Artist
The Mode
Pictures
History
Formed in Thundersley, Essex circa 1965. Privately released a four track E.P. in 1967. The Mode were picked out by a talent scout from Decca records in May, 1967 and invited down the studios in West Hampstead to record two of their songs. Decca selected two songs for a proposed debut single release later that year. The proposed single was: Eastern Music (Back to Front) b/w In This World Of Mine. Although it was scheduled for a release in 1967, Decca lost interest and the single was never released.
NB. Harrison, Millidge and Sharpling later appeared in a band called Rupert Bear with Chris Rose.
Source of material: Metal master cassette transferred to CD circa 1995. Original source: 1. White label 7 inch vinyl single. 2. Quarter inch reel tape.
In This World Of Mine was the intended B-side for the projected second single recorded for Decca records. Eastern Music (Back To Front) was The Mode’s projected second single release.
At some point, prior to 1983, a few seconds were erased during the instrumental section. This was a typical ‘cutting room’ editing method applied by a studio engineer. The method was otherwise known as ‘splicing’.
For the 1983 cassette release, I took a razor blade to the tape and simply spliced four bars out of the interrupted instrumental section, truncating the end section without too much of a detrimental effect if you are not listening out for it.
For authenticity’s sake, I have attempted to recreate the original version of the song by digitally copying and pasting the missing part using a programme called ‘sound forge’.
Dubbed from the white label EP
1. Gone
2. 2. Girl
3. She Won’t Be Here Today
4. The Mode (Dance)
Dubbed from the meta master cassette
5. Eastern Music
6. Gone
7. She Won’t Be Here Today
8. In This World Of Mine (tape spliced version)
9. The Mode (Dance)
10. Girl
11. Backing Britain (live version)
Dubbed from the cassette copy of the quarter inch reel tape
12. Eastern Music
13. In This World Of Mine (Incomplete version)
14. Gone (live version)
15. She Won’t Be Here Today (lie version)
16. Girl (live version)
17. Backing Britain (live version)
18. Eastern Music Back To Front (live version)
19. Girl (slow version) (live version)
To the very best of my knowledge, these are all of the Mode recordings still in existence. Please note that there are three different versions of Girl (studio, live, slow-live) and two different versions of Gone and She Won’t Be Here Today (studio, live).
Location
Hundersley, Essex.
Members
Derek Sharpling (vocals, Clarinet), Tony Jones (guitar), Steve Weeks (guitar), Dave Millidge (bass guitar), Jeff Harrison (drums).
Copyright Notices
All titles composed by Sharpling / Jones / Weeks / Millidge / Harrison.
All titles published by Flying Pig Enterprises. 1983 – 2011.
Original sound recordings copyright 1966 / 1967, The Mode Ltd.. Flying Pig Enterprises. 2011.
Thanks to Rupert Goddard for his great assistance in putting together all recorded archival material and photographic images. Special thanks to David Millidge for supplying all original materials.
All information and archival materials kindly supplied by Gary Millidge. 2011.
Special thanks to Gary Millidge.