Calabrese Duffle Bag at Oi Polloi

The duffle bag, once an essential accessory for an old school soulie, has now been reproduced with a premium finish by Calabrese.

A really cool classic carrier, the Calabrese Duffle Bag is made by an Italian family firm that's been around since 1924, mixing high quality craftmenship with an eye for style. The bag itself is available in four colour options, mixing heavy duty canvas with leather, adding a tough rope drawstring/shoulder strap and large front pocket.

Sadly it;s style that comes at a price - £185.

Find out more at the Oi Polloi website

Via Selectism

Barbour Edward Herringbone Coat

Looking at first glance like a crombie, the Barbour Edward Herringbone Coat actually offers a little bit more versatility.

Made of 70 per cent wool and 30 per cent polyamide, it's a semi-tailored coat with velvet collar, Barbour jacquard lining with gold columbia stitching, single breasted front with branded buttons and set in sleeves with button detail on the cuffs.

Use with a traditional collar or you can button it up for a 'neck warmer' look when the weather gets really cold. Either way, it's a smart variation on the usual winter coats, selling for around £225.

Find out more at the Hip Leeds website

Mod Chronicles 2 book delayed to 2010

We were expecting it in September, then before Christmas, but now I'm Not Like Everybody Else (aka The Mod Chronicles Volume 2) by Enamel Verguren (the follow-up to This Is A Modern Life) has now been put back to February 2010.

If you missed it previously, volume 2 takes things on from the 80s, taking the reader through to the end of the 1990s, also covering the rise of Acid Jazz, Britpop and their impact on mod as we know it today.

The problem with the launch isn't the book itself (which is ready to go to print), but concerns about rushing the launch. Hence the slight delay. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, you can always opt for the Mod Chronicles calendar, which features 12 of the best images from both books. That's available for £7.50, get in touch with modchronicles@hotmail.com for payment details.

Fred Perry Subculture gig tickets

I'm not sure how many of you are partial to Marc Almond on here, but he's the subject of the latest Fred Perry Subculture gig - although the DJ support might just tickle your fancy.

Fred Perry has just informed us that it is running a competition for its latest 100 Club gig, which has Almond playing a 'one off' selection of his hits with DJ support from Terry Hall and Eddie Piller.

It takes place on Thursday 3rd December, with the competition to win tickets running until 18th November 2009. You can enter via the Subculture page.

Fred Perry Subculture gig tickets competition

Spotify playlist: 80s jazz scene

We're going a bit leftfield with the latest Spotify playlist, back 20 or so years and into the world of jazz.

Compiled by Slim Jenkins off the Modculture forums, it's called Jazz Grooves and is quite simply '...jazzy sounds...so me of which we used to enjoy in clubs back in the 80s...'. It's an ever-growing selection of tunes too - at last check, it has 104 tracks, lasting well over eight hours. In a word, one of the best introductions to non-obvious jazz you'll find.

As ever, you can access it via the link, just as long as you've signed up to Spotify. And if you haven't (and it's available in your country), why not?

80s jazz scene on Spotify

Ham Yard - mod mayhem in London

Not many specific mod events in London right now, so it's worth slipping Ham Yard into your diary for December.

Taking place at the Cock Tavern in Smithfield, you'll get a night of 'mod mayhem', including soul, R&B, jazz, funk, reggae, soundtracks and timeless mod classics from DJs Val Palmer, Mark Ellis. Paul Newman, Thierry Steuve, Jean-Paul Seculaire plus 'very special guest' to be confirmed.

Full details in the events section - smart mod dress is 'preferred'.

Ham Yard in the Modculture events section

Brian Auger gigs in Leeds

A little last minute, but you've still got time to pick up some tickets to see Brian Auger at the Sela Bar in Leeds - indeed, you can get discounted tickets too.

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express play in Leeds on 9th and 10th November, with tickets 'officially' selling for £17.50. But you can get a 'mod' guest list for £10. Just mention the Mods Guest List when buying your ticket and you'll get the cheapies!

The venue address is Sela Bar, 20 New Briggate, Leeds and you can find full gig details at the Facebook gig pace.

Brian Auger Leeds gig details at Facebook

British Style in the Sixties book

If you've any interesting in 60s style, you'll want to get your hands on Photographing Fashion: British Style in the Sixties by Richard Lester.

Published this week in hardback by ACC Editions, the book features 'newly discovered' images of British fashion taken by world famous photographers for The Sunday Times during the 1960s, using the top models of the day. Indeed, these photos are published for the first time since their original appearance in editor Ernestine Carter's fashion pages.

Photographers include John Cowan, Terence Donovan, John French and Patrick Hunt, fashion designers include Mary Quant, John Bates, Gina Fratini, Foale & Tuffin, Biba, Jean Muir, and Ossie Clark. What's not to love? See one of the shots over the page and if you like what you see, this 160-page book is available at Amazon for £23.10.
   
Find out more at the Amazon website

Via Retro To Go

Baracuta pop up shop - Covent Garden

Looking for a cheap Harrington? Get yourself down to Covent Garden for the newly-arrived Baracuta pop up shop.

Available for the next three months, you'll find it at 9 Shorts Gardens, London, WC2H 9AT, where you should be able to pick up plenty of classic Harringtons at half price along with the new A/W stock.

Not sure about the opening hours, give them a call on 020 7836 2636.

Baracuta website
 

GDU at London's A Go-Go

London based Hammond quintet the Gene Drayton Unit will be playing their unique blend of 60s-style hammond jazz in the capital, specifically at the A Go-Go night.

Along with a live set from GDU, tunes will be supplied by DJ Tim K (Mind Yuh Business), so expect a mix of vintage soul, ska, funk, boogaloo and much more.

Admission is £6 adv (w/flyer)/ £8 on the door. Buy tickets here for the night, which takes place at Peter Parker's Rock n' Roll Club, 4 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LP. Times are 8pm - 3am, band on at 9.30pm.

A Go-Go ay MySpace

Fred Perry 100th anniversary sweaters

They might be a little chunky for some, but if you want something warm, the Fred Perry 100th anniversary v-neck sweaters should do the trick.

Made from 100 per cent premium lambswool and made in Scotland, these extra-soft v-necks feature the 16 leaf laurel and 100 embroided beneath it and are produced in very limited numbers - so once they're gone, they're gone.

Various colour options available, you can pick one up for £95.

Find out more at the End Clothing website

Spotify Playlist: Soul does rock

If you're already bored of our 20 beat classics playlist from yesterday, here's another one to keep you going into the week - soul does rock.

As the name suggests, this is soul acts covering rock standards and a few more obscure tracks, everyone from Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to the Blind Boys of Alabama and Merry Clayton (although annoyingly, we could compile her version of 'Gimme Shelter', as it's not there).

18 tracks (including one medley which effectively pushes to to 20) and well over an hour of tunes, you can access it via the link, as long as you have a Spotify account.

Soul does rock Spotify playlist

Bel & Bel Vespa chairs now on sale

Remember the Bel & Bel classic Vespa chairs we featured last week? We knoew just about everything about them, aside from two vital things - the price and indeed, where to go and buy one. Well, that information is now available.

The Scooter Swag site has got the lowdown, claiming the chairs are 'a really exclusive product' and 'a limited series made from old Vespa scooters from the scrap yard'. The company also points out that the chairs are handcrafted and come with documentation that guarantees the chair’s authenticity.

So what about buying? Well, you can order directly from the designers if you inform them of your choice of colour and finish), with the starting price set at 1,800 Euros, although there are some finished examples for sale right now - a pearl white with white upholstery is 2,000 Euros, a silver grey with black upholstery sells for 1,800 Euros while a silver grey with black upholstery and flash lights is yours for 1,900 Euros. Delivery costs also need to be factored in. More via the website.

Find out more at the Bel & Bel website

Fonxionaires 45 on Rowed Out label

Adam does a fine job of knocking out interesting new mod-friendly sounds with his Rowed Out label, with the latest 45 from the Fonxionaires being well worth a closer look.

It's a 4-track vinyl EP titled 'It's R&B Time', featuring four authentic club R&B tunes - 'Uncle Willie Time' (as featured on the 'Immediate Pleasure' CD), 'I Do The Jerk” (Bill Pinkney club soul cover), 'Drive me' (Stu Gardner’s wild R&B mover) and 'What is this' (Fred & Bobbie northern soul cover).

You can hear the first track on the label's MySpace page or if you want to buy one, it costs just £3.50 plus postage. More details at the label's website.

Rowed Out Records website

Spotify Playlist: 20 beat classics

No, this isn't a Georgie Fame Spotify playlist, although Fame is on 20 beat classics.

To kickstart a regular Spotify playlist section (please feel free to send us your own), this is a random selection of 60s beat gems, with a bit of garage, blues, pop and weirdness thrown in for good measure.

20 tracks, around an hour of music, you can get it by clicking on the link below, then signing into your Spotify account (if the service is available in your country). Playlist? You'll have to load it up to discover that.

20 beat classics playlist on Spotify

Retro TV W/C 6th November 2009

Barry Murphy returns once more to trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to), finding anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 6th November to Thursday 12th November 2009.
 
Highlight of the week

'Queen of the Pinups' Bettie Page was a model of the 1950s who became an iconic favourite of retro-loving pop culture fans during the 1980s and '90s. She began posing for photos in the 1940s as a way to make ends meet while working on an acting career. Her shapely figure, easy smile and trademark hairstyle - long black hair with bangs - made her a fan favourite, while photos taken by Irving Klaw have helped Page become a subversive symbol of 1950s kitsch.

Director Mary Harron's biopic The Notorious Bettie Page (BBC 2. Sunday 8th, 11.10pm) stars Gretchen Mol as god fearing Nashville girl Page, who swaps her conservative home for the bright lights of New York, hoping to find fame as an actress. Instead, she makes it big in a saucily different way, becoming one of the most iconic fetish models ever.

Exclusive 10% John Smedley discount

Looking for some sharp, mod-friendly knitwear for the winter months? John Smedley is (as ever) the place to look for something classic and stylish. And we have an exclusive discount right now.

From this week until November 15th, you can get 10 per cent off ANYTHING in the John Smedley online store. Just go to the online store, go to the checkout with your purchase and enter JSMOD to get the 10 per cent discount.

You can use the code as many times as you like and of course, pass it on. And don't forget, we're also running a competition to win £225 to spend at John Smedley. You can enter the competition here.

Visit the John Smedley online store

Cameo pop memorabilia auction

Purely by chance, I've just discovered the Cameo Fine Art Auctioneers in Midgham, Berkshire, which has a Music & Entertainment auction on Tuesday 10th November 2009 - and by the looks of it, there's quite a few interesting and well-priced items.

There's certainly plenty of vinyl listed, although sadly, much is in 'job lots', so you'll probably need to go crate digging at the auction house for the real gems. But there's also plenty of memorabilia too, everything from books and autographs to original posters.

At a quick glance, I spotted an original Lee Dorsey gig poster from the 60s and an original The Harder They Come poster, both for not much cash, but for something a little bit quirkier, how about this Selecter poster from '70s? Very much a rough 'n' ready poster for a student union gig, it's very distinctive and well worth a punt for around £40. See the full listings via the auction house website.

Cameo auctioneers pop memorabilia auction listings