1979: The MOD REVIVAL | Nationwide | Retro Fashion | BBC Archive

James Hogg reports on the mod revival currently taking place in London. He interviews Ian Page - the vocalist with the new mod group Secret Affair - and John Entwistle of mod's elder statesmen The Who. Is the mod rebirth just a flash-in-the-pan, motivated by money, or is there more to it than that?

The whole affair is regarded with some amusement in Yorkshire, where the mod scene never really went away, and where there are still several thriving scooter clubs. What do these veteran mods make of what is happening down in London?

Originally broadcast 13 September, 1979.

To mark the BBC's 100th birthday, our wonderful archivists have been asked to pick THEIR favourite BBC moments.

"Semi-mythical item (purely as very few people seem to have seen it, and has never to my knowledge ever been re-used in any archive programmes). Captures the late 1970s Mod revival at a pivotal point, and looks at the scene in northern England as well as London." - Andy

You have now entered the BBC Archive, an audiovisual time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.

[helenhughes]

I was at secondary school frm 79-84 all my friends were Mods .. I still am !

[carouselcakes]

My 21yr old daughter & her boyfriend are both mods. I think it’s great when young people embrace a scene from the past because they keep it alive & It’s a huge compliment to those who did it first.

[piratescoron]

For some of us, it never went away. We were into northern soul and scooters and so were called mods. We went along with the mod revival, 40 plus years on, im still into northern soul and scooter's and so are many of my friends from the late seventies and early 80's. The scene is still thriving. Who would have thought that when this BBC documentary was made. Some gave it 3 months some a year.... not us lads from Yorkshire, we gave it a lifetime

[mark]

Having lived through the 80s revival & still being a Mod to this day 2022, I can safely say it was the best time of my life

[taekwanlew]

"flash in the pan"? My goodness, todays fashions still hark back to the mods

[JackKlumpass]

“Great dirties I tell thee”
Fantastic. God bless the Yorkshire men!!!!
What a brilliant slice of history of popular culture this is and a great forecast this Secret Affair fella makes.

[edwardmulholland]

The Mod scene was huge in the ‘80’s in my hometown of Belfast. I wasn’t a Mod myself but I have friends from that time who were, and they are still friends. Mods have had a huge influence and their traces can still be felt.

[OldMod]

Holy crap, the Nationwide feature from the archive. The earliest surviving film of Squire? Amazing, love it!

[RobertHoward-dg]

I've been of the 'Mod' culture since 1964. Sadly, at 75 years old, I'm not allowed on the road since having a stroke. Soooo... I have to contend myself with 'modding' up my mobility scooter with extra mirrors, dummy spotlights, and the obligatory fox tail and aerial. Target & chequered stickers complete the picture. Plus, of course, my fishtail parka and pork-pie hat.
Wish I could find a chrome front carrier rack though...

[andydixon]

I reckon that was an exciting time to be young. Music, freedom and youth.

[mummyd]

The bridgehouse was a great place for live bands, the business and 4 skins played there back in the day, this is brilliant, thank you.

[stephenlever]

My dad started the parka brand called parka London, , I remember him being contacted by the film makers of Quadrophonia to supply all the parkas for the extras, , I was a kid

[joski]

It never left loads of hardcore mods out there ✊🏻

[dazthemod]

Barnsleys finest. They're all still at it now. Loved that quadrophenia vespa when I was a 10 year old in 79.

[daveriot]

York lads and Barnsley Vikings, , top lads, , , , proper scooterboys.

[wmr]

I remember this revival, I was born in 63, and was in the thick of 79, I saw secret affair at liverpool uni mountford hall 28 nov 79 happy days 😢😢😢

[skootu]

I remember this first time around. Northern clubs never gave up on the scooter scene.

[davedogge]

Movie "Quadrophenia" in 1978 was a big revival influencer, I remember kids in the suburbs of Preston circa 1982-1986 with scooters and those green 'fish tail' long coats with the mod / circular R.A.F. like stitch badge on the back !

[c.brogansavage]

Refreshing candour from Entwistle there.

[robertstorey]

Secret Affair were brilliant and had their all too brief moment. Ian Page was located by the NME a year later working in a food packing plant.