THE ACTION
Exclusive interview with Mike Evans from 60's Mod legends,
The Action!

I first came across the Action many years ago, when Andy Bell, who is now in Oasis, but was then in Ride recommended I check them out.

"Same sort of thing as The Creation but they've got a more of a soul influence. They sound like a real Mod band" - Andy Bell of Oasis on The Action.

It wasn't long after I hunted down the excellent Edsel comp 'The Ultimate Action' and I've been a fan ever since. As much as I love modern music when I want to hear pure blue-eyed Mod pop/soul I always dig out rare 60s trax like those from the Action.

Now thanks to the wonders of the World Wide Web and a thriving underground scene for the 60's obsessive, the profile of cult bands like The Action is now higher than ever. So high that the original members of the Action have reformed and played a handful of reunion dates over the last couple of years, launched a web site and recently released a live video featuring rare archive footage of the band in their prime.

The Action life span was short and sweet but they did enough to build a reputation for being a knock out live band. In an article from Paulo Hewitt's 'A Sharper Word' (an excellent collection of writings on the cult of Mod), original Portsmouth Mod Ian Hebditch describes a typical Action live show consisted of two lengthy sets. Kicking off the first set with a cover of 'Heatwave' and whipping the packed crowd up into a frenzy that never fades away. The band return for a final set with 'In My Lonely Room'…

"The beat, the heat and the sweat carry on for about an hour, then the Action leave the stage to thunderous applause having done two encores, they look completely fagged out and they're wet with perspiration, so am I and my throat feels hoarse with shouting"

They released a legacy of five fine timeless singles between 1965 and 1967 produced by Beatles producer, George Martin and featuring the gruff but silky, emotive and truly soulful vocals of Reggie King.

Listen to their unique interpretations of soul classics like 'I'll keep On Holding On' and 'Land of a 1000 Dances'. These classic black sounds are effortlessly transformed into something completely different whilst retaining the utmost respect for the original sound. You can envisage clean cut, snappily dressed Mods from any era gliding across the dancefloor to these wondrously slick and sophisticated sounds.

Listening to the Action conjures up bold images of not just another long gone era but a feeling of what was and still is the essence of Mod. An attitude of individuality, a feeling that I'm onto something special, something a lot of people don't know about (and I'm not so sure I want them to find out!?)

Call it simply nostalgia but you can take more from the attitude and timeless style of bands like the Who, Small Faces, Yardbirds, Creation, Birds and The Action than you can from many of today's corporate arse-licking, career mad and quite frankly, boring bands.

It's a crying shame that the Action never went on to release more records but Edsels' 'Ultimate Action' compilation tells you all you need to know about this fascinating band.

The subtle, teasing and playful arrangements highlight a band on top form, at the peak of their powers. Heavenly harmonies and the tight pounding back beat combine with Reggie King's effortlessly soulful crooning create a magical brew of classy Motown flavoured pop soul. From evocative ballads like 'Since I lost my baby' and 'Just once in your life' smothered in vintage echo with Reggie pouring out his wounded soul to the uptempo swagger of 'Hey sha-lo-ney' and 'The place'. The album doesn't disappoint.

Ready Steady Go! caught up with bassist Mike Evans and asked him to take us back to those memorable days in one of the mid sixties most existing bands but first, how did the recent 100 club gig go? Are you planning to stick together and do more shows/records?

Mike Evans: "The gig at 100 club was brilliant, Phil Collins played drums for the whole set and Frank Mead from Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings and Nick Pentelowe who plays in the musical Blood Brothers played baritone, tenor, alto sax and mouth organ between them. It is unlikely that we will play any more gigs as Alan now lives in NZ but never say never".

RSG: Are there any more unreleased tracks lurking in the vaults - live/studio/alternate takes?

Mike: "After Rolled Gold probably not but if we find anything we will put it out if we can".

RSG: How do you rate Reg King's voice amongst his better known contemporaries?

Mike: "I always thought that Reg was as good as anyone if not better. I remember the first time I heard him sing, in a pub in Kentish Town I went there with Keith Moon. Reg was singing "Stand by me" and I thought, Yeah. Later Keith sat in on drums and proceeded to smash them up much to the resident drummer's horror".

RSG: How friendly were you with other up and coming bands? Who were your rivals and your allies? I hear Keith Moon was pally with you in the early days. Did most bands tend to hang around together in those days or was there a bit of jealousy and egos knocking about?

Mike: "Always friendly as far as I can remember amongst the good bands. I used to play in a group with Keith before the Who/Action. Bands like the Who/Action/Birds and others would often meet up at clubs in London after playing gigs. I cannot remember much jealousy mostly respect. You cannot make rock n roll without breaking ego's".

RSG: What was the nightlife like in London? What are your memories of those times?

Mike: "Very active and exciting you needed a lot of stamina and money to survive".

RSG: How purist were the Action? I read Reg King say 'The Action never played any songs by white artists' in the early days. Sounds like a very Mod stance and I'd guess a very unique thing to proclaim back then.

Mike: "You can say the same for English blues players, it was just an honest remark really".

RSG: You looked very stylish in those days, great hair, nice threads - how dedicated were you to image or how important was it to you back then?

Mike: "We were basically the same as all the other Mods except that we played".

RSG: How influential was George Martin? What are you memories from those sessions? How much input/influence did the band members have in the studio? Were you allowed to run riot in the studio or were you kept in check and told what to do and when to do it?

Mike "He was a massive influence on us musically and from a recording perspective. However it was all our input George embellished and got it right for the recording process. There was never enough time to run riot and anyway we were far too polite".

RSG: The Beatles must have been close by when you were recording with George Martin. Did your paths ever cross? Have you any memories/anecdotes you could share with us?

Mike: "Yes it did happen and it was always amazing, but we were always in awe of them like most people. Once they turned up when we were rehearsing at the Marquee and sat and watched us running through applauding every song we thought we were dreaming".

RSG: Most 'white' bands make a mess of covering authentic black American R&B;/Soul tracks but the Action had a rare knack of interpreting them and making them their own. How do you think you managed to achieve that?

Mike: "I don't think it is as rare as people think you have to love what you do and I saw many UK bands who could express themselves".

RSG: What do you hear when you listen back to those Action records?

Mike: "Sometimes only half the story because the Action were a live club band, and recording was a different process, which was always intense and frustrating. It has a very sixties sound".

RSG: What was your favourite Action track and why?

Mike: "Since I lost my baby, and In my Lonely Room stand out, they go beyond just covering another recording and are examples of the Action at best"

RSG: Tell us about your live shows/gigs - do you feel the Action were a better live band than on record? What cover versions did you used to do?

Mike "I thought we were a much better live band for the above reasons. Some of the songs by Don Covay were my favourites, 'Have Mercy', 'See Saw' I still do not who the bass player was on those records if anyone knows please let me know. I believe Jimi Hendrix actually plays guitar on 'Have Mercy'".

RSG: You were a hard touring band - were did the road take you? Did you ever play in my hometown Leeds?

Mike "Yes Leeds University I think and places all around, The Little Black Fat Pussycat in Bradford Springs to mind. When we formed Mighty Baby we wrote a song called "Tasting the Life" which is about being on the road".

RSG: How would you sum up the sixties era through your experiences? Were you aware of the significance of those times or did things seem to just evolve naturally?

Mike: "We plan to write a book about this and a suitable summary may come out of it. Again a lot of our thoughts at the time are contained in lyrics of songs on "Rolled Gold" and Mighty Baby Tracks"

RSG: Many people look back on the sixties with rose tinted glasses and talk about the long lost days of innocence. Do you subscribe to that? It's common knowledge that the Mod scene in the early 60s was fuelled by pills and LSD/Acid later influenced psychedelia.

Mike: "No I don't, but it was a unique time and our book will be definitive".

RSG: What music were you into in your teens? I guess rock'n'roll hit you first and then soul/r&b; inspired you to make music? Who were your heroes?

Mike: "I had run through early rock n roll and started modern jazz before I left school after that I met Geoff Bradford, one of the greatest English Blues players, he introduced me to blues music and then I progressed to R&B; and deeper into modern jazz and soul music. Practically every singer musician from Motown, Stax and Chess plus Mingus and Coltrane".

RSG: Your sound evolved from Black American records, yet the big thing at the time was Merseybeat. Was there a reaction to that scene in London by hardcore Mods and bands like the Action.

Mike: "You have to remember that Merseybeat was influenced by black American music too. We were in the unusual position of being produced by the same man who made the Beatles records who epitomised Merseybeat, I think that shows how it all comes together".

RSG: I read that you used to go see a lot of the touring R&B; acts from the US. Tell us about the artists you saw and what the shows were like?

Mike: "Well I didn't see that many but the Stax show was the greatest, as well as Solomon Burke, Charlie and Inez Fox and Mary Wells. We also played with Stevie Wonder at the Marquee and Arthur Alexander".

RSG: I also read that you met the late, great Otis Redding ( I read a box on Stax Records recently and Otis sounds like he had a giant personality that rubbed off on people). What are your memories of that occasion?

Mike: "It was very brief but I didn't wash my hand for some time".

RSG: Finally, it's the year 2000. The Action never had a hit record, yet today you still mean a lot to many young people who were not even born in the 60s. Your sound is a fresh and timeless as ever and puts many modern bands to shame. What do you make of it all?

Mike: "It is a real knock out to see and we often wonder if we have entered a parallel universe. I have noticed it is not just a look but the same enthusiasm, and the knowledge of the music is incredible, we have tried to say as much in the video we have produced about the band. "In the Lap of the Mods" because we felt it had to be said".

You can contact the Action at their web site: www.actionmightybaby.co.uk where you can also purchase the video "In the Lap of the Mods".

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