A mix of the more moody elements of the 2 tone sound that started to emerge towards the later end of 1980. Coupled with some newer tracks from the third wavers and the currant crop of British bands who are flirting with the 2 tone sound at the mo.

The sound moved beyond the jerky rude boy Ska beats of 79' into a darker more reggae-matic sound by mid 1980. The new sound of both The Specials and The Selecters second albums received a mixed reception from the music press and the 2 tone faithful alike. I too favoured the earlier "Rudie" stuff being 12 at the time as did most of my peers. Looking back on these tracks now though, I can say that they have evolved into some of my fave tunes from that particular period. I hope you enjoy them too.

Show down - Scrappy
Twist & crawl - The Beat
You’re not the law - The Dead 60’s
Celebrate the bullet - The Selecter
Do nothing - Lynvil Golding & Nevile Staples
Dead 60’s - Bonus dub
Stereotypes/Stereotypes, Pt. 2 - The Specials
Man at C&A - The Specials
Earthquake - Pama International
The Selecter (Kingston affair) - The Selecter
Razor cut - The Selecter
International Jet Set - The Specials
Their dream goes on - The Selecter
Away - The swinging cats

'The British Reggae' is an episode from the Aquarius series documenting the importance that Reggae had on the british music scene at the time. I have just converted it from to DVD from VHS. It was first broadcast by LWT (London weekend television) way back in1976. I've posted a couple of Sound bites from it just too see if it converts.

Two rare tracks from the 2 tone era released in 1980.Both taken from the Brixton Blue Beat album.

Stay free - The Clash
What you could have won - Milburn
The saints are coming - The Skids
Search and destroy - Iggy pop and the Stooges
Shadow - The Lurkers
Where's captain Kirk - Spizzenergi
All i want - Snatch
New rose - The Dammed
Young savage - Ultravox
E.S.P - The Buzzcocks
Love and a molotov cocktail - The Fly's
All the young punks - The Clash
Culture Vultures - Wire

A few gems from the golden age of Reggae for your musical pleasure, pure skinhead reggae at it's best. ....ENJOY!

Ben wood dick - Laural Aitkin
Belittle me - Calton Alphonso
Sweet musille - The corporation
The dog - Harry Jay
Night doctor - The Upsetters
Do it madley - Chuck Jnr
Battle of the giants - The pioneers
Catch a beat - The pioneers
Nuclear wepon - Ansil Collins
Return of the vampire - The Upsetters
Doing the moonwalk - Nicky Thomas

The Donkey show 's debut album Bali island (side one).

Along with Fishbone they were one of the first of the new wave of American Ska bands to emerge around the mid eighties. Hailing from Southern California they introduced many people to the music and were in the unique position of being one of the founding bands of the "California Ska Sound", a precursor to what some would come to call the Third wave. Sadly they Split in 1990.

A slice of nostalga from Potato 5's debut album released way back in 87' (1987 yeah! that long ago!) on Gaz's rockin blues label. They were, god bless them one of the very few Ska bands doing the rounds on the live circuit at a time when Ska was no longer flavour of the month, and long after the demise of 2 tone, The Specials, and the pork pie hat. They did in hind-site help to pave the way for the'so called '3 wave' of Ska that begain to emerge towards the latter end of tyhe 1990's.They were renowned for being a great band live. Only a few viynal outings exist from a band who are now soo saddly missed........Tear it up!!!

Tear it up
Jesse Jackson
Spin on your head
Big city
Western special