2-Tone/British ska

The ska of the late 70's and early 80's was a revival of "rude boy" ska. In Jamaica ska music was evolving into the "rock-steady" sound and eventually into reggae. Before all this happened ska was brought to England by Carribean immigrants. The factory town of Coventry in the British Midlands was a hot spot for ska activity. Many black people started to work there in the auto industry. But then unemployment and unrest occurs. In this climate ska was being introduced to the punk movement. The force behind this were the Specials led by Jerry Dammers. He worked in a white record store and decided to form a multiracial band in 1977. The band was first called The Hybryds then The Coventry Automatics. Finally they called the band Special AKA Coventry Automatics and then shortened to Special AKA. Dammers also introduced their own record label called 2 Tone. It was the era of the iron lady: Marget Tatcher.

The Specials

The first single was "Gangsters" by the Specials with "The Selecter" by the Selecter on the B-Side. It was released on the Rough Trade label. But Jerry Dammers became frustrated by the record company and decided to form his own 2 Tone label and when the demand for "Gangsters" grew it was finally released by 2 Tone. The first Selecter single "On My Radio" was a big hit. Also bands like Madness ("The Prince") and The (English) Beat ("Tears Of A Clown") released their first single on the 2 Tone label. The Selecter, The Beat and Madness became very succesful and managed to contract to other record labels. Another act on the 2 Tone label were the Bodysnatchers they would appear again transformed into a new pop band called The Belle Stars with their biggest hit "Sign Of The Times".

The Specials - debut album

The Selecter - Too Much Pressure (debut album)

The second single of The Specials was "Rudi, A Message To You" produced by Elvis Costello. The first album on the 2 Tone label was the debut album by The Specials also produced by Elvis Costello. The success of the Specials was short. The second album and following singles flopped. Before breaking up they released an important single that would become a hit again "Ghost Town". It illustrated the life for young people during the early 80's under the terror of Marget Tatcher.

Ghost Town - EP

"This town is coming like a Ghost Town, all the clubs are being closed down
This place is coming like a Ghost Town, bands won't play no more
Too much fighting on the dance floor.
Do you remember the good old days before the Ghost Town,

We danced and sang and the music played in our boom town
This town is coming like a Ghost Town, why must the youths fight against themselves
Government leaving the youths on the shelf, No jobs to be found in this country
Can't go on nom more, People getting angry."

Hall, Golding and Neville Staples formed a new band called the Fun Boy Three which released 2 albums before Terry Hall went solo first under the name the Colourfield. Jerry Dammers vanished for a short time from the music business to become involved with anti apartheid politics. In 1984 Dammers released "In The Studio" under the name of Special AKA with original Specials drummer John Bradbury and ska veterans. "Free Nelson Mandela" became a big hit. Then again it was silent again around Dammers and only a small contribution to the movie "Absolute Beginners" in 1986 happened.

During the british ska era other ska bands which were not on the 2 Tone label became very famous: Bad Manners (they appeared in the 2 Tone movie "Dance Craze", Judge Dread and The Untouchables. Another ska band to be mentioned here is The Akrylykz with saxophonist Roland Gift. Who would later become the singer for the Fine Young Cannibals with members from The Beat. In the Netherlands we also had some ska bands like Doe Maar (also reggae in dutch) and What Fun ("The Right Side Won").

2 TONE LOGO
Walt Jabsco was the name of the 2 Tone logo man. Jerry Dammers had bought an old American bowling shirt from a charity shop and it had the name Walt Jabsco embroidered on it and this is how the man got his name. The figure itself is based on a photograph of Peter Tosh that Jerry found.

DISCOGRAPHY SINGLES

TT1 / TT2 The Special AKA: Gangsters / The Selecter: The Selecter
CHS TT3 Madness: The Prince / Madness
CHS TT4 The Selecter: On My Radio / Too Much Pressure
CHS TT5 The Specials: A Message to You Rudy / Nite Klub
CHS TT6 The Beat: Tears of a Clown / Ranking Full Stop
CHS TT7 The Special AKA: Too Much Too Young, Guns of Navarone / Longshot Kick the Bucket, Liquidator, Skinhead Moonstomp (live)
CHS TT8 The Selecter: Three Minute Hero / James Bond
CHS TT9 The Bodysnatchers: Let's Do Rock Steady / Ruder Than You
CHS TT10 The Selecter: Missing Words / Carry Go Bring Come
CHS TT11 The Specials: Rat Race / Rude Boys Outa Jail
CHS TT12 The Bodysnatchers: Easy Life / Too Experienced
CHS TT13 The Specials: Stereotype / International Jet Set
CHS TT14 The Swinging Cats: Mantovani / Away
CHS TT15 Rico Rodriguez: Sea Cruise / Carolina
CHS TT16 The Specials: Do Nothing / Maggie's Farm
CHS TT17 The Specials: Ghost Town / Why? / Friday Night, Saturday Morning
CHS TT18 Rhoda & The Special AKA: The Boiler / Theme from the Boiler
CHS TT19 Rico Rodriguez & The Special AKA: Jungle Music / Rasta Call You
CHS TT20 The Apollinaires: The Feeling's Gone / The Feeling's Back
CHS TT21 The Higsons: Tear the Whole Thing Down / Y Lang, Y Lang
CHS TT22 The Apollinaires: Envy the Love / Give It Up
CHS TT23 The Special AKA: War Crimes / War Crimes (Version)
CHS TT24 The Higsons: Run Me Down (Long Version) / Put the Punk Back Into Funk Pts 1 & 2
CHS TT25 The Special AKA: Racist Friend / Bright Lights
CHS TT26 The Special AKA: Nelson Mandela / Break Down the Door!
CHS TT27 The Special AKA: What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend / Can't Get a Break
CHS TT28 The Friday Club: Window Shopping / Window Shopping (Instrumental)
CHS TT29 JB's Allstars: The Alphabet Army / Al. Arm