The English Beat was known as The Beat everywhere in the
world except the U.S. But since this is an American site, we'll go with The English
Beat. The reason for the confusion? In the United States there was already a band
called The Beat, who ironically, by their last album, called themselves Paul
Collins' Beat (to avoid the same confusion) after leader Paul Collins (formerly of
The Nerves). A similar curse befell Squeeze at the time of their U.S.
debut. But nevermind that... Let's get on with The (English) Beat...
The English Beat, along with The Specials, The Selecter and, to a
lesser extent, Madness, was one of the most important and influential ska
revivalist or "two-tone" groups of the 1980s. Formed in U.K.'s Birmingham in 1978,
The English Beat filled an interesting niche in the genre thru the use of
alternating lead vocals by guitarist Dave Wakeling and toaster Ranking Roger, an essential
element of the true "two-tone" sound.
The band consisted of frontmen Wakeling and Roger as well as Andy Cox on guitar, Dave
Steel on bass, and Everett Moreton on drums. Their unique soound was rounded out by
Saxa, a fifty-year-old saxaphonist whose professional band experience experience dated
to well before the birth of his bandmates! Their fresh and innovative sound landed them a
gig opening for "two-tone" compadres The Selector and a signing to the 2-Tone
label.
Their first hit was a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Tears Of A Clown." In 1980
they formed their own label, Go-Feet, distributed by Arista in the U.K. and
a U.S. Deal with Sire Records, which was fast becoming the "new wave" arm of
ditributor Warner Brothers Records. More singles hit the U.K. charts, like "
Mirror In The Bathroom" and "Stand Down Margaret" with it's vehement anti-Thatcher
bent. The debut LP I JUST CAN'T STOP IT carried both original tunes and
catchy cover versions of pop and ska material like "Can't Get Used To Losing You".
With their second LP W'HAPPEN? their sound was much more "ska" oriented. And
with that LP they added keyboardist Dave Blockhead, as a guest musician. W'HAPPEN
failed to generate the same chart success as its predecessor and in the U.S. neither
LP made any significant imapct beyond the college markets. The English Beat started
looking for a new direction.
In 1982, Go-Feet signed a U.S. deal with I.R.S. Records in the hope that the
successful "new wave" label's success with acts like The
Go-Go's and R.E.M. would rub off and give the band the hit status it so very
much craved and deserved. Part of the deal included U.S. re-release of the first two LPs
on I.R.S. It was at this time that the grueling touring became too much for
the ailing Saxa to endure. Though he still was a member during recording, Saxaphone duties
were picked up, in studio and on the road by Wesley Magoogan, an accomplished studio
musician (Hazel O'Connor, Joan Armatrading and Maggie Ryder) who added trumpet and
woodwind effects to their sound. And Dave Blockhead became a full time member, bringing
the former sextet up in size to an octet in the studio and a septet on the road.
Thier debut release on I.R.S. was SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE in 1982. Thanks
in part to heavy airplay of two videos for "Save It For Later" and "I
Confess" on MTV, The English Beat achieved moderate success in the U.S.
But after their 1982 U.S. tour the band decided to call it quits -- perhaps a premature decision,
given their sudden acceptance on both sides of the Atlantic.
Wakeling and Roger went on to form General Public while Cox and Steel formed Fine Young Cannibals with vocalist Roland Gift. All members continue to work in music and there have been several partial reunions of the band or its spinoffs in some capacity fairly often in the twenty years since their demise. The most notable of these was a hybrid band consisting of various members of both The English Beat and The Specials called, logically, Special Beat. And there were solo efforts by Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, toaster Pato Banton, and FYC minus Roland Gift as Two Men, A Drum Machine and a Trumpet.
SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE
Produced by Bob Sargeant (except Cut #9: Mike Hedges & Ranking Roger)
Engineered by Trevor Hallesy & Mark Dearnley
Supervised by Nick Rogers
Mended by Brian Gaylor
Cutting Engineer Ian Cooper
Recorded & mixed at Roundhouse Studios, London
Art Direction by Martyn Atkins of T&CP
Photography by Bruce Fleming
Beat Management by Don Farquall & Warren E. Diott
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele banjo & bass
Andy Cox guitar & mandolin
Everett Morton drums
Dave Blockhead keyboards & piano
Saxa saxaphone
Wesley Magoogan saxaphone, clarinet, lyricon, sax FX unit
Additional Musicians:
Steve Sidwell & Dave Lord trumpets
Jack Emblow accordian
M. Mishra tambla
Mark Fox percussion
Bob Sargeant telephone & marimba
Vince Sullivan trombone
Pato Banton toasting
Track Listing:
Review Coming Soon!
I JUST CAN'T STOP IT
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Engineered by Tevor Hallesy, Mark Dearnley and Nick Rogers
Assisted by Mike & Alvin
Thanks To John Peel, The Specials, Selecter and A/W Hunt Emerson
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele bass
Andy Cox guitar
Everett Morton drums
Saxa saxaphone
Track Listing:
Review Coming Soon!
W'HAPPEN?
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Engineered by Mark Dearnley
Assisted by Nick Rogers
Mended by Brian Gaylor
Cutting Engineer Ian Cooper
Recorded & mixed at Roundhouse Studios, London
Sleeve Design by Hunt Emerson & English Beat
Mastered for US Release by Frank DeLuna at A&M
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele bass
Andy Cox guitar
Everett Morton drums
Saxa saxaphone
Additional Musicians:
Dave Blockhead keyboards
Saltin trumpet
Dick steel drum
Bob Sargeant marimba
Cedric Myton extra vocals on cut #1
Track Listing:
Review Coming Soon!
WHAT IS BEAT?
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Cut 7 Produced by English Beat & Mike Hedges
Cut 12 Produced by English Beat & David Peters
Engineered by Trevor Hallesy & Mark Dearnley
Cut 10 remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez
Cut 12 recorded live atthe Boston Opera House, 19 November 1982
Project Coordination by John Guarnieri
Cutting Engineer Ian Cooper
Design by Timothy Eames
Art Direction by Carl Grasso
Photography by Aaron Rapoport
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele banjo & bass
Andy Cox guitar & mandolin
Everett Morton drums
Dave Blockhead keyboards & piano
Saxa saxaphone
Wesley Magoogan saxaphone, clarinet, lyricon, sax FX unit
Track Listing:
Review Coming Soon!
ENGLISH BEAT CD3
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele banjo & bass
Andy Cox guitar & mandolin
Everett Morton drums
Dave Blockhead keyboards & piano
Saxa saxaphone
Wesley Magoogan saxaphone, clarinet, lyricon, sax FX unit
By the late 1980's many labels were experimenting with making the music even MORE
portable than the five inch Compact disc. Solution? a three inch disc! With three
songs! This one featured The English Beat's first US hit, "Save It For Later",
a 12" remix of "Doors Of Your Heart" and a live version of "Best Friend".
ENGLISH BEAT CD3
Musicians:
Dave Wakeling vocals & guitar
Ranking Roger toasting, vocals & percussion
David Steele banjo & bass
Andy Cox guitar & mandolin
Everett Morton drums
Dave Blockhead keyboards & piano
Saxa saxaphone
Wesley Magoogan saxaphone, clarinet, lyricon, sax FX unit
The second CD3 by The Englsih Beat. This one featured other US hit, "I Confess", and two more live tracks from their November 1982 appearance at the Boston Opera House.
"A-Side Tune"/"B-Side Tune"
Produced by Name Name
Review Coming Soon!
"Save It For Later"/"Sole Salvation"
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Review Coming Soon!
"I Confess"/"March Of The Swivelheads (Rotating Heads Remix)"
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Review Coming Soon!
"I Confess"/"Jeanette"
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Review Coming Soon!
"Too Nice To Talk To" & "Too Nice To Talk To (Remix)"/"Best Friend"
Produced by Bob Sargeant
Review Coming Soon!
THE BEAT GOES ON (IRS-13086): features five songs by The English Beat and eight by other spinoff acts.
HEARING AIDS (I.R.S. Promotional cassette, No #)
: features "I Confess" on side 1.
IT'S NOT THE SIZE THAT COUNTS (IRS-27834) includes a live version of "Tears Of A Clown"
ON THE CHARTS: IRS RECORDS 1979-1994
(IRSD-29695) includes "Save It For Later", cut 5.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS! (IRS 82010) includes
"Whine & Grind/Stand Down Margaret", cut 11.
There are plenty of sites devoted to The (English) Beat. Here's the best of what we found: