The English Beat
| The Beat | |
|---|---|
The Beat in Truckee, California
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The English Beat, The British Beat |
| Origin | Birmingham, England |
| Genres | New wave, ska, 2-tone, post-punk |
| Years active | 1978–1983, 2003, 2006–present |
| Labels | Go Feet, 2 Tone, London, Sire, I.R.S., EMI, A&M, Chrysalis |
| Associated acts | Ranking Roger, Pato Banton, General Public, Fine Young Cannibals, The International Beat, Special Beat, Madness |
| Members |
The English Beat starring Dave Wakeling Dave Wakeling Nucci Cantrell Matt Morrish Kevin Lum King Schascha Minh Quan Brad Engstrom The Beat feat. Ranking Roger / The New English Beat feat. Ranking Roger Ranking Roger Ranking Junior Fuzz Townshend Oscar Harrison Andy Pearson Steve Harper Bobby Bird Mark 'Chiko' Hamilton |
| Past members |
Andy Cox Everett Morton Saxa David Steele Wesley Magoogan Dave 'Blockhead' Wright |
The Beat (known in North America as The English Beat and in Australia as The British Beat) are a band founded in Birmingham, England, in 1978. Their music fuses ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock.
The Beat, consisting of Dave Wakeling (vocals, guitar), Ranking Roger (vocals), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums), and Saxa a.k.a. Lionel Augustus Martin (saxophone), released three studio albums in the early 1980s: I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen? (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982), and a string of singles, including "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Too Nice to Talk To", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Hands Off, She's Mine" and "All Out to Get You".
The Beat were formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978, during a period of high unemployment and social upheaval in the United Kingdom. Ranking Roger, one of the band's vocalists, added a Jamaican vocal flavour to the band's sound with his toasting style. Jamaican saxophonist Saxa added a Jamaican ska instrumental sound. Saxa (born Lionel Augustus Martin in 1930) had played saxophone with Prince Buster,Laurel Aitken, and Desmond Dekker in the first wave of ska. He joined The Beat to record their first single, "Tears of a Clown", a cover version of the Motown hit by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
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