Milestones @ the Mod Club

On the 15th of February, I'll be 40. I started to think about where I would want to celebrate the fact that I would be changing decades. I didn't hesitate too long. It had to be at my second home, the Mod Club.

 

Mod Club veteran Lee Modern graciously accepted to co-host the event so we can make it a night to remember. A few milestones will be underlined. First, we will raise our glass to the fact that I survived the last 40 years. Two, Parka Avenue will celebrate its 1-year anniversary and finally, we'll toast the 4th year of Montreal's only Mod temple, the Mod Club. Lee Modern and myself will be hitting the decks, spinning your favorite sixties grooves, best soulful tracks and a few British Beat classics. 

Since the last  time I dropped the needle at the club, I have discovered a few floor fillers that I'm eager to share. For instance, take this unexpected cover of the garage classic Wild Thing made popular by The Troggs and remade, with a good infusion of sweet soul,  by one of my favorite sixties acts The Capitols. 

 

                                           

Few know that The Troggs version, released in 1966, is in itself a cover of a Chip Taylor song originally recorded by Jordan Christopher & The Wild Ones, released 6 months earlier. This is one of the rare instances were I think a cover version easily outshines the original, although the harmonica is quite a nice touch. Apparently The Wild Ones record is very rare. Have a listen at the original 1965 version.

In between sets, you will find me doing the Boogaloo on the dance floor or being teased by a few friends about what an old geaser I am. Some of the regular readers of this blog obviously live too far to travel to Montreal to party the night away but you are all still invited.

For those of you who will be there in spirit only, I have something for you. I'll be burning 5 compilation CDs of some the best tracks that will be played that night. All you need to do is send me a quick email at parkaavenue@hotmail.com before Febuary 19th and I'll pick five winners out of my pork pie hat and I'll send you a CD. No skill testing questions for this one!

If you ever decide that you want to join us, then put on your dancing shoes and your sharpest threads and let's make this night a... Milestone!

11 classic Mod tracks for 2011

I felt honored to be asked by my friend, DJ Lee Modern, to be part of the Magnificent 11 at The Mod Club Montreal on 1-1-11. The concept is pretty simple: eleven Mod DJs, each playing 11 tracks to ring in 2011.

I'm not sure that all the members of this motley crew of DJs spent as much time as I did selecting the 11 tracks that were going to be played that night, but I had a great time tlast week narrowing the choices down. I know that a few of my compatriots simply showed up with a bunch of albums and decided what they wanted to play on the spot. That approach is as valid as any other and the mark of a good DJ is to know how to read a crowd and adapt.

I approached it a bit differently. Since I knew it was going to be the day after the biggest party night of the year and that the place was going to be relatively quiet, I decided to plan every track in advance. I thought to myself: "If I was to going play 11 of my all time favorite Mod tunes, what would they be?"

Well, the task wasn't as easy as I thought. First, I wanted to touch a variety of styles: soul, garage, Mod revival and a couple of French 60s tracks. Second, 45rpm was my medium of choice. Lets do this how it was meant to be! Third, I wanted to play classics with a few elements of surprise hidden in the set.

After much deliberation, I was able to complete the assigned deed and this is what I came up with:

1) Ooh Poo Pah Do - Skip Easterling

2) The In Crowd - Dobie Gray

3) But It's Alright - J. J. Jackson

4) Give Me One More Chance - Wilmer and The Dukes

5) Soul Bossa Nova - Quincy Jones

6) It's a Mod Mod World - Squire

7) Biff Bang Pow - The Creation

8) Till the End of the Day - The Kinks

9) Ça Ne Tient Pas Debout (Whatcha Gonna Do About It) - Les Dinn's

10) Respect - Les Preachers

11) Tainted Love - Gloria Jones

As the first few DJs were doing their set before my turn behind the turntables, I hear But It's Alright being played. Well... there goes one! I had already prepared for the eventuality that it would happen so in came We Got A Thing That's In The Groove by The Capitols.

My set went smoothly and went by way to quickly. The French tracks that I had selected were my two surprises for the evening. First was Les Dinn's doing a cover of The Small Faces hit, Whatcha Gonna Do About It. My friend Michel, who knows a thing or two about French 60s groups, gave this 45 to me. (Thanks again for the gift mate!)

But for some reason, little is known about this French quartet. The copy that I have is a Canadian pressing of the French label Riviera. Aside from that, this is the only photo of the group I'm aware of.

What is interesting is that the original version by the Small Faces was never officially released in Canada as a single. What I love about spinning a song like this one is when people on the dance floor react to the first few bars of the track thinking they are hearing their favorite London group and seeing their expression on their faces when they realize women are singing in French.

Another example of this is Otis Redding's Respect, popularized in 1967 by Aretha Franklin. I found a rare version of the hit performed by Les Preachers, a sixties Quebec group. It might not compare with the original but it's a refreshing take on it.

I decided to finish with something strong and a guaranteed floor filler. Gloria Jones was the perfect choice for the changing of the guards. My friend Eric B. was a great DJ to precede. I knew before he even dropped his first track that I would have a hard time leaving the dance floor.

Here's a little taste of how the DJ switch went.

I'm already looking forward to the next opportunity to man the turntables. It was such a wonderful way to start the new year. Happy New Year to all!

A Mod Club Debut

It’s been a long time since I have manned the turntables. The last time I was a DJ was a few years ago when I was asked to play some pure eighties sounds at my girlfriend's 20 year high school reunion. Most of the tunes came out of my laptop or from CDs. And the last time I dropped a needle on a record was back in my college and university days. In 1993, my friend Gonzo and I had a local radio show on CISM called MicroFun. I was the silly sidekick coming up with pranks and absurd editorials.

Gonzo and I circa 1993

So when Lee Modern, resident DJ at the Mod Club Montreal asked me if I could share the bill with him, I was a bit rusty, to say the least. But I think that my enthusiasm, motivation and sheer excitement made up for my lack of DJ prowess. This was not an opportunity I was going to miss.

He offered me the first spot from 10:30 to 12. It was the perfect time slot for me. Less people, less pressure and I got to play more of the obscure and less commercial stuff. Plus, you don’t get drunken college kids asking for Lady Gaga. All you Soul DJs out there know exactly what I mean.

I spent the week ruffling through my old LPs, cleaning my 45s and searching my CD collection for the perfect mix. They can critique my DJ skills but they can’t fault me for not being prepared! I made sure to send out invitations to all of my friends and even set up a contest on my Parka Avenue Facebook page to find an official DJ name. The winner would get a Parka Avenue Compilation offering a sample of the best tunes played that night. I almost went with my own idea of DJ Psycho Pat but ended up choosing Parka Patrick (Congrats Shareen!).

My set consisted of a little Mod, a little bit of classic soul, a tad of surf, a touch of ska, a few tracks of garage and a whole lot of heart and energy. Aside from the occasional snafu, things went pretty smoothly. Lee was very supportive and offered a few pointers along the way. I appreciate the fact that he put his faith in me.

Around midnight, Lee was ready to take over and relieve me of my duties when he asked me if I could come later in the evening for another short set. The third DJ that was scheduled to spin that night was unable to make it. I accepted without hesitation. There was only one small problem. I wasn't prepared and the dance floor was rapidly filling up.

So when my turn came, I did what any good DJ should do. I observed the crowd, felt the mood, got into the groove and improvised. The set ended up being twice as good as the first. Final result: a crowded dance floor, smiling faces, energetic dancers and a party atmosphere.

Here's a little taste of what was played:

-    Agent Double-O-Soul – Edwin Starr
-    Sock It to ‘Em J.B. – Rex Garvin
-    Soul Finger – Bar-Kays
-    The Fortune Teller – Benny Spellman
-    Hold On I’m Comin’ – Sam & Dave
-    Give Me One More Chance – Wilmer and The Dukes
-    Heat Wave – Martha and The Vandellas
-    Walk – Don’t Run – The Ventures
-    Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen
-    Young Jacques – Jacques Cousteau
-    Zoot Suit – The High Numbers
-    What’cha Gonna Do About It – The Small Faces
-    I Can’t Explain – Oscar & the Majestics
-    The Last of The Secret Agents – Nancy Sinatra
-    7 Heures du Matin – Jaqueline Taieb
-    Sha La La – Manfred Mann
-    I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
-    I Can’t Control Myself – The Teenbeats
-    Time for Action – Secret Affair 

Sometimes, when you put yourself on the line and try something new and different, you open yourself to criticism. (Like with this blog for instance) Some don't like your choice of music, the way you mix or the fact that you sometimes play CDs instead of exclusively spinning first edition 45s. The list can be long. It’s all part of being a Mod.

The thing is, I would rather be a man of action then to be on the sidelines complaining. And in the end, I would do it again in a heartbeat. The next day, I received an email from Lee saying: “Once again, great job last night!  The staff went out of their way to mention how much everyone enjoyed the music!” How could I ask for more?

So see you next Saturday at the Mod Club. My friend and scooter club mate Eric Boulanger is the guest DJ. Trust me, he’s good.

Welcome to the Mod Club

For a few years now, Montreal has it's own Mod Club. Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa have a Mod Club theme night, so it's only natural for Montreal to have its own. Currently located on St-Laurent Street, it had to move a few times before settling in its current location at the Blizzarts.

In my opinion, I think they have found the perfect place. It's small, intimate and has a retro feel to it. Along one wall, you find large banquettes set in semi circles that can accommodate five or six of your closest buddies. You bathe in soft lighting, all thanks to the Sputnik chandeliers and their red light bulbs. On the walls, you can look at mod inspired pop art. They also have classic sixties movies being shown on large screens. The staff is friendly, the beer is cold and there's no cover. That's right, it's free! How can you go wrong with that formula?

The music is good. A decent mix of soul, British beat, Britpop, sixties garage and the occasional French psych pop. For the purists among us, this is not the 100% strict Mod only sounds. The DJs often throw in a few eighties tracks to please the eclectic crowd. To a dedicated Mod, this might offend their sensibilities. I am not. Personally, I don't give a damn. I'm just thankful that Montreal has a weekly Mod night and a place we can call our own.

I sometimes hear people comment that the music isn't truly Mod. Some of them think that if they are going to call a place the Mod Club, they shouldn't be playing Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles. And that if they are going to play soul, they should steer away from overplayed songs like Respect from Aretha Franklin and dig a little deeper in the record pile.

Although I find the complaints legitimate, I don't necessarily agree. I certainly don't blame the guys who work very hard to make the night a success. If you want to survive, in this day and age, you have no choice but to cater to a larger crowd, especially if they are in their early twenties. And let's face it, Montreal isn't the Mod capital of the world. I still think it's funny when a young 20 something thinks that Tainted Love from Soft Cell is retro stuff.

The thing is, if they only played rare Northern Soul 45 rpm, there would be only five of us in the place. They have to be flexible in order to be viable. And I get that. I just wish they would play a few ska tracks every once in a while.

My favorite part of the night is usually early in the evening when the club just starts filling up. I get to have a seat with DJ Lee Modern and his lovely girlfriend Shareen and do some people watching out the huge front window. A tasty cocktail in one hand, we catch up and chat for a while before showing off our moves on the dance floor.

I'm also fascinated by the fact that if you walk in wearing a nice suit, people don't get it. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? I once had a 20 year old guy ask me: "Is tonight supposed to be a special night?" When I asked him what he meant, he added: "Why are you guys wearing suits?"

Aside form the occasional weird comment  from the uninformed and the out of place tune, I really dig the joint. I always look foward to meeting friends and rubbing elbows on the dancefloor. So I tip my pork pie hat to Lee Modern, Toby and Shareen and the whole gang for a job well done. Hope to see you all on the dancefloor!