11 Quadrophenia facts to know before you watch it live on the beach next week

Quadrophenia comes to the big screen in Brighton this summer, playing for one date only at the Luna Cinema on Brighton beach on 12 July, and we are already buffing our bowling shoes.

When you think of films and Brighton this has to be one of those that immediately springs to mind, along with Brighton Rock. But the enduring appeal of the subculture clash means that Quadrophenia is still at the heart of mods around the world.

To celebrate this iconic film we’ve put together a handful of mod-related Quadrophenia facts for you…

1. Quadrophenia was the sixth studio album by The Who, released as a double album on 26 Oct 1973. It is the group’s second rock opera – the first being Tommy. The story follows a young mod named Jimmy and his search for self-worth and importance, set in London and Brighton in 1965.

2. It is the only Who album to be entirely composed by Pete Townshend. He wrote it, mostly, because the band were bored of playing Tommy live and he needed to find something new for them!

3. The word ‘mod’ is short for ‘Modernist’ and the cultural ethos is about music, solvency and looking sharp. Mods first appeared in the late 50s-early 60s and were a kind of antidote to post-war poverty and shabby threads.

4. There is a Quadrophenia Walk you can take in Brighton, to tour all the sites featured in the film.

5. Brighton is full of little bits of Quadrophenia, but one of our favourites is the Modrophenia bedroom at the Pelirocco Hotel, complete with Lambretta bedside tables, target duvet and paisley bathroom!

6. Easter weekend 1964 saw the biggest ever battle between mods and rockers in Brighton, where fights lasted two days and moved along the coast to Hastings and back; earning the clash its ‘Second Battle of Hastings’ tag.

7. John Lydon was originally approached for the lead role of Jimmy and even screen-tested for it, but the distributors refused to insure him for the part.

8. The scene where Jimmy and his mates are on their bikes overlooking the sea and pier and say, ‘That’s Brighton’, is actually Eastbourne. That’s why Beachy Head is on their right.

9. The hotel where Jimmy is famously disillusioned by seeing the ‘Ace Face’ (AKA Sting) working as a bell boy is none other than the Grand! Have a look at the inside of it in this snippet here…

10. Birds of a Feather’s Linda Robson auditioned for the part of Steph.

11. Meanwhile Leslie Ash who ended up with the part was supposed to have a ’60s pixie crop, but was reluctant to cut her long strawberry-blonde hair, so they went for the longer look instead.

WIN WIN WIN

We have teamed up with the Grand Brighton to offer an amazing competition – two people to win a fabulous lunch in their gorgeous GB1 restaurant and then see Quadrophenia at the Luna Cinema. For a chance to win this corker, click HERE and follow the instructions

SEE THE FILM
If you feel like slinging on some sharp threads and hitting the beach for some seriously mod entertainment, Quadrophenia is on 12 July, doors 6pm – tickets from Luna Cinema