"In the beginning there were only a few of us, we would dress up in our vintage mohair suits, sit around in local cafes and talk about how great it would be if the entire city were full of mods and modettes, rude boys and rude girls. The clubs would be filled with sweaty dancers and their parking lots with shiny scooters. This year was the summer of 1980. We didn't realize that by 1981 we'd be in the middle of our dream come true. All of a sudden there were hundreds of us everywhere. MODS ARE GO."
The influence of 2 Tone "outside of the UK remains one of its most enduring legacies. In fact, the speed with which the sounds born and made in Coventry, Birmingham and London made their way across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S." was astounding.
One of the first bands out of the Los Angeles ska scene, The Untouchables formed in 1981 and in 1982 released "Twist 'N' Shake" on their own label Dancebeat. Then in 1983 came "Tropical Bird." In 1984 the band signed to UK's Stiff Records.
Their first 12" was the six song EP "Live & Let Dance, that included originals like 'Free Yourself,' 'Lebanon,' 'Whiplash' and 'What's Gone Wrong' all of which got some local play on" Los Angeles radio station KROQ during the 1980s, mostly on "Rodney on the Roq, but occasionally during regular rotation as well."
The album also includes a great live cover of "Stepping Stone." The band's "early singles and records were eagerly bought up by mods and have become rarities. It was in '84 that The Untouchables started to get recognition, becoming the posterboys for the Los Angeles mod scene appearing in movies like Repo Man and Surf II."
Live and Let Dance was followed up with Wild Child in 1985, Agent Double O Soul in 1988, and Decade of Dance in 1991.
Photo: The Waist High Collection
Material: The Untouchables Official Myspace & Marco On The Bass
