp dressers doing The Block and the later conjures visions of vest wearers performing handstands. That aside, soul music – as a whole, in all its forms – is a satisfyingly deep well. Over time it becomes more difficult finding truly exceptional songs but that increases the joy when it happens. Don’t stick with the familiar: keep on pushing.     

THE ACTION – THE ULTIMATE ACTION

The most played LP in my collection by the longest piece of tailor’s chalk. When I bought this from The Merc off Carnaby Street in the mid-80s little did I know how it would remain a constant in my life. The Action are my favourite band of all time. Back then there was a great mystery about them, which undoubtedly added to their appeal. All the information the young kids of my generation had were the photos on the cover and inner sleeve and a few paragraphs from Paul Weller to accompany The Action’s small output. Since then I’ve watched with delight every time a new piece of information, a new photograph, even previously unheard recordings have been made available. I’ve had the honour of having articles published about them, interviewed them, seen them reform and play live, been invited in to some of their homes, written liner notes for Reggie King releases on Circle Records, and with deep sadness attended Reggie’s funeral where hearing ‘Since I Lost My Baby’ in a tiny chapel provided a profoundly moving and privileged experience. I remain in awe of The Action: they had style, class, looks and talent in abundance. My life has been enriched beyond words thanks to the day Jimmy at The Merc passed me this record.

What albums influenced your initiation in to the world of Mod?

Follow Adaptor Clothing on Instagram and Twitter.

DECEMBER PLAYLIST

This month's choice cuts...

1.  Manfred Mann - "Ain't That Love" (1964)

The Manfreds had such an embarrassment of riches around this time (Paul Jones era) - both in well chosen covers and originals - they couldn't find space to release this group composition until the 1990s. Had it been a 45 it'd be a mod club dancefloor staple today. Just listen to that flute.

2.  The Action - "You'll Want Me Back" (1965)

Recorded as part of their audition for Decca on 31 May 1965, and only available now thanks to Top Sounds' new 4 track EP - this interpretation of an Impressions B-side gives even more evidence (if any were needed) of what a magnificent group The Action were. Reggie King always rightly gets the plaudits, and his lead vocal here is superb, but Alan King and Pete Watson's harmonise in a way no other British beat group were doing, or could even dream about doing as well. This recording is like being in a room with a band on the verge of something very special. Decca said no.

3.  Duffy Power - "Leaving Blues" (1965)

As British Blues singers go, Duffy Power was up there with the very best of them. In fact, listening to the material he cut during 1965 it's difficult to think of anyone who had more natural feel. Record companies though could see any commercial value so a whole album sat on the sleeve gathering dust until Transatlantic put it out under the title Innovations in 1971.

4.  Cleveland Robinson - "Love Is A Trap" (1965)

I've never owned this song in any shape or form - not as a single, on a compilation LP, CD or even homemade tape, yet can sing you every word (should you be unlucky enough to be in earshot) and it's guaranteed to get me dancing as anyone at the 6T's Rhythm & Soul Society Christmas Party the other week can testify. If I trod on your foot, apologies; but who can resist a record that sounds like a one-man Drifters colliding with the theme from the Generation Game?

5.  Ollie Jackson - "Gotta Wipe Away The Teardrops" (1966)

Back when I first started attending all-nighters ("during the war...") this was played all the time and was typical of the style popular then: big voice, mid-tempo, sparse arrangement. Still hard to beat.

6.  Alice Coltrane - "Journey In Satchidananda" (1970)

The whole Journey In Satchidananda LP is deep, mesmerising and otherworldly trip.  

7.  The Undisputed Truth - "Ball Of Confusion" (1971)

"Get me more wah-wah and phasing on the kitchen sink in the left speaker goddammit". The Undisputed Truth was the result of Motown producer Norman Whitfield's stratospheric ego. Nowhere is this clearer than on the ten and half minute version of "Ball Of Confusion". Cheers Norm.

8.  Young-Holt Unlimited - "Pusher Man" (1971)

Eldee Young and Redd Holt cut an album in 1971 entitled Young-Holt Unlimited Plays Super Fly. Four of the ten cuts were tracks taken from Curtis Mayfield's soundtrack and played in a cool laid-back instrumental jazz style.

9.  Manic Street Preachers - "Mausoleum" (1994)

Twenty years since release and the final gigs with its main architect Richey Edwards, Manic Street Preachers played their masterpiece The Holy Bible live in its entirety this month. Thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of others I was fortunate enough to catch two of the shows at the Roundhouse. The second in particular was excellent (the first slightly hampered by James Dean Bradfield's lurgy) - truly gripping - and despite the intensity of the material and the extreme emotional baggage the band appeared relatively relaxed and even appeared to enjoy the experience; a far cry from the infamous Astoria gigs of December '94 when I was certain it would be the last time I'd see them. That, of course, only turned out to apply to Richey. Gone but never forgotten,

10.  Gang Starr - "Jazz Thing" (1990)

Not sure it had a name but following rare groove and then acid jazz there was "a scene" around the late 80s and very early 90s where jazz and funk and hip-hop and, for want of a better term, "modern dance music" were all thrown into a pot from which loads of great records were cooked. Gang Starr's "Jazz Thing" is a classic example and the opening track to the first volume of The Rebirth of The Cool compilation series which boldly announced "The nineties will be the decade of a jazz thing".   

THE ACTION: UNRELEASED RECORDINGS - IN MY LONELY ROOM (10 INCH EP)

A new release featuring previously unreleased recordings by The Action. I can't think of a sentence I'd sooner type for you, and there it is, in all it's glory. A few words which read sweeter than Reggie King tackling an Impressions song. In a few short weeks, on 8th December to be precise, discerning turntables will spin in unison as ears catch their first listen to these miraculous discoveries. I don't usually reproduce press releases but will make an exception here whilst I have a lie down....

Four previously unreleased tracks by the ultimate ACTION recorded during 1964 and 1965, on both vinyl and CD EP.

“We all tried our hand at getting that Motown sound you know... all the bands in the mid ‘60s. 
The best ones at it were the Action... They were an amazing band.” - Steve Marriott, 1987.

Alongside the Small Faces and the Who, London’s ACTION were undoubtedly Britain’s premier mod band during the mid 1960s, and their chain of five singles for Parlophone from October 1965 to June 1967 are venerated as one of the finest runs of 45s of the period (or indeed of any period really). Subsequent releases of the group’s material such as The Ultimate Action, Rolled Gold, Uptight And Outasight and CD repackages of the band’s EMI output, plus the Action’s period of reformation, have endeared the group to a huge swell of post 60s fans and the band command a level of respect and adulation rarely bestowed on many other groups of their era. Sadly with the aforementioned slew of records and CDs the well of archive Action material appeared to have run dry...until now that is!

The excellent book on the Action In The Lap Of The Mods, published in 2012, shed light on a previously rarely documented aspect of the Action’s recording career, specifically their audition for the Decca record company in May 1965. Indeed some copies of the book included a limited edition vinyl 45 extracted from an acetate recently discovered from that audition, which was a supreme version of the Temptations ‘Why You Wanna Make Me Blue’. That recording, taped six months before their EMI debut, makes a welcome re-appearance here and also emerges on CD for the first time. Unbelievably since the book came out another acetate from that Decca session has surfaced, one side of which features a wonderful interpretation of one of many people’s favourite Action tracks ‘In My Lonely Room’, which incredibly surpasses the later recording for Parlophone and has a real ‘live’ feel to it. Coupled with ‘In My Lonely Room’ was a fine rendition of the Impressions’ ‘You’ll Want Me back’, which finds the Action in a more mellow blue eyed soul groove and showcases perhaps the most Reggie King’s leap in vocal prowess in the comparative short space of time since the band’s recordings for Pye as the Boys barely six months previous.

Not that the Boys’ single for Pye was a slouch – far from it – and Top Sounds round off the EP with another previously undocumented recording. Committed to acetate during their time as the Boys was one of Reggie King’s earliest compositions, and ‘Fine Looking Girl’exposes further the pre-emptive Action in rather good form indeed.

Restored to the best possible standard from the original acetates, the four selections on In My Lonely Room are a fascinating, important and invaluable document of the emergent Action during late 1964 and 1965, and Top Sounds are justifiably elated to place these portentous recordings together for the first time. With the blessing of Action drummer Roger Powell, help from In the Lap Of The Mods authoress Jane Shepherd and delivered in full vintage 60s style packaging courtesy of Bruce Brand, In My Lonely Room is sure to excite Action fans everywhere and in all probability – unfortunately – may well be the final release of ‘new’ vintage Action recordings. Your last chance to catch some new unbelievable ACTION!

THE ACTION - ISLE OF WIGHT SETLIST

After a break of thirty years The Action reformed – with all five original members – in 1998 to play two shows at the Ryde Theatre in the Isle of Wight for the New Untouchables August Bank Holiday Mod Rally.

“We weren’t quite sure what to expect and the place was jam-packed! The queues were going both ways from the box office around the whole building.” – Reggie King from In The Lap Of The Mods by Ian Hebditch and Jane Shepherd.

This set list from the afternoon show, when they added "Cool Jerk", is a nice piece of memorabilia obtained by DJ Lee Miller (before winding its to me) and was written out by Reggie King and signed by the entire band: Reggie, Alan King, Mike Evans, Roger Powell and Pete Watson. It's interesting to note how they focused on the songs they performed in their original club days rather than those recorded for Parlophone; only six out of the eighteen appeared on the seminal collection, The Ultimate Action, and the young Mod crowd had to wait until song nine to hear one. A bold move. What I'd give for George Martin produced recordings of The Impressions' "Meeting Over Yonder" and "People Get Ready" to turn up one day. I can hear them in my head already. 

THE ACTION - THE SINGLES BOXSET (2014)

In principal, Record Store Day is an incentive to get behind. Anything which supports and creates income for the rapidly dwindling collection of independent record shops is surely a good thing. It does though every year throw up plenty of gripes and dissatisfaction: from the cost of items, the barrel scrapping and standard of unissued material, the constant repackaging of others, the distribution, the black market it creates and the unscrupulous practices of some dealers.

Demon/Edsel Records were crafty in their advertising of the latest repackaging of their Action catalogue. By releasing The Singles Boxset on Record Store Day, 19^th April 2014, as a limited edition they created instant demand (I can’t honestly criticise that too strongly, it makes good business sense). Shops ordered in a few copies each and in most cases sold out within hours which meant 48 hours after going on sale for around £60, one was sold on eBay £138. The eBay sellers always get castigated for queuing up at the crack of dawn to hoover up the in-demand items and flog them at inflated prices meaning the genuine fan misses out. Record Store Day then gets a reputation of being “just for people to make money on eBay” but that’s no different from concert tickets or anything where demand outstrips supply. And this is my beef here. Demon/Edsel did not, to my knowledge, say in what quantity these boxsets have been produced. If 300 then yes, that’s going to make them difficult to acquire, 3000 would still be limited but a big difference and whilst still desirable wouldn’t have seen the panic buying of desperate collectors lining the pockets of the eBay sellers.

I’m always more than interested in anything to do with The Action but there was no way I was either going to queue up outside Rough Trade East at stupid o’clock in the morning nor was I willing to pay over the odds for what, when all said and done, is a collection of songs I already own in a multitude of different formats and editions: original singles, reissue singles, LP, CDs, even ripped to my laptop and on my phone. Three weeks since the release and copies this new edition are still obtainable from shops that have restocked or from major online retailers.

The Action don’t need any introduction from me here - you know the songs as well as I do - so it’s not the songs anybody is paying for here, it’s the packaging. Seventeen tracks spread across eight 7 inch records, a 28-page booklet promising unseen and rare photos and memorabilia, an A2 double-sided poster, sticker and a download card. Curiously Amazon have copies listed as including a 40-page booklet and boasting “a replication of the note from super-fan Paul Weller” and The Action stub ticket. These are either the figment of someone’s imagination, items Demon intended to include and pulled, or I’ve been short-changed.

The singles are housed in individual picture sleeves made from nice thick card (it’s come to this, reviewing the thickness of paper). The five 45s The Action originally released in the UK only came in green and white Parlophone company sleeves so the art department at Demon have used a mixture of picture sleeves that crept out in various corners of the globe or have designed new ones. I would’ve preferred straight reproductions where possible but here we just get the front cover – with a big Edsel logo plastered on it – and the back sleeves are in a basic, unimaginative, uniform design. More importantly, the mastering of the vinyl is good. I went straight to “Since I Lost My Baby” and it does have the lovely warm feel of the originals and of the Ultimate Action LP (which later CD versions stripped away).

The booklet features Dean Rudland’s potted history of the band cribbed from Ian Hebditch and Jane Shepherd’s flawless In The Lap Of The Mods book although I don’t suppose Jane will be best pleased to see her name spelt wrong here. It’s an attractive book, especially the colour photos, but features only one image I’ve not seen before: a different shot from the Scotch of St James session, this time with Mike Evans holding a dog lead attached to Bam King’s wrist!

The poster is a two-sided reproduction of the one with Reggie King’s silhouetted face which was used to advertise Action gigs in clubs, and the sticker names The Action as Marquee Artists. Nothing wrong with either but I would’ve preferred a badge, preferably enamel - there was a fab one in a Yardbirds boxset about 20 years ago which I still wear regularly – but plain old button-badge would’ve done. Maybe I’ll run up a side-line in Action badges.

And there you have it. I don’t regret buying it. It’s a lovely thing to have but it was very much a gratuitous purchase. It’ll sit on the sleeve now as an ornament and rarely get touched. Music is to be played, to be enjoyed. Record collecting for collecting sake is rather pointless and there’s a significant part of me that feels a bit grubby and used by throwing money at stuff “just to have it” when I could’ve bought other music. I've been suckered, partially against my will. But ultimately, it’s The Action, and if there’s one band I’d give my last pound to, it’s them.

The Action – The Singles Boxset is out now (in an unknown quantity) on Demon/Edsel Records. 

THE ACTION’S ALAN “BAM” KING INTERVIEWED ON 88.3 SOUTHERN FM

The Action 1967: A very sharp Bam King on the right.

Here’s an unexpected treat, a radio show (now available as a podcast) devoted in its entirety to Action guitarist Bam King.

Nick Black from Australian station 88.3 Southern FM calls Bam at his home in New Zealand for his Purple Haze Archive show. Across two hours they cover Bam’s career from Sandra Barry, The Boys, The Action, Mighty Baby, Ace, right up to his current band Juice On The Loose playing plenty of tracks along the way, not always the most obvious either; it’s wonderful to hear things like “Come Around” and “I’m A Stranger” broadcast on the other side of world.

Bam sounds in fine fettle throughout. Worth a listen, certainly for the first hour at least, here.

I spotted this over at The Mod Generation which often flag up decent stuff.

FLASHBACK ISSUE 3 - MIGHTY BABY: FROM MODS TO MECCA

Across a mammoth thirty seven pages in the new issue of Flashback, Richard Morton Jack recounts how mod superheroes The Action evolved into bearded underground spiritualists, Mighty Baby. Picking up the story in 1967 with The Action's introduction of Ian Whiteman and Martin Stone; on to the Rolled Gold period; the departure of Reggie King; the making of their wiggy psychedelic Mighty Baby album; the mellower A Jug of Love; and finally how their religious believes became incompatible with their lives as gigging “rock” musicians.

Members of the band are interviewed as are some who worked with them and the article features rare photographs and press cuttings. It’s the first time, to my knowledge, Mighty Baby have been covered in depth and it’s long overdue. Covering the changing mood of time well there’s also good little snippets of information that’s new to me such as Marc Bolan’s reaction when Ian Whiteman played him the Action Speak Louder Than... tracks. “So what? I can do better than that.”

The Mighty Baby piece is the big selling point and I wouldn’t have forked out £9.99 without it but Flashback and an impressive publication. At 210 glossy colour pages with in-depth articles (Malcolm Jones on producing Syd Barrett and Pete Brown on the recent Graham Bond box-set being another two highlights) plus incisive and honest reviews it feels more like a book to keep than a disposable magazine. 

For more information and ordering details visit Flashback.

REGGIE KING AND BB BLUNDER - NEVER RELEASED RECORDINGS and INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN GODDING

Reggie King is the gift who keeps on giving. Whenever it seems everything has been seen or heard, something new crops up, like these two never released recordings he made in 1970 with BB Blunder for Brian Matthew’s Top of The Pops show on BBC Radio 1. Huge thanks to Pete Bonner (psychotron9) for posting them on YouTube.

BB Blunder was formed in 1970 from the ashes of the Blossom Toes - who made two albums We Are Ever So Clean (1967) and If Only For A Moment (1969) - and consisted of ex-Blossies Brian Godding (guitar), Brian Belshaw (bass) and Kevin Westlake (drums). Blunder would release one album, Workers’ Playtime, in 1971 and worked around the same time with Reggie as he pieced together his Reg King album using a mixture of them and his old Action colleagues to make the record. When BB Blunder began to play gigs Reggie was drafted in and for a short time was part of their set-up.  

The YouTube clips date these BBC sessions as 1970 and Brian Matthew said they formed part of the band’s live act. For that reason I’m inclined to believe they were more likely from 1971 but I’m happy to be corrected if anyone can confirm the transmission date. The soulful "You Go Have Yourself A Good Time” was one of Reggie’s best songs on his album, albeit in a slightly different form and using Mighty Baby rather than BB Blunder, whilst the heavy rocker “Sticky Living” was written by Brian Godding and was the opening track - with added horns - on Workers’ Playtime (which only featured an inaudible Reg on one song, “New Day”).

In 2005 when working on the liner notes for the Circle Records reissue of Reg King I spent an enjoyable Sunday afternoon at Brian Godding’s house chatting about his time with Reggie. I'd previously sent him a few questions to start things off and this is what Brian wrote back about that period.

Can you remember when and where you first met Reggie and what your first impressions of him were?

I first met Reg in the late 60's when he was with the Action, I didn't get to know him personally then but was very impressed with the band and of course his voice and vocal style, great phrasing and feel coupled with superb pitch control. 

Can you give some idea how you started working together?

We stared to get to know each other and think about working together with the advent of the Sahara music venture (1970?) Us with the BB Blunder project and Reg being given the opportunity to make his first solo album. BB Blunder basically started by helping him - along with the guys from The Action - to demo his material.

How did Reg end up joining BB Blunder and what material were you doing: his own songs or yours?

Reg did sort of join Blunder, or you could say we sort of joined him! It was a short lived collaboration (1970-71) and the loose idea was promote his music and ours so the material was a mixture plus some things we wrote together. It seemed to me, at the time, a good idea as I wanted to concentrate on the guitar and Reg was a bloody sight better singer than I was.

BB Blunder backed Reggie on some of the tracks on Reg King and The Action/Mighty Baby did the others. Was there any real reason for this or just who was available at the time?

Reg had been given total control over the making of his album by Peter Swales from Sahara which was not really a good idea in retrospect. There was a good deal of confusion as to who was doing what and when so it ended up as a bit of a barmy cooperative with Reg doing rather a lot of versions of his songs with a lot of different musicians and costing Sahara a bloody fortune in the process.

What was Reg like to work?  Was he open to suggestions or did he have a firm idea how the songs should sound?

Reg was great fun generally to work with but at the time, totally disorganized and a bit prone to the drink and other things so we did waste a lot of time (and more importantly, money) in the studio. It was really easy to lose the plot. But in fairness, most people at that time were recording in this loose and spontaneous way but they had rather larger budgets than us. I think in the case of the Reggie album it would have benefited greatly with a George Martin type producer slamming down the iron fist of reason in large doses.   

What were the expectations for Reggie’s LP?  Did he think he'd break through with it?

I don't personally know what the expectations of the finished album were by either Reg or Sahara at the time as we BB Blunder were more tied up with Worker’s Playtime and replacing Kevin Westlake on drums who'd had enough. I think that by the time the album was going to press, Reg had lost the plot in a big way and Sahara was effectively bankrupt. To me, the great thing about Reg and his music was the obvious potential and the sad thing is it was never quite realised.

What do you recall of Peter Swales and Sahara Records?

I recall a great deal about Peter, the company and this period of time. Peter (who was an old friend of Kevin Westlake from his home town of Haverford West in North Wales) was working in PR in the Rolling Stones organisation. Peter really wanted to start a company to help us lot and various other artists to carry on making records so he managed to blag a substantial amount of money from the Stones to fund Sahara. An extremely bright and energetic guy who gave it his best shot.

“Little Boy”/“10000 Miles” was released as a single and credited to Reg King & BB Blunder.  What did you think of it?  Did it receive any attention?

These are probably my favourite and most finished/ accomplished cuts from the bunch. I like them but cannot remember what attention they may have received at the time but there was little or no money left for promotion of anything. We weren't directly involved with the promotion of Reg's album but we did play most of the songs in one way or another during the short space in time we worked together.

What are your favourite memories of working with Reg?

As I've already said, I always believed that Reg was potentially up there with the likes of Rod Stewart, Lennon, McCartney etc  as a singer and was definitely at his best in the Action days (kept in his place by Bam, Mike and Roger). I remember him with a lot of affection as he was an extremely funny guy who was sadly losing it by the time we were working together. I remember one moment during a gig at the Country Club in London when during one of my guitar solos a whirring sound started up from the side of the stage - Reg had found a hover and proceeded to hoover all the dog ends up for the next ten minutes. Happy days!

On your website, Lotsawatts you mention Reggie going “into the local nuthouse”.  Can you explain this a bit further? 

Reg was basically heading for a nervous breakdown and it's not for me to speculate as to the whys and wherefores but I’m sure drink and drugs played a big part in this process. As I've said Reg was always really outgoing and generally a lot of fun to be with but he was in retrospect clearly hiding a lot of serious personal problems which would end up in him having to receive a prolonged period of mental care and supervision which was very, very sad. A huge talent nearly but not totally wasted.

   

How and when did you lose touch with Reg?

In the years after his breakdown Reg was, I believe, under close supervision  and moved out of London but I did hear from him about a year ago when the Action reformed. I really wish him well.

Don't forget Reggie King's Looking For A Dream LP/CD is out now as well as Ian Hebditch and Jane Shepherd's beautiful book The Action: In The Lap of the Mods. I can't recommend either of these highly enough.   

LETTER FROM THE ACTION’S REGGIE KING: “I REALLY DID DISCOVER JIMI HENDRIX”

After years of being so far off the radar that many people believed he’d died, The Action’s Reggie King was spotted in 1994 by a member of the band Dog in their local pub. They told omnipresent mod about town Dave Edwards (who now writes the Aggravation Place blog) who phoned me with news of this mind blowing discovery. The process of then trying to interview Reggie for my Action-titled fanzine, Something Has Hit Me, began. Reggie didn’t own a telephone so the approach and arrangements were conducted by letter, which was slight pain at the time but now I’m thankful as I received two name dropping letters from him, the first shared here (I can’t find the other at the moment). If you click on the pages they should become readable.

It’s a revealing little insight into "Reginald King" and even these few words captures his personality well. When I finally got to visit him at his flat we spent an hour and a half chatting before he was itching to get to the pub across the road. He was good value and I'm still pleased with how the interview turned out  (here if you've not read it before), although we didn’t discuss his claim to have discovered Jimi Hendrix. 

It’s a terrible shame Reggie isn’t here today as he’d be chuffed with how the recent collection of his unreleased recordings Looking For A Dream has been received to universal acclaim. If you’ve not yet got it, do so. 

REGGIE KING'S LOOKING FOR A DREAM - OUT TODAY!

At long last, Looking For A Dream, the collection of previously unreleased demos Reggie King recorded with his former Action band mates circa 1968/69 is available to purchase from Circle Records. I reviewed it here and for Modculture last month so if you need any further persuading have a read but suffice to say it’s at least equal to The Action’s Rolled Gold.

I know a lot of people don’t like paying for music these days and there are other ways of hearing these songs but the quality of the vinyl and CD editions is far superior to online streaming and without small dedicated independent labels where would we be? If you can spare £12.99, buy it direct from Circle. You won’t be disappointed.      

REGGIE KING - LOOKING FOR A DREAM (2013)

This is truly the stuff of dreams. An album of unreleased Reggie Kings tracks, the majority backed by his old band mates from The Action. These aren’t scrappy demos of familiar songs but twelve songs never heard before with an additional three on the CD previously only available on the limited edition 10 inch EP Missing In Action.

Full recording details aren’t available but these were made after Reggie officially left the band in 1968 until the end of 1969. During this period The Action kept the name (only changing it to Mighty Baby in time for their A Jug of Love LP) and the box to the master tape containing eight of the songs which form the heart of this collection is clearly marked “Reggie King and The Action, Screen Gems demos, March 1969”. To call these songs demos is to do them a disservice; they are full blown recordings and to my ears finished and of releasable quality. I don’t know how they could’ve been improved. I’m going to assume readers are fully aware of The Action and their “unreleased” 1968 album Rolled Gold. That record subsequently added much to the band’s legacy, demonstrating their ability as a song writing unit no longer content or reliant on interpreting the music of others. I know many listeners prefer their second phase and for those in particular Looking For A Dream is essential. Albums of demos are often of such sub-standard quality it does little to enhance the reputation of the artist and is merely an item for fans to buy out of curiosity and loyalty rather than something that warrants repeated plays; none of that applies here. It is among the very best work Reggie King ever made and raises his stock even higher.

Plenty of the tracks feel like a natural progression from Rolled Gold (some, not even a progression, they could sit there without revealing the join). Songs like “Let Me See Some Love In Your Eyes” with its harmonies, bongos, Roger Powell’s beating rhythm and Ian Whiteman’s flute is pure Action, as is the fantastic “Picking Up Nancy’s Grin” and others. Although all band members contributed ideas to Rolled Gold they concede it was mainly Reggie’s songs. Whiteman at the In The Lap of the Mods book launch said to me the band after that point needed to break from Reg (and vice-versa) as their interest in playing drawn-out and experimental pieces was not compatible with his more traditional and firmly structured song writing. That is very apparent here as Reggie was writing from the position of a singer of songs. They are tightly constructed pieces that skip along and could just as easily be played on an acoustic guitar or piano in the way Reggie wrote them. If you ask me to choose between Reggie King’s ideals and his instrumentalist colleagues’ jams extending beyond half an hour there’s only one winner.

Reggie thought the band couldn’t get a deal for Rolled Gold as record bosses couldn’t hear a hit single. I’m not convinced all record buyers in the late 60s only wanted material that sounded like singles but perhaps that fate fell on these recordings too. It’s a mystery to me why they’ve languished in total obscurity especially when Looking For A Dream is far superior in every respect to his Reg King LP which trickled out with no fanfare in 1971. I was lucky enough to write the liner notes to the Circle Records reissue of Reg King and although I genuinely like it I acknowledge that’s more on account of its creator than his creation. It doesn’t do Reggie many favours as a vocalist or, to a lesser degree, a songwriter. Looking For A Dream brightly highlights both attributes. Listen to his tender, soulful voice on the beautiful “Suddenly” or “In and Out”. This should’ve been the real Reggie King album.

Most of the audio quality is faultless but allowances need to be made for one acetate and three tracks which came from a different source (thoughtfully placed at either end of the compilation so as not disturb the flow). One of these is in such stark contrast to the upbeat cheerful nature of the others it needs a special mention. People who knew Reggie are all very protective of him. When talking to them they almost all readily admit – with a smile - he could be a real pain in the arse at times but offer little more when it comes to him “losing the plot”. Reggie introduces “They Must Be Talking ‘Bout Me” by telling those gathered in the studio “This is a song about a mental home” which elicits a giggle by a couple of people. As he pads then pounds a piano he recounts doctors whispering when he’s near, drinking tea from a broken cup, eating bread with a spoon, frowning doctor’s telling him to lie down and not worry, and having to take 400 micrograms at breakfast time. The next time The Most Harrowing Songs Ever list is drawn up, check for this; extremely uncomfortable yet darkly spellbinding. It would be wrong to take the content as entirely autobiographical yet Reggie is utterly convincing and no one is laughing when he finishes the song.  

As Kevin Pearce writes in his accompanying notes, “It’s always dangerous to succumb to the temptation of playing ‘could’ve, should’ve, would’ve’” when talking about Reggie, so I won’t but it is nothing short of criminal these amazing recordings remained unheard during Reggie’s lifetime. That said, I’ve nothing but huge admiration (and gratitude) for Peter Wild at Circle for his persistence and patience in finally getting this out. What started as a straight forward project around the time of the Reg King release in 2005 turned into drawn out affair getting the tracks cleared by all relevant parties and then cleaning up some of the tracks. As always with Circle releases the packaging and meticulous attention to detail is apparent. The vinyl edition is beautifully done (although if you don’t have Missing In Action then I recommend the CD to get the extra tracks). I’ve had to secretly sit on these and not even play them to anyone since Peter shared them with me eight years ago when working on Reg King. Listening to them again constantly over the last three weeks I love them more than ever. They serve as a final and worthy tribute to an astonishing talent. I’m loathe to award anything full marks but Reggie King will always score highly in my book and for a collection as wonderful as this I couldn’t justify not giving it 10 out of 10.

Tracks: Get Up Get Away, Let Me See Some Love In Your Eyes, You Gotta Believe Me, All Up To Heaven, So Full Of Love*, Merry Go Round*, Suddenly, Picking Up Nancy’s Grin, In and Out, Put Something Together, Live Forever, Magenta*, Thinkin’ ‘Bout Getting Out, They Must Be Talking ‘Bout Me, You’ll Be Around    *CD only.

Looking For A Dream by Reggie King is released by Circle Records on 18^th February 2013

MONKEY PICKS HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012

Seeing how everyone else is doing one I’ll follow suit with a review of the year; after all it’s a quiet week and easier than writing anything new. Think of it as one of those television shows cobbled together from previous episodes after a main character dies or someone has a dream remembering – in soft focus – all the fun times they had. Cue hazy screen…

The uncovering of only the second piece of film footage of The Action – doing "I'll Keep On Holding On" outside the Royal Albert Hall – was the start of fruitful year for fans of this most treasured band which culminated in the long awaited publication of Ian Hebditch and Jane Shepherd’s superb biography The Action: In The Lap of the Mods and the release of a previously unheard recording. In between those landmarks I was lucky enough to interview drummer Roger Powell and we spent a couple of hours chatting about the band. I was especially interested in the way he compared the mod Action period with the underground Mighty Baby period that followed. If the launch party for the book felt like the final chapter in the Action story, fear not: I can reveal that Circle Records will on the 18^th February 2013 release Reggie King’s Looking For A Dream, a fifteen track compilation of recordings he made circa 1969, mostly with his ex-Action bandmates, which will elevate him even higher in people’s estimation. Mark that date on your diary now.

The Action were firmly established at the top of my loves but 2012 saw a new name, Rodriguez, enter high on that list. Somehow he’d evaded my radar until the Searching for Sugarman documentary hit cinema screens in July but now he’s up there as a firm favourite. The film has this month been released on DVD and I can’t urge you enough to watch it. It’s brilliant and incredibly moving, as are the best tracks from his two albums Cold Fact and Coming From Reality. It was a real privilege to see Rodriguez at the Royal Festival Hall.

This week has seen the passing of soul sisters, Marva Whitney and Fontella Bass. I don’t usually mark these events as new entrants to the Rock and Soul Heaven Choir are so frequent it would make Monkey Picks read like the back pages of the Eastbourne Church News but I was genuinely saddened by the death of Michael Davis of the MC5 and the indomitable Etta James. The MC5 with Primal Scream show in 2008 is one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to and back in 2004 myself and friend were in New York when we saw that Etta was due to play B.B. King’s club in a couple of weeks’ time. We seriously toyed with the idea of returning especially to see her. We didn’t and I’ve regretted it ever since. Special mention here to the Independent newspaper for making her front page news with a massive photograph. If you’ve not read Etta’s autobiography Rage To Survive you’re missing out.

On the subject of books, Dougal Butler’s ludicrously funny Moon The Loon, telling of his time with Keith Moon, saw print again as Full Moon and also made it as a “talking book” read by Moonie’s mate Karl Howman. Dougal, forever the storyteller, entertained us – quite candidly at times - one Sunday morning as we conducted a long interview with him about Keith Moon and his role in attempting to keep his employer out of too much trouble. We (Mrs Monkey and I) met with Dougal a couple of other times, most notably at Pete Townshend's Q&A session down Brick Lane to promote his autobiography Who I Am (still not read it). That night turned out to be a mod episode of Stella Street with Pete, Dougal, Richard Barnes and  supporting cast of us who followed in their desert boots.

On the hobnobbing front it felt slightly surreal talking to Public Enemy's Chuck D and Flavor Flav in my local record shop but a chance encounter with the Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield was something of a dream come true and Mr Bradfield was as lovely a man as I always thought/hoped he’d be.   

Every band you’ve long forgotten has reformed during the last few years but the one I’ve been most taken with is the gradual re-emergence of The Primitives. No big fanfare, just a gentle easing back into view with a gloriously infectious and upbeat album Echoes and Rhymes and a a terrific gig at the Borderline.

The Primitives didn’t in any way feel nostalgic but the same couldn’t be said for early 80’s mod favourites The Truth who played the same venue. It did though give me an opportunity to recount my young mod story and judging from the reaction it received it was an experience shared by many. A rare UK appearance by Todd Snider ("Who?" you ask) was a gig highlight but although I’m always searching for new bands its apparent most of the gigs I saw was by acts over a certain age so I need to make a concerted effort to check younger bands next year. One especially young band I did see was The Strypes and all eyes will be on them during 2013 to see if they make the transition from outstanding covers band to creating something of their own.

One new band who made a huge impression on me were Kontiki Suite and I’ve already banged the drum loudly for their stunning debut album On Sunset Lake which gets a full release in the next couple of weeks. Shrag’s Canines album is the other one which has most impressed me. It’s difficult to describe but it’s a grower and once under the skin stays there. I caught Shrag with The Lovely Eggs at the London Palladium when DJing during a memorable night put on by Idle Fret records.

For twenty of the most memorable songs of 2012 check the 2012 Spotify Playlist.

Roll on 2013.

THE ACTION - IN THE LAP OF THE MODS by IAN HEBDITCH and JANE SHEPHERD (2012) BOOK LAUNCH & REVIEW

Twenty years ago a chance meeting by members of pop dreamers The Wilsons led to us sitting on Pete Watson’s bed in his digs interviewing him about his days in The Action for my fanzine Something Has Hit Me. It was the first time anyone from the band had given their account since they ceased to exist in 1968. In 1992 their story still held an air of mystery, especially to fans such as us too young to have seen them in their mod glory days. We were all chuffed to meet Pete and more so that amongst his few possessions on display was his original 12-string Rickenbacker, such a vital component of their sound.

Buoyed by this discovery fellow interviewer Darren Brooker hatched an idea for us to write a book about The Action. I was always secretly sceptical how we’d achieve this although we did spend a day at the British Library pouring over every issue of the NME and Melody Maker published between 1965 and 1968 for any scrap of information; of which there was precious little. Although we’d set our sights low (a slim John’s Children book and Paolo Hewitt’s Small Faces magazine All Our Yesterdays being our main inspiration) there didn’t appear to be a huge amount to say nor much in the way of a pictorial record to be found. I asked in Something Has Hit Me for contributions which garnered slim pickings but I did receive a nice letter from one Ian Hebditch.

After interviewing Reggie King a year or so later our book idea was quietly shelved. I, for one, had no idea how to proceed with such a project and we weren’t the right people to attempt it. However, those interviews did in a small way plant the seed which led to the reformation of the band for occasional gigs for Rob Bailey and The New Untouchables between 1998 and 2004.

It was at that first reunion gig that Ian Hebditch wandered backstage and enthused how he followed the band at venues like the Birdcage in Portsmouth and the Marquee in the capital. As a friendship developed so did the idea to produce a book. Finally, after a decade of hard work and graft by Ian and Jane Shepherd, The Action: In The Lap of The Mods has been published after a launch party in London last month.

The event was held in two rooms; the first with a bar and DJs and the second with an exhibition of photographs from the book. It was in this room that most of the chat and mingling took place and it was fascinating to hear of people’s introduction to The Action. Some, like Darren's parents Gwyn and Ray, were original mods; others were Ultimate Action post-revival mods and fans; some had journeyed backwards from Mighty Baby and even The Habibiyya; whilst others had their first taste at the reunion shows. It was great to catch up with original members Pete Watson and Roger Powell, and meet for the first time later recruits Ian Whiteman and Martin Stone. Alan King now lives in New Zealand and of course Reggie King and Mike Evans are no longer with us nor, sadly, is Ian Hebditch who died before the completion of the book work leaving Jane to work tirelessly to complete the project.

In The Lap of The Mods is stunning. It looks beautiful and is obviously born out of a deep love and respect for the band. The hardback cover, quality paper and high-end production values are top quality and the design is first class. Flicking through it’s incredible to see so many previously unseen photographs and items of memorabilia. I go dizzy whenever I see a single piece of “new” Action related material; on first look this had my head spinning. The main 176 glossy-paged book is supplemented (in the special edition of 400 individually numbered copies) by a 96 page A4 sized diary compiled by Jane giving details of their gigs and movements and features hundreds of press cuttings. Finally, all housed in clothbound presentation slipcase, is a 7 inch single of the acetate they recorded of The Temptations’ “Girl Why You Wanna Make Me Blue” for their Decca audition on 31^st May 1965. This is the earliest known – and previously unreleased - Action recording and although they get off to a wobbly start, once they settle down it gives a clearer idea of how the band would’ve sounded live than their George Martin produced singles that the band have claimed didn’t capture them properly. With Reggie’s vocals, the three-part harmonies and Pete’s 12-string, it’s real hairs on the back of the neck stuff and The Action to a T.

Now, all that would be quite enough. I was bouncing off the walls just holding the thing in my hands but once I got to read the text it took it way beyond a purely visual and audible nicety. I if thought there wasn’t enough to say, I was wrong; if I thought I wasn’t the person to write it, I was right. Ian Hebditch’s narration is superb. He was a mod who saw The Action 40-50 times in their heyday and they couldn’t have asked for a more understanding and articulate biographer. Ian vividly explains how the band’s path was inextricably entwined with the mod movement and how, as they developed in tandem, one subtle shift followed another until they both came to the end of the road. Contributions range from all band members to big names like Pete Townshend (“we were genuine fans of the band”), Sir George Martin (“to this day I am baffled they didn’t achieve superstardom”), Phil Collins (I know, but he has never missed an opportunity to champion the band and there’s no doubting his sincerity) to mods from the clubs but Ian’s own sharp analysis and recounting of prevalent attitudes is the key. His is the best first-hand account by a true mod of the era I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. In addition, Ian's frequent descriptions of The Action playing the clubs are highly evocative and draw a clear distinction between them as a gigging band (who mods adored) and a recording group (who mods ignored).

The issue of the “superstardom” that eluded them – a frequent topic of discussion amongst admirers – is attributed to a combination of the material released; their focus on being a great club band; ineffective management; and the band’s unwillingness to compromise their principles. There was reluctance – a refusal even – to “play the game”. There was nothing contrived about The Action, everything was very natural. Their “image” wasn’t an image, it was who they were. If you look at their clothes, even when they flowed from mod to a more underground scene, there was never any sign of trying too hard and that was how they were as people and that’s how their music comes across; as genuine and honest. They didn't case any bandwagon and didn’t have a succeed-at-all-costs mentality. Ian draws an interesting comparison with The Move. When Tony Secunda failed to overthrow The Action’s management he turned his attention to a fledging Move who, initially, according to Mike Evans “he created in our image” (ever noticed how Carl Wayne nicked Reggie King’s hand-over-the-ear singing technique?) but were happy to do whatever it took, and it paid off commercially.

Over the years we’ve been blessed with so much additional Action material and to bolster the paltry five singles they released at the time: the extra songs Edsel uncovered; the Rolled Gold album; the Uptight and Outasight BBC collection on Circle Records; their live film; archive footage; the reunion concerts etc. Now, with Reggie and Mike’s passing in 2010; presumably no further recordings to discover; and Pete recently selling his beloved Rickenbacker, In The Lap of The Mods feels like the final chapter, but what a chapter it is with loads of new revelations. What a story, what a book, and what a band.  

To order In The Lap of The Mods click here. 

The Action: Reggie King, Mike Evans, Alan King, Pete Watson, Roger Powell

Pete Watson, Monkey, Roger Powell

Ian Whiteman, Monkey, Martin Stone

In keeping with the spirit of The Action - and to keep a few Goldhawk mods dancing - these were the 45s I played at the launch:

Sam & Dave - You Don't Know What You Mean To Me (Atlantic)
Rufus Thomas - Can Your Monkey Do The Dog (Stax)
The Bar-Kays - Knucklehead (Stax)
BB King - The Hurt (ABC-Paramount)
Jackie Wilson & Count Basie - Uptight (Coral)
Bob & Earl - The Sissy (Chene)
The Ronettes - Do I Love You? (Philles)
The Impressions - Meeting Over Yonder (ABC-Paramount)
Marvin Gaye - Baby Don't You Do It (Tamla)
Kim Weston - Take Me In Your Arms (Gordy)
The Action - In My Lonely Room (Parlophone)
Barbara Lynn- Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) (Jamie)
Etta James - Pay Back (Argo)
Gene Chandler - Nothing Can Stop Me (Soul City)
Major Lance - The Monkey Time (Okeh)
The Temptations - Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue) (Gordy)
The Impressions - I Love You (Yeah) (HMV)
Maurice & The Radiants - Baby You've Got It (Chess)
The Lownley Crowde - Shadows and Reflections (MGM)
The Action - Since I Lost My Baby (Parlophone)
Marvin Gaye - Pride and Joy (Tamla)
The Spinners - Sweet Thing (Tamla Motown)
Barabara Randolph - I Got A Feeling (Soul)
Kim Weston - Helpless (Gordy)
Isley Brothers - This Old Heart Of Mine (Tamla Motown)
Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving (Motown)
Shorty Long _ Out To Get You (Soul)
Sam Cooke - Shake (RCA Victor)