Whether it’s for nostalgia, to replace a copy, or because you never heard it in the first place, the Mods Mayday ’79 vinyl album reissue is here.
If you were around at the time, it’s likely to appeal for nostalgic reasons. The original Mod revival era is something many hold dear. It was a mass youth movement that came from the streets and schools, recreating and reshaping a mod movement from 15 or more years earlier in their own image.
The soundtrack wasn’t rare soul and R&B. It was the influence of punk and power pop mixed with the 1960s beat scene and youthful energy, creating a rough ’n’ ready sound that kids lapped up in clubs and pubs. But if you didn’t happen to be a regular at The Bridge House pub, what did you do? You picked up the first music releases under the Mod banner – including this.
Mods Mayday ’79 caught the emerging scene and its bands. Not all of them. But enough to whet the appetite and give the new Mod scene a brief stay in the charts. Secret Affair pushed themselves further up the charts while other bands burned brightly for a short time and faded away. Mod, 79-style, faced a backlash and over time, the scene changed. Becoming more aligned with the original 1960s view of Mod.
This is why this is such a fascinating artefact, whatever you think of the music and the production. Mods Mayday ’79 will always be the sound of the emergent Mod scene on Monday, May 7th 1979 and a rallying call to Mods around the UK around that time.
The new reissue, courtesy of Radiation Reissues, is available as a plain black vinyl edition and a limited edition coloured ‘splatter’ vinyl edition that is limited to something like 250 copies. So don’t hang around if you want one of those.
The other difference is the addition of a couple of tracks. Two songs by the Merton Parkas tagged on the end.
That’s all there is to say, really. You’ll know if you want a copy, and if you do, the standard reissue is £19.99 and the coloured vinyl, while stocks last, comes in at £22.99.
Find out more at the Rough Trade website
Tracks:
A1 Secret Affair – Time For Action
A2 Secret Affair – Let Your Heart Dance
A3 Beggar – Don’t Throw Your Life Away
A4 Small Hours – Hanging In The Balance
A5 The Mods – Tonight’s The Night
A6 The Mods – Let Me Be The One
A7 Squire – B-A-B-Y Baby Love
A8 Small Hours – Midnight To Six
B1 Beggar – Broadway Show
B2 Beggar – All Night
B3 The Mods – Love Only Me
B4 Squire – Walking Down The Kings Road
B5 Squire – Live Without Her Love
B6 Secret Affair – I’m Not Free (But I’m Cheap)
B7 Small Hours – End Of The Night
B8 The Merton Parkas – Tears Of A Clown*
B9 The Merton Parkas – Tell Me What I Say*
*bonus tracks
