Hey Ed, you’re about to release a new compilation The Mod Top 100 featuring a mixture of influential tracks all firmly linked to the Modernism a list Randy Cozens originally compiled. How did you first meet Randy?
I was an enthusiastic attendee at the 6Ts Soul club Randy used to host with Ady Croasdell. It moved around a bit until it settled down at London’s 100 Club. The club is still going actually although Ady has semi-retired and handed over the reigns to Matt Bolton. It’s the worlds longest running soul club!!
Was Randy an original mod on the scene in the 60’s?
Yes, he was a passionate mod who was always evangelising about the scene as it was in the mid-60’s. About the clothes, the clubs and most importantly, the music,
Did Randy ever say where he would first hear the tracks that would make his top 100?
Yeah, funnily enough he did. It was at his favourite club, The Last Chance. Long gone now, but then all Soho’s clubs have so it’s no surprise!!
Why did Randy make the top 100 list?
I think he was documenting the music for the next generation, so it didn’t get lost and forgotten. I don’t supposed he thought that it would have had such an influence for so long.
Of the top 100 list are there any particular stand out tracks that you can remember hearing for the first time and the track being a standout memory?
I set out to collect all 99 on the original labels many years ago. There are only 99 tracks because one of them is a fake put in there to confuse people. It was a tribute to his friend and fellow soul DJ Ian Clark and was called Rancid Polecat by Ian and the Clarks. Rancid Polecat was Randy’s nickname for another mate of his, Ace Records’ Tony Rounce. I never found out if he was happy about it!
I suppose the standout track was Whatcha Gonna Do Bout It, because i was a young mod and I was expecting to hear The Small Faces and when I finally heard it, it couldn’t have been more different!
Otis Redding Mr Pitiful, Major Lance The Monkey Time and Bessie Banks Go Now are well known covers by mod acts including Chris Farlowe, THE ACTION! and The Moody Blues. Are there any other tracks that were famously covered by mod bands or that influenced mod tracks?
Well my favourite from the mod top 100 would have to be Hey Sah-Lo-Ney by Micky Lee Lane which was famously covered by The Action.
I’ve noticed Stax Records have a number of selections in the top 100. Do you know if Stax was a particular stand out label for Mods?
I don’t think so, no They were just one of the more successful indie labels at the time. There were thousands of theme!
It’s interesting to note from the top 100 there are no ‘mod bands’ that are featured. So, I’m guessing this compilation is a mixture of tracks that would have firmly influenced the likes of The Action, The Who and even The Beatles to venture into mod pathways?
Yeah, Randy was definitely a soul man, He regarded to mod groups as mere imitators. Alot of the early mods did, so I suppose these records were indeed the influence for lots of the white groups!
Are you aware of any new bands that are influenced by these tracks in 2024?
The soul scene is very much alive in 2024. There are people like Jalen Ngonda and Kevin Fingier releasing records produced in a classic style.
Do you have any further music released lined up?
I’m really looking forward to the new Matt Berry LP!
Finally, what’s on your turn table at present?
I’m just checking out the brilliant re-issue Afro Harping by Dorothy Ashby. It’s a tremendous record, the harp like you have never heard it before!
Matt Mead
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