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The First Small Faces Convention

24^th January 1997, Rushkin Arms, East London.

For those that weren't the highlights were Stan Lane and Steve Marriott's sisters talking about the band and thanking us for attending; Art Wood for being who he is; The Phrogs and the Steve Ellis Love Affair doing near perfect versions of Small Faces songs, with your eyes shut it truly sounded like them; Steve Craddock and PP Arnold playing together; dancing like mad when Rob Bailey came to the decks and spun some brilliant tunes.

None of the people that I met were on the list but I was wearing a blue and yellow striped suit with a regency collar with.......COVERED BUTTONS (shock, horror). If we met please e-mail me or talk to me in a club as I am anxious to meet more people on the list. There are way too many mods without computers over here.

The two downsides were having some records nicked, Kenney Jones doing a no-show, and having to push Rob's van (or is it a Lambretta in disguise) to get it started. Oh and also Monday was a big downside too for having to go to college after two sleepless days.

The Small Faces Convention on 26^th January proved to be a rousing success, writes John Reed. A mod-friendly crowd of over 300 descended on the Ruskin Arms in Manor Park, East London, to celebrate the legends of the 1960s mod scene.

The venue had a special significance: the Small Faces used to rehearse there back in 1965, and the pub was owned by the parents of the band’s original organist Jimmy Winston who performed two acoustic songs.

There was also live music from The Phrogs, Changingman, and Steve Ellis’ Love Affair (with a guest spot from Nine Below Zero’s Dennis Greaves), plus a surprise collaboration of soul singer PP Arnold (who worked with the Small Faces) and Ocean Colour Scene Guitarist Steve Craddock. Also in attendance were various children from all four members of the band, the youngest being Molly, 11-year old daughter of the late Steve Marriott.

"It was a meeting of like-minded fans, really," said promoter Dean Powell, who organised the event in conjunction with John Hellier of Small Faces fanzine, Wapping Wharf. "And most important of all, we raised about £1,000 for Ronnie Lane who suffers from MS."