The chalk scrawl on the notice board outside the EightBall on King promised some off-beat urban poetry the other night. "Free pool w/ drink purchase," it said.

Not a bad enticement, but the real business was printed at the top of the board. It let you know the EightBall was home to a CD launch by Frank Ridsdale that night.

That was only the beginning of the story. To an admirer of Ridsdale's solo debut Mod World Old World, it was a given the music would be fine. Singer-songwriter-satirist-skeptic-scholar, Ridsdale has been tossing his affectionate or angry darts at targets in London and beyond for years.

Targets on Mod World Old World include former prime minister Brian Mulroney, the Goliath of the Meech Lake Accord in Ridsdale's celebration of defiant First Nations politician Elijah Harper. It was Harper's David-like stand that downed the accord. Heroes include the late Jack Wingate, a London music- scene influence over six decades. All the songs rock and groove along with all the funny gracefulness of Mod World Old World's dance tune, The Frog.

Once inside, even those high expectations were surpassed. Around the pub, pennants and posters advertised Strongbow cider (not bad) and Stella Artois beer (swill).

The best brew was on stage. A steadily changing cast of London's finest roots-rockers kept on the move. Mod World Old World is populated by more than a dozen of them. Almost all the players were able to make the launch and Ridsdale kept thanking them as the songs and the night rolled on.

Mod World Old World has fine photos of that roots-rocking crew and all their names, making it a document worthy of Ridsdale's post-graduate anthropological studies away from music. It's just another reason to snap up Mod World Old World.

Out in the audience, all that was missing was a society columnist -- or more appropriately in this case, an anti-society columnist -- to boldface the names. You weren't there? Let a few name-droppings be your guide.

There were artists Doug Mitchell and Tom Benner. Teacher/actor Julia Webb was there. So were Tom and Tara Dunphy and Will Haas of the country band the Rizdales. (The band took its name as a tribute to Ridsdale after trying to call itself the Frizzells after country music legend Lefty Frizzell only to find a Toronto country outfit got there first. Undaunted, the Rizdales are off to play the Cadillac in Toronto). Country-rock guitarist Shawn Bragg and jazz/classical pianist Jayne Hysen were in the crowd.

So was Guelph singer-songwriter Tannis Slimmon -- as good a roots-rock place as any to stop an outbreak of names in bold-face.

"This was definitely the place to be," said Slimmon, one of the stars at the 2002 edition of the Home County Folk Festival. She loved chipping in on harmony during the singalong on Elijah Harper. Slimmon also adored the cast of characters on- and off-stage. She even stepped in to carry a drum kit through the crowd when the music for the Mod World Old World launch was over.

The launch was also the place to be for another reason. Produced from boxes so ancient Ridsdale joked the contents had been "mouse eaten" were vintage 45s. The recordings were copies of the London rock band Uranus' majestic You're So Square, a hit in 1980. Now that's an enticement.

You're So Square is still the best 113 seconds of pure vinyl rockabilly blast in any London music hall of fame. The flipside is a superbly twangy instrumental version of Secret Agent Man, the old Johnny Rivers' hit.

Uranus was just one planetary stop for Ridsdale and pals in the music industry star system. But it was a great one.

I am a better person for coming away from the launch with my own copy of You're So Square. Even so, the CanCon business side of me wonders why such a fine songwriting crew as Uranus let all the royalties go to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for You're So Square and whoever created Secret Agent Man.

As is too often the case in showbiz galaxy, the truth is not pretty. Uranus did not have much say in the decision. Little say wound up meaning no money. Zip.

"We never got anything at all off that," Ridsdale says now. The band wanted to play a lot and the Uranus management team saw to it gigs were plentiful. But Ridsdale says he didn't even receive royalties, even for his four songs on the band's LP.

Ugly? Yep. Unfair? You bet.

So here's your chance to rectify that slight on Uranus.

You can welcome Mod World Old World to your universe.

It will be the next best to basking in its live glory at the sign of the Eightball.

MOD WORLD OLD WORLD

What: Solo debut by London singer-songwriter Frank Ridsdale; more than a dozen London musicians play on the CD, including former members of Uranus and Sci Phonics, two bands he helped lead; Ridsdale wrote nine of the 11 tracks plus one "hidden" instrumental and co-wrote the other three; produced by Ridsdale and Will Haas.

Where to find it: Mod World Old World is for sale at Dr. Disc Remastered, Speed City, Madrigal, Chapters in Masonville area; about $20.

E-mail: frank_ridsdale@hotmail. com