2-Tone Britain: Channel 4 Documentary

2-Tone Britain was a documentary that aired on Channel 4 in the UK in 2004 that is not commercially available. It tells the story of the movement which centred around Coventry and the 2-Tone record label. As the label's founders, The Specials are naturally given most of the limelight, but attention is also paid to Madness (the documentary features a nice big chunk with Suggs, and even a short bit of footage showing Suggs and Woody in the recording studio working on The Dangermen covers album), The Selecter and The Beat, among others.

The label's wider cultural and political significance is very much at the heart of the program. At a time of desperate divisions between whites, blacks and Asians, 2-Tone fostered a disregard for skin color and actively promoted interracial mixing and a collective and inclusive ethos.

Here are links to download the documentary. It runs about 50 minutes.

2-Tone Britain Part 1

2-Tone Britain Part 2

2-Tone Britain Part 3

2-Tone Britain Part 4

2-Tone Britain Part 5

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