Honestly, I grow weary of the persistent chatter about how numerous Mods have a disdain for The Beatles.
For around the past 30 years, I have identified as a Mod and hold The Beatles in just as high regard as I do the Small Faces. While I don’t claim that everyone must appreciate The Beatles, I firmly believe that enjoying their music doesn’t conflict with being a Mod.
Consider how many artists and bands we Mods admire who were never Mods themselves—like Georgie Fame, The Yardbirds, and others. We don’t seem to hold their non-Mod status against them, unlike the way some critique The Beatles and the Stones. George Harrison was deeply into soul and R&B—just like any Mod—and he received every important R&B/soul track on import throughout the sixties. Isn’t “Taxman” a Mod song? Inspired by Lee Dorsey’s “Get Out of My Life Woman,” George thought to himself—let’s make that Taxman, a brilliant choice by Georgie. All of The Beatles were also avid fans of Booker T and the MG’s.
Growing up during the Punk era, I encountered a similar anti-Beatles sentiment within that scene. Today, I find several individuals under 30 who take jabs at The Beatles and, unfortunately, at The Clash, Buzzcocks, and Pistols for not embodying the true essence of Punk. I guess their ability to play instruments well, just like The Beatles, is something that sets them apart.
Over the years, Mods have criticized the Stones for their slightly mocking attitude—perhaps justifiably—but they were just as passionate about R&B, names like Arthur Alexander, Benny Spellman, Lee Dorsey, Tamla, Chess, and others, much like us Mods. At times, they even dressed well.
I would argue that Brian Jones had enough flair to be considered a Mod, as well as Andrew Loog Oldham… occasionally, even Keith Richards. If you identify as a Mod and don’t appreciate the Stones, that’s perfectly fine. Still, Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane admired both the Stones and The Beatles, and that’s good enough for me.
Mod encompasses a wide range of styles, and together we celebrate such diverse musical influences, so why can’t we make space for The Beatles? Straying off topic, The Clash also seem to receive their fair share of disdain from certain Mods.
Back when I was just a young Mod, I used to have an aversion to The Kinks because they didn’t identify as Mods, flaunted terrible haircuts, and wore subpar clothing—much like The Beatles. However, as I matured a bit, I recognized what an incredible band they truly are.
by DesX
