The (English) Beat

Gavin B. · 07-13-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Gotta heartily disagree with you on who is most commercial sounding. As for my experience with The Beat, I have only ever heard "I Just Can't Stop It" so thanks for the warning. I have two reasons for thinking that The Beat is the most commercial sounding of the 2 Tone bands: 1) I grew up hearing "Mirror In The Bathroom" alongside lots of unbearable Top 40 Pop crap like Rick Springfield and Air Supply. 2) The sax. I know, I know - Saxa is a real ska legend and all but when you put that much sax in 80s Pop - no matter how skillful it is, you end up with something that sounds at least a little bit like Foreigner.

I always have felt that punk's biggest connection to ska is in ska's fast skank guitar. That and the wild energy of the vocalist are what make The Selecter feel the 'most punk' to me. The Specials, Madness, and The Beat all seem about equally punk I guess.

Agreed.

EDIT: I posted this before I watched the video up in post #2: Punk debates aside - that's some good shit! Like I said, I probably should invest more time in The Beat...

I'm not sure where you grew up but I never heard the Beat on any radio station, let alone a station that also played Rick Springfield and Air Supply.

I'm not even sure how Foreigner sounded, so I'll have to leave that call to your judgement, since you're familiar with the music of both bands. And please don't ask me to listen to Rick Springfield or Air Supply or Foreigner to verify your assessment because there isn't a lot of MOR pop that I can listen to without getting an urge to commit suicide within 2 minutes.

That being said, there's plenty of commerical sounding music that is worth listening to and I don't hold commercial success against any band.

But let's face it, none of the 2 Tone bands were not selling zillion units of musical product, be it the Beat, the Specials, Selector or Madness. I checked at the RIAA site none of the 2 Tone albums sold enough units to chart at 100,000 sales in the USA, even thirty years after their initial release.

Forward thinking bands rarely gain a mass audience, no matter how commerical they sound. Elvis Costello is probably the most enduring artist from that era and his music has the purest pop sound of any of the punk and post punk bands.

Engine · 07-14-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin B.

I'm not sure where you grew up but I never heard the Beat on any radio station, let alone a station that also played Rick Springfield and Air Supply.

I'm not even sure how Foreigner sounded, so I'll have to leave that call to your judgement, since you're familiar with the music of both bands. And please don't ask me to listen to Rick Springfield or Air Supply or Foreigner to verify your assessment because there isn't a lot of MOR pop that I can listen to without getting an urge to commit suicide within 2 minutes.

That being said, there's plenty of commerical sounding music that is worth listening to and I don't hold commercial success against any band.

But let's face it, none of the 2 Tone bands were not selling zillion units of musical product, be it the Beat, the Specials, Selector or Madness. I checked at the RIAA site none of the 2 Tone albums sold enough units to chart at 100,000 sales in the USA, even thirty years after their initial release.

Forward thinking bands rarely gain a mass audience, no matter how commerical they sound. Elvis Costello is probably the most enduring artist from that era and his music has the purest pop sound of any of the punk and post punk bands.

I grew up in the Washington DC area - it may not have been top 40 radio where I heard Mirror - it may have been MTV or older kids or something but the song was definitely out there with all of the New Wave/Pop stuff. In any case, although it may not be deserved, I lumped the band in with a bunch of other garbage-music.

My intent was not to go on a tirade about Pop Music in general, though.
In any case, I am happy to hear that you have not been subjected to Foreigner and don't worry, I would never ask anybody to listen to Rick Springfield or Air Supply.

Gavin B. · 07-14-2009, 12:04 PM

It's all totally cool, Engine. I'll catch your act on the flipside, ace.

Engine · 07-14-2009, 06:46 PM

^ That Bill Murray photo makes me feel happy inside.

Anyway, this thread has intrigued me enough to give I Just Can't Stop It another listen soon. I'll listen with as open a mind as possible.

jackhammer · 07-15-2009, 08:37 AM

As a big Ska fan it's surprising that I have only heard Wha'ppen from The Beat and the odd single. I thought that album was quite boring TBH but maybe I should listen to their first two when I get hold of them.

Bulldog · 07-15-2009, 08:41 AM

I've got no idea what their later material sounds like, but the debut is excellent - great little mish-mash of Jamaican styles.

jackhammer · 07-15-2009, 08:43 AM

It's to Ska what UB40 is to reggae

Rickenbacker · 07-15-2009, 10:38 AM

Who doesn't love a little UB40 on a lazy day? ^^

jackhammer · 07-15-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker

Who doesn't love a little UB40 on a lazy day? ^^

Not me. Awful awful music that masquerades as Reggae. Yuk. Those who like their Reggae over here don't think much of them at all. The Earth Died Screaming was bloody brilliant though. Shame they turned into a pop band.

right-track · 07-15-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

It's to Ska what UB40 is to reggae

Most of the 2Tone stuff was too. Which is all good so long as you don't take it too seriously. Lets be honest. Musically...they just don't measure up.

As for UB4O...don't get me started on that band.
Fans of UB40 are usually exclusively fans of UB40 and no other.
A bit like Status Quo fans really. Come to think of it... UB40 are the Status Quo of reggae.
If it wasn't for these bands, I doubt their fans would have ever had an interest in music at all.

07-14-2009, 12:04 PM	#13 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	It's all totally cool, Engine. I'll catch your act on the flipside, ace. __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff. Townes Van Zandt

07-15-2009, 08:37 AM	#15 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	As a big Ska fan it's surprising that I have only heard Wha'ppen from The Beat and the odd single. I thought that album was quite boring TBH but maybe I should listen to their first two when I get hold of them. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

07-15-2009, 08:43 AM	#17 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	It's to Ska what UB40 is to reggae __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

07-15-2009, 10:38 AM	#18 (permalink)
Rickenbacker / Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Conn Posts: 1,338	Who doesn't love a little UB40 on a lazy day? ^^ __________________ last.fm rym Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed

07-14-2009, 06:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	^ That Bill Murray photo makes me feel happy inside. Anyway, this thread has intrigued me enough to give I Just Can't Stop It another listen soon. I'll listen with as open a mind as possible.

07-15-2009, 08:41 AM	#16 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	I've got no idea what their later material sounds like, but the debut is excellent - great little mish-mash of Jamaican styles.