Days out

The picture of Gabriele Scicluna riding his Vespa scooter on the logo for Reading, Steady, Go!
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Marvellous Mod memories

By Mike Pyle
April 05, 2011

A scooter-loving Mod who has become the face of an exhibition celebrating Reading in the 1960s has spoken about his memories of Mods, rockers, cafes, concerts and more.

Pictures of Caversham man Gabriele Scicluna are now all over town as a picture of him riding his Vespa scooter in the 60s has been chosen to form the logo for Reading, Steady, Go! – an exhibition which opens at Reading Museum on Saturday.

The 60-year-old got involved in the project when a friend of his, former Mod Paul ‘Smiler’ Anderson, asked him to help with a book he was writing about Reading in the 60s.

Mr Scicluna contributed photos and other memorabilia he had to Mr Anderson’s appeal and then Reading Museum contacted Mr Anderson to say it was interested in taking his research and basing an exhibition on it.

The museum has since chosen a picture of a young Mr Scicluna on his Vespa to feature as the logo for the exhibition which is now on posters all over town.

Mr Scicluna said: “I sold that scooter when I was 16. That was my first scooter but I was working my way up to a Vespa SS. I had that one then I sold it and got a Vespa GS and then, six months later after a bit of ducking and diving, I was able to get an SS.”

Reading had a thriving Mod scene during the 60s with groups meeting at venues like the Kentuckian Wheel which used to be in Duke Street, the Honey Bear in London Street and XL Bowl in Vastern Road.

Mr Scicluna said: “It was massive. Being so close to London, Maidenhead and Slough, where there were also large groups of Mods – it had a real good feel about it. I get goose pimples when I think about it now. It was special – there was an amazing atmosphere. It was magic.

“There were lots of house parties and coffee bars where people used to go and the St Ann’s Youth Club was popular. You’d go there and there would be 100 teenagers all shuffling their feet to music.

“You would just be careful if you had to go near the Viking, that’s the Gorge Café now, because that’s where the rockers would meet.”

At the time the Reading Post was even distributed by people riding Vespas with sidecars full of newspapers.

Reading, Steady, Go!, which is backed by the Post, Liam Gallagher’s Reading-based fashion label Pretty Green, and Reading Festival organiser Festival Republic, runs from Saturday, April 9, until October at Reading Museum at the Town Hall in Blagrave Street.

Mr Scicluna said: “It’s fantastic. It’s a credit to everyone who’s involved in it and all those who are putting it together.”

To mark the launch of the exhibition on Saturday, April 9, there will be a scooter procession, Rolling Stones tribute band the Counterfeit Stones will play at the Concert Hall in the Town Hall, just like the Stones did in the 1960s, and the After Dark Club in London Street will become late night Mod club The Alex.

The exhibition starts from 10am on Saturday, April 9.

Tickets for the Counterfeit Stones are available through www.readingarts.com and will include free entry to the After Dark.

What are your memories of Reading in the 60s? Write to hilaryscott@trinitysouth.co.uk or leave a commment.

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Maybe you should make these articles a regular daily feature. The Ready Steady Go spot.

Professor Warwicks Robot
07/04/2011 at 10:46

I was a Mod in the early 80's and fondly remember the great times I had meeting up with like minded others on Saturdays at Knights in Broad Street, then hanging out in the Rafina and Platters cafe. A group of us also drank in the Boars Head in Friar Street and also The George on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - we'd start off at the pub and then move on to Northern Soul nights at the weekend dotted around the local area. I still have pictures of me and my mates larking around at the bandstand in the Forbury and a large group of us walking through Broad Street. I'm 45 now but I still listen to soul and 60's music - as Larkin says 'once a Mod always a Mod' - unforgettable times indeed.