Someone at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival must really like ska! For the fourth year out of the last five, a 2-Tone era ska band will be part of the prestigious line-up.
In 2010 it was The Specials, who were touring the U.S. for the first time since the early 1980's. In 2012, Madness brought their nutty sounds to the desert festival, and last year it was The Selecter who wowed the crowd with a blazing mid-afternoon set. This year Buster Bloodvessel and Bad Manners will make an appearance on Sunday April 13th and Sunday April 20th. The band last toured the U.S. in 2011 and it remains to be seen if they will add more North American tour dates around their appearances.
It also remains unclear which band members will accompany Buster to the U.S. Over the last 20 years or so, he has toured with shifting group of back-up musicians and during the the band's 2011 U.S. tour, recruited mostly young U.S.-based ska musicians to back him. Buster appears to have a band of young UK-based musicians backing him now and they performed at the Islington Academy in London this past December. Watch the band perform a slew of their hits including "Lorraine," "Special Brew," "Lip Up Fatty," and "This Is Ska/My Girl Lollipop."
Though unclear, it is possible the Coachella shows could serve as a reunion of the original band that formed at in 1976 at Woodbery Down Comprehensive in London. In December 2012, founding members of the band met for the first time in decades. The meeting was successful and this past summer seven of the original nine members met again. The 'Bad Manners Originals' who attended the reunion were; Andy Marson (alto sax), Paul Hyman (trumpet), Alan Sayag (harmonicas), Chris Kane (tenor sax), David Farren (bass), Martin Stewart (keyboards) and Brian Tuitt (drums).
I'm excited to announce that the Rude Boy George digital EP "Take One" is finally out! The band concept was hatched a year ago during a dinner I had with Bigger Thomas lead singer Roger Apollon Jr. and Duff Guide To Ska blogger and former Moon Records honcho Stephen Shafer before we saw a Morrissey show in Brooklyn, New York. We wanted to combine our love of ska and reggae with 80's new wave. Roger coined the band name (the other option was Flock Of Scooters!) and we were off and running.
We recruited Across The Aisle singer Megg Howe, The Toasters piano man Dave Barry and Bigger Thomas members Spencer Katzman (guitar) and James Cooper (drums/percussion) and started rehearsing as much as possible. We shared a few early rehearsal recordings with ex-English Beat bassist and LA-based producer Wayne Lothian who loved what he heard. Before we knew it, we had recorded songs with Wayne at Bill Laswell's studio in West Orange, New Jersey. Wayne shared the tracks with English Beat toaster Antonee First Class who added his vocal talents on our reggae version of The Romantic's "Talking In Your Sleep" and we knew we had something special. Below is the fruit of our labor for your listening pleasure.
Truth be told, the twin pillars of 2-Tone ska and 80's new wave music sustained me through much of a challenging youth during the 1980's. 2-Tone revealed harsh economic, social and racial injustices with a power and a fury that was undeniable but also danceable. It forever influenced my world view and moved me to learn an instrument and start a band that I've played in for 25 years. Though I tend to be a religious secularist, I've worshipped at the Church of 2-Tone for most of my life.
While new wave retained the vigor and irreverence of 70's punk music that had fueled 2-Tone, it incorporated style and art in a way that opened my world to ideas of love, friendship, sex and fashion and helped give form to my own burgeoning identity. I sought refuge in new wave's incredible diversity of nervy pop (XTC), synth pop (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Human League), new wave songwriters (Elvis Costello), pop bands (Squeeze, INXS), pop-reggae (The Police) and more mainstream rockers (Billy Idol, The Cars). Here in the U.S. 2-Tone was lumped in with new wave, so in many ways, despite their completely different musical world views they are inextricably linked in my musical consciousness. A yin and yang that forever form the soundtrack of my life.
So if you like the idea of some of your favorite 80's new wave songs wrapped in a loving ska and reggae embrace, we hope you will consider giving our versions a spin. Many thanks!
The online ska magazine Reggae Steady Ska has just opened voting for its incredibly comprehensive 2013 album of the year poll. The list includes nearly 90 ska, reggae and rocksteady albums released during the 2013 calendar year. The list is mind boggling in its diversity and a wonderful sign that ska, reggae and rocksteady music remains vital and healthy around the globe.
Reggae Steady Ska has also created a companion YouTube playlist which features one song from each band that is nominated. Its a great place to start if you haven't decided who to vote for or if you just want to enjoy a fantastic mix of music.
Here is how the voting works:
-- You can cast one vote a day while the poll is open
-- More poll categories will be added in the following days.
-- Next to the public voting a jury of ska musicians, bloggers and writers is also voting in a separate poll
-- The public voting runs from Tuesday, December 31, 2013 to Monday, January 6, 2014.
There will be a Specialized 3! Paul Williams, the mastermind behind the first two Specialized albums -- featuring musical tributes to The Specials and The Beat and live concerts across the Globe which have raised over £40,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK -- has announced that the next iteration of the project will focus on Madness!
In 2012, the project released its first album, the critically acclaimed “Specialized-A Modern take on Specials Classics” which included a double album's worth of tracks covering the back catalogue of The Specials. The project was so successful that in 2013 a second double album titled “Beat Teenage Cancer,” covering tracks of The Beat/English Beat was also launched to critical acclaim.
Both albums have been used as a showcase for unsigned modern bands influenced by the respective artists to pay their respect in the form of their own versions of the originals. The project has also drawn the interest of a number of established 2 Tone stars, including Lee Thompson of Madness, Roland Gift of The Akrylykz/Fine Young Cannibals, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger of The Beat, Neol Davies of The Selecter and Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers/The Special A.K.A who have shared songs or participated.
The album “Mad Not Cancer” is destined for release in June 2014 featuring a wide variety of bands from the Philippines, France, Germany, Australia, US, UK, Spain and Argentina. More details on the progress of the album as they become available in the new year. In the meantime, check out the promo video for Specialized 3 below.
I (along with many of you) worship at the Church of 2-Tone and its sound and look have defined me as a musician, fan, and blogger. As such, the 1981 music documentary, "Dance Craze" has served as a constant refuge for me throughout my life. Though I was the perfect age to experience 2-Tone live in the late 70's and early 80's, sadly I lived on the wrong continent! Years later, I splurged on an incredibly overpriced VHS copy of the film. Despite the high price, it was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. The tape still occupies a place of honor on a book shelf in my home.
Amazingly, the film has still not received a proper re-issue on DVD or Blu-Ray (nor does it appear that this will happen anytime soon). However, the full 85-minute version of the film — featuring classic performances from 2 Tone-era acts The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Beat, The Selecter and more -- is available for viewing on YouTube, as are rare outtakes which were poorly marketed and packaged for sale as a VHS tape in the late 80's in the U.S. under the tittle "Ska Beatz."
Though may 2-Tone ska fans know the basics behind the film, what many have never heard, is the story about the actual filming of the documentary by the film's cinematographer. In a career spanning 40 years, Joe Dunton championed some of the film industry’s key developments including the development of film and video cameras and lenses that changed film making. Dunton, who is well regarded in the UK and US film industries as a camera and sound expert was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1998 Queen's New Year's Honours List for his services to the camera and film industry. He has been associated with some of the most well known directors including the late Stanley Kubrick and the late Oswald Morris. Dunton developed many cutting edge firsts during the making Dance Craze which are now taken for granted like having camera's on stage vs. in the audience. Dance Craze was also one of the first films recorded with Dolby sound.
Joe Dunton with Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers and Ranking Roger of The Beat
Dance Craze was directed by Joe Massot, who originally wanted to do a film about Madness, whom he met during their first US tour. At the urging of his son who was a ska fan, Massot later changed his plans to include the whole 2 Tone movement. He then tapped Dunton to help him. The film which was shot in 1980 captured Madness, The Specials, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, The Beat and Bad Manners on tour throughout the UK and US. A soundtrack album of the same name was released the same year (and reached #5 in the UK album charts), featuring fifteen songs from the film.
When 2-Tone was purchased by Chrysalis, a lot of people at the label were unhappy with the quality of the film, and the original film stock appears to have been “lost” in the transfer of property. While many of the artists are still active musically in one form or another, there has been no indication by anyone involved that there is any chance of this ever being re-released. Like Urgh!, this one will likely remain properly unreleased (though Dunton has hinted he is working on a re-issue and owns a master copy of a 70mm version)
According to a recent interview with Dunton, the film was conceived as it was being shot which adds to its immediacy and is part of the reason it still holds up to viewing nearly 35 years later.
"I then had the idea to make a film that was not “a third row film”, - not shot from the audience, from the third row; everyone shot concert films from the third row, and it does not mean anything, and because the bands were young bands I ended up being on stage with them and our first band – I think it was called “The Specials” or “Selecter” – I asked if I could come on stage and make the film; they had not made a film before so they were not really anti-me at all. I said if they did not like the film we need not use it; thus we did not draw up contracts – we just took a chance."
"After the first concert, we hired a cinema in Brighton (or Southampton) with no sound – and the band saw the film – and they sang along with the film because they knew the words – so we had sound as they sang along with it. They told their mates in the other bands of this whole 2 tone group and what we were doing. I got permission from all of them in the end."
According to Dunton, Massot encountered sone challenges while making the film that required Dunton's help in navigating.
Unfortunately, with Joe, he was a lovely man, but was American and when you come from Camden Town – our Cockney London - to have an American to deal with it was very difficult. So I was the communicator - basically because my camera was being directed by me – not someone telling me what to do. I was just feeling the way.
Despite the excitement that the film generated, Dunton was never paid for his work on the film.
We finished the film. I ended up with a contract that offered me 10% of the movie and then – as in those days - I got a telex from Chrysalis Records to say it was 1%. I told them they had left the “0” off: no, no, they said we have done a new deal – I still never got my wages then. But I had 30 people on the payroll editing the film so they really pushed me into saying let’s get on and finish the film. I still have not got my 1per cent! - it should be mounting up over 20 years! – (it would be good if you could put the word out!) – the director had a 10% too and he has now passed away, although his daughter could do with the money; there must be revenue from it.
Lucky for all of us, Dunton has been out and about attending screenings of Dance Craze in all its 70 mm glory. Below is a video from a 2011 event in the UK that featured Dunton speaking about the making of the film.
Here is a more recent Dance Craze event that Dunton attended in the US this past summer.
Below is the theatrical trailer that Dunton created and which has rarely been seen outside of the UK.
In case you've never seen it, here is the entire Dance Craze film:
Finally, here are rare outtakes from the film:
One of my goals for 2014 is to arrange a proper screening of the film here in New York. Keep you eyes open for news about this in the new year.
Lately I've been spending a lot of time listening to 80's new wave as part of my new gig as the bass player for Rude Boy George -- a band that performs ska and reggae versions of classic songs from the era. As such, my experiences as a new wave meets ska musician have made me love and appreciate the Fun Boy Three even more. So, imagine my excitement at discovering an entire live show recorded during a concert in Cologne, West Germany in May of 1983 (right before the band broke up) that was aired on television in Japan.
Like most, I was shattered when The Specials broke-up in the early 80's. When I heard the first Fun Boy Three album "Fame" when it was released in 1981, I have to confess I was confused by it. It was a complete departure from The Specials 2-Tone sound and it quickly established the band as pop stars and household names across the U.K. The 11-track album had a distinct African influence that was heavy on drums, percussion and Jamaican-styled vocal harmonies.
Over time "Fame" grew on me and when their second and final album "Waiting" was released in 1983 I was a huge fan. Produced by David Byrne of Talking Heads, the collection was an amazing mix of pop, reggae and avant-rock with just a hint of all round weirdness. I never saw FB3, so imagine my excitement at discovering an entire live show recorded during a concert in Cologne, West Germany in May of 1983 (right before the band broke up) that was aired on television in Japan.
Aside from their off kilter yet accessible look and sound, Fun Boy Three were notable for having an entirely female backing band that included keyboardist/arranger Nicky Holland, trombonist Annie Whitehead, cellist Caroline Lavelle, original girl punker and drummer June Miles-Kingston (of The Mo-Dettes), and vocalist Ingrid Schroeder. Watch an interview of Terry Hall and Lynval Golding discussing the benefits of having an all woman band:
The full concert which features tracks from both their albums (as well as a version of The Specials "Gangsters") is broken up into five videos below, but is worth the time to watch and listen to one of the most unique and overlooked bands of the 80's.
1. Faith And Hope And Charity
2. The Pressure Of Life 3:03
3. The Telephone Always Rings 6:34
4. Farmyard Connection
5. The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum 2:26
6. Things We Do 6:11
7. Well Fancy That
8. Summertime 3:27
9. Alibi 6:20
10. Our Lips Are Sealed
11. The Tunnel Of Love 3:48
12. We Are Having All The Fun 7:16
13. Gangsters
14. The More I See The Less I Believe (incomplete) 4:14
I strive to celebrate and venerate the best of ska and reggae music on this blog. The many artists who made the music a cultural phenomena are all heroes to me and many others. However, as ska and reggae music made its way into the charts of the U.K. (and the U.S, to a lesser extent) and its influence and popularity spread, many mainstream singers, bands and musical artists began including the rhythms and sound in their own songs. Some of these efforts were magnificent and some less so. Others were just plain terrible. I've previously trained the spotlight on some of the more dreadful attempts of what the Brits call 'Cod Reggae' (which is a term I have always loved).
So in the spirit of Christmas, I offer you "Reggae Christmas" a 1984 b-side by Bryan Adams which may be the best (or worst depending on your view) Christmas cod reggae song ever recorded. The video, which gives you a real sense of the early, anything goes days of 80's music, was recorded at the MTV studios in New York City.
What is there to love/hate about this song and video? Let me count the ways. First, in case anybody was wondering what MTV was like in 1984, “Reggae Christmas” serves as a pretty good time capsule: All 5 original VJ's make cameos as does Pee-Wee Herman (in a Santa hat with dreadlocks). Why Pee-Wee Herman you ask? Lest we forget (or if you aren't a child of the 80's). Herman was on hot streak at the time due to his smash hit "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" TV show and "Pee- Wee's Big Adventure" movie.
Musically, you have to hand it to Adams for giving reggae a go. While the song is a rote version of reggae, his band seems to get it musically. The bass and drums are locked in and the guitars are playing upstrokes in the right place. It was the early 80's after all and from what I have learned, the song gets an airing every year around this time, which I suppose is the goal of every artist who records a Christmas song -- to be remembered, even if for a few minutes. Plus how can you resist these insipid lyrics which read like they were written five minutes before the band recorded the song:
Christmas is nice in Germany if you like being up to your knees in snow it's just as cold up in Canada we gotta find another place to go So...so we're having a reggae Christmas - down in Jamaica
To those who argue that Bryan Adams is French-Canadian and in no way qualified or capable of attempting reggae, I would point out that his birth certificate does say that he was born in Kingston, albeit the one in Ontario.
A big hat tip to Chuck Wren of Jump Up Records for alerting me to this fantastically terrible piece of reggae music.
