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The Beat (British band)

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File:The Beat 1981 group picture.jpg
The Beat pictured in 1981
This article is about the British ska band, known as The English Beat in the US. For the American power-pop band that made the name change necessary, see The Beat (US)
The Beat is also the title of a 1988 movie starring John Savage

The Beat, known in the United States as The English Beat in order to avoid confusion with Paul Collins' band of the same name, was a popular Two Tone ska and pop music group. Formed in the English city of Birmingham in 1978, The Beat disbanded in 1983, but has reformed in the early 2000s with some of the original line-up.

One of the more popular and enduring groups of a short-lived trend, The Beat released three albums: I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982).

File:Beat - Best Friend single picture cover.jpg
The picture cover of the 1980 Best Friend single

After the break-up of The Beat, Dave Wakeling (guitar, vocals) and Ranking Roger (vocals) went on to form General Public, while Andy Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass guitar) formed Fine Young Cannibals with vocalist Roland Gift.

Members of the band often collaborated on stage with The Specials and performed together on tracks such as "Free Nelson Mandela". In the early 1990s, Roger joined members of The Specials to form the new band The Special Beat, which released two live albums.

Ranking Roger's son, Ranking Junior, has followed in his father's footsteps. In 2005, he appeared on The Ordinary Boys' single "Boys Will Be Boys". In 2003, The Beat's original line-up, minus Cox and Steele but with the addition of Junior, played a sold-out one-off gig at the Royal Festival Hall. As of 2005, The Beat has reformed, counting Roger, Blockhead and Morton of the original line-up, with Ranking Junior also on vocals. The band is said to have the blessing of Cox, Steele and Saxa (of Desmond Dekker fame).

Personnel

Singles

  • Tears Of A Clown/Ranking Full Stop (1979)
  • Hands Off - She's Mine (1980)
  • Mirror In The Bathroom (1980)
  • Best Friend/Stand Down Margaret (Dub) (1980)
  • Too Nice To Talk To (1980)
  • Drowning/All Out To Get You (1981)
  • Doors Of Your Heart (1981)
  • Hit It (1981)
  • Save It For Later (1982)
  • Jeanette (1982)
  • I Confess (1982)
  • Can't Get Used To Losing You (1983)
  • Ackee 1-2-3 (1983)

References

Guinness Book of British Hit Singles 7th Edition

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