Madness ~ The Specials ~ UB40 ~ Aswad ~ Musical Youth
Ska, Reggae, Mods & Rockers. DJ, Director, Model, Social Commentator, And The Clash Videographer (From The Early Days). Don Letts In Ever Versatile Music Attire ~ The Trusty Parker @lettsdon on insta
Eleven: Madness ~ The Prince, 1979 @madnessband. The Nutty Boy Band of Brothers From Camden, North London, Were Inspired By The Jamaican SKA & Reggae Legend Buster Prince. It Was This Debut Performance On The BBC Which Bought Them To National Attention In The Lates 70s. They Toured With The Specials And The Selector Before Releasin’ Their First Album One Step Beyond. The Band Took Their Name From The Song “Madness” On Buster Prince’s Fabulous Greatest Hits Album And Also Covered The Track “Madness”. As Well As Namin’ Their First Album After Another of The Songs On The Greatest Hits Called “One Step Beyond”, Which They Also Covered That Track Too.
The Band Are Still Goin’ And Famously Performed Their Son “Our House” On The Roof of Buckingham Palace In 2012 For The Queen’s Jubilee. Charismatic Lead Singer Suggs Was Recently Positively Profiled In A Feature Length Documentary About His Life-Story With The Band And With His Mrs On Sky Arts (Catch-Up Channel On Now TV).
Although They Were Influenced By Black Music (As So Many White Artists And Bands Were And Still Are), Because of Their Skinhead Image They Were Often Confused As Bein’ A Racist Band And Attracted Alot of Racist Followers. Yet On The Other Hand They Were Also Considered A Mod Band Too. Mixed Messaging Much? Their Track “Embarrassment” Musically Documents The Real Dangers & Consequences of Such Mixed Messagin’.
Twelve: The Specials ~ Rudie, 1979 (On The Old Grey Whistle Test) @thespecials. They Were A SKA Band. The Band’s Lead Singer Jerry Darmmer Formed His Own Record Label Which Signed Up The Selector, The Beat And Madness.
Thirteen: UB40 ~ Ivory Madonna, @ub40official @UB40 Ft Ali Campbell. The Band Members Hail From Birmingham And Are One of The World’s Most Successful, Famous, And Long Lastin’ Reggae Bands. (Named After The “Dole” Form Which Gave Unemployment Benefit To The Unemployed At A Time When Unemployment Was At One of The Highest Rates Its Ever Been In The UK) They Consciously Sing About Social Issues, Social Situations And At Special National Occassions. They Are Still Goin’ Strong And Still Tourin’ And Earlier This Month Performed At The Commonwealth Games Held In Birmingham.
Fourteen: Aswad ~ African Children, 1981. Performed On The Old Grey Whistle Test. @legendaryaswad
Fiveteen: Musical Youth ~ Pass The Dutchie, 1982. The Birmingham Band Formed At School And Part of Their Appeal Was The Young Age of The Leader Singer/Guitarist And The Pianist. They Were Small In Stature But Big On Charisma And Talent Which Made Them Adorably Cute. With Their Three Other Taller School Mates, They Managed To Win Themselves A Grammy Nomination For Their Version of The Song. It Had Been Adapted From Its Original Title Pass The Koutchie On The Left Hand Side, Given Their Delicate Age (And Frankly Somewhat Delicate Mass Audience). The Former Was A Classic Jamaican Cookin’ Pot (Regularly Full With Tasty Caribbean Food). The Latter Was Part of Smokin’ Parphenalia Regularly Filled With Something Else And Shared Amongst Those Who Enjoyed What We Might Politely Call A Puff.
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