| Punk was undeniably a critical musical movement, | | | | unimportant to the ethos of the music. Fans would |
| injecting much needed vitality and attitude into the | | | | often wait for hours, even camping out overnight, to |
| British music scene in the late 1970's. While the music | | | | see their favourite bands on tour. |
| was thrilling and visceral, the empowering social | | | | As with many social movements, the messages of |
| messages behind punk were all too often lost in a mire | | | | peace and unity were misinterpreted - and the style |
| of nihilism, negativity and anarchy. While The Clash | | | | misappropriated - by a small but disruptive minority. |
| brought black influences into their music, they didn't go | | | | Right wing groups mistook the skinhead look as |
| as far as having black band members. One man | | | | support for their obscene views, and the bands |
| sought to rectify this. Inspired by the stories of Motown | | | | sometimes faced violent crowds. Even Terry Hall was |
| and Stax, Jerry Dammers was quietly constructing a | | | | perturbed: "We don't like violence at our concerts, |
| band and a revolutionary music label that would bring | | | | we've made that clear from the outset. We offer |
| together reggae, punk and soul in a pop wrapper. It | | | | music as an alternative to fighting." Madness faced |
| was a deliberate attempt to advocate the benefits of | | | | similar scenes at some of their concerts, and again |
| multicultural life in urban Britain. This band, initially called | | | | have repeatedly expressed their displeasure at this |
| the Coventry Automatics, became The Specials. The | | | | element of the crowd. |
| record label would be called 2 Tone. | | | | Living in a Ghost Town |
| The Summer of '79 | | | | Thatcher's brutal economic cuts were starting to hit |
| It all began in the Summer of 1979. Initially distributed by | | | | the nation hard, particularly the industrial heartlands of |
| Rough Trade with record covers printed by the band | | | | the Midlands where two tone had its origins. Coventry's |
| members themselves, the first release on 2 Tone | | | | unemployment rate hit 20%, and the Summer of 1981 |
| would be Gangsters (as The Special AKA), with local | | | | saw large scale riots in Brixton and Toxteth. It was in |
| Coventry band The Selecter providing an instrumental | | | | this environment that the UK had one of its most |
| for the B side. The 7" single was soon picked up by | | | | unusual Number One singles; The Special's Ghost |
| the Chrysalis label, who signed The Specials as well as | | | | Town. A dark and evocative journey through the |
| providing funding for the 2 Tone label. The second | | | | recession ravaged streets of urban England captured |
| single to be released on the label would be from a little | | | | the public imagination in a way that few songs have |
| known London band by the name of Madness. | | | | before or since. The song has since been covered by |
| Dammers offered the nutty boys a release on the | | | | No Doubt, The Prodigy, The Aggrolites and Get |
| basis of a demo tape. Determined to offer an | | | | Cape.Wear Cape.Fly as well as being sampled for the |
| alternative to the restrictive and demanding clauses of | | | | Gorillaz song "Slow Country". |
| traditional record labels, he offered bands a clause | | | | The End of an Era |
| allowing them to leave the label after just one single. | | | | Two tone was, by definition, a high energy form of |
| Madness took advantage of this clause, and the band | | | | music, and burn-out was inevitable. As the 1980s |
| weren't expected to release more than their 7" of | | | | continued, music and culture began to move away |
| "The Prince". The band were later described by | | | | from subtle reflection and into the brash materialism of |
| Dammers as "a bunch of chancers". | | | | the New Romantic movement. The wear and tear of |
| Public Success | | | | incessant touring were taking their toll on The Specials. |
| Word quickly spread about this addictive new music | | | | Without The Specials, there was no 2-Tone. "We |
| that had an image and an attitude to go with the | | | | were young, overworked and didn't know how to say |
| sound. In fact, the image of the label was as important | | | | no" claims Terry Hall. "If you've got seven lads on a |
| as the music. Planned to the finest detail by Dammers | | | | bus drinking all the time, they'll get on each other's |
| and bandmate Horace Panter, the iconic black and | | | | nerves." Drink and drugs contributed to deteriorating |
| white graphics were put together with Chrysalis | | | | relationships between band members, particularly |
| designers John Sims and David Storey. The image of | | | | Dammers and Byers who were both heavy drinkers. |
| the dancing chap in the sharp suit and tie, sunglasses, | | | | Dammers' final fling was the 1984 single "Free Nelson |
| pork pie hat and loafers was known as Walt Jabsco, | | | | Mandela", which became part of a huge worldwide |
| and was based on a photo of Peter Tosh (of the | | | | movement to secure the political protestor's release |
| Wailers). In addition to the records themselves, Walt | | | | from captivity. While the label's appetite for new |
| would appear on numerous badges, posters and flyers | | | | releases was beginning the fade, the music had |
| in the years to come. | | | | secured a part in the hearts of people across the UK |
| By October, the three bands set out on a tour of the | | | | and beyond. |
| UK, playing some of the most energetic and legendary | | | | The Specials Re-union |
| gigs of the era. Again, the visual aspects of the gigs | | | | Inspired by seeing the emotional "Smile" tour from the |
| were important. For The Specials, the non-stop energy | | | | great Brian Wilson, as well as the reformed Pixies, |
| of guitarist Lynval Golding and singer Neville Staple | | | | Terry Hall started thinking about a reunion. Pushed by |
| would be in stark contrast to the dry, sardonic | | | | fan and former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan, |
| performances of lead singer Terry Hall. By the end of | | | | talks with the rest of the band started in 2007. A well |
| the year the label's fifth release (The Beat's version of | | | | received date at Bestival in 2008 was followed with a |
| "Tears of a Clown") hit the Top 10, and in a single | | | | series of tour dates in 2009. Tickets for the gigs sold |
| week the popular Top Of The Pops music | | | | out in less than an hour. |
| programme featured all three bands. Dammers' vision | | | | The gigs were notable for the diversity of their |
| had become a bone-fide public success. | | | | audiences as well as the incredible energy of the band, |
| The Other Bands | | | | who put acts half their age to shame with a series of |
| Other bands and artists who either featured on the | | | | explosive performances. "They're good songs" |
| label, or were associated with the musical movement it | | | | explains Hall. "It doesn't matter what year, month or |
| created, include Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers, | | | | venue it is. It's about feeling comfortable and feeling |
| Elvis Costello, Rico and The Beat. While Madness and | | | | relevant. As long as we feel that, that's enough." |
| The Beat each only released one single on the label, 2 | | | | Meanwhile, Bad Manners have continued to tour on |
| Tone was responsible for launching the careers of | | | | and off since their early Eighties heyday. Madness go |
| those bands to the masses, leading to deals with Stiff | | | | from strength to strength, reuniting in 1992 for two |
| and Go-Feet respectively. | | | | massive gigs in Finsbury Park (dubbed "Madstock") |
| The Fans | | | | and more recently releasing their ninth studio album, |
| Fans were mainly from working class backgrounds, | | | | The Liberty of Norton Folgate. |
| but importantly racial and gender backgrounds were | | | | |