Shindig! 25

THE BEE GEES
THE BEE GEES exploded onto the British pop scene in 1967 and never looked back. Their success as performers, writers and producers was paralleled only by that of The Beatles, whose popularity they briefly overtook. During an initial burst of creativity that saw them achieve both critical and commercial acclaim and spawned dozens of timeless songs, the three prodigal sons and their two pals had the whole world in their grasp.
In the first of our exclusive two-part timeline, Bee Gees biographer and '60s pop authority ANDREW SANDOVAL leads us through that extraordinary period one day at a time...

JASON FALKNER
Have you heard the one about the handsome fella from The Three O'Clock, Jellyfish and The Grays who's enjoyed an ongoing 15 year solo career, played guitar for Macca, trod the stage with Air, Aimee Mann, Beck and Brendan Benson (amongst others) and achieved the status of legend in Japan? No?
JASON FALKNER explains to CHRIS TWOMEY how having played in bands on the cusp of rock stardom, being dropped from a major label and releasing albums on tiny indie labels has made him "frustrated, but not discouraged"

THE MODERN FOLK QUARTET
After treading the boards and recording as earnest early '60s folkies THE MODERN FOLK QUARTET blossomed into one of LA's earliest progenitors of electric folk-rock (just check out the 1965 Shindig! TV performance of 'Come On In' on YouTube). They collaborated with Phil Spector and released two fine singles on Dunhill.
DAVID PEARSON follows the band's journey, their involvement with The Lovin' Spoonful, Turtles, Monkees and Association, and the artistry of Jerry Yester

MIGHTY BABY/CHILLI WILLI
MARTIN STONE was a latecomer to mod gods The Action before helming festival sages Mighty Baby and pub-rock forefathers Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers.
In this extract from his definitive account of the pub-rock scene, JOHN BLANEY takes us back to its dawn via encounters with Islam, bluegrass, T Rex and Mike Nesmith.

JERRY SHIRLEY
A young mod about town meets The Small Faces, becomes part of the Immediate Records family and joins Humble Pie aged 17.
JERRY SHIRLEY tells JON 'MOJO' MILLS about Marriott, Moonie, George, Syd and the good and bad times

THE M-80s
BRIAN GREENE was one of the many youngsters in Norfolk, Virginia who were knocked sideways by the searing garage-punk/R&B of homegrown sons THE M-80's.
Here he finds out why, after one stellar album in 1994, they were gone but not forgotten

THE LEOPARDS
DOMENIC PRIORE recalls the timeless music of Kansas City transplant Dennis Pash and his Kinksian legacy with THE LEOPARDS

MARY EPWORTH
You've got to hand it to Mary Epworth, Will Twynham and the Hand Of Glory label, says MARCO ROSSI

NEW MUSIC:
Soft Hearted Scientists
Modular
Giuda