The Modbeats Remember Frankie Avalon
In that odd netherworld of pre-Beatle rock history, when the original spark of rock’n’roll seemed dead, a vacuum was created. In the early ‘60s, Little Richard had joined the ministry. Chuck Berry was in jail. Elvis was in the Army. Buddy Holly was dead. The Everly Brothers went country. Jerry Lee Lewis was ostracized for marrying his 13-year old cousin. Up stepped some freshly scrubbed teen idols with paltry bubble-gum white-bread pop songs to fill the void. Rock’n’Roll, if not exactly dead, was in a coma, lying dormant, waiting for The Beatles. Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Pat Boone, Paul Anka and Frankie Avalon were the flavors of the moment.
Fast-Forward 60+ years. The Modbeats, out of Cherry Hill, wrote a song during the pandemic and had it produced in Asbury Park. “Frankie” combines Chuck Berry-styled riffs with Beach Boys joyousness yet its thoroughly modern. It’s a perfect summer song. But aren’t these guys too young to even know who Frankie Avalon is?
“No,” they answer. “We remember Frankie Avalon, and, for the purposes of the song, he is a metaphor and an expression of all that is great about the summer. That is to say, cruising out of Philly to the shore, meeting someone special, soaking up the summer. As we've said before: `Frankie’ is a vibe."
And what do they think Avalon—now 84 and still living in Philadelphia—would say if he heard the track today? “If Frankie Avalon himself were to hear the track, we’d like to think he’d enjoy it; lyrically and sonically. It’s built on a classic surf-rock structure, but with a modern twist. Frankie would dig it! We think he’d get the spirit behind it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTGYcK0pCOw&list=RDRTGYcK0pCOw&start_radio=1