Ranking Roger
| Ranking Roger | |
|---|---|
Godiva Festival (Coventry) 2015
|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roger Charlery |
| Born |
21 February 1963 Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Ska, punk rock, electronica |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Labels | IRS, Paras |
| Associated acts | The Beat, General Public, Big Audio Dynamite |
Ranking Roger (born Roger Charlery, 21 February 1963) is a British musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s two-tone band, The Beat (known in the U.S. as The English Beat) and later General Public. He currently leads a re-formed Beat line-up with drummer Everett Morton.
The "Ranking" moniker is short for "Top Ranking" or "High Ranking," and is a boast typical of many MCs.
Roger was born in Birmingham, England, the son of Jean Baptiste Charlery. He became a punk rock fan as a teenager and joined ska revival pioneers The Beat in the late 1970s. He had appeared on stage toasting and singing with them many times before officially joining the band. His energetic style and Jamaican-influenced vocals, paired with Dave Wakeling were crucial in distinguishing the band from the other second-wave ska bands. The Beat released three albums: the critically acclaimed and seminal I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen? (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982).
After The Beat's 1983 break-up, he and Wakeling formed General Public with Mickey Billingham and Andy "Stoker" Growcott of Dexys Midnight Runners and Horace Panter of The Specials. They released the album All the Rage, aided by the single "Tenderness". In 1986 they released Hand to Mouth which was significantly less successful, and the band soon split up.
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