The Untouchables and the Los Angeles Mod Scene

[valerie4975]

Wow - memories - used to hang with Kevin - Chuck and the gang in the early eighties.  My friend Charlotte and I (and her twin sister Mary) got in our share of trouble. We worked in one of the vintage clothing stores on Melrose - Lila's. Good times.

[67roko]

these fuckers were lucky not to be around in the 79/80 mod revival here in the uk. plenty of drugs and plenty of fuckers wanting to kick your head in. who gives a fuck, i've got me parka...

[TruthIrish]

@james00021. there is no such genre as MOD music, Mods listen to such diverse sounds like Soul,Ska, RnB, look at the diversity in bands who were Mods.

The Untouchables sounded Ska

The Chords Sounded Punk,

The Who and Small Faces were RnB.

Mod influenced bands like Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene are classed as rock.

Thats why Mod outlives all other youth cults, the music, clothes,scooters,people are so diverse you can never get bored of being a MOD!.

[TheManGadoosh]

@TruthIrish Well said. 

[james00021]

There music sounds more like Ska than mod.

[JacobDeadman]

if this was the 60's theyd have a very difent attuitde towrds the mods.

[JacobDeadman]

im an American mod but i til retian a locve for punk rock ands have a bit of punk attitude. i juast gave up the punk fasion becuse its so commercialized  and mainstream now.

[longdong9876]

I used to work with Kevin Long washing dishes, serving at UCLA's Mira Hershey Hall in about 1982. I remember one of their first performances was at the dorm and remember them playing the Monkees (I'm not your) Stepping Stone. Wonder where he is now.

[AndyKofHB]

@longdong9876 The last time I heard from Kevin he was an attorney living in Washington.

[SerenaShark]

I used to do hella drugs with these guys!

[akoodee]

Lets get it straight. If not for American blues and Jazz, there no Mod movement, jamaican Ska would not exist. The Brits love American Blues, that's where the Mod movement of the 60's got it style.

So to say, Untouchables are not Mod, Mod is about changing, Mod= Modern, powers, get a clue! Untouchables, Go MOD!!!

[lambrettist2007]

It's typical how the mainstream vanilla media covers any subculture. This was in the 80's and the scene in southern California was big with many mod bands like The Question, The Sidewalk Society, Manual Scan, The Event, etc. The Untouchables were the biggest band to come out of the mod / scooter scene in LA but they were of course a ska revival band that appealed to the mods at the time and was more accessible to the general public as ska bands were commercially successful.

[tarwebrood80]

it's fucking ska music!!!! it has nothing to do with mods.

do some research.american wankers!!!

[Adamluvsyou1]

british rock artists would not need too cover american rock, as the british set the standards themselves. for example the beatles, the rolling stones,the kinks,david bowie,oasis... although american artists are superb i dont think they can compare to the british.

[Adamluvsyou1]

your right .

[sudaev]

What a strange thing to bring up (about covering a Jam song). I suppose, by the same logic, that British mods covering old soul or R&B tracks such as "Leaving Here" or British rockers covering some American rockabilly track are equally preposterous.

[AndyKofHB]

@sudaev

Well Said!

[Adamluvsyou1]

im sorry british sub culture just simply does not suit americans. its fucking ridiculus. they should just stick with the trends they set themselves. imagine an american trying to sing thats entertainment by the jam, they would have to change their accent it would sound shit.

[ModZeb1967]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear ..............the comments and the video reflect the US "Mod" scene. I rest my case m'lud.

[ONKlub]

@ModZeb1967 -

The local mainstream media did a 3-minute piece with probably zero preparation. They didn't go to any mod do's, rallies, etc.

The gig footage is from a venue where the Untouchables (who by that time still embraced the "mod" title, as was their right) were playing in front of a large cross-section of people.

[ziggy6848]

Im an English Mod, we fight bikers, punks, teddy boys, Should not american mods be fighting Hells Angels over there?

[AndyKofHB]

I'm not sure whether you are joking or being serious.

[motorvating]

complete and utter tosser who knows fuck all,about the Mod or rocker scene in the UK.

Most weekenders and show are now frequented by all the street cultures, and fights just do not happen, fuck me Outlaws and Mods recently out a show on in Yorkshire. tale your silly childish story and fuck off.

[ziggy6848]

Motorvating

Speak English mate, What ya Gobbing on about????.

[motorvating]

Ziggy you talk shit. No fights between Mods, Punks, Teddy Boys go on in the UK anymore, this showing you know fuck all about the UK street scene.

Have you been to the Ace Cafe which is a Rockers mecca? Mod and scoota nights are held regularly and no trouble ever happens.

You sho you know fuck all about the UK street scene. WANKER.

[ziggy6848]

Motorvating

Modern day soft Retros. Not true MODS.

[MultiGhengis]

repomen mods were acceptable but when I went to LA.............I did not see evidence of a real scene.......I didn't care though when I got a leg over from a super gorgeous pretender

[Coastiesurf]

look@ these trendy girls trying to pass themselves off as Mods. lots of coming and going early in the 80's in LA. C Grimes looks cool as hell in this interview!

[dougletv]

100 Faces Forever yall

[jkthemod]

It's always funny when the "mainstream" tries to "present " youth culture; with their "power ties" and blazers-they will NEVER get it... because they really don't want to. "Mod" or variations have always been around,it "cycles" into the mass-media and then soon is forgotten by all but the most heartfelt.

[Declan50]

Hmm....back when "mohawks" were actually a statement. Now they're risk-free.

[bucklerfoxton]

Untouchables are go!!! I spy for the FBI.

[Umskiddy]

ONKlub, I KNOW what I've seen.American mods visit London regularly and,over the years, I have never come across one that looks 'real'.

It's as thought they try to hard.A bit like the Japanese - they go out of their way to get the look and the attitude 'just right' to the extent that they look plastic, synthetic and false.I don't mean to be nasty - just a fact.This video (and the American Mods Dancing video) are truly horrendous.

[Umskiddy]

'Mard'?? Americans have no idea.Mod is a London thing.

[ONKlub]

You really can't come off with an "Americans have no idea" comment based upon a myopic 3-minute glimpse by the US media into the general mod and ska scene. The local media here, really never got it right.

The older guy with the chromed Vespa was a scooter enthusiast & music producer who happened to work for that TV station, hence the segment.

I don't know who that chick with the beret was. The BBC could just have easily interviewed some random kid in England in that manner, for example.

[ONKlub]

Also( and I hate to belabor this), that Untouchables gig was not shot at a "mod" club; the UT's at that time were very popular with a cross section of people and the kids dancing in that crowd shot were mostly everyday non-scene people.

It's an interesting clip to those of us who were around in those days, but I can see why a superficial clip thrown together by a clueless TV station that had a deadline to meet, would give the wrong impression to outsiders.

[AndyKofHB]

I have to agree with ONKlub on this one. The UT show was shot at the Palace in Hollywood. It catered to Mod, Rockabilly, New Romantic, etc. (this was the 80's) I was at this show and most of the people shown were non-scene types dancing in the back. The hardcore mods were at the stage packed like sardines.

According to UT singer Kevin Long the guy on the chrome scooter was also an original 60s mod.

[Umskiddy]

ONKlub,Ireally have to stick to comments.Search the other video 'American Mods Dancing' and you'll see what I mean. I've always seen American mods as the sort of, 'wax dummies' of mod.From a distance it looks familiar or real.But get close up... something... just... isn't...right! Again, check out American Mods Dancings and you'll see what I mean.

[ONKlub]

You've "always seen"? I don't know what you could've seen, there's so little material. I mean the actual early '80s CA revival, not some relatively recent film or a mockumentary.

I don't see too much wrong with the other video you cited, but who knows the circumstances behind it - i.e., how/why it was made.

At least give my slideshow a look, will you?

[northernmod1]

mod a London thing,  LOL

[Umskiddy]

northernmod1, I know it may be hard for you to comprehend, given your name, but if you looked into the true history of mod,you'll learn that it stemmed from London.This point is difficult to swallow for many but facts are facts.

[smallframeted]

yeah, mod was at its biggest in london look at carnaby street ffs lol. I read somewhere that it origionated to a degree in france though with some of the fashions the hair in particular.???

[mariabug]

Those were the scooter days, young and carefree. I miss you guys. It was great to see this video. Where is Rob and Kevin now?

Rude Girls from San Diego. We use to dance our hearts out.

[ONKlub]

Kevin is up in Washington state; he's doing well.

[AndyKofHB]

Is he still involved with music or play drums?

[somambo]

sweet as!

[jpx08]

Man. I fucking miss those days!

[talktal]

god, mod girls were ugly in the 80s. i hate the swinging london approach the mod scene took in the 90s, but at least the girls are way cuter.

[ONKlub]

Andy--This was from either late '83 or early '84 I think(?)

[AndyKofHB]

That sounds right. I was at this show and the next one they played in LA. It was the last one I remember with Herman on Bass. That could probably narrow it down a bit more.

[AndyKofHB]

Sept. 1983 according to the day and date they mention.

[goldenspecial]

NICE CLIP,HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE.