2 Tone Records
2 Tone Records was an independent British record label founded in 1979 by Jerry Dammers, keyboardist and principal songwriter for The Specials, operating from Coventry.[1][2] The label specialized in two-tone music, a genre blending the upbeat rhythms of Jamaican ska and reggae with punk's energy and social commentary, reflecting the multiracial working-class youth culture amid economic decline and racial tensions in late 1970s Britain.[3][4] Its roster featured seminal acts such as The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, and The Bodysnatchers, whose releases like The Specials' "Gangsters" and "Ghost Town"—the latter reaching number one during the 1981 urban riots—propelled the label to commercial prominence and cultural influence.[1][5] The iconic black-and-white checkerboard logo, designed by Dammers, embodied the label's ethos of racial integration, drawing from mod and rude boy aesthetics to counter divisions promoted by groups like the National Front.[6][7] Though short-lived, peaking before financial strains led to its effective closure by the mid-1980s, 2 Tone sparked a ska revival that reshaped British popular music and inspired global third-wave ska movements.[4][3]Founding and Early Development
Origins in Coventry and Jerry Dammers' Vision
2 Tone Records emerged from the multicultural music scene of Coventry, an industrial city in England's West Midlands facing economic decline and social tensions in the late 1970s. Jerry Dammers, the keyboardist, principal songwriter, and founder of the band The Specials in 1977, drew inspiration from the fusion of British punk's aggression with Jamaican ska and reggae traditions prevalent among local black and white youth. He aimed to revive ska at a punk tempo to create danceable music that promoted racial unity and addressed issues like unemployment and division, reflecting Coventry's post-war Caribbean immigrant communities and automotive industry woes.[8][1] Dammers founded 2 Tone Records in Coventry in 1979, operating initially from a local flat, with the explicit vision of establishing a "Coventry Motown"—a self-controlled production line for records that maintained artistic independence amid interest from major labels like Chrysalis, which sought to sign The Specials but under terms Dammers rejected to preserve creative oversight. The label's inaugural release, The Specials' "Gangsters" single in May 1979, exemplified this approach by combining sharp lyrics critiquing music industry exploitation with upbeat ska rhythms, setting the stage for a broader roster of multiracial acts. Dammers personally crafted the label's stark black-and-white checkerboard visual identity, intended as a symbol of racial integration and a call for harmony in divided communities.[9][1][8] This foundational vision positioned 2 Tone not merely as a label but as a cultural movement, encouraging a uniform aesthetic of slim suits, pork pie hats, and toned-down skinhead styles to evoke 1960s rude boy culture while confronting 1970s Britain's strikes, far-right agitation, and youth alienation. By prioritizing bands with integrated lineups and anti-racist messaging, Dammers sought to foster cross-cultural solidarity through music that was both entertaining and politically charged, countering the era's pervasive social fragmentation without reliance on external ideological narratives.[8][1]Label Establishment and Initial Operations (1979)
Jerry Dammers founded 2 Tone Records in 1979 in Coventry, England, as an independent label to release music by his band, The Special AKA (subsequently renamed The Specials), amid growing interest from major record companies.[10] Seeking to maintain artistic and operational control, Dammers rejected direct signing offers, including from Chrysalis Records, and instead secured a distribution agreement that positioned 2 Tone as an autonomous imprint handled by Chrysalis for wider release and promotion.[2] This structure, negotiated post-initial single, provided funding and logistical support—such as manufacturing and marketing—while allowing Dammers to oversee creative decisions, including the label's distinctive black-and-white aesthetic derived from 1960s Jamaican rude boy imagery.[6] Initial operations centered on the production and launch of the label's debut single, "Gangsters" by The Special AKA, released on May 4, 1979, with a pressing of approximately 5,000 copies initially.[11] The track, a critique of music industry exploitation inspired by the band's experiences touring in France, was backed by "The Selecter," an instrumental by the unsigned local group of the same name, effectively debuting both acts on a double A-side format.[12] Recorded at Whispering Pines Studios in Coventry with engineer Dave Jordan, the single fused sharp ska rhythms with punk attitude, peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart and selling over 100,000 copies within weeks, which validated the label's viability and prompted Chrysalis's formal involvement.[10] By mid-1979, 2 Tone expanded operations to sign The Selecter fully and prepare follow-up releases, including recording sessions for The Specials' self-titled debut album at Island Studios in London, completed under producer Elvis Costello by September.[2] The album, released October 19, 1979, featured tracks like "A Message to You Rudy" and encompassed 14 songs emphasizing multiracial unity and social commentary, aligning with Dammers' vision of countering racial tensions through music amid Coventry's industrial decline.[13] These early efforts established 2 Tone's catalog numbering system (starting with CHS TT 1 for singles) and focused scouting on Midlands-based bands blending reggae influences with British punk urgency.[6]Musical and Aesthetic Identity
Core Elements of 2 Tone Sound
The 2 Tone sound fused elements of Jamaican ska and rocksteady from the 1960s with the aggressive energy of punk rock, resulting in a revived style that emphasized danceable rhythms and raw urgency. This hybrid prioritized fast tempos, typically exceeding 120 beats per minute, to evoke a sense of immediacy and collective movement, distinguishing it from the more laid-back pacing of original ska.[14][4] The genre's rhythmic foundation relied on the "skank" pattern, where guitars delivered sharp, percussive upstrokes on the off-beats (primarily 2 and 4 in 4/4 time), complemented by walking bass lines that provided a propulsive groove.[15][14] Instrumentation formed a core pillar, featuring fuller ensembles than traditional ska: a prominent horn section with trumpet, trombone, and saxophone for punchy, staccato riffs and melodic hooks; rhythm guitars for choppy accents; driving bass and snare-heavy drums; and often keyboards or organ for tonal depth reminiscent of rocksteady.[14][16] Punk's influence introduced a harder edge through distorted guitars and tighter, more aggressive dynamics, enabling high-energy live performances that blurred multiracial band lineups into synchronized chaos.[4] Vocals typically employed shouted or semi-spoken delivery—sometimes with call-and-response choruses—to convey direct, narrative-driven lyrics, amplifying the sound's communal and confrontational tone without relying on elaborate production.[17] This sonic blueprint, as realized in early releases like The Specials' 1979 single "Gangsters," prioritized simplicity and authenticity, using minimal studio effects to capture the raw interplay of brass stabs, rhythmic syncopation, and punk-infused velocity, which fueled its appeal as accessible yet potent street music.[4] The style's causal emphasis on rhythmic precision and tempo acceleration stemmed from Jerry Dammers' intent to merge punk's speed with ska's bounce, creating a vehicle for social unity through physical engagement rather than overt complexity.[17]Visual and Cultural Symbolism
The visual aesthetic of 2 Tone Records centered on a black-and-white checkerboard pattern, which Jerry Dammers adopted as the label's signature motif to symbolize racial harmony between black and white youth cultures. This design, featured prominently on record labels, sleeves, and promotional materials, drew from ska traditions but was repurposed to counter social divisions in late 1970s Britain, including unemployment and rising racial tensions.[18][19] Complementing the checkerboard was the Walt Jabsco rude boy illustration, created by Dammers as the label's mascot and inspired by Peter Tosh's Legalize It album cover artwork. Depicting a sharply attired figure in a pork-pie hat, tonic suit, and loafers, Walt Jabsco evoked the Jamaican rude boy archetype, adapted to represent multiracial unity and anti-fascist solidarity among working-class bands and fans.[20][17] Culturally, these symbols extended to fashion and performance styles, with artists donning monochromatic suits, braces, and hats to visually enact integration, mirroring the interracial band lineups and lyrics addressing inequality. The aesthetic influenced a broader youth movement, fostering dance halls where black and white attendees skanked together against the backdrop of economic strife and National Front activities in Coventry and beyond.[8][1][3]Artists and Roster
Primary Acts: The Specials and The Selecter
The Specials, formed in Coventry in 1977 initially as the Coventry Automatics by keyboardist Jerry Dammers, vocalist Terry Hall, and others, functioned as the foundational act for 2 Tone Records. Dammers launched the label in 1979 to independently release the band's material under a distribution deal with Chrysalis Records, enabling him to curate a roster of like-minded ska revival groups amid the punk era.[10][21] The group's raw fusion of ska rhythms, punk energy, and sharp social commentary on urban decay and racism defined the label's early output and propelled its rapid ascent. The Specials' debut single, "Gangsters"—a pointed adaptation of the reggae staple "Liquidator" critiquing music industry exploitation—served as 2 Tone's inaugural release (catalogue TT1) in May 1979, climbing to number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.[11][12] Its B-side, the instrumental "The Selecter," introduced the companion band and underscored the label's collaborative ethos from the outset. The self-titled debut album followed on October 19, 1979, produced by Elvis Costello at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas; it peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart, blending covers like "A Message to You Rudy" (originally by Dandy Livingstone) with originals such as "Concrete Jungle" that captured Coventry's industrial strife and multiracial youth tensions.[12][22] The Selecter, coalescing in Coventry in mid-1979 around guitarist Neol Davies and vocalist Pauline Black after the B-side track bearing their name gained traction, emerged as 2 Tone's complementary primary act, emphasizing gender and racial diversity in its lineup.[23] With assistance from Specials guitarist Lynval Golding, the band solidified its sound of urgent ska-punk hybrids addressing personal and societal pressures, debuting properly with the single "On My Radio" b/w "Missing Words" in October 1979, which hit number 11 in the UK.[23] Their album Too Much Pressure, released February 23, 1980 (CDL TT5002), reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart and included tracks like the title song and "Carry Go Bring Home," recorded swiftly to capitalize on the 2 Tone tour's momentum.[24][25] Together, The Specials and The Selecter anchored 2 Tone's initial phase, headlining the label's sold-out 1979 tour with acts like Madness and driving the ska revival's mainstream breakthrough through multiracial ensembles and lyrics confronting unemployment, riots, and racial division in Thatcher's Britain.[2] Their paired singles and shared aesthetic—sharp suits, checkered motifs, and anti-racist solidarity—crystallized the label's identity before internal frictions and commercial shifts altered trajectories.[1]Additional Signings and Collaborations
In addition to its flagship acts, 2 Tone Records signed Madness, who released their debut single "The Prince"—a tribute to Jamaican ska pioneer Prince Buster—on August 10, 1979, which achieved modest chart success before the band departed for Stiff Records.[26] Similarly, The Beat, formed in Birmingham in 1978, were an early signing and issued one record with the label prior to establishing their own Go Feet imprint for subsequent releases.[27] These brief associations reflected the label's strategy of scouting promising ska-revival talent amid rapid industry interest, though contracts permitted quick exits to larger deals.[28] The Bodysnatchers, an all-female septet formed in London in 1979 by vocalist Rhoda Dakar and bassist Nicky Summers, secured a two-single deal with 2 Tone. Their debut "Let's Do Rock Steady" b/w "Ruder Than You," released in early 1980, adapted rocksteady influences into the label's punk-infused ska style, followed by "Easy Life" b/w "Too Experienced" later that year, both showcasing covers and originals that peaked modestly in the UK charts.[29] The band's raw energy and gender diversity aligned with 2 Tone's multiracial ethos, though internal tensions and lineup changes limited their output before disbanding, with Dakar later joining The Special AKA.[30] Collaborations extended beyond solo signings through joint ventures like the 1980 2 Tone Tour, which united The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, and The Beat for over 30 UK dates to promote unity against racism, drawing large crowds amid rising social unrest.[31] The 1981 Dance Craze concert film and soundtrack album, released on 2 Tone, captured live performances from label acts including The Bodysnatchers alongside non-signed affiliates like Bad Manners, amplifying the scene's visibility despite Bad Manners' primary affiliation with Magnet Records.[8] These efforts underscored Jerry Dammers' vision of a collective movement rather than isolated commercial pursuits, fostering cross-band synergies in recordings and promotions.[32]Discography
Key Albums
The Specials' self-titled debut album, released on 19 October 1979, established the core 2 Tone sound through its integration of fast-paced ska rhythms, punk attitude, and reggae elements, while addressing urban discontent and racial unity in tracks like "Gangsters" and "A Message to You Rudy"; it reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.[33][34][31] The Selecter's Too Much Pressure, issued on 15 February 1980, delivered a high-energy ska-punk assault led by Pauline Black's assertive vocals and included singles such as "On My Radio" and "Missing Words," peaking at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart and underscoring the label's promotion of mixed-gender, multiracial ensembles.[35][31] The Specials' second studio album More Specials, released on 4 October 1980, shifted toward moodier dub and lounge influences with contributions from external musicians, yielding hits like "Stereotype" and "International Jet Set" but receiving criticism for diluting the debut's raw urgency; it nonetheless climbed to number 5 in the UK.[36][34][31] Later releases included The Special AKA's In the Studio in 1984, a more experimental effort by the band's remnants under Jerry Dammers that incorporated electronic and world music touches amid internal fractures, marking one of the label's final original outputs before its closure.[31][27]Singles and EPs
2 Tone Records emphasized 7-inch singles as its primary release format, leveraging the punk and ska revival's energy to drive chart success and cultural impact, with several entries reaching the UK Top 10 between 1979 and 1981.[31] These releases typically featured sharp social commentary, multiracial lineups, and the label's iconic black-and-white checkerboard sleeves. EPs were less common but included notable live and compilation efforts that extended the singles' reach.[27] The following table lists principal singles and EPs, ordered chronologically by catalogue number:| Catalogue No. | Artist | Title | Format | Release Date | UK Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TT1 | The Special AKA / The Selecter | Gangsters / The Selecter | 7" single | 30 March 1979 | 6[37][13] |
| CHS TT3 | Madness | The Prince / Madness | 7" single | June 1979 | 16 |
| CHS TT4 | The Selecter | On My Radio / Too Much Pressure | 7" single | August 1979 | 11 |
| CHS TT5 | The Specials feat. Rico | A Message to You Rudy / Nite Klub | 7" single | November 1979 | 8 |
| CHS TT7 | The Special AKA feat. Rico | Too Much Too Young (live EP with studio tracks) | 7" EP | 4 January 1980 | 1 |
| CHS TT8 | The Selecter | Three Minute Hero / Leaving Town | 7" single | February 1980 | 13 |
| CHS TT17 | The Specials | Ghost Town / Why? / Friday Night, Saturday Morning | 7" single | 12 June 1981 | 1 |
| CHS TT26 | The Special AKA | Nelson Mandela | 7" single | 4 February 1984 | 9 |