Boomtown

..Sang, Danced

Retro from our trip to the Two Tone exhibition in Coventry, which was the epicentre for the ska revival in the late 1970s/80s and provided a real lift to the city at the time.

80s Ska
For those not familiar it combined punk ,ska, reggae and had a distinctive look and branding in black and white. Many of the bands had both black and white members and supported anti- racism, and otherwise made social comment, but there was also a big element of fun, . Much dancing and fun was also an element especially from the band Madness. The quote below at the exhibition from their lead singer Suggs which makes me chuckle.

"Wearing straight trousers and having
short hair differentiated you from all the
other people looking like Kevin Keegan."

Nb 80s Ska bands wore mohair suits and had short hair in the main. Kevin Keegan was a footballer with long permed hair.

The first Two tone single was Gangsters by The Specials (AKA at the time)was quite dark, and I still have it on 7".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-4hgxw8LIk