The Lambretta LI ridden by Phil Daniels as “Jimmy” in the film Quadrophenia was sold at an auction of british comedian Spike Milligan’s belongings to an Aberdeen nightclub owner for £36,000. That’s a British record price for a scooter, though to be fair, it is the most famous Lambretta of all time.
Category: Mods
“Vespa Girl” from Paper Replika
If you liked our 2SB Articulated Toy and/or the postcard Vespa model that Scooterworks sells, this paper model of a a Vespa 150 and a girl to ride it will blow your mind. And the best part is that they’re free downloads. Truly, truly awesome.
History and community
This story about the Falkirk (Scotland) Scooter Club pretty much nails what’s great about scootering, Falkirk has a 50-year tradition of scootering, and the current club respects that while looking forward and welcoming all.
Tears for Fears were ex-Mods… literally
DID YOU KNOW: Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears started out in a Bath, England Mod Band called Graduate? You learn something every day. This discovery was inspired by the new “Literal Video” for “Head Over Heels,” which I was hoping was the Go-Go’s, but TFF will do:
It’s great, but not as totally essential and perfectly awesome as the first “Literal Video:”
R.I.P. Jez Bird
80s mod revivalist and Lambrettas lead singer Jez Bird died August 27.
Chicago Hard Mod and Milwaukee Rockerbox
Chicago’s Hard Mod Weekender kicks off tonight (well, actually last night with the Circuits reunion at the Globe, sorry for posting this so late!). Tonight’s the Stone Lightning Band and the Irving Parkas with DJs at Phyllis’, tomorrow is a Moto Show and Jumble sale at the new Bottom Lounge (can’t wait to check that place out, it sounds great), and more bands and dancing later at the Volcano Room, and Sunday morning there’s a soul breakfast at Holiday.
Tomorrow is also Rockerbox in Milwaukee, one of the best vintage motorcycle shows around. That’s a tough choice to make.
Mods vs Rockers 2008 Photos
Mods vs. Rockers 2008
Update: Scooterists are meeting at the Globe at 10:45am Saturday, to ride down to Delilah’s as a group.
I would tell you that Chicago scooter rally season kicks off this weekend with Mods vs. Rockers 2007 but the truth is, it’s been going on for a while already. I’m woefully behind on events posts and you already missed a Comic Book Release Party and the ModChicago’s Weekender (Sorry, mods!) But don’t miss the Motorcycle/Scooter/Hot Rod show at Delilahs from Noon-4pm on Saturday, and the Fish & Chips Dinner and Chicago Premiere of Brittown at the new Bottom Lounge on Saturday night.
Quad mod rods on display in UK
Gordon “Sting” “Ace Face” Sumner’s Vespa “GS” and Phil “Jimmy” “Parklife” Daniels’ Lambretta are the highlights of a Quadrophenia exhibition at Littledean Jail in near Gloucester, England. Quadrophenia director Franc Roddam is calling it: “This is the best collection of Quadrophenia memorabilia I have ever seen.” Book your flight now, and cue ten angry comments questioning the authenticity of the bikes and/or reminding us that there were six GSes made for the movie and none of them were GSes.
Goodbye, Vespa pioneer Andre Baldet
Famous daredevil and, for a time, England’s greatest Vespa and microcar dealer Andre Baldet passed away last week. Baldet allegedly invented the “dealer special” when he launched his customized line of “Arc-en-Ciel” Vespas with a 150cc model in 1957. The line continued through 1961 with the Vespa GS160, and possibly even into the SS180 era. By Baldet’s estimation, he sold 600 such scooters, usually with a few upgrades and a two-tone paint job achieved by spraying a second color over certain sections of the stock paint. During the same period, he became world-known for racing, daring stunts, and endurance rides featuring Vespas and microcars. He continued to sell Vespas until the early 1980s when he sold his dealerships. A great Baldet biography by John Gerber appeared in American Scooterist issue 48/49 (The GS anniversary double issue). (Image from the collection of John Gerber)
Leeds-area ex-mod finds himself
Neat story: A sixties Mod finds a long-lost photo of himself at a Leeds photo exhibition by Swiss photographer Eric Jaquier.
Who?
Lambretta Clothing has unveiled their line of The Who-inspired mod garb, which amounts to knockoffs of everything the Who ever wore (well, until Pete started wearing white fringy jumpsuits), including the Union Jack-et, and the parka on the cover of Quadrophenia with “THE WHO” pre-stenciled on the back. I don’t get it, really, but on the other hand, I really want one of these.
Chicagoland Mod girls needed for video shoot
We got an email the other day from Jessica Herreman, who’s looking for some local Mod Girls for a music video shoot in Evanston in early November. The video’s for a two-girl band collaborating between Mexico and Chicago. It’s a low-budget affair, but they’re offering Mexican earrings, coffee, and a French new wave film DVD as incentive. If you’ve got two X chromosomes, an A-line skirt, and a vintage Vespa (P-series or older, Stella, or Lambretta), email Jessica for more info.
The Mods
A nicely-done Mod history site, there’s even a “retro porn” section. My only gripe is the consistant and huge misuse of the apostrophe in the dates (“1960’s”). To make it worse, it’s not even typgraphically correct apostrophe. Why can’t I just enjoy anything without being so hypercrytical?
Mods vs. Rockers 2007 photos
As someone on scoot.net chat said the other day, “In the future, all rallies will be called ‘Mods vs. Rockers.'” Although there were six or eight similarly-named rallies in the last few weeks, we’re talking about the Chicago version, which is beginning to rival Milwaukee’s fantastic Rockerbox, in terms of quantity, variety, and quality. (Nary a Harley was to be seen!) Silent Ron’s 200-or-so photos (one is above) sum up the event much better than I could , and if those aren’t enough, here are a few dozen more from Jordan.