The sun hadn’t set for long on the era of Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker when it was revived and adapted in the late 1970’s.
Music from the ska revival is now known as 2Tone, so named for the recording company 2 Tone Records in Conventry that was so instrumental to its development. 2 tone music was more or less the offspring of a fling between classic 60’s ska and contemporary 70’s punk and pop music, with a faster tempo than first-wave ska and more aggressive guitar.
In a time of racial unrest, 2Tone had the ability to unite people on both sides of the divide. This style of music largely faded from public consciousness in the 1980’s, but not before the following bands had their say.
The Specials — ‘Ghost Town’
Coventry, England, was the inspiration for this song in 1981, which spent weeks on the Top 40 charts, and remains a classic even on this side of the ska revival. ‘Ghostown’ has an epic, eerie overtone to it, mixing strong horns and a ska beat with keyboards. Unlike some of the bands to follow, the guitar in this song is hardly noticeable; instead, the horns and mix of low and monotone vocals with loose and occasionally erratic vocals dominate the melody.
Bad Manners – ‘Special Brew’
In 1980, a band that for some became more infamous for its frontman’s crazy antics than its music released this single, ‘Special Brew.’ ‘Special Brew’ has a more aggressive tempo that goes into overdrive near the end of the song, reflecting its punk and rock genes, yet with a key horn section straight out of Jamaican ska. If ever you find yourself in need of a toe-tapping, cheerful pick-me-up, ‘Special Brew’ will come through for you.
The Beat – ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’
The Beat’s song ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ smacks strongly of 80s pop/rock to be sure, but the ska undertone is undoubtedly there, though not as blatant as in other 2 tone hits. ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ is best as a gateway 2 tone song for those who are only just getting their feet wet. The beat so unique to ska is somewhat muted, and the song includes only a single saxophone for its horns.
Madness – ‘One Step Beyond’
Madness named themselves for one of Prince Buster’s songs to pay homage to this ska great. Though they changed direction a bit with their music mid-way through their career, Madness was one of the best-known ska revivalist bands of their time. ‘One Step Beyond’ is a great mix of a borderline warp speed ska beat and sax with an overarching, generally energetic feel. Like some of the traditional ska classics, this song is almost purely instrumental.
The Bodysnatchers – ‘Let’s Do Rock Steady’
Admittedly, The Bodysnatchers were a band for barely two years. However, they were unique in that they were an all-female ska revival band, the only one of its kind that achieved widespread awareness, in spite of never releasing a full album. ‘Let’s Do Rock Steady’ is the song most will connect with The Bodysnatchers, and for good reason. ‘Let’s Do Rock Steady’ is a jaunty, sunny song, and feels like a mix of ska and more traditional rock ‘n’ roll.
– – –
DOWNLOAD MFLOW AND LISTEN TO EACH TRACK HERE!
Words by Kat Patke
