Examining and illustrating the art scene surrounding the birth of modernism and its simultaneous rise among the burgeoning working class Mod scene of the Sixties, Paul Anderson's Mod Art is the definitive work on the visual culture of Mod. With interviews from key artists, scene members and a rich understanding of the how the collision of high art and mass culture formed, Mod Art will appeal to fans of history, music, fashion and art. Gorgeously illustrated with a treasure trove of hundreds of colour photographs of famous, rediscovered and rare images from the era, Mod Art will be read and re-read for years to come. Paul Anderson's previous book, The New Religion , is a best seller in the genre and considered a defining work on the subculture.
Paul 'Smiler' Anderson (born 1965) is an English author and DJ. He has written extensively on the UK 'Mod' scene; Mods: The New Religion is a best seller in the genre and considered a defining work on the subculture.
Anderson began hosting and DJing at local events in Reading in 1985, and has gone on to DJ at national and international events including Rimini, Barcelona, and Rome.He currently co-runs The Fourth Dimension nights in Reading centred around Jazz, Funk, Soul and Hip Hop, as well as the Soho ‘Jazz For Moderns' night, and 'The Modcast' boat parties and events.
He co-wrote and self-published several issues of a 'Modzine', Don't Wanna None-o-that Groove Thang, in the mid-eighties.He has since written music articles for magazines including Shindig!, and various sleevenotes for the ‘History of R&B’ label ‘Soho Jazz’ LPs,plus the ‘Rare Mod’ series of compilations and EPs on Acid Jazz records.
He co-organised the 'Reading Steady, Go!' exhibition at Reading Museum in 2011. The exhibition depicted life through the eyes of a 1960s Mod, and featured a working original jukebox from the Birdcage club in Portsmouth, along with scooters, posters, and 1960s 'Mod' paraphernalia. It ran for six months and was their most successful exhibition.
Anderson is considered an authority on modernist culture and has been interviewed extensively on the subject, including BBC local radio. His books include ‘Circles – The Strange Story of The Fleur De Lys’ ( Acid Jazz Publishing 2009), ‘Mods – The New Religion’ ( Omnibus 2014) which became a best seller, ‘The Pocket Guide To Mod’ ( Red Planet 2018) and ‘Mod Art’ (Omnibus 2019). His most recent book is Scorcha! about Skinheads and Suedeheads 1966-73 with fellow author Mark Baxter.