The English Beat

The original lineup of The Beat were together for just five years, splitting in 1984 after meeting with both critical and commercial success with their blend of ska, reggae and 2 tone. In that time, they toured with some of the biggest musical names on the planet, including R.E.M., The Specials, David Bowie, Talking Heads, The Clash and The Police. Since the breakup, they’ve performed together just once - in 2003 at London’s Royal Festival Hall. VH1’s Bands Reunited television show tried, unsuccessfully, to make the reunion a permanently going concern, but instead, the two singers from the original band - Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger - have fronted their own versions of the group.

Wakeling is the singer in The English Beat, who have continued to tour and record. They contributed a couple of brand new songs to a Scooby-Doo cartoon in 2013, and announced plans in 2014 for a new album the following year, set to be titled For Crying Out Loud. It is set to be paid for via crowdfunding - in particular, PledgeMusic - and will be their first proper release since summer 2012, when they dropped a box set titled The Complete Beat. Rhythm Epkins, Matt Morrish, Kevin Lum and Larry Young round out the current lineup of The English Beat.

The beginnings of The Selecter arose in 1977, when Neol Davies, John Bradbury and Barry Jones recorded what would become “Kingston Affair” whilst in session. They then decided to form a band, becoming “The Selecter,” with this first track being featured on the b-side to the Specials’ single “Gangsters.” Neol Davies (guitar) then recruited Desmond Brown (hammond organ), Charley Anderson (bass), Compton Amanor (guitar), Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson (vocals), Charley ‘H’ Bembridge (drums) and finally vocalist Pauline Black, completing the lineup in 1979.

The band went straight into the studio, recording and releasing a string of singles, “On My Radio,” “Three Minute Hero” and “Missing Words’ before the end of the year. Their debut album, “Too Much Pressure” was released in February 1980, by 2 Tone Records and Chrysalis Records. The album was a success, peaking at number five in the UK charts. Their second release, “Celebrate the Bullet,” came out a year later. However it did not achieve the same success and the band crumbled apart.

The band split in 1982, with Black pursuing a career in theatre, TV and film as well as music. However, this was not to be the end of The Selector, as Davies and Black reunited in 1991, continuing to tour and perform live, supporting No Doubt on their North American tour in 1997. Throughout the 90s and 2000s, varying lineups under the guise of The Selecter released albums intermittently, led by front woman Pauline Black. In 2010, Black and Hendrickson again played under the name of The Selecter, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album. In celebration, they performed the whole album in its entirety. In 2014, The Selecter was again mobilized for a show at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Subsequently, they embarked on an extensive tour of the UK, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.