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This month’s listeners choice is a compilation CD by Mod band RUN 229. To those of you not familiar with the name. RUN229 operated on the circuit in the late 70’s early 80’s and built up a very large following in the North West amongst the scooter clubs. The band also toured the length and breadth of the UK, back in the days when this was the done thing to ‘learn your trade’ Add to this the fact that they played with just about anybody in their brief but productive existence.

Mod- Eration has been released after all this time as a history of the band’s short life, and makes great listening especially if you are into ‘Power Pop’ as the 229’ers were one of the leaders of this brand of ‘no holds barred’ raw energy approach to their music. The line up was not typical of your average Mod band at the time as they toyed with keyboards and electric violin to obtain a very original and frantic sound unlike anything around at the time. Their lead singer’s (mark Allen) almost operatic type vocal combined with tight harmonies give the band a distinctive sound.

The band’s leader was drummer Ray Bibby who was a fanatic Who Fan and wanted to put together a line-up capable of getting the same type of power. Some of the songs on this CD suggest that he achieved this and some. From aggressive tunes like ‘Say that it’s hard’ and the amazingly catchy and chorus orientated ‘we can dance forever ‘ are surely good enough to have followed The Jam up the charts in a fairer world. Although 229 never wrote any actual love songs as such, tunes like ‘Emily’ have undeniable frustrated emotions while eerie and edgy tracks like ‘realise’ and ‘growing up’ show a band with a definite finger on the pulse of raw aggressive muscle. The now cult single ‘Soho’ is on the album which features the violin playing of John Tallon Jones who also plays fiddle on ‘listen to the Radio’ which is one of the tracks that hark back to the days of punk. Some of the less energetic songs are ‘don’t say you’ll go’ and ‘Shellshock’ which show another side of the group’s versatility with a Heavy reggae ‘Dub’ type feel.

Despite some TV appearances and being signed for a short time by Baal Records which was a subsidiary of Pye records, RUN 229 never quite reached their full potential and split up in the early 80’s. Even though all this happened over thirty years ago, their music like fine wine has lasted the test of time, and Mod-Eration is now there to be rediscovered by a new ‘Mod’ generation. If you don’t listen to anything else this year, listen to this CD.