It's been a while since Spy Vibe reported that Liam Gallagher (Oasis) formed a new men's designer clothing line inspired by Mod style. If Spy Vibe is "1960s Style Meets Action", then anyone who has seen Gallagher strut to the edge of the stage and belt out a tune knows that this guy has it in spades. Liam's passions are music and clothes, and his new company, Pretty Green, continues to offer some really cool gear! Spy Vibers will know that Mod culture has been through many waves and incarnations. As discussed in the new documentary, The Who, The Mods, and the Quadrophenia Connection, the 1979 film version of The Who's classic concept album coincided with an upcoming underground Mod subculture (including Jam master, Paul Weller- another rocker-turned limited edition designer). Mainstreaming Mod fashion in the early 1980s seemed to kill the integrity of the movement, perhaps as it originally did in the mid-1960s. Nothing deflates the power of a subculture like success. But despite the mass-packaging of Keith Moon-style RAF target T-shirts and the like, an authentic group of Mods has endured. Perhaps these waves are not so much revivalist as much as they are, for some, sincere updates for each generation that identifies with Mod sensibilities. From what I know of Liam, he'd probably laugh at any analysis and remind us that these clothes are -just plain cool, man! Quoted on Live4Ever, Liam said, "It's more about style than fashion, and Pretty Green won't take any notice of trends. Fashion comes and goes. Style remains." Along with limited edition Mod parkas, boating blazers, and Lennon-inspired caps at Pretty Green, you'll find a number of collarless jackets, scarves, and even a wool coat that references Paul McCartney's "Fool On the Hill" segment in Magical Mystery Tour. It appears that Liam is having fun with this project. As for his music, the last I heard is that Liam is writing new material and planning to record with Gem and Andy. Hopefully Ringo's son, Zak Starkey (The Who), will return as drummer. Pay a visit to Pretty Green and check out the catalog, as well as an archive of videos and interviews. For you iTunes people, here is Spy Vibe's best-of-Liam tracks from Oasis: Songbird, Meaning of Soul, Better Man, Born on a Different Cloud, Love Like a Bomb, Guess God Thinks I'm Abel, I'm Outta Time, and the cover of My Generation by The Who.
