Ahead of the box set launch, I chatted to Eddie Piller about the Mod Top 100, the compilations, and the man behind them.
You probably know all about the Mod Top 100. The original feature on it has consistently been one of the more popular articles on the site. I know Eddie has always been passionate about it, so it was no surprise to see a box set, which is available as a CD set or a vinyl collection.
With the box just out, it seemed a good time to catch up with Eddie to ask a few questions about the Mod Top 100 and the music collection he pulled together for Demon.
For those who weren’t around (and haven’t read your excellent autobiography), what was the musical landscape for Mods back in 1979?
Well, it’s strange to think back that far and I obviously can’t speak for everyone but when I look back at 1979 I can’t really get over the naivety.
It was almost like Randy Cozens was introducing us to a brand new and totally different world. Before he published his Top 100 we were literally into the Small Faces, The Kinks and The Who.
The Jam were about and so were the Jolt but all of the other bands had still to release records. Prince Buster was pretty big there was a blanket wash over everything ‘60s. Sixties soul to us was Booker T and Rufus Thomas!
Did the music press understand the Mod revival back then? And did they support it?
This is a difficult question to answer. I think initially, the press was encouraging and supportive, but pretty soon (probably with the release of Quadrophenia), that changed.
First they were sceptical and then downright hostile. See, the Mods handn’t needed the music press to succeed. There weren’t any ‘svengalis’ behind the scenes (like McLaren and Bernie Rhodes) as there were with other scenes (New Romantics etc). Also, the average age was about 16, so we were far to young.
They hated us actually, probably because we took all the attention away from their beloved Mekons, Gang Of Four and all that Leeds/Mancheter post-punk with they loved. The journalists were just too old.
In the past, you said Randy Cozens used to write letter after letter to ‘Sounds’, ‘NME’, and all the other music papers in 1979 insisting young Mods check the ‘real heritage of their mod forefathers’. Was the 1960s scene of interest to young Mods at the time, or was it all about forging their own paths?
I think it was a bit of both actually. The ‘60s scene was actually an exotic, weird thing to us because we were simply too young to appreciate it. We grew into it if you can get what I mean?
Eventually, ‘Sounds’ asked Randy to compile his Mod Top 100 of ‘real Mod music’. What was the initial reaction to it?
Well, Randy’s chart was a bit specialist originally. We knew it was there but we didn’t really get into it at first. There was a few people who collected the chart, like Ivor Jones or Mark Taylor but on the whole it was ignored. By the time that i was into the chart, it was already too hard. Seriously.
If you wanted to pick up the top 100 (or the majority of it), how easy was that back in 1979?
So by the end of 1979 I was already collecting the chart, and hey! in ’79 i didn’t even know what was entailed, I just bought all 99 of them. I started collecting them on every reissue label until I eventually had about 94, and from there I concentrated on buying the originals. I stopped in 1983.
What was the cheapest find? And outside of the obvious, what was the hardest find?
Well, the hardest find was #99 or #100 – Derek and Patsy – Gypsy Woman. I was having a lot of trouble finding it, and when I told Randy he sent me his own copy through the post, Seriously! The easiest to find what I thought was the simplest, simply, What’cha Gonna Do About It, it wasn’t the Small Faces but Doris Troy FFS.
You’ve already answered this pretty much, but one false track sat in the midst of the rundown to prevent anyone claiming they have all 100. Did you manage to get the other 99 back in the day?
Yes, I already said that I only got about 94 but I gave up collecting them back in 83, I loved the CONCEPT of it.
Was the top 100 significant in changing the music Mods consumed?
I wouldn’t say that it was, no. At least for a couple of years. We had a few ‘go to’ specials but Randy really changed things, I mean properly too. There was Jon Anderson who was selling the stuff but there was also the likes of Randy Cozens, Ady Croasdell or Ian Clark, it took us a while to get into it. The 6Ts and Function and the Junction, it took maybe 6 months?
Did it contribute to a shift from gigs to clubs?
No, I suspect that that shift from gigs to clubs came in a bit slower, It was a massive change and we weren’t really ready for it. When it happened I suspect it was massive and all encompassing.
Did you ever speak to Randy Cozens to get his reaction to it? Did he know the impact of his list?
I got to know Randy later in life. A lot later. By then I think the chart was more or less forgotten but as I say, he didn’t really forget it. He always knew what he was about, and right up until he died he was massively proud of it. He was a Mod ’til he kicked to proverbial bucket and that was what it was all about for him.
Whose idea was it to revisit the list and create a box set and album set? How well do you think the Mod top 100 stands up n 2024?
So, I must be honest, it has been my life’s work to do this. I don’t care if it stands up to what Randy Cozens decided to do or it didn’t. I actually dedicated my book to him, he was my total f**king hero. Nuff said.
In terms of the new box set, how did you choose the additional tracks replacing the ones not available? Was it a case of thinking about what might have made the list back then or have you gone for less obvious choices?
So, when they told me that they could get all the tracks bar 15 or whatever then I knew it could not be the Randy Cozens Mod top 100. Randy came from that period before Northern Soul, some of his choices are totally left field, even ballads and that makes perfect sense. It’s brilliant.
Could these tracks still fill a dance floor today?
Yes. There are some things you have to do with Demon because of their licensing power.
I know you’ve done a couple of collections with Demon. Is there anything else coming up?
Sadly no.
Thanks for talking to us Eddie.
Also, if you have an interest in the Top 100, you can get a poster dedicated to every track on it here.
