Delicious Junction - All In Good Time 3 by Karma Creative

ALL IN GOOD TIME

速

STYLE/MuSiC/CuLTuRE

iSSuE 3

featuring:

The Last of the Troubadours Steve Cradock, Steve White & Jonny Owen iN ASSOCiATiON WiTh

fREE MAGAZiNE SPRiNG/SuMMER 2014

ALL IN GOOD TIME STYLE/MuSiC/CuLTuRE

iN ASSOCiATiON WiTh

SPRiNG/SuMMER 2014 CONTACT info@deliciousjunction.co.uk / www.deliciousjunction.co.uk

SPECiAL ThANKS

EDiTORiAL

Mark Baxter for his unwavering guidance and keen eye on proceedings

Del Junction & Mark Baxter

PhOTOGRAPhY

Annie Ward, Phil Dias & Chris Bulezuik, Lee Cogswell, Karen Allen, LawrenceWatson

DESiGN

Phil Dias & Chrish Othendee @ Karma Creative www.karma-creative.co.uk

Phil Dias for his design and passion Terry Rawlings for writing a blinding article Lee Osborne for design elements…

WELCOME Welcome aboard the 3rd issue of “All in Good Time” magazine… and yes we are still having a blast, doing what we love with shoes, and creating all things Delicious. In 2013 we all lost a very dear and valued friend, Dean Powell. Well known for his enthusiasm and relentless endeavours on the scene – he will be sadly missed but never forgotten and we dedicate this issue to his memory. The working title to this issue is “shoegazing” but far from standing still, staring at our loafers we’ve got round a number of familiar faces on the vibrant scene today…

In this issue we have a lavish array of interviews with Steve Cradock, Jonny Owen, Steve White and George Dyer. Guest writer Terry Rawlings takes a witty look at a few famous faces in his excellent article “Dead Cool”. We get up close and personal with Frankie Johns and Paul Lam, a couple of retail warriors in Birmingham, who have both made their mark in the country’s second city. Cover stars and all round top gents Darron Connett & Joel Rogers spill the beans on our collaboration project “THE TROUBADOUR” and give us an insight into the intriguing world of their band.

The Stone Foundation provide a track by track review of their new longplayer and we are delighted to be associated with the release of “Find the spirit” in 2014. We have to mention our many customers, brand collaborators and retailers who have inspired us over the past year with their fantastic and sometimes fanatical support – a massive “thank you” goes out to you all. Keep on Keepin’ on at what you do best, and we hope you enjoy the ride. A splendid read is guaranteed for all… Big love

DEDICATED TO

DEAN POWELL 21/4/66 - 10/9/2013

CONTENTS 4. STEVE CRADOCK

Guitar genius and one of the most hardworking musicians around, we talk to him about his solo album – “Travel Wild-Travel Free”.

10. The Rawlings guide to the cool of the 1960s

6. JONNY OWEN

Writer, actor and one of the nicest fella’s in the business, tells us about his film Svengali and what MOD means to him.

8. GEORGE DYER

The Name is DYER – George Dyer THE Tailor! A fine tailor with a true passion for the cloth and making suits from the unusual…

Guest Writer Terry Rawlings gives us his witty take on what makes some well known faces of the 1960’s dead cool.

14. STEVE WHITE AKA “WHITEY”

A popular choice among the Modern world, he played at Live Aid in 1985 and left his mark on many special recordings…we catch up with Steve and find him in fine fettle…

18. THE Last Of The Troubadours

Cover stars, the guys spill the beans on their design collaboration with Delicious Junction and bring us up to date on their band.

22. STONE FOUNDATION

A track by track guide to the new album To find the Spirit. The soulful band are in their pomp.

25. SPOTLIGHT ON BIRMINGHAM

(All Prices are correct at time of going to print.)

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Two different retailers in the City with two different stories to tell; an insight into independent retailing today. 3

AfteRglOW – navy corded £55

bullitt – tan £90

WAttS – black/White £65

the tROubADOuR – brown £78

the CROWley – Stone £65

OtiS – black £60

meRtOn – bordo £75

the univeRSAl – navy corded £85

STEVE CRADOCK

As I approached the front doors of The Electric Ballroom in Camden, I could hear the distinctive guitar solos coming from a Ocean Colour Scene soundcheck before a gig that evening. A few minutes later, I sat down with the player of those instantly recognisable riffs 6

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 â&#x20AC;˘ SPRING/SUMMER 2014

DJ: So, Mr Cradock, did you grow up in a ‘musical’ house? SC: Well, my grand dad was a banjo player, who came first in the equivalent of Opportunity Knocks, but the day after winning, his best mate, and the other banjo player committed suicide, so he didn’t play again from that day onwards. My mom was an hairdresser and dad was a policeman. DJ: What age were you when you first picked up the guitar? SC: I started playing the bass guitar at eleven and then changed to the six string when I was sixteen. DJ: The world of ‘mod’ seems to have claimed you at a young age, why? SC: All my mates were either mods or rude boys and I remember a mate having a parka when we were eight or nine, with all the targets and patches and have loved that look of a parka ever since. I’ve got a great M-1951 and a M-1965 with real fur hood from the company Art Gallery which are the best parka’s around. Also a lot of the older lads had amazing scooters in Birmingham and also great shoes! It was a style that was all around me from an early age and I fucking loved it!

DJ: You are the new ‘hardest working man in showbiz’, what with OCS, working with Paul Weller and the solo stuff - ever get tired of life on the road? SC: I’ve always seen myself as copping out of hard work. That is what being a musician allows you. Music isn’t work to me. It’s a pleasure. But also keeping busy is good for the heart and mind. DJ: Tell us about the new ‘solo’ album SC: My new album is called ‘Travel Wild - Travel Free’. It’s the best thing I’ve done musically, and spans a lot of sounds and grooves. It’s also quite 60s sounding haha. However much I try to make it not sound old world, it always does. My wife Sally sings more on this album, which is cool as I don’t like my voice that much. I have co-written songs with Andy Crofts/ Steve Pilgrim/Chris Difford and Sally. It has a lovely front cover of me and Sally walking by the canal near Paul’s (Weller) studio in Surrey. The horses name was Melody, which again is a sign. My favourite song at the moment on it is ‘The Magic Hour’, which sounds like it’s written for Andy Fairweather Low - I wished! DJ: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important are the right shoes to finish off a look?

SC: Ten of course! A lot of my shoes are battered and bruised, but there again, so am I! I love shoes, they are very important!!! DJ: Who is your ultimate guitar hero and what about them inspired you? SC: Guitar heroes are difficult, but Steve Marriott on the Decca stuff, Hendrix on his first two albums. Jack White, John Squire on the first ‘Roses’ album. Pete Townsend from 1966-69. Paul Weller, Richard Hawley, Lee Mavers, Mani, Peter Green on ‘Man Of The World’. John, Paul, George on Abbey Road, it goes on and on... DJ: You mentioned you would be up for a collaboration with Delicious Junction – what style of footwear do you have in mind and why? SC: Two -hole jumbo cord boots. I have a pair of shoes that Brian and Mick are wearing on ‘High Tide and Green Grass’ DJ: Finally, what does 2014 hold for you? SC: No idea. Music, mod and shoes hopefully! DJ: Thank you kind sir, we can’t argue with that.

ALL ALL IN IN GOOD GOOD TIME TIME 32 •• SPRING/SUMMER SPRING/SUMMER 2014 2014

jONNY OWEN Starring in them, were the likes of Boy George, Martin Freeman and one time Oasis manager Alan McGee. The whole idea was picked up by a film company and ‘Svengali’ the movie should be out in cinemas by the time you have this magazine in your hands. Never short of a word or two, we caught up with Jon in the naughty square mile of old Soho. DJ: How important were the ‘holy trinity’ of clothes, music and football to you growing up in Wales? JO: They were everything. Still are. Strangely enough an old mate of mine from when I was a young kid popped up on Facebook the other day and he talked about long hot summer days of sitting on top of this big tip (a man made Tip made of industrial waste) that overlooked my home town of Merthyr Tydfil and just talking for hours and hours about Football and Music. He remembered me giving him ‘Quad’ on a battered VHS. He gave me all the early Beatle albums. Imagine that? He had them all passed down to him. That’s what happened in those days. That’s what

Cardiff fan, writer, actor and one of the nicest fellas around Jonny Owen devised a series of short films called ‘Svengali’ which played on Youtube a couple of years ago, popping up every few months or so and which gained a huge online following.

I loved about the way things were then. How stuff was passed around. It was a real sharing thing. The terraces were alive with culture. People always passing around tapes and books. I had Trainspotting given to me at the football and Catcher in the Rye. It was strange because there were plenty of nutters in South Wales but I was never arsed about them. It was the other lads. The ones writing fanzines. Putting on gigs, the ones who’d go off into Europe picking up clothes, they were the lads I wanted to copy. It was a brilliant education really. I started writing on this fanzine called ‘Dial M for Merthyr’. The lad who started it, Mark Evans, was the first person ever to say to me after I shyly passed something over to him...’You’re good at this Jon, this is funny’. When you’re 16 someone you respect and admire saying something like that to you is like rocket fuel to a kid from Merthyr Tydfil. It made me think...I can do something other than work in a factory. I also have to say my Paternal Grandfather was hugely important. He was into music. Sinatra. He was a bit naughty really as he was more encouraging about me learning the guitar than my homework! Ha. He used to say...’you’ll always have a friend and a job if you can.’ I suppose people like him and his 9 brothers grew up in the recession. He

often used to say...’We lived on our wits’. Singing, cards, betting on the dogs. He once walked to London as a young man. They slept in hedgerows on the way. But soon as they got there they loved it. He was a big one for his suits too. So that rubbed off on me. And, the Football? Where do I start with him and that? He took me to my first game, which was Wales England in the Home Internationals. A full Ninian Park. I can remember leaving and I’d almost fainted with the excitement of it all. The crowds, the singing, the smells, the atmosphere...He looked down at me and said...’Enjoy that?’ Enjoy it? My life was never the same again. DJ: How did the musical career come about? JO: Well I played a bit of guitar and I met with another lad called Glenn Hyde who was a brilliant guitarist. In those days (this would have been the early 90’s) people into the same music tended to flock together. He was into the Manchester thing but also a 60’s freak like me. We were fanatical at that point. So we used to spend hours together writing and playing in my Grandfather house funnily enough as he loved it all. He’d sang for years himself. Sang on the BBC, with Big Bands in the late 40’s. Anyway,

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

we got to be good. Him on guitar, me on bass. So we got two other lads in, both into the same stuff and it took off very quickly. Within six months we were suporting INXS and had a load of record companies after us. We were good but we started to argue. And one thing I’ve learned is a band can be brilliant but if you don’t get on, forget it. We did sign to Sanctuary. Put a single out and it sold well but by the time we went to the States to play for Sony over there it was pretty obvious we didn’t have the staying power a band needs. That’s what I’ve learned in this game. Ambition, talent, and luck...they’re all important but its staying power that overrides everything. We didn’t have that. DJ: We love Svengali - Did you see it as a feature film when you first started the short films on Youtube? JO: Not really. I wasn’t sure to be honest. I was just making it up as I went along. I liked the fact I had total control over the virals. It was very liberating. Very empowering actually. No one always chipping in with an opinion. You can at least stand and fall by what you do. I liked that. It was dangerous and sometimes you’d wobble but the secret was to just keep going. (See above. I learned

that after the band!!). We were flirted with by a load of broadcasters and production companies but it was when Martin Root who ran a creative agency came in and asked if I wanted to do a film that I really thought...now this could be going somewhere. He was as good as his word too. Full funding and the film is now done. DJ: How fun was it putting the soundtrack for the film together? JO: One of my favourite bits. It’s a cracker isnt it? Everyone says that! Ha! Took ages as sometimes things just didn’t work but myself and the director John Hardwick worked really hard on that together. It’s one of the greatest ever film soundtracks. Not me that said that but Ian Neil who’s the main guy at Sony. Listen, any soundtrack with The Small Faces, Dexy’s and Georgie Fame on it is gonna be good. Chuck in The Who, Big Star, The La’s and The Coral onto that and your in business. DJ: If you could assemble the ultimate band – alive or dead – who would be in your line up and why? JO: Moonie on drums. Hendrix on guitar. McCartney on bass and Jagger out front. I

reckon they’d be decent to watch and they can all play a bit. DJ: What does the term “mod” mean to you and how far reaching is it in your life? JO: Well to use an Eddie Piller quote, ‘Mod is a broad church’. I think it’s just a great way to have a certain philosophy to live your life I suppose. You know, you always keep yourself smart and the best you can. It’s really quite aspirational but in a very working class way. That whole thing of dressing up and going out on the weekend. It’s been going on long before Mod. The music is important but that can be what you want. You know, if you’re into early Soul and R&B then great. If you like the revival bands or Oasis then that’s cool too. It’s also a great look for a (ahem!) older man. The irony of all those 16-year-old Mods dressing in a way that suits 40 to 50 year old men! haha...you know the Ivy league look or a nice suit. Perfect. I’m a great believer in being inclusive. No one is born cool. We’ve all been that nervous 13 year old kid with his first Fred Perry or wondering where to start with Northern Soul. Help the next generation along. Beats them watching X Factor doesn’t it?

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

ThE NAME iS DYER

GEORGE DYER

DJ: What gives you the most satisfaction these days – being in front or behind of the camera? JO: Both really. Although I’m enjoying it behind the lens at the minute. I’ve been asked to direct next. A Scottish film, I’ve written with a guy called Dave McClean. I may do that next year. I’m very lucky with offers at the moment. Svengali has certainly made the industry prick up their ears as they say. DJ: Has creating Svengali inspired you to write and record any new tunes? JO: Funny thing I helped with the soundtrack! On a bit of the score anyway. I did some stuff with Tristan Norwell who looked after all that. Good fun too. I also did all the bass bits for the band in the film and wrote a song called ‘Letter Bomb’ which we never used because you never hear the band but they needed something to play. It was based on ‘I wanna be your dog’ by the Stooges. In my head that’s how I heard them. As a cross between the Stooges and The Clash. Just what music need in my opinion. DJ: Whats next for Jonny Owen? JO: Well, I’m writing two scripts. Both of which I’ve been paid for and should be doing now! Ha! One I may direct. I’m doing a lot of stuff with Baby Cow who have been big supporters and superb to work with. So, I’ve got a lot to be getting on with. I’ve also been offered a brilliant part in something which film’s next year. I’m going to take it too. But I cant say what it is yet. But it’s decent. Haha! DJ: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important are the right shoes to finish off a look? JO: Well for me (to use a line from Spinal Tap) it’s 11! 10

ThE TAiLOR! In the process of writing this magazine, I have met up with well known ‘faces’ from the worlds of music and film, but by far the hardest person to pin down was Mr. George Dyer the bespoke tailor, who numbers the likes of Paul Weller, David Haye and Martin Freeman among the visitors to his shop, among hundreds of Ladies Gents from all walks of life. If there is a busier person in South London, I have yet to meet them. I finally managed to grab an hour with him in his café of choice, ‘Amore’, in the Walworth Road and even then, we had a succession of punters coming up and asking to see him when he had a minute, whilst he drank his cup of Earl Grey tea. DJ: How important were clothes to you, growing up? gD: Clothes are and always will be important to me for obvious reasons. I have always loved the look of them. Not just the style of the garments, but also the construction, which is also intriguing. DJ: How did the interest in tailoring come to you? gD: My father, Oscar, was a trouser maker and always dressed immaculately. I was the only 10-12 year old at school with bespoke trousers at school. DJ: Name three of your best-dressed ‘Men’ of all time gD: Off the top of my head. A- Steve McQueen, especially the ‘Thomas Crown Affair’ period of three piece suit, watch and

chain, Persol sunglasses and hankie in breast pocket. B- Cary Grant circa the mid 1940s in a sharp double-breasted two-piece. And C – Rudolph Valentino from the ‘Roaring 20s.’ Cuff links, dickie bow, big lapels, and great hair! DJ: Whom are you making for at the moment? gD: Literally hundreds of ‘faces’ both male and female, from the worlds of Mod/ Skinhead/50s rock and rollers, the city gent and bridegrooms. Got a couple of filming projects at present, one of which is making a zoot suit for a well know local who will appear in a video for the band The Maccabees. Celebrities wise, I have been fortunate recently to have actor Martin Freeman and singer Paul Weller pop in. Both very stylish. DJ: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important are the right shoes to finish off a look? gD: Unquestionably a 10 for me. You have to have the right shoes to compliment the right attire. Sadly, due to the amount of time I spend on my feet, my ‘plates’ are finished, so my ‘rhythms’ at the minute are built for comfort rather than speed. DJ: What’s been the most unusual garment or challenging request from a punter? gD: A gentlemen also called George popped in the shop once with a pair of colourful curtains, with curtain rings still attached I might add, and asked me to make him a suit from them. I did and he was delighted, thank the Lord. He was forever known then as ‘Curtain George’

DJ: Can you give me an every day tailoring tip we can all take away with us? gD: First, get to know the art and craft of a proper suit. Second, know what cut and style you want to achieve. Then, thirdly, simply call me to bring it to fruition! DJ: Who inspires you and where do you draw your influences? gD: Personally a tailor called Andrew Ramroop is top of that list. He is the MD of the company Maurice Sedwell at 19 Savile Row. I know him as the professor. A great inspiration to me and I feel a great influence in the tailoring world. He has created his own academy to keep the art and craft of bespoke alive. DJ: There’s an increased emphasis towards ‘Made In Britain’ theses days – Have you seen a move towards this and what advice can you give to inspire others to take the plunge? gD: In my opinion, the British bespoke tailoring is and will always be the pinnacle in suits. The French, Italian and German’s all embrace our concepts and then adapt them for their customer base. But the root is always a British structure. DJ: Thank you George, enjoyed that. gD: My pleasure. No sugar in mine…

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

TERRY RAWLINGS GUIDE TO...

TEN THINGS THAT PROVE DAVY JONES IS COOL! 1. Davy Jones was always the best dressed Monkee and was British. 2. Davy had the best Monkee hair. 3. Chekhov from the original ‘STAR TREK’ TV series was based on Davy Jones. 4. He was in an episode of ‘SCOOBY DOO’. 5. Davy Jones’ popularity was the reason the other David Jones had to change his name to DAVID BOWIE (thus giving the world ZIGGY STARDUST). 6. He appeared in ‘THE BRADY BUNCH’ and the coolest Brady, Marcha (oooooh) ran his fan club. 7. Davy Jones was the very first Manchester (MANC) mega-star. 8. He was on the bill of the same Ed Sullivan show that introduced ‘THE BEATLES’ to America.

THE NOT SO COOL DAVY!

9. He wrote a genuinely funny book with the greatest title of ‘They Made a Monkee Out of Me’. 10. He had the first high profile pop-star on pop-star relationship (with LULU) when LULU was a proper little raver.

He was in Coronation Street.

At the height of five foot nothing and in his mid 60s he very unwisely took up weight-lifting and body-building and had a heart attack.

He’s dead now!

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

TEN THINGS THAT PROVE PETER LAWFORD IS COOL 1.

Peter Lawford dated Ava Gardner, Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth, amongst countless others - all before Frank Sinatra did.

He was JFK’s brother-in-law. Sinatra nicknamed him ‘Brother-in-Lawford’.

He introduced JFK to Marilyn Monroe; she was also his houseguest.

He had the coolest beach-front house in Santa Monica which was known as ‘The West-Coast White House’.

Bobby and Jack Kennedy often stayed at his house for weekend parties.

Frank Sinatra wanted to be his mate; so much so that he invited him to become one of his Rat-Pack along-side Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr.

He once got married (third wife) and had completely forgotten about it the following day. He starred in the original casino caper ‘Oceans 11’ and appeared in the coolest ‘60s and ‘70s TV shows ever; such as ‘The Virginian’, ‘The Wild, Wild West’, ‘Bewitched’, ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In’ and the classic ‘Hawaii Five-O’.

THE NOT SO COOL PETER! -

People close to him begin to be either assassinated or found dead from an overdose.

He cheated on his wife Pat (Kennedy) Lawford and was subsequently ostracised by the Kennedy family.

Sinatra excludes him from his inner circle and he ends up in a rented apartment washed up and broke. He then drinks himself into oblivion.

He’s dead now!

He got drunk with John Lennon.

10. His ashes were exhumed from his Westwood Memorial Park plot by his fourth wife and scattered at sea. His spot was then taken by Jack Lemon.

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

TEN REASONS THAT PROVE BRIAN JONES IS COOL! 1.

Brian Jones formed ‘The Rolling Stones’.

He had the best hair of any rock-star, which pissed Mick Jagger off.

The American band ‘The Byrds’ all based their look on Brian, which pissed Mick Jagger off. He was mates with George Harrison, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan; he dated Nico from ‘The Velvet Underground’, Francoise Hardy and Anita Pallenburg when Mick and Keith weren’t getting anything near the same action - which pissed Mick Jagger off. He bought Winnie The Pooh creator AA Milne’s house and therefore lived

in the house at ‘Pooh Corner’.

He was the first ever musician to record what is now referred to now as ‘World Music’ – the Moroccan Tribal album ‘Pipes of Pan’, which pissed Mick Jagger off.

He got the sack from his own band and spiralled out of control into a self-loathing drug-addled sad-sack of a mess.

He was the very first member of the ’27 Club’ which includes Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse

He’s dead now!

Pete Townshend and Bob Dylan both wrote songs about him: ‘The Man Who Died Every Day’ and ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’ respectively.

He played on two Beatles records ‘You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)’ and ‘Yellow Submarine’.

THE NOT SO COOL BRIAN!

As well as being the founder of The Rolling Stones he had an extracurricular job as a sought-after model, which pissed Mick Jagger off.

10. He was the first English rock star to have a personalised guitar model named after him, the white VOX teardrop 12 and 6 string, which pissed Mick Jagger off.

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

TEN REASONS THAT PROVE GEORGE HARRISON IS COOL! 1.

George was the coolest looking and best-dressed Beatle.

He had the best looking Beatle wife.

George was best friends with the Monty Pythons and paid for the film ‘The Life of Brian’ to be made just because he wanted to see it.

He lived in a pink fantasy castle that all the Beatles should have aspired to.

He squirreled away all his songs that were rejected from Beatle albums and then had the biggest selling solo Beatle album of all time.

He wrote songs for Ringo that out-sold any singles by Lennon and McCartney - Ha Ha!

He formed ‘Hand-Made Films’ that gave us ‘The Long Good Friday’, ‘Whithnail and I’, ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘Time Bandits’.

He kept his Beatle moustache well after it was cool, and had a perm at the same time.

He thought it was ok to have sex with Ringo’s wife because they were both Beatles.

He swapped wives with Ronnie Wood and they would cheerily ask each other when they met “How’s the wife?” and give the reply “Fine, how’s mine?”

He wrote songs called ‘Here comes the Moon’ and ‘This Guitar Can’t Keep From Crying’ which almost cancelled out the genius of their original predecessors.

He’s dead now!

THE NOT SO COOL GEORGE!

10. He was only aged 27 by the time The Beatles were over and he was selling out Madison Square Garden sporting a really, really long beard. ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

STEVE WHITE London 2013. Late summer night and we catch up with Mr White after a Trio Valore gig in North London Steve came to prominence when he became Paul Wellers choice of sticks man for The Style Council, then aged just seventeen, and remained pretty much with the PW man until the last few years.

lyrical and joyful and Our Favourite shop probably one of the most important and under rated albums of the 80s and then Wildwood, we just had some extremely special going on at this point.

He has also been in The Players and Trio Valore and of course, the M.E.F.F.! He also runs drum clinics around the UK.

DJ: Your top three drummers of all time are...?

DJ: How important were the ‘holy trinity of clothes, music and football’ to you growing up in South East London?  SW: Seeing as there wasn’t much else to get your teeth into back in those footy, fashion and Music ranked pretty highly. I was never a great player but went to my first game at the valley (Charlton FC) around 72 and I hated it! It was cold and wet and we lost and 40 years later I’m still going, thankfully still with my dad. Fashion was a much more aspirational pursuit, you would have to seek out a special piece like a Lacoste or a Fila and you had to bloody well save for it to, it all just meant more. DJ: Why the drums? How did that all start?  SW: The drums came like a bolt out of the blue when I saw a Boys Brigade band. I was just knocked side ways by the noise and that was it really been an obsession that’s never left me. DJ: Name your favourite three tracks you have played on?  SW: Ooh! That’s hard. I have favourite albums. I think Cafe Bleu was brave and 16

SW: Another hard one as it changes all the time but I’d have to say today its Buddy Rich, Art Blakey and Tony Williams. DJ: What are you up to at the moment? SW: Producing and artist development with the likes of Kristyna Myles and Sam Gray. It’s a real challenge these days to break an artist just to make a living so its tricky, but if I see an artist with something I like I try to help . Sam has been making huge in-roads working in South Korea. I guess that is a little spirit of mod, new frontiers, new opportunities and directions, also touring with Trio Valore www.whiteydrums.com/TV/ We have gigs stretching to spring 2014 and we’ve just done some great shows in Italy and then there is the teaching and drum clinics. DJ: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important are the right shoes to finish off a look?  SW: Well pretty much a 10. A man can have the most unassuming Black Tee and Jeans(Italian of course if your over 40) and a good pair of Rhythms (Rhythm and Blues = Shoes - London Ed.) can lift even that humble ensemble to new heights!

DJ: Where does playing at Live Aid in 1985 rate in your all time gig list & did you feel at the time it was such a special event?  SW: As the day went on I think we all felt that this was a special day and history has proved that, it was a day when everything went global and to be honest I don’t think anyone knew just how big it was going to be, it was all very innocent too. DJ: Checkemlads.com the testicular cancer charity you helped to establish – do you still have involvement and how is it progressing? SW: Yep still very much involved. I’m still I guess the chief shouter when we need to get to numbers of people, but Philly and Mick and Nick do an amazing job, on behalf of everyone with TC. DJ: Drummers must be really tough on their footwear when playing – what’s your preferred style of choice for gigs?  SW: Well, as music got louder a Buddy Rich inspired Chelsea boot might have been a little restricting. I’ve always been an Adidas man though in the summer, Sperry deckers go well with shorts. DJ: Through your drum clinics you must meet many wannabe Whiteys – any words of wisdom to pass on? SW: I have but I take that as a tribute, I was a Buddy wannabee. I guess with music its only like fashion you really have to be true to yourself, the truth will out.

ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014

the CROWley – Stone £65

WAttS – Stone/Purple £65

bullitt – tan £90

muSWell – bordo £85

the univeRSAl – navy Corded £85

meRtOn – bordo £75

OtiS – black £60

WAttS – black/White £65

AfteRglOW – Stone/brown £55

the uPSetteR ROyAle – blue £80

ACe PunCh – bordo £82

bullitt – Stone £90

THE LAST OF THE TROUBADOURS One of the longest standing associations we have with anybody is the one we have with singer/ songwriter Darron J Connett. And that continues to today with the last of the troubadours, where he drives things along with joel rogers in the company of luke, dan and tony. We like the band so much, we have created a shoe inspired by them! I caught up with them recently over a cold drink or three, to see how things are going at the moment. DJ: So, The Troubadour shoe - how pleased are you with the results? JR: Yeah they look great. I’m pleased with the understated subtleness of them DJC: Yeah, I think they look great, it’s nice to see them go from an idea to fruition, I’d wear them so thats important. DJ: What inspired the design? JR: Well, we had a couple of ideas between us and the design we went for had simplicity to it that we were all happy with. The design kept to the Delicious Junction ethos and drew on inspiration from the sharp dressed Motown/Stax artists of the 60’s. The likes of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and Smoky Robinson were immaculate at all times. DJC: We worked around an idea that was based on a 60s shoe with our contemporary spin on it. Its a bit like a Beatles chelsea boot but obviously a shoe version. DJ: Did you ever see the day coming when you would have your own TLOTT shoe?

JR: To be honest, everything has happened in such a short space of time, I mean its only 2 years ago we even thought about sitting down and writing a few tunes, so to have done everything we have done has been a real blessing. Saying that, when the idea of a TLOTT shoe was first being discussed with your good selves, it was a cool thing to be working on. How many bands around right now can say they have their own shoes I guess? DJC: I expect the unexpected to be honest, we’ve had some great things happen in the last two years and still have things in the canon for 2014 so working closely as we do with Delicious Junction I guess it was a natural process. DJ: Who wears the best shoes in the music world, apart from you two of course? JR: Apart from us two? Tony Marshall (Our guitarist) DJC: I look at film stars from the 40s,50s and 60s and of course the rock stars of that time. Miles Kane and Paul Weller always got nice foot attire on I’d say. DJ: We know it’s been a rock solid year for the band - Your highlights please…

JR: The Isle of Wight Festival was a great weekend. It was obviously amazing to be part of such a line up but I must admit, for me, the best show for a breath-taking crowd, it has to be the Carnaby Sound festival. Walking on to the stage and the street being packed as far as you could see was such a buzz. There must have been a couple of thousand there, and everyone was really in to the set, which was cool. DJC: Yes I’d agree with Joel there, the Isle of Wight fest was a top weekend being on the same bill as, Weller, The Stone Roses amongst others can’t be bad. Plus the Carnaby Street Sounds Festival was massive and when the crowd sing your songs back to you, you know your doing some thing right. DJ: What’s the story behind the bands name? JR: I was on a train, reading a review of some one or another and there was a description of him being a Troubadour. This stuck in my mind, as I really liked the ideology of the medieval songwriters/ entertainers. It then turned out there is a novel called The Last of the Troubadours which follows the journey of a 13th Century Troubadour in Sweden that got himself in all kinds of bother playing for rich families, with all the women falling for him which

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eventually resulted in him being chased out of town. He simply moved on to the next town, just writing and playing he tunes. It also sounds really cool, which helps… DJC: Well, apart from the fact we are real life troubadours, Joel really wanted to incorporate the word in our bands name, and as he said there are a few books with that title, one being by Nendrik Willem van Loon haha, straight up. Troubadours were the first rock stars as they travelled the lands singing, playing music and getting drunk while bothering the women folk so nothings changed there then! DJ: We often hear about conflicts within bands – what’s the glue that keeps you guys together?

JR: That’s right, we are supporting The Rifles on their UK Tour. We are doing the Northern shows, which are going to be great. Rob our ex bass player previously with The Rifles, went back to record the new album with them and by the sounds of it, the original line up really clicked so they have decided to do a tour. We are really grateful for Rob for inviting us along and cant wait to get out on the road. DJC: Oh, thats a great tour for us, all sold out, plus we get to hang with Rob and the Rifles boys. There all top fellas and it’s the next natural step I think, and we are more than ready. DJ: Your profile is well established in the UK music scene, what is next for you chaps?

JR: We just get on and have a laugh, simple as that really. I think the fact that we are not in a position to be full time, by the time we get together; it’s a nice break from the rest of the chaos. And lets be honest, what’s not to like about being in a room with your mates, having a few beers and playing music? DJC: Yeah, we just have a giggle. We can even make Dan (bassist) laugh. We all get on, but take the art of music very seriously. But its safe to say there is never a dull moment. DJ: Who inspires you creatively in your lives, either in the music or fashion business? JR: I get inspired by so many things really. Living in London, I think it is pretty much impossible to not be inspired. I try to absorb as much as I can from the City around me. There is so much going on, if you can be arsed to open your eyes and see it. But inspiration comes from all over, for example, the title track of our latest EP came from walking with my daughter. It was a sunny day, and we were playing silly games, eye spy that kind of thing. I said, ‘what are we gonna play now?’ and Lyla said, ‘Ok Daddy, Don’t stand on Shadows.’ It just thought it sounded so great. DJC: Everything around us I guess, boredom takes my mind to a more creative part of my brain.An artist of any kind should be inspired by whatever moves them. DJ: A little bird (nice girl) tells me you are supporting a very well known band soon, can you tell us more?

JR: Well, we have shows up to the end of 2013, including The Rifles tour. We have various new tracks bubbling over so I think the next thing will be to put an album out, then see where that takes us. DJC: The new album hopefully. Me and Joel have got new song ideas, so early 2014 we’ll sit down and go to work on them. With any luck they resonate with people. DJ: ...and your ultimate ambition is? JR: I am genuinely grateful for all we have done so far. Massive thanks to Delicious Junction for their support since day one. If someone had asked me the same question when we started out, I think hoping the band would release 2 EP’s, play all the great London Venues we have played, play The Isle of Wight Festival, design our own shoe and tour with The Rifles, all within 2 years may have out done any realistic ambition for the band. I guess all I would want to do is keep creating, keep writing and playing music that I enjoy and if anyone else likes it too, then that’s a huge bonus. DJC: We’re very ambitious like all bands should be, we’ve achieved all this off our own backs, no manager, no label, no famous friends giving us a leg up. We still get played on XFM, 6Music and RTE, plus a load of internet shows. The press like us too, so with the ongoing support of Delicious Junction, we hope to move on to the next levels and with the songs that are coming, anything is possible. DJ: We’ll drink to that. Cheers lads.

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STONE FOUNDATION

“TO FIND THE SPIRIT”

When it came to thinking about making a new record and how we wanted to approach matters this time around, it soon became clear of what we didn’t want to do which I think is as equally important as considering what you do want from it. 24

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For a start we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to tread water and make the same record again, we certainly wanted to push ourselves and explore areas beyond our comfort zone, there was a conscious decision to leave more space in the arrangements of the songs and not to over clutter things simply for the sake of it, the voicing of the horns also altered slightly by bringing in a Sax to augment the section, giving us more versatility and freedom to try different ideas.

I suppose you could say we approached it in a similar vein to that of a Jazz recording in the sense that some of the rehearsals and recordings for the album were quite spontaneous, there was definitely an intuitive vibe between us, we were certainly tuned into the same wavelength. The ten songs that make up the album were conceived, rehearsed, arranged and recorded over a period of 12 months and we were also fortunate enough to have some special guests feature on certain songs, artists that we have long admired and respected such as Carleen Anderson, Pete Williams, Andy Fairweather Low, Nolan Porter and Dennis Bovell, which is particularly humbling and of course very exciting. Once again we recorded the majority of the album with Andy Codling at our own studio in Warwickshire.

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Here’s an exclusive Track by Track guide to the album 1) TO FIND THE SPIRIT This was the first song that we worked on and recorded for inclusion on the album. Neil (Jones) came with the tune pretty much complete but it had a more conventional time signature, it was a bit straight so after a couple of run through’s we hit upon the idea of making it swing and loosening up the groove somewhat and instantly that worked out so much better, the title (which has become the name of the album too) and lyrical content was inspired by a written piece that Author Paolo Hewitt had sent to us. Our good friend Lee Cogswell also made a video for this track which features rising British actor Calum Macnab. 2) BRING BACK THE HAPPINESS Another one of the more conventional songs that Neil bought into the studio, this one didn’t take much tinkering with, it’s fundamentally the same arrangement that Neil first played me, it kind of reminds me of that old Booker T & the MG’s vibe but obviously with a vocal, I also really like the optimistic nature of the lyric, which is a theme we consciously wanted to keep upbeat between us from the off. It is quite a positive record. Nolan Porter features on backing vocals on this one in his unique falsetto styling, it also has the added bonus of the wonderful Q – Strings section, whom we met whilst touring with The Specials.

3) CHILD OF WONDER This features the aforementioned written piece by Paolo Hewitt, we had spoken about a collaboration for some time but it was just finding the right combination, we talked Paolo into coming up and recording the spoken word vocal himself which turned out to be exactly right for the track, we received the words long before the sessions started and for a while we were really scratching our heads as to how to make them work correctly, it took a couple of false starts and abandoned sessions before we hit upon the right vibe. It came about during one of those rare and magical occasions where we just started playing and the music just fell together, thankfully Andy (Codling) was on hand to capture and record what we were doing, I think it was the very first take that we ended up using and then Phil went off and layered up some inspired percussion parts over it. 4) STRONGER THAN US Probably one of the most direct, in your face type of songs amongst the collection, a horn driven stomp which features Pete Williams of Dexys fame singing backing vocals on the chorus, I really like Ian’s parts on this, both the Hammond and the piano parts are a real feature, the intro has that sort of ABBA / Oliver’s army lift going on and the interaction of the bridge sections between Neil’s Guitar and Ian’s Keys I really like too, it has a 50’s feel to it, kind of Del Shannon-esque

5) DON’T LET THE RAIN This was another one that just kind of revealed itself as we were playing about in rehearsals, I had the bass line to begin with but I certainly didn’t envisage that it would circle round for the best part of 10 Minutes and create a song. Everyone just found their own space and it came together really quickly, Phil our drummer was very forthcoming with ideas and arrangements during the whole of these recordings, he’s really stepped up this time around and taken on more responsibility leading & conducting the band on occasions such as these. The horn section lads really hit upon a good vibe with their parts too. Neil initially just started singing some words that were scribbled on a piece of paper in front of them that had been discarded from a previous session and amongst them was the line “Don’t let the rain get you down”, we started up the call & response thing and before we knew it we had a song, a sprawling 10 minute epic at that too ! Legendary Dub producer Dennis Bovell has also done a mix of it which will feature as a bonus track. 6) CRAZY LOVE Recorded with Nolan Porter whilst he was over here with us in the summer of 2012, I have to be honest we were debating about whether to include this on the album or not simply because it’s a cover and it’s actually a song that has been covered many times but

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this version is just so soulful, Nolan’s vocal is right on the money and absolutely heartfelt that we just couldn’t bin it, it was far too good to leave off. Our instincts were certainly confirmed when we started showing some screenings of the Keep on Keepin’ on documentary in which the recording of this song features, audiences just started clapping at the end of the tune, it was humbling but also vilified our belief that it should be included on the album. The finished version was recorded live in the studio and is the second take. 7) TELEPATHIC BLESSING Originally written as a more conventional song, both myself and Neil had melody lines and lyrics for it but in the end we decided to let it breathe and create more space on it, we ended up just keeping one line and repeated that over, we then hit upon the idea of using a choir but we were particularly mindful of avoiding the cliché of a gospel type thing, that also wouldn’t have been the right fit so somewhat bizarrely we found ourselves in a Church in Tamworth early one evening recording a Ladies choir with Neil conducting them whilst monitoring the track on headphones, we took our field recording back to base camp and soon made sense of it, I think the results are stunning.

8) HOLD ON This was the last song to be both written and recorded for the album, we felt that we were in need of another upper, we were patient and didn’t force the issue then myself and Neil collaborated to come up with “Hold on”, once again it has a very positive, upbeat vibe about it, Lynn was quick to pick up on it and came up with the brass hook in the verses which I really like. Andy Fairweather Low sings backing vocals on this, we travelled across to Cardiff to work with him and he was a pleasure to hang with, a real gent and full of great tales from his days touring up and down the Country in the 60’s with Amen Corner, he’s a massive soul fan (and apparently an excellent tennis player too) 9) WHEN YOU’RE IN MY WORLD To be honest this was a song that we had knocking about for a while and one stage it was really a toss up between putting this on the album or “Warning Signs” (which subsequently ended up as the B-side to the “Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum” 7” single), we left it alone for a while before revisiting the demo we had done of it with fresh ears and mainly due to the lyric we thought it might be a good idea to try it as a duet type of thing. We proceeded to draw up a list of names that would be our dream collaboration, top of which was Carleen Anderson and certainly more by luck than judgement a good friend of ours was presently in contact with her and therefore forwarded both the track and the

suggestions / proposition we had in mind, a week later we found ourselves sitting in Paul Weller’s Black Barn studio listening to Carleen sing our song like an angel, it was both humbling & thrilling in equal measures and not just a highlight of the whole recording but also of our musical journey thus far. 10) WONDROUS PLACE Like most good songs should, this one also came together very quickly, I’m particularly pleased with the lyrics, I think it’s a nice sentiment and certainly one I was feeling at the time and adds to the optimistic, spirited and defiant nature of the albums upbeat feel. Gaz’s sax solo is a belter too. Pete Williams from Dexys features on this adding the call and response to Neil’s vocal. It’s a fairly long piece to close the album weighing in at around 7 minutes but it wasn’t even a consideration to edit it, there was no compromise with this album. 11) THATS THE WAY I WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE A last minute addition to the album, it’s a song we had started including and closing our recent live sets with and the response and reaction to it has been overwhelming so we deemed it only correct that it should feature as part of this record. The upbeat optimism of the lyric certainly fitted the rest of the albums vibe so our decision was made simple, it could even end up being a single.

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SPOTLIG BIRMING DJ: How has online sales changed footwear retailing in recent year’s and how have you responded?

PAUL LAMB DJ: Give us some background to your life before Sims - Have you always been in the footwear industry?

Pl: I started with a sports retailer working in the shop and ended up with the duties of sports clothing buyer. Buying Pringle, Lyle & Scott, Sergio Tacchini etc was great fun for a 22 year old! DJ: How did you start Sims Footwear, and how long have you been trading? Pl: I wanted to start my own business and as I had a very good friend whose family business was wholesale footwear, it seemed like an obvious way to start. That was about 25 years ago. DJ: The GWA is a stunning arcade and provides a refreshing change to the mant generic centres we are used to to these days - Can you provide the background to your store and the arcade? Pl: Well our unit has always been a shoe shop. We’ve had the unit for around 15 years. The Moon and Ashmore family had a shoe shop at our shop for four generations. Cassons another shoe

retailer had it for a short while. It was then planned to be redeveloped into a restaurant when it was suddenly put back on the market, I jumped in, and turned it back to a shoe shop. So it’s effectively been a shoe shop for over 130 years! Pl: The arcade is built over the railway tunnel which links Snowhill Station to New Street Station, it is named after the Victorian Great Western Railway Company, hence the name Great Western Arcade. It is grade 2 listed and is a fabulous looking environment with bags of character. On a quiet Sunday you can feel the trains rumbling under the arcade. DJ: In terms of your customers coming into store what are the key looks/styles they buy into - mens and womens? Pl: Its an eclectic customer mix! Based in what is now the edge of the office quarter in Birmingham city centre. Local office workers make the largest proportion of our customers, this area is the largest office conurbation outside of London in the United Kingdom. We also see a mixture of shoppers, visitors, tourists and students.

Pl: We try to offer something a little different and try to differentiate from the multiples, this seems to get increasingly difficult every season, you sometimes feel that maybe everything’s been done and its just a case of combining different features together in different ways. Heel heights on ladies footwear are finally getting lower, a shoe doesn’t have to be on a 7 inch heel to look good! Brogues for men and women in all guises are still pretty strong, that classic heritage look is important at the moment. I guess the continued popularity of vintage and heritage also points to an emphasis regarding old standards of quality, comfort and durability and that is a very good thing but it doesn’t mean to say that the styling can be bland or boring. As a lot of major footwear brands are now global concerns I think some of the excitement of new ranges for the change of season has disappeared. They are difficult times and maybe the accounts side is taking precedent over the design. New trends tend to be picked up by the smaller brands much more effectively. I can go on for hours on the subject regarding the traditional shopping area in Birmingham, to the extent of even boring myself to pieces! I think it is pretty indicative of what has happened around the country. Although Birmingham has a lot to offer we have a large number of long term empty retail units. Some of these units have been vacant for up to 10 years, and that is just unacceptable. Over the last 20 years the ever increasing development of large cheaper out of town shopping centres with free car parking, huge

GHT ON GHAM

In this issue of All in Good Time we focus our attention on the vibrant city of Birmingham, our love of the city is immense, with its diverse and youthful outlook that embraces a heady mix of subcultures. We turn the spotlight on a couple of entrepreneurs who are well versed in the difficult game of modern retail. Both with different stories to tell and over numerous cappuccino’s we find out what makes these two fine gentlemen tick…

supermarkets selling virtually anything you could wish for, combined with an ever increasing and developing online market has resulted in devastation for some traditional shopping centres.

evolve. The result is a depressing sight, many boarded up long term empty shop units, many struggling established retailers, and very few new start up businesses which is very sad as this is killing the entrepreneurial spirit of the country. The only new shop openings we see are betting offices and pay day loan pawn shops, a pretty appalling indication where our society is heading. Sorry for the downer ....but every day customers ask ‘Why are there so many empty shops?’

High streets around the country are really important. They encapsulate where we live, our village, our town, or our city is usually based around a main high street which is inevitably the centre of the conurbation.

DJ: What is your ultimate shoe?

There are lots of comments regarding the death of the high st. Mary Portas has been heralded as a prospective saviour and now her efforts seem to have failed she appears to have been succeeded by Bill Grimsy, but I do feel most of this is just rhetoric.

PL: My ultimate shoe changes from time to time but I’m always a sucker for a Chelsea boot, the Universal fits the bill really well. It has got a great toe shape and in thebrown suede with the contrasting colour elastic panel looks great with a sharp suit or a little more relaxed with jeans, really nice!

It really is a simple problem to solve, if you look to the principles of supply and demand, the high street is just too expensive.

DJ: Who inspires you in your life, either in business or creatively?

There are two bodies who are mainly to blame for this, one is the government and the second are corporate landlords. The government is charging business rates that can be up to 80% overvalued, a small shop in Birmingham city centre can cost anything up to around £40,000 per annum in business rates alone. It is a system that just doesn’t work anymore, it is not fit for purpose and , as rates are at an all time high within town centres, these are the places that suffer. Corporate landlords won’t truly reduce rents, they are waiting for a rental recovery that is not going to happen and they are not happy to write off billions of pounds on their town centre property portfolios as this would effectively massively devalue their businesses. So we end up with the responsible parties effectively in denial and until they start to face up to this high streets cannot and will not

PL: No real heroes or idols, my family and friends are my biggest inspiration! I guess I admire anyone who acts and speaks passionately about a subject they believe in. I recently saw Russell Brand being interviewed by Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, this would be a good example. If you haven’t seen it, check it out online, even if you don’t agree, you’ll either love it or hate it and you’ll have some sort of opinion that’s for sure! If there was a subject that I’m passionate about and that I wish we could re instate to everyone it would be values. As so few of us make anything anymore I do feel we have all lost the real value of lots of products that we use every day, obviously footwear included. The attitude that it’s just a commodity with a price tag followed by the comment ‘Well that’s expensive!’ I find pretty annoying.

This intimates that the prospective customer could do better and make it for less, which of course inevitably they could not. It’s sad because it shows a huge lack of respect for the actual makers and if you can’t truly value a relatively simple thing like a pair of shoes how can you value the even more important things in life!! DJ: What are your thoughts on working with DJ and what we are bringing to the market place? PL: DJ has a traditional ethos that so many bigger brands have lost as they to try to globalize even further, stagnation in some parts of the industry is slowly making everything just a little too predictable. This isn’t the case with DJ. Its great to see some bold colours, with special finish upper treatments, combine this with some inspired sixties styling and it all translates very well to today’s wardrobe. The appeal is noticed from customers reactions of all ages as they see the range in store. DJ: Can you name your personal favourite from our collection? PL: I’ve already mentioned my liking for the Universal Chelsea boot. From the new styles coming through I think Kerouac would be a favourite. Classic brogue styling with some lovely detail on a lightweight sole unit. Looks great, very comfortable and really easy to wear formal or casual. DJ: Can you share any new plans for 2014? PL: Just keep going! We hope to give the shop a minor refit and develop our small online business further. Lets hope 2014 will get just a little easier for everyone out there. Where’s my music question? Ha Ha!!

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FRANKIE jOHNS DJ: Give us some background to your life before Urban Village; I understand you were in the music industry?

DJ: The Urban Village team seems a happy crowd and very much living the lifestyle – is that part of the success of Urban Village?

fJ: I owned couple of gyms that I set up with a good friend of mine, then after eight years I left to move into the music industry which I worked in for about ten years as a manager an consultant. There were several companies I worked with, AM, Sony, WEA and EMI.

fJ: Simple! We love it. We wear the clothes, drive the cars and the scooters and mix with like minded people. Urban Village is just the meat between the bread.

DJ: What gave you the idea to create Urban Village, when did you start it and why Birmingham? fJ: Urban Village started due to me wanting to move away from the music industry, I was shooting a video for WEA Records in L.A. and was staying at a hotel called The Standard and that’s where the idea came from, I was always into collecting old stuff such as records, scooters and vintage clothing. There was only one place to set it up and that was my home city of Birmingham. DJ: You are well known on the Birmingham scene – why do you think the city has such a strong, vibrant scene going? fJ: I am not sure why but Birmingham has always had a vibrant Mod scene. I got involved in 1979 and it has always been the same ever since and I am sure it will continue that way.

DJ: Would consider opening another Urban Village store – or do value its originality and independence? fJ: No. Just the one thank you, we don’t want to take over the world just enjoy it. DJ: What does the term “mod” mean to you and how far reaching is it in your life? fJ: From a young boy Mod seems to have influenced me. Mod to me was always about being smart, taking pride in ones self, lisning to Soulful music and not caring about what any one else thought of you. I was first attracted to it by the clothing and it has always been part of my life. My Mom was a great Mod back in the 1960s and I remmember the music being on all the time. So from as far back as I can remember it was there. DJ: What are your thoughts on working with Delicious Junction and what we are bringing to the market place?

Delicious Junction works on both a vintage and Mod audience. DJ: Can you name YOUR personal favourite from our collection? fJ: Without a shadow of doubt it has to be the Vandella. DJ: Who inspires you in your life, either in business or creatively? fJ: My wife and mother in my personal life and from a business point of view my two best mates Glen & Kam. DJ: I know you have many projects underway – can you share any new plans you have for 2014? fJ: Yes, Urban Village has opened a record department in the basement which will be in full swing over the next few months.. I will be putting a book together about 60s fashion and music which will be released in March 2015. Finally I am now involved in a new record label based in Birmingham, so lts all going on. DJ: How important is the Peacock to your life!? fJ: The Record label is called Peacock High Records, so very important!

fJ: Delicious Junction fits right into Urban Village. We are a vintage shop but ALL IN GOOD TIME 3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2014