By sheer coincidence I had been listing n my MP3 player to "The Best of Two Tone" so though I am disappointed that Swansea didn't win the UK city of culture . I am rather pleased that Coventry won because it should lead to a revival of 2 tone and the ethos of Multi-culturalism it led to
The Specials Ghost Town addressing themes of urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities,may not be sen as an advert for the city, but it is a vital part of their heritage.
The song is remembered for being a hit at the same time as riots were occurring in British cities. Internal tensions within the band were also coming to a head when the single was being recorded, resulting in the song being the last single recorded by the original seven members of the group before splitting up. However, the song was hailed by the contemporary UK music press as a major piece of popular social commentary, and all three of the major UK music magazines of the time awarded "Ghost Town" the accolade of "Single of the Year" for 1981.
It also led to the Specials working AKA of the hit record Free Nelson Mandela which unlike most protest songs, the track is upbeat and celebratory, drawing on musical influences from South Africa.
It still beings tears of joy in the hope it gave to me.
The Specials Ghost Town addressing themes of urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities,may not be sen as an advert for the city, but it is a vital part of their heritage.
The song is remembered for being a hit at the same time as riots were occurring in British cities. Internal tensions within the band were also coming to a head when the single was being recorded, resulting in the song being the last single recorded by the original seven members of the group before splitting up. However, the song was hailed by the contemporary UK music press as a major piece of popular social commentary, and all three of the major UK music magazines of the time awarded "Ghost Town" the accolade of "Single of the Year" for 1981.
It also led to the Specials working AKA of the hit record Free Nelson Mandela which unlike most protest songs, the track is upbeat and celebratory, drawing on musical influences from South Africa.
It still beings tears of joy in the hope it gave to me.
3 comments:
Yes looking back on that period those of us of a left wing persuasion were certainly spoiled. Lots of artists promoted messages attacking racism and embracing multi culturalism and attacking thatcherism and the growing threat of nuclear war. The huge success enjoyed by artists of the period like the specials, madness, the jam and UB40 showed you could be political and popular.
I'm sure the mega rich tory moguls who ran most of the music industry must have had nightmares lol.
Those moguls must be smiling now. Their money was and is safe. There are now far higher levels of inequality. Those of us who were young and radical then would find it hard to think that the left generally is in retreat over the Western world and that parties that such as the FN in France, AFD in Germany, UKIP in the UK could receive such support and change the political centre if gravity in such a way.
Yes the Coventry Music Museum, which features 2Tone heavily, was at the forefront of the campaign and it will be for the next 5 years or so. Provided, of course, it keeps going as it is purely voluntary and funded by donations. I do hope the Council will use some of the money they're getting from English Heritage to fund the place properly.
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