Stone Roses front-man Ian Brown during his scootering days. Credit: Unknown.

The music news continues this week with the news that scooter culture favorites, The Stone Roses have done what many (including the band) said would never happen – they’ve reformed as the original line-up.

Front-man Ian Brown (pictured above during his scooterist days) and guitarist John Squire famously came to blows following band mismanagement, dissatisfaction, and drug abuse (… so the usual band story) and vowed they’d never work together again. Reports suggest that the two met six months ago face-to-face at fellow band-mate Mani’s mother’s funeral and used the opportunity to bury the hatchet having not been in the same room together for over ten years. Mani of course has had a successful career in the meantime as a band member in Bobby Gillespie’s Primal Scream.

Initially, the band will play for the first time live in seventeen shows by way of two shows at 75,000-capacity Heaton Park, in Manchester, on Friday June 29 and Saturday June 30, 2012 which is no doubt a show that will sell out in seconds. Following the gig, providing the band doesn’t self-implode, they’ll be following up with additional dates. Ian claims that they’re, “ready to shake up the world” and are planning a world tour so let’s cross our fingers and hope they make it here to New York City.

For those of you prepared to make the trip to the UK for their debut re-appearance, tickets go on sale at the UK Ticketmaster site this Friday, October 21, at 9.30am GMT (Yes, that’s 4.30am East Coast time.)

What next, The Smiths reunited?

You can watch a short section of the band’s press conference here:

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The show, while short, includes some great interviews with mod and revival luminaries including the late, great John “Ox” Entwistle who passed away just prior to the documentary’s release so presumably it’s one of his last recorded interviews. It’s also an opportunity to revisit not just The Jam, but some of the lesser known revival bands such as The Purple Hearts, The Chords, and The Lambrettas.

This was the period that gave me my first exposure to scooters, skins, ska, and mod culture during my short-pant days as a 12 year old British school kid that led to passions that have lasted to this day.

The documentary is currently available in two parts over on YouTube. Catch it now before the copyright lawyers inevitably pull it down:

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Photograph by Zombizi, Flickr.

When I started looking for my first scooter, I was drawn to the look of the vintage scooters of the 1960′s.  I loved the scooters from the Quadrophenia era, the accessories that these Mod’s added to their scoots to make them have the personal touch, that set them apart from their peers.

Flash forward to current day, and the look of scooters has retained some of the original style, but in the finer details, and to my eye, they are worlds apart.  Modern scooters have taken a noticeable turn toward an aerodynamic, almost space age look.  Gone are the bulbous cowls, the flaring leg shield, the sparse accouterments.  I found myself looking solely at vintage scooters, particularly models of Vespa from the early ’60′s.  Although these scooters could be straight from the movies and advertisements of that era, what they seem to all lack are those flares that ’60′s riders had added to their bikes.  That is, all but the ones coming from Southeast Asia.

The only scooters I saw for sale on the internet, that came complete with the flash of chrome cowl guards, crash bars and extra mirrors were primarily from Vietnam.  I did some research, and realized that these scooters were being denounced as dangerous, and the fervor with which people on the scoot forums talked about them bordered on hatred.  These imports have been explained and documented here on this site, so I will not go into detail.  Suffice to say, the “work” being done on these scooters, to restore them, is apparently quite dodgy.  Sad for me, because they really offered the extra bling that I found myself drawn to.  It seemed that in the time that elapsed between the early boom of scooter sales in the late 1950′s, and the resurgence in the early 2000′s, people’s tastes had changed.  Now all vintage scooters were being restored and prepared with a stripped down, minimal approach.  Just the basics were added, and the bling was now almost entirely gone.  It’s not that it’s not available from the online parts companies, it’s just that people don’t’ choose these options as much anymore.

I did my due diligence, ensuring the bike I would purchase had never seen time in SE Asia.  I ended up getting a 1962 Vespa VNB, done up with a beautiful paint and engine restore, but lacking the extra chrome, that honestly appealed to me.  To each his own, right?    I found myself looking at these reproduction accessories online, really coveting them for my scooter.

Shortly after purchasing my scoot, I posted a question about chrome accessories on one of the popular forums.  I had been researching and shopping for some accessories, the same kind seen on the mod scoots from the ’60′s, and coincidentally, the same kind seen on the restored, vintage scooters being imported from Asia.  The response I got was shocking to me.  People replied they would never “be caught dead with chrome like that on my scooter.”  After probing a bit, I realized that although most of these folks loved the look of the Mod scooters, they currently hated the look of the very same accessories that gave those scooters their unique look.  Some responses made clear their issue was with accessories that looked exactly the same, but had not been manufactured in the 1960′s.  It was a strange Catch 22.  Same look, same style, but in their minds, one was “cool,” one was certainly “NOT cool.”

More probing, and I start to recognize a distaste for anything that made a scoot resemble the look of the those being exported to America from Vietnam.  The Asian restorers were adding bling to these bikes, in the vein of the ’60′s Mod’s, but people were equating that very same look from the past they loved, to dangerous, inferior quality.   But to my eye, they look just like the Mod scooters from 1960′s England!  I know MY scooter is not dangerous.  And I want it to look like those scooters the Mod’s rocked.  But it seems that if I do this, I will be frowned upon by the vintage Vespa community.

Ultimately, I realize that it’s my scooter, and I should do with it whatever pleases me.  But it was a strange lesson in the enthusiasm that develops around these vintage machines.  I have to admit, in the end, I held off on my purchase of these vintage style accessories.  The pervasive attitude toward them, by the community at large, made me think twice, and a third time, about adding them to my scoot.  I still see photos of these Mod styles, and love the look.  The unique personalization of each bike appeals to me.  But the community has planted a seed…

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Telegraph journalist Adrian Bridge takes a step down memory lane, taking his modern-day Vespa on the infamous London to Brighton run to recreate the steps (or I guess we should say tracks) left by Jimmy The Mod AKA actor Phil Daniels in the infamous 1979 scooter culture movie, Quadrophenia on its 30th anniversary.

By his own admission, Adrian doesn’t really feel a real mod, but the video has some great moments, with Adrian visiting some of the key scenes from the movie, hanging out with local scooterists on a promenade run, and visiting Brighton’s famous Sixties clothing store, Jump The Gun to get his hands on a tonic suit.

Check out the video below, or click through for the full article.

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Modfather and DNA parent to all scooterists, Roger Daltrey is currently warming up for his solo tour, the aptly named “Use It or Lose It” tour hitting NYC at the Times Square Nokia Theater on November 20th.

This is Daltrey’s first solo tour since 1985. Folks that’s 24 years ago and the guy’s still screaming.

Roger will be highlighting his solo material, and covers of some of his favorite songs. Among all this, of course, be a bunch of Who songs, but as he himself puts it, “they’ll be my versions of them.”

Tickets are on sale now and as usual are available through ticketmaster.

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NYCScootering.com’s favorite Mod, 60s, Northern Soul, Motown and Go-Go Grooves dance night is kicking back up again after a short hiatus.

Starting Friday October 16th, Subway Soul is moving its DJ crew to The Loft at Public Assembly in WIlliamsburg. The intent then is to continue at The Loft on the third Friday of every month (subject to confirmation.)

The Loft has its own separate entrance from the main room at Public Assembly and it’s located at 70 North 6th Street in Williamsburg.

Keep up with Subway Soul’s latest event through their MySpace page. Or learn more about Public Assembly.

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Photograph by Zombizi, Flickr.

Hot on the heels of the very successful sweaty, crowded Brooklyn Soul Festival, co-organizers Subway Soul have announced in partnership with Smashed! Blocked!, The Itchycoo New York Mod Weekender.

No details yet on the Subway Soul website, but here’s what we know so far:

Subway Soul Club New York City and Smashed! Blocked! present A whole weekend of Mod frenzy with live performances, record fair and two nights of dancing to guest DJs spinning 60′s Beat, Soul and Garage and more fun sixties stuff!

Friday, November 6th at The Beauty Bar

Saturday, 7th November. Location to be confirmed – Record Fair, vintage clothes, DJs, afternoon drinks.

Saturday 7th November at The Bell House – 10pm-4pm. Cover TBC.

Keep your eyes on the Subway Soul and Smashed! Blocked! websites for further details as they are announced.

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Adidas announced their partnership with Vespa around this time last this year as part of their Adidas Originals line up with a few pairs of Men’s Vespa branded sneakers, polo shirts and jackets for Summer 2009. The Vespa Originals collection came about as part of Adidas 60th Anniversary of its iconic three stripes.

Sales must have been strong because Adidas has just announced it’s Vespa Fall collection, growing the  collection not just into more sneakers but also Mod styled outerwear, pants and other apparel and Women’s footwear.

One of the new additions is Adidas’ contemporary take on the classic Mod “fishtail” Parker jacket seen above.

Other highlights from the collection are below:

The short sleeved Polo is classic Mod.

Canvas PX sneakers. A nod to one of  Vespa’s classic series.

The Adidas Vespa Biker Jacket is Rocker in cut, but 100% Mod in material and perfect for riding.

Head on over to Adidas.com to learn more about Adidas Originals and check out the full collection.

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Following last week’s pod mod, it’s time for mod number two – adding some “go faster stripes” to my new scoot. The thinking here is three-fold:

One, adding something that’s going to increase my visibility particularly at night. Second, adding an element of individuality to my bike. Third, and maybe I’m just speaking to myself here, but customizing the scooter away from its stock form in an attempt to deter theft.

I have no evidence to support this last point but parking a brand new stock Vespa on the streets of New York City for the past few weeks has felt like an invitation for theft. At least this way (assuming the stripes stay) I could pick the bike out of a crowd.

Close up of the leg shield.

The job took all of 15 minutes, with two rolls of tape ordered from identi-tape.com who promptly shipped to me from their broad selection of reflective, hazard and colored tapes. I only added two short lengths to the front leg shield being a fan of more restrained embellishment than some of the more decorated scoots out there. A quick flick of a scalpel allowed me to cut to fit.

The tape rolls.

I bought both tapes in one inch widths. The checkered tape is pure decoration, but the silver tape is reflective and meets federal specifications for safety, reflectivity and resistance to wearing.

Together, the tapes cost me less than $15 plus a small shipping charge.

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