"Came about in the UK in around 79. Promoted multiculturalism. Was there ever a better musical genre?"
Many, but like everything it's mood depending.
Sometimes classical is just the best
Other times hard rock
Sometimes a melodic electronic tune.
It's very narrow minded to limit oneself to just one music genre. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Came about in the UK in around 79. Promoted multiculturalism. Was there ever a better musical genre?
Many, but like everything it's mood depending.
Sometimes classical is just the best
Other times hard rock
Sometimes a melodic electronic tune.
It's very narrow minded to limit oneself to just one music genre."
Many do. I don't. But Ska made real social change. |
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Ska originated in Jamaica in 1959, and derives itself from American Rhythm & Blues. Its first sightings in the UK were on small record labels like Blue Beat and Starlite from around 1960, which were bought by the West Indian immigrants settling in the UK at the time. Ska took off mainstream around 1964, when the Mods adopted it as one of the music genres they favoured and danced to. The tempo of the music slowed down to "rocksteady" around 1967, and then reggae a couple of years later, when the original skinheads favoured it as the music to buy and dance to at clubs.
The Ska revival started in 1979, with groups like The Specials, Madness, The Beat etc - in fact, it was 40 years ago this month that "Gangsters" by The Specials was released!
Always loved reggae, with a particular soft spot for original and revival ska. |
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By *icketysplitsWoman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"Ska originated in Jamaica in 1959, and derives itself from American Rhythm & Blues. Its first sightings in the UK were on small record labels like Blue Beat and Starlite from around 1960, which were bought by the West Indian immigrants settling in the UK at the time. Ska took off mainstream around 1964, when the Mods adopted it as one of the music genres they favoured and danced to. The tempo of the music slowed down to "rocksteady" around 1967, and then reggae a couple of years later, when the original skinheads favoured it as the music to buy and dance to at clubs.
The Ska revival started in 1979, with groups like The Specials, Madness, The Beat etc - in fact, it was 40 years ago this month that "Gangsters" by The Specials was released!
Always loved reggae, with a particular soft spot for original and revival ska."
Madness had their first gig the day that Thatcher was elected.
|
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"Ska originated in Jamaica in 1959, and derives itself from American Rhythm & Blues. Its first sightings in the UK were on small record labels like Blue Beat and Starlite from around 1960, which were bought by the West Indian immigrants settling in the UK at the time. Ska took off mainstream around 1964, when the Mods adopted it as one of the music genres they favoured and danced to. The tempo of the music slowed down to "rocksteady" around 1967, and then reggae a couple of years later, when the original skinheads favoured it as the music to buy and dance to at clubs.
The Ska revival started in 1979, with groups like The Specials, Madness, The Beat etc - in fact, it was 40 years ago this month that "Gangsters" by The Specials was released!
Always loved reggae, with a particular soft spot for original and revival ska.
Madness had their first gig the day that Thatcher was elected.
"
Yep - which was also 40 years ago this month, I believe! |
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By *emini ManMan
over a year ago
There and to the left a bit |
As has been pointed out ska goes a lot further back than 1979 - the Two Tone movement that arose then did draw on ska, and of course did a lot to promote racial harmony amongst other things but it had so many other influences than ska - most of Madness' work is not ska, The Specials had many other influences beyond ska, punk, jazz, and more besides.
The joy of ska though is it can be set to pretty much anything and work - Guns Of Navarone (a war movie theme tune) is a good example, there's an awesome ska version of Roll With It by The Bluebeaters out there, or check out The Simmertones who have covered the Doris Day song Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps and also do the Doctor Who theme - both in a ska style.
There are still plenty of great bands out there keeping the sound alive including the two mentioned above, as well as most of the Two Tone bands, others to check out would include Esperanza, The Amphetameanies, Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra and more.
There's also a charity project worth checking out Google "Specialized Project" they release an album a year of covers of songs by unsigned bands of a particular band with a Two Tone/mod/punk leaning - so far they have done The Specials, The Beat, Madness, The Clash, Bob Marley, The Jam, Trojan Records and this year they're releasing an album of covers of songs that appeared on Two Tone - all money raised goes to a number of charities including Teenage Cancer Trust. |
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By *emini ManMan
over a year ago
There and to the left a bit |
Oh and another thing to keep a look out for - there's a special edition magazine out currently celebrating 40 years of Two Tone from the makers of Uncut magazine - it's a little pricey at £8.99 but is chock full of archive articles and interviews as well as new ones. |
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