The Sharper Word A Mod Anthology - Making Time Book Review

British Beat Groups of the 1960s

*Book Review: The Sharper Word. A Mod Anthology by Paulo Hewitt*	*March 2000*
The Mod movement is one of the most enduring youth "crazes." It remains strong today although it roots are very much in the 1960s, the period that this book covers. Mod is not just about music. the Mod style moves through music to clothes, scooters and dancing all night. The ubiquitous uppers and downers were not so much part of being Mod but more something that would enable the lifestyle to be sustained. The amphetamines would keep you dancing until you needed to come back down again. Paulo has collected together excerpts from a wide range of material, both published and unpublished, that cover different aspects of the Mod movement. Two of the books featured have been covered by previous Making Time reviews. These take from Mod from its earlier roots through its growth and media exploitation to its death (of the first phase) and part-mutation into skinheads. Through this collection of writing, the reader can learn about what makes up a mod. It's not just the fashion that had to be accurate and sharp as well as constantly updated. Much of a Mod's wages was spent on keeping the wardrobe up-to-date, either buying from shops such as John Spencer or altering garments so that the cut was perfect. The clubs were important especially The Scene. Here Mods could dance to the latest records. These were not necessarily the likes of the Who and Small Faces but imported R&B and blues. The Small Faces were fans who started by playing Mod music. The Who had their image developed so that they could become the standard bearers for Mod. Only Townshend, it is claimed, was a true Mod. However, it is the insight into lesser-known Mod bands which is more interesting. These should be known to Making Time readers and the role of groups such as The Action is noted. Other bands included The Creation and The Eyes from Ealing. The book is easy to read. The use of short excerpts divides it into manageable chapters of a couple of pages at a time, arranged in chronological order, more or less, through the 1960s. mp, February 2000 Add your comments Bookstore Book Review Index
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Published in 1999 by Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN: 1-900-924-10-2

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Last Updated: 29 February 2000