VA - The Bristol Mod Explosion 1979-1987 (2024) [Hi-Res]

Bristol Archive Records have been telling the story of the incredibly diverse Bristol Music scene for many years now. The label has gained considerable success with their previous releases ‘The Bristol Reggae Explosion’ series – Volumes one, two and three covering 1978 to the end of the 80’s. We followed the Reggae vibe with another critically acclaimed reggae release ‘The Bristol Roots Explosion’ and in 2023 we turned our attention to punk with ‘The Bristol Punk Explosion 1977-1979’.

Now we turn our attention to another Subculture – Mods and we bring you ‘The Bristol Mod Explosion 1979-1987’
This album covers the period 1979 to 1987 and features 14 tracks. When punk rock started to fizzle out and Squat Punks started to appear on the streets, many of the UK’s disaffected youths had already moved sideways into Modernism and fell in love with bands like The Jam, Secret Affair, The Purple Hearts, The Lambrettas and The Chords but lets also remember our love for The Beat, Madness and The Specials.

Mod was another gang culture, to some a way of life, to some it became life. The smart, striking fashion sense, the scooters, the music; (some from the 60’s, soul and Motown), some from the 70’s and 80’s, guitar driven power pop. Wow! Mod was the real deal.
The West Country embraced the scene and produced its own authentic Mod bands like The Reaction, Mayfair and The Newbeats. Other bands were in on the Mod tag for a period of time but could be more appropriately described as Power Pop / Ska, namely, The Review, The Rimshots and Thin Air.

Success for some was supporting their heroes, a good example being Thin Air (previously called Out of Order) with their 15-year-old guitarist and singer/ songwriter Paul Sandrone, who supported The Jam at The Locarno in 1980 and The Rimshots, who played on the same bills as The Beat and The Bodysnatchers.

This album is a soundtrack to an era, remembering a period in time when Top of The Pops was full of Secret Affair and The Chords together with all the Two-Tone bands. Thatcherism was killing multi-cultural Britain but to escape, it was ok to write a catchy pop song, it was ok to look smart and it was acceptable to wear a Parka, white socks, Hush Puppies and a mohair suit.