Why Is Two-Tone Ska Rock Popular on Retro Radio?

[morrobay]

Just hearing a lot of this genre on retro FM radio. This genre originated In the late 1970's in Coventry, England. The local dj on this station , Top News Radio 93.5 FM is a Brit.

 

[pinball1970]

Just hearing a lot of this genre on retro FM radio. This genre originated In the late 1970's in Coventry, England. The local dj on this station , Top News Radio 93.5 FM is a Brit.

Specials, the soundtrack of my adolescence 1979-81

I could speak an awful lot on this but I will be sparse and post intermittently.

Probably a lot altogether though!

This was my favourite, great snare sound, sinister chords.

Rat Race

 

[difalcojr]

love that fast beat. Here's the only one that got air playtime back then that I remember, very popular then.

 

[pinball1970]

love that fast beat. Here's the only one that got air playtime back then that I remember, very popular then.

Glad you jumped in! To me this was more political than musical so I was turned off.
Late 70s in the inner city UK was not political. It was just violent.

 

[difalcojr]

Wanted more of that style back then but did not hear much more of it, maybe I just missed it.
Here's only other one I know that fits that Ska beat, I think. Lead singer RIP 2023, Steve Harwell. 2009 concert.

 

[morrobay]

. Indeed an interesting Genre. First time actually aware of it

 

[pinball1970]

Ska was described as "dance music" and for a short time there was a "dance craze" 1980 ish

This video sums it up.

 

[pinball1970]

Wanted more of that style back then but did not hear much more of it, maybe I just missed it.
Here's only other one I know that fits that Ska beat, I think. Lead singer RIP 2023, Steve Harwell. 2009 concert.

That is fast! Loved the guitar intro.

 

[morrobay]

 

[pinball1970]

Selector

 

[pinball1970]

Madness

 

[difalcojr]

Looked for more of that fast 2-beat Ska-type sound in other bands. Police, no. Elvis Costello, no. Found this old, 1967 one by Cream that is close, I think. Wiki says Ska was the mix of reggae and punk styles. I liked it.

 

[morrobay]

 

[brigman]

Sadly, Terry Hall passed in 2022 but The Specials kept producing good music. Consider this from 2019. There's also a studio version but this live performance is edgy.



Don't shoot the messenger, but don't be overly thankful either!

 

[sbrothy]

If you wanna go to the roots I recommend "Manu Chao". There's no punk influence but the Ska rhythm is unmistakably there and it's pretty cool with a nice ethnic touch.

 

[morrobay]

 

[morrobay]

Classic Jamaican Ska.

 

[difalcojr]

You know, I've had that Specials' "Gangster" song going through my mind now since you first posted it over a month ago! It's that good, thanks! I find myself counting beats, one, two, one, two, ...

The Manu Chao that @sbrothy recommended has a different sound but similar beat too, I agree. Here's a couple, first a faster beat, the second slower and video is pretty cool.

 

[difalcojr]

TAX day in U.S. tomorrow. Here's some advice.

And, for Canada, April 30.

 

[pinball1970]

Is that a vox teardrop?"

 

[morrobay]

 

[difalcojr]

Is that a vox teardrop?"

No idea.
Dawn Penn has a nice sounding voice on song above.
Favorite song on favorite old reggae album.

 

[morrobay]

Indeed the difference between reggae and ska while subtle is evident here. With ska more up tempo.