Modcast #191: Mod Essentials III The Britpop Invasion

Here, finally, was proof that mod could mutate into a reflection of
contemporary street culture and yet still retain its vital
characteristics: confidence, defiance and an appreciation of a nice
pair of shoes, all wrapped up in a cocksure bravado traceable all
the way back to original ‘tacky herbert’ Jimmy Cooper. A booming
Loaded magazine (run by Jam fans James Brown and Tim Southwell)
happily ran fashion spreads of Liam-esque models in fishtail parkas
and Hush Puppies and Oasis duly became the biggest band since The
Beatles. Once again mod chic had officially became the nation’s
leisurewear and outlook of choice.
-- Mojo Magazine, 2004
In the early 90s American music ruled the airwaves internationally.
Seattle had spawned the angrily apathetic punk-metal hybrid that
was grunge, and the slacker sound had rolled right round the
world.

For every action there is a reaction. Britpop was that reaction.
Blur front man Damon Albarn explained Britpop has a reaction to
grunge's lack of style. The Britpop scene of 1994 - 1997 was a sort
of stylistic second coming of the mod revival, this one based less
on soul and R&B and more on the pure Britishness of being what
was essentially a modern mod. Britpop bands brought back the
importance of being British, and the music was so thoroughly
British it never did manage an invasion of the US the way sixties
British music had.

Britpop was a cultural shift through and through. It had its own
movies like Trainspotting and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking
Barrels. It had its own celebrity nightlcub The Blow
Up.  Its own style, lad boys along with its own
documentation of the style, lad mags. But above all it had its own
music which dominated the world's music scene throughout the
mid-90s.

So, as part of my mod essentials series of modcasts I'm exploring
the Britpop phenomenon. Previously I looked the sixties mods and
then the mod revival of the late 70s and early 80s. And now it's
time to turn to Britpop and the 90s.

You can explore more as well. I had a lot of resources that I was
able to crib from, using audio clips and borrowing quotes. There
are some good movies about the Britpop era: The Britpop Story and
Live Forever. There is a fantastic book that delves into the whole
scene from the music to the culture to the politics: Britpop!: Cool
Britannia And The Spectacular Demise Of English Rock by John
Harris. Mojo magazine produced an entire Britpop special edition a
few years back that includes interviews with about 20 of the
artists and briefly tells the scene's story. Once you get into it
you'll find, as I did, how amazing a time it really was.

Be sure to head over to the modcast homepage at mistersuave.com for
a full track list for this show.