Old and new fans of 2-Tone have spoken longingly of BBC Arena television documentary titled "Rudies Come Back Or The Rise And Rise Of 2-Tone" that aired during the height of 2 Tone. Arena is a British television documentary series, made and broadcast by the BBC. It has run since the October 1, 1975, and over five hundred episodes have been made.
The Arena program is an engaging and humorous profile of The Specials hosted by noted music journalist Adrian Thrills. It was filmed in 1979 and originally aired on the BBC on March 3rd, 1980. It may have been repeated a few times since, but it remains a holy grail of documentary footage of the The Specials and Coventry that captures them and 2-Tone at their peak. One of the highlights for me was seeing Neville in full judges robes on stage during "Stupid Marriage".
Until recently the 35 minute documentary had been very hard to find, but 3 excerpts of the program are now available for viewing on VBOX7, a Russian language version of YouTube. Enjoy!
As fans await word on when the reunited version of The Specials (minus Jerry Dammers) will perform again, there was excitement about a UK tour this December featuring Neville Staple's band along with Roddy Radiation's Skabilly Rebels and then Pauline Black of The Selecter. The hope was that these shows would satisfy demand for more shows by The Specials while they work out their next move. However a recent statement by Neville Staple on his MySpace page seems to suggest that this tour will not happen. It appears he had a falling out with the promoter who continued to advertise shows despite Neville informing him that he had pulled out.
You have to hand it to members of The Specials. They know how to keep fans engaged in their ongoing dramas and business disagreements.
In reply to recent postings on the Specials website forum and and other websites regarding a U.K tour in December 2008, and for the avoidance of any doubt, I would like to confirm to everyone THIS TOUR IS NOT HAPPENING.
The tour promoter was Informed at the end of September that due to personal differences, I was unable to work with him and would not be doing the PROPOSED tour with my band.
He clearly has not listened, as he has for some reason, continued to advertise the tour now with Pauline Black instead of The Skabilly Rebels?
This is not the case, and I am not prepared to endorse these advertised shows as they have never been agreed by me personally.
I WILL NOT BE APPEARING WITH MY BAND AT ANY OF THE VENUES ON DATES ADVERTISED SO PLEASE DO NOT BUY TICKETS!!.
Refunds for tickets already bought are the responsibility of the ticket agencies once the promoter confirms to them that the shows will not take place.
The Promoter should not still be promoting or advertising these shows.
I wrote about The Beat covering Laurel Aitken's song "Pussy Price" early in their career. A slightly re-worked version of the song (minus the naughty song content) became "Ranking Full Stop". The only known recorded version of their take on Aitken's song is from the band's appearance on Rockpalast which is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station WestdeutscherRundfunk (WDR).
Here is video from the Rockpalast broadcast of the songs "Big Shot", "Can't Get Used To Losing You" and "Hands Off She's Mine".
Below is a download of the audio from the show including the Aitken cover.
Here is the tracklist:
Pussy Price (Laurel Aitken cover that became Ranking Full Stop)
Two Swords Tears Of A Clown Big Shot Rough Rider Best Friend Can't Get Used To Losing You Hands Off....She's Mine Twist & Crawl Noise In This World Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret Ranking Full Stop Mirror In The Bathroom Click Click Jackpot
Fans of The Beat are always on the lookout for anything remotely new that they can add to the somewhat finite universe of recorded material that is available from the band. With only three albums and very few non-album tracks, its been, slim pickings for anything new. I recently discovered a track I had never heard before (and I'm an obsessive fan).
Back in 1981 the band released their eighth single, "Hit It". It was backed by "Which Side Of The Bed?". Neither track appeared on an album. This alone has made the single a popular collectors item. Indeed, I am not aware that the band ever performed the b-side of the single live, which is a shame as its an overlooked classic and a slice of vintage Wakeling reggae-pop. The single only reached the #70 spot on the U.K. singles chart (this was a portent of things to come for the band in the UK as they began to focus their attention on breaking in the U.S.).
Imagine my shock and surprise at hearing a completely alternative, dub remix version of "Which Side Of The Bed" re-titled "Cool Entertainer" that features Ranking Roger toasting joyously over the track. If you have any information about this track let me know. Otherwise enjoy the song which is part of the download below which also includes the 12" dub remix of "Pato & Roger Ago Talk".
Here is story from the NME in 1981 that sheds a bit more light on "Hit It" and "Cool Entertainer"
UPDATE: After doing a bit more digging I learned that "Cool Entertainer" is the b-side of the Go Feet Records release of the single "Ago Talk". Mystery solved. Regardless its not a track I had heard and I imagine many other fans of The Beat might have missed it.
Here is a live performance of the a-side "Hit It" from the Oxford Road Show in 1981:
Here is a video of the hard to find b-side "Which Side Of The Bed"
Below is a tracklist and download of a mix including hard to find b-sides by The Beat and all their permutations including General Public, Ranking Roger, Fine Young Cannibals and 2 Men a Drum Machine and a Trumpet. Enjoy.
Tracklist: Pato & Roger Ago Talk (Tappy Lappy Dub Remix) - The Beat Cool Entertainer (Dub Remix of "Which Side Of The Bed) - The Beat Dishwasher (Longer) - General Public Ever Fallen In Love (dub) - Fine Young Cannibals Good Times and Bad (extended version) - 2 Men a Drum Machine and a Trumpet Limited Balance (longer) - General Public Make It Funky (extended version) - 2 Men a Drum Machine and a Trumpet On My Conscience - Ranking Roger So Excited (Alternative Mix) - Ranking Roger Tired Of Getting Pushed Around (extended version) - 2 Men a Drum Machine and a Trumpet Too Much Or Nothing (dance mix) - General Public
The Potato 5 were, god bless them, one of the very few ska bands doing the rounds on the live UK and European circuit of the late 80's at a time when ska was no longer flavor of the month, and long after the demise of 2-Tone. In hindsight, the band did help to pave the way for the 3rd wave of Ska that began to emerge towards the mid 1990's in both the U.S. and around the world . They were well known for being a great band live and they helped to introduce old timers like Laurel Aitken and Floyd Lloyd to a younger audience.
Known primarily as one of the best live acts of the late 80's UK ska revival the band got its start in 1983 as a ska instrumental band in the vein of The Skatalites. The band teamed up with Jamaican singer Floyd Lloyd and later with the legendary Laurel Aitken and recorded their debut album in 1986 "Floyd Lloyd & The Potato 5 Meet Laurel Aitken". Their second album, True Fact saw the band experimenting with a mix of Ska and hip hop. In 1989 the band recruited Spider Johnson to sing and they embraced a classic skinhead reggae sound and released the excellent "Do The Jerk" single. The band called it a day after playing one final show at London's Town & Country on December 20th, 1989.
Below is the tracklist and download for a mix of unreleased and rare Potato 5 tracks:
Tracklist:
Reburial Dial M For Murder Things I Do A.N.C.(unreleased) Dead Boring (Dub) Do The Jerk (7 inch) Do the Jerk (Dance Hall Pressure Mix) Reburial (Lightning Flash Mix) Ska Danger (Dub) Sahara (alternative version) featuring Laurel Aitken Sweet Lady (unreleased) featuring Floyd Lloyd
Rhoda Dakar began her career as lead vocalist with The Bodysnatchers. Their first single, "Do Rocksteady", b/w "Ruder Than You," written by Rhoda and Gaz "Rockin Blues" Mayall, took them into the UK pop charts (#22 in 1980) and onto Top of the Pops. The Bodysnatchers only released one more single "Easy Life" b/w "Too Experienced" and contributed a live version of "Easy Life" for the the "Dance Craze" film soundtrack (the film about 2-Tone included the live tracks "007 (Shanty Town)" and "Let's Do The Rocksteady").
Rhoda also had a UK hit solo single on 2-Tone Records with "The Boiler" backed by the Special AKA, before becoming a full member of Special AKA and appearing on their album "In The Studio" and the history-changing single "Free Nelson Mandela".
Since then, Rhoda has worked with artists as varied as Apollo 440 and Dr Robert of the Blow Monkeys fame. However, for the last few years, she has revisited her 2-Tone roots, guesting with The Selecter and appearing on a 3 Men + Black acoustic 2-Tone tour with Dave Wakeling (The Beat) and Roddy Radiation (The Specials), as well as, Pauline Black and Nick Welsh of The Selecter. Recently she was very proud to have been asked by the legendary Trojan Records to write a foreword for the latest release in their Reggae Sisters series, entitled 'Let Me Tell You Boy'. Rhoda will also be featured on atleast one track of the new Madness album "The Liberty of Norton Folgate".
Rhoda's first solo album, 'Cleaning In Another Woman's Kitchen', was released in May 2007. The album has been recorded and written with Nick Welsh. Here is a video of Rhoda performing an acoustic ska version of The Bodysnatchers song "Easy Life" that was recorded in April of 2008 with Nick Welsh of Skaville UK:
Rhoda is touring the UK with Skaville UK which includes ex-members of Bad Manners. The tour dates are below:
Oct 28 2008 TUC - Congress House London
Oct 31 2008 The White Hart (with Skaville UK) Caldicot, Gwent
Nov 1 2008 Queen’s Hall (with Skaville UK) Narbeth
Nov 8 2008 The Railway (with Skaville UK) Burnham on Sea
Nov 9 2008 Speedfreaks Ball 4 (with Skaville UK) Mablethorpe
Nov 14 2008 Charlie Browns (with Skaville UK) Luton
Nov 15 2008 The Rifle Club (with Skaville UK) Portsmouth
Nov 22 2008 Rio’s (with Skaville UK) & The Beat Leeds
Below are downloads of 2 songs from Rhoda's solo LP "Cleaning In Another Woman's Kitchen"
While we continue to wait patiently for the new Madness album "The Liberty of Norton Folgate" let me introduce you to The Dance Brigade, a new ska musical project featuring the combined talents of Madness sax player Lee "Kix" Thompson and Jennie Mathias who was the lead vocalist of The Belle Stars (formed by ex-members of The Bodysnatchers).
Their ska-based music is a hybrid of styles mixed in with technology and is very reminiscent of The Madness project with the songs dominated by sampled drum sounds. They recently performed live at the 100 Club in London and their live show featured computers and a live band (guitars, horns, keyboards) on stage. They were joined at their live show by Dave Barker (Dave and Ansell Collins) who has also recorded a track with them. Though I'm not a fan of the overly processed drum sample sounds on the recordings and feel the lack of a real drummer live hampers the overall sound and live groove, the songs are interesting and its great to see Lee and Jennie working together again as their paths crossed at Stiff Records many years ago.
The band line-up includes: Lee Thompson (Saxophone, Vocals) Jennie Bellestar (Lead Vocals) Keith Finch (Production and programming) Chico Chagas (Keyboards, Guitar, Accordian) Chalky White (Trumpet) Daniel Burdett (Guitar, Backing Vocals) Debra Barker (Backing Vocals)
Here is a video of the song "Who's That Girl" filmed by Madness guitarist Chris "Chrissy Boy" Foreman on his cell phone at The Dance Brigade show at the 100 Club in London in September:
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