In the 1970's, bands such as the Clash were utilizing such things as Reggae and Punk. These were the Rude Boys ideal s. To revitalize and express Reggae and Punk. But towards the middle of the 1970's, bands such as The Coventry Automatics chose to use ska instead of reggae. Jerry Dammers thought it was alot easier to play then the form that the Rude Boys wanted. The Coventry Automatics later became The Automatics then The Specials AKA The Automatics, then The Special AKA, then The Specials. (On a Side note which I take from one resources webpage because he says it the best. When the Specials broke up, Hall Staples and Golding formed The Fun Boy Three and Dammers formed The Special AKA... Fun Boy Three Broke up and Hall formed The Colourfield. Neville and Golding formed Sunday's Best, Hall left The colourfield and went solo, then did a project with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics under the name Vegas. Hall just released a new solo CD called TERRY HALL - HOME... Sunday's Best broke up and neville played with numerous other bands then released a solo CD in 94 called Skanktastic... Staples and Golding are back together with the newly formed Specials. Dammers left Special AKA and is now playing Acid Jazz).
In 1979 Dammers formed 2-tone Records. Dammers, like Prince Buster, wanted to create something new. Black and white became a symbol and 2 Tone ska was born. The 2 Tone logo of a man in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, sunglasses, pork pie hat, white socks and black loafers became the official logo and was named Walt Jabsco.
In a time of racial riots and the racist National Front organization at its peek, the black and white clothing and racially integrated bands promoted racial unity in a torn country. As with Jamaican ska, the mood of the times was reflected in the lyrics (Why Do You want to Kill Me? Tell Me Why Tell Me Why Tell Me Why. - Special AKA). Bands such as Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, and the Specials revitalized the classic ska sounds of Prince Buster (Remakes include Rough Rider, Madness, Too Hot, etc.) and other first wave artists. Another band not on the two tone label but associated closely with the two-tone movement is Bad Manners. There was also a cross over of first wave artists in the 2-Tone bands. (Rico Rodriquez who guested with the Specials was trained by Don Drummond and played as a studio musician in Jamaica). Eventually, Chrysalis Records bought 2-Tone from Dammers, leaving him the right to sign new bands. The Two Tone artists at one time or another included: The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, Rico Rodriquez, The Swinging Cats, The Friday Club, The Bodysnatchers, The Hisons, J.B. Allstars, Special AKA, The Apollinairs, The Beat (know as the English Beat in the US because a band called the Beat already existed here), and a single from Elvis Costello. Inspite of running a reputable label, by 1985 the 2-tone label was falling apart; Dammers was broke and in debt to Chrysalis and the Dawning of a New Era ended in a Ghost Town.
Thus closes the second wave of ska... After only lasting for a total of 5 years, this wave still produced alot of great bands. Bands like The Tigers, Ska City Rockers, The Akrylykz (with Roland Gift on Tenor Sax who later joined ex-english beat members Cox and Steele as singer for Fine Young Cannibals), The Employees, The Pirahnas, Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, and the Specials became hits in the late 70's and early 80's. The Specials even made the Top 10 Billboards in the USA for one of there albums.
Like the First wave, I am not completely finished with the information on this page. If you have any info to help out, let me know on my message board. And now to the third wave.
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