1980: The SPECIALS, The SELECTER and 2 TONE | Arena | Classic BBC Music | BBC Archive

Adrian Thrills (NME cub reporter) pays a visit to Coventry, the nerve centre of the fastest growing independent label in the country - 2 Tone. 2 Tone is home to an exciting crop of young midlands bands like The Selecter and The Specials who blend traditional Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae, blues, funk and punk.
Thrills meets The Selecter during a recording session for Three Minute Hero, where bassist Charley Anderson and vocalist Pauline Black chat to him about how their interpretation of ska differs from trad ska, and the politics powering the music.
Then it's on to 2 Tone HQ, to meet label founder Jerry Dammers and the rest of The Specials - Neville Staple, Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Roddy Radiation, John Bradbury and Horace Panter - for a chat about their influences and the day-to-day running of the label.
This clip is taken from Arena, originally broadcast 12 March, 1980.
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[@SimonJohn67]

R.I.P Terry Hall. Gone way too soon 😭 All the two tone bands were a massive part of my childhood.

[@kevincornwall2431]

Still a Rude Boy 42 years later....To much to young...oh and I got married at 19...in 1982...and still married 40 years later....😁

[@julianaylor4351]

This is an era of brilliant music. 🎶😎❤️

[@tonimarx6405]

Everyone seemed so nice back then.

[@wonderrob3225]

I first heard Madness' "One Step Beyond" in '79 or '80, but it wasn't until '82 or '84 that The Specials and The Selecter reached the West Coast U.S. skaters.

[@67andrewbaker]

Absolutely brilliant. Love it. This channel is fast becoming the best one on KZbin. Keep up the brilliant posts

[@dryherbvoter]

I miss my ex girlfriend. She taught me how to ska dance and have fun. She lives in the city with another book reader as she wanted. I'm a country, small-town type of guy. Love you, Tamara.

[@Chris-Top-HerB]

I first saw The Specials, The Selecter & Madness Nov 6th 1979 @ Portsmouth Guildhall. I was a few weeks shy of 12 years old and I've never looked back, Ska'd for Life!!! R.I.P Bradders & Rico.

[@wonderrob3225]

I first heard Madness' "One Step Beyond" in '79 or '80, but it wasn't until '82 or '84 that The Specials and The Selecter reached the West Coast U.S. skaters.

[@graemenicol6377]

Well only 54 I was still at school when Two Tone kicked offed however been a Skinhead since 1983 my style of music.

[@OlafProt]

Just for a time, there was really natural genuine racial integration like at 2:00. Not for any reason other than because they lived on the same street and loved the same music, hated the same useless governments. This has been lost.

[@dekemason]

What a wonderful piece of history. Love this clip.

[@punkyduck28]

I loved all these bands and dressed as much as I could like a mod , when not stuck at school. I still love all these bands. It was the best time to be a young teenager! Irie ❤️💛❣️

[@hedonismunderstands2469]

wow, actually catching selecter making three minute hero! classic...

[@ShaunLodwig1987]

this is awesome, ive seen the shortened version loads of times i did not know it was from a longer interview, great upload, R.I.P Terry

[@onlyme219]

I was still propped into punk music at the time. But secretly loved this stuff, especially The Specials

[@Ricksta66]

Brilliant 😎 I was a rude boy back then and loved it, all the two-tone music

[@Ezzerguru]

Loved this. Neville definitely stoned 😂

[@tothelighthouse9843]

What a gem this bit of reportage is. And that vibe the Specials had--their interview is non-stop laughter. 💚💛❤

[@jaysea1553]

blimey l don't know about anyone else but this makes me feel really old,love it

[@jel2106]

The Two Tone label office was at 51 Albany Road - there’s a plaque on the outside of the building to commemorate it. The poodle parlour is still there.

[@chadprice4976]

2 Tone Forever Black White Unite!! 1 Love 4all Forever

[@seanmacleod1724]

Nice trip down memory lane. Good to see Terry Hall young, with life and success ahead of him in his different music incarnations.

[@k1k2lee]

I was a rude boy back then good times,music,Style,Clothing, Lyrics all of it we could relate to SKA 2Tone era was great from the Loafers,suits,Trilby hats,Docks,Harrington etc Keep stomping 😄

[@claire-christmas-august73]

throughly enjoyed.! 😆 cheers for sharing.. ✌🏻✌🏼✌🏽✌🏾✌🏿🇦🇺

[@HomebrewStew]

All record execs should act like Dammers.

[@welshlad6427]

Great era for Music ❤️

[@larkdodge1403]

amazing to still have this. Big up the peeps who had the thought to make this , then kept it ,rather than erasing..Pauline and the Band. Respect from Australia 2022.

[@Jojobber]

Excellent video, this got as close to the inside world of the specials as I have ever seen.

[@EdEditz]

FINALLY we see the whole thing. In documentaries they only ever show little pieces of this footage. Brilliant to see it all. I downloaded it immediately for my archive.

[@lionsingh18]

Grew up in Cov then and mega kick off with Nazis skins, but a few of the young lads came to us as loved Ska more and probably met West Indians for the 1st time....

[@Ziggy_Shakespeare]

This channel keeps getting better by the day.

[@TheHarrip]

I’m not opposed to thumping somebody 👍🇬🇧😂 I found this band in 2002 Fantastic

[@8saltman]

Only ever saw part of this in very bad quality, this is great. Thank you.

[@daveshaw2342]

Loved the two tone / ska era

[@ShaunLodwig1987]

please upload everything you have on the specials in full that would be amazing!!

[@gazzatop7378]

Once a Rude Boy always a Rude Boy good time's 🎸🏁💃🏁🎺🎷🎸💃🎺🎤💃

[@astra47420]

Brilliant love the music back in the day I live in Leeds in the 80s the time off my live 💥💥💥💥

[@carlwhitney917]

My era and I was big into 2 tone at the time , sadly it was far to short lived .

[@youalreadyknow5039]

Keep Ska Alive… Skank till ya rank and Bop till ya drop!!!!!

[@marccarter1350]

I use to love the NME back in the day. Had it delivered!

[@chipsthedog1]

This is pure gold. This was an era of amazing music. Who sang "it's the beginning of a new era"?

[@frankiefugazi]

(Dawning Of A) New Era - The Specials.

[@chipsthedog1]

@@frankiefugazi thankyou

[@frankiefugazi]

@@chipsthedog1 Have you seen Dance Craze? A film made up from 2tone bands live back in the day? If not I hope you enjoy it 😎 kzbin.info/www/bejne/haqzq3mIgZeIe5o

[@nocturnalmusiclover1530]

Nice to see this again. Love Ska! Love Two-Tone! RIP Terry 🏁❤️🙏🏽✨🎺🎷🎵

[@wonderrob3225]

I first heard Madness' "One Step Beyond" in '79 or '80, but it wasn't until '82 or '84 that The Specials and The Selector reached the West Coast U.S. skaters.

[@sicks6six]

Everyone wore a football scarf all the time in the 70s

[@matthewwilson3202]

The selecter bass player was very cool

[@newreast3904]

it is a long walk to the bbc....

[@davidprice6994]

i rememer this and the Sham 69 documentry made by Jeff Perks i think

[@keironhiggspoet]

some great fashion and footage in this. one of the best bands. RIP Terry.

[@OutOnTheTiles]

Thanks for posting this. It’s incredible!! Cheers 👍

[@akaski777]

Building a spliff in the office

[@skavillecity]

Brilliant documentary 😎👍

[@finnmanproductions9240]

Nice to see this again. Another great insight and snapshot of that time.

[@matthewpayton]

R.I.P Terry Hall

[@iliaskorakianitis5278]

Lovely footage great times ❤️

[@harveyg104]

Those jackets on the rack looked like a favorite thrift shop in my neighborhood. A rude boy would value one of those jackets today.😮😮😮

[@jenniferstromsoe4924]

Whoa! What a treat.

[@troygaspard6732]

Proof that the suburbs are capable of great art

[@michaellifetv5696]

Respect ❤ 🙏🏿

[@Escapee5931]

I'm sure I had a Dansette record player like that one!

[@donnytom8891]

That's a old time rock report but very good stuff thanks for people make we happy ending ❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@korosuchimu1479]

That was a strange edit I'd love to see the whole thing

[@gewglesux]

This is again brilliant stuff.

[@GlenBoyle-w7v]

Rest in peace Arthur gaps 😢

[@andrewmacf]

"Right, shall we have a dance?"

[@icemonAesDana]

cool post

[@cantsay8894]

Great stuff!

[@Gunnercv]

🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁👍

[@RICHARDDUNN05]

Love it 🏁🏁🏁

[@peterscholes5864]

R.I.P Terry Hall

[@biancawilloughby9980]

OMG this is heaven!

[@BluebeatShelter]

Great stuff!

[@kozko-xe1xl]

GOLD

[@mozdickson]

oi oi oi!

[@chrismitchell9631]

Best thing I've ever seen on KZbin, that. 👍

[@lars-fenin]

"right, shall we have a dance"....:)

[@David_Watts]

Wow.... this is BRILLIANT!! 👍🙏

[@Mod-rw9cw]

Loved The Specials but always thought that The Selector were spoiled her squawking voice.

[@thecapricorn11]

😎

[@kddlb]

🕴

[@croiners4166]

Too funny!

[@Ndlanding]

A great thing to find! I loved that music, though I wasn't so keen on its creators. Now they look and sound a lot better.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

Never understand why these group claimed they were playing ska. 2 Tone was simply punk dipped in reggae. Great bands and a great era.

[@Ndlanding]

Ska is the jumpy one, and much more synchopated! Reggae is more laid back, and doesn't make you bounce. Sway, yes, but no jumpiness.

[@Sangor]

Two Tone was a record label not a music genre.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

@@Sangor I’ve been calling this music 2 Tone since 1979. Where were YOU in ‘79?

[@Sangor]

@@SoulStylistJukeBox I finished my apprenticeship in 79, and was lucky enough to see most of the bands that were associated with the ska scene and the mod revival of the late 70's and early 80's .