“ The Modernist Beat” – The story of Jason Disley

I was born in 1969, my Dad was only 17 when I was born, brought up in Manchester, my Dad had flirted with the trade of being a DJ, and as many a young man in the North his obsessions were with black American music, whether it be Jazz, Blues, Soul, and British R&B – it’s influence could not be escaped, music was on all the time at home, and Sunday evenings from 1977 – 1981 in particular saw my Dad religiously recording Alexis Korner’s Blues and Soul radio show. I have said this before, but his collection of tapes will probably make a more complete archive than the Beebs own collection of recordings. Such an environment filled my head with great music, and helped shape my tastes.

As I grew up in the 70s Northern Soul, Funk and blues were as stated the soundtrack at home, My Dad’s favourite record label was Stax, and he also enjoyed soul music that was coming out of Philadelphia – so I was exposed to quality from a young age. Outside at school there was the cheese that was ABBA, Brotherhood of Man etc, and Punk. I was Eight years old in 1977, so my exposure to Punk was somewhat limited. The Jam, The Clash and The Buzzcocks, for example would be bands I would come to appreciate when I was older. It would be The Style Council that would capture my attention in the 80s. As I progressed to my teens in the late eighties I soaked up the sounds that were around. Madchester and the whole scene of Acid House filled the airwaves, and I was going out discovering the excitement of clubbing, and girls.

Although there were elements of Mod influence around in my upbringing – I didn’t really adopt it in the obsessive way of many others. I floated along through life soaking in everything, watching everything. I was now a student at college in Bury. I was training to be a chef. I would go out in Bury some weekends, and then I started going out in Manchester itself and would go to The Hacienda. Style was informed by my peers, and reading material. I had started buying The Face magazine and ID magazine. I was reading about music coming out of London, clubs and something called Acid Jazz. Ever the rebel. I was bored with local house parties that seemed to all have at least one room where the soundtrack was The Smiths. The scene that was being written about elsewhere fascinated me. It was about this time I first heard Galiano and The James Taylor Quartet, The Young Disciples, and The Brand New Heavies.

It was listening to Galiano and Frederick Lies Still that got me into poetry, the lyricism and flow making something wake up inside me. Enjoying a wide range of music, and reading about Acid Jazz – I – like many saw the influence of Mod being reinterpreted, the coolness of originality and the magpie ethic of pinching things for your own use was evident. It was a refreshing reinterpretation. Trips to London saw me visit Duffer of St George in D’arblay Street in Soho, where I bought clothing that befitted the style and music I was into. Acid Jazz also saw me revisiting the music of the 60s and 70s that I had grown up with. Then as we hit the 90s the Rave scene was the predominant scene, I had moved to Devon and found myself having to find and make new friends. I was a Manc with Madchester swagger and arrogance, it didn’t take long to make friends, especially as I was seen as a good dancer. I became well known and helped promote club nights such as Addiction at Claires in Torquay, and the raves in Plymouth at the Warehouse, and the Accademy. As much as I enjoyed the euphoria of the E generation, I soon became bored of the music on the scene, and began to listen to other music. Music from the Sixties reminded me of the tunes I used to hear growing up, and I explored many other genres. Jazz began to interest me, and when I was in darker moments I was listening to The Doors and Jim Morrison. I read On The Road by Jack Kerouac and a friend gave me an anthology of Allen Ginsberg’s work. At the same time I bought a Vespa Douglas 100 sport. So, there I was in my personal bubble having soaked up many influences. Ever the avid reader, I began to write. 1996 saw my first publication – which in a way was my manifesto.

The book was titled The New Beat Generation. It was a tiny pocket book of twenty poems. Published by Arthur H Stockwell – I was wanting a New Beat Generation to emerge. I identified with the Beats, their need for kicks and experience, while at the same time I was getting more drawn into the Mod lifestyle, whose living for the weekend, appreciation of Jazz etc had many similarities. I realised that I was both a Modernist and a Beat. I continued to write, and dug everything. I followed up the NBG with a second volume in 2002 this was called The New Beat Generation and Other Spontaneous Verse. I had purposefully adopted the ideas of the original Beats and wrote Spontaneous pieces, some of which were not edited in any way so that they kept their rawness of conception.

Then at the end of the 90s things paused. I had fallen in love, Married my wife, and naturally we had children. The writing went on the back burner as life’s responsibilities took hold.2016 saw the realisation that The New Beat Generation was 20 years old! Where had the time gone? Rather than just release The NBG again, I decided to make a version of The New Beat Generation and Other Spontaneous Verse available again. Working on formatting and self publishing this time was the catalyst for a prolific period. 2016 Also saw the release of Jazz Poetry – Improvisations in Language, and Beat, Blues and the Rhythm Of Fools. Which I was thrilled to see have a foreword written by Mod fiction author Jason Brummell. Having written a collection of poetry about Jazz, and another that was influenced by Blues music – it was natural that I write a collection that was influenced by Soul music. This saw the release of Runaway Soul!

I also wrote a detective story set in Manchester during 1965 that involved a Private Eye, and a couple of young Northern Mods, who were trying to find a missing Polish girl. The book Seven Day Fool was very well received and was published by Jason Brummell’s Suave Collective Publishing. Inspired by releasing this book I have continued to write. I have developed my own ‘voice’ as a writer and have found myself contributing to magazines and zines, recording an album of spoken word with original music composed by musician, producer and author Rick Blackman on Heavy Soul Records, performed spoken word at various venues around the country, including being on stage with French Boutik and Dr Bird, and have performed at various March Of The Mods events. I have set up my own publishing imprint Beatnpress, and continue to write, with opportunities coming my way that I would never have imagined. I have contributed to the wonderfullly modernist Detail Magazine, and write regularly for Zani.co.uk. I also have a style book called The Desired Article in production with Zani – Which I can not wait to see released. Plus there are other projects in the works. Including a surreal Jazz infused novella under the pseudonym Diz called The Lost Notes which will be released through Beatnpress – it’s a book that mixes poetry, prose and film scripts in a jazzy style.

Lastly there is an as yet unpubliscised project with Nick Keen and Alf Button, and two more novels in the works. In true modernist style I keep moving forward, with works inspired by the past but are reinterpreted for today in new ways. I have the drive of the original Beats and an outlook that says I am not finished yet. This is still the start despite the fact I have been writing for over twenty-five years.

For more information about Jason Disley.

https://jasondisley.wordpress.com/

www.facebook.com/beatnpress
https://www.facebook.com/beattoapulppoetryHis poetry books are available from

www.beatnpress.co.uk
www.lulu.com
www.amazon.co.uk
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.bookshop.blackwell.co.uk

Seven Day Fool is available to order from

www.suavecollective.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk

Mods Of Your Generation 2021, All Rights Reserved. No part of this interview may be reproduced without the permission of the authors and Mods Of Your Generation . Image ©️ Jason Disley