2 Tone Records

2 Tone Records (including Two Tone Records or 2- Tone Records ) was a British music label, especially ska and reggae - influenced music published from July 1979 to mid-1980s, which was perceived in the context of punk rock and new wave. The 2 Tone label was the trigger and namesake of the 2-tone - music - and - culture scene, the ska tradition of the 1960s took up in the 1980s and extended to elements of the punk / New Wave. His trademarks were the two ( color ) tones ( "two-tone " ) black and white, especially as a silhouette of a man in the black - white color of the labels on the plates - Demonstration of mixed-race background of the new ska movement.

Label history

The label was founded in 1979 in Coventry by Jerry Dammers, the head of the British ska revival band The Specials. Actually, it should only serve to bring out its own records. When the Specials disbanded in 1985, that was the end of the label; but later some compilation albums have been released yet.

For 2 Tone label included in the first year, except the specials, the prominent ska bands The Selecter, Madness and The Beat, but all changed within the first two years to other record companies. The contracts of 2 Tone Records that allowed each artist to leave the label again, even after publishing only a single (one in the music industry of the early 1980s usually not common practice ). Both Madness and The Beat took this out - Madness signed after the first hit with Stiff Records, The Beat founded their own label, Go Feet Records. The Selecter switched to Chrysalis Records, who were also responsible for the distribution of 2 Tone Records.

The 2 Tone label was very successful; of the first 20 single releases were able to place 16 in the UK charts, two of which reached the number one position; of the first ten LP releases were seven in the charts.

2 Tone Records was closely associated with the ska revival of the early 1980s. When the wave had subsided, Dammers yet tried the clientele of the label continues to hold with releases of radio - punk band The Higsons or jazz funk from The Apollinaire, but with little success.

Quote

" Strictly speaking, does not exist as 2 Tone record label. It's more of a parody of a record label - except that it is more successful than all right " Jerry Dammers, 1979!

Artists on 2 Tone Records

  • The Apollinaire
  • Bad Manners ( only on the Compilation Dance Craze )
  • The Beat (in the U.S. as The English Beat )
  • The Bodysnatchers
  • Elvis Costello & The Attractions ( a previously unreleased single )
  • The Friday Club
  • The Higsons
  • JB's Allstars (a band of specials Drummer " JB " John Bradbury )
  • Madness
  • Rhoda Dakar
  • Rico Rodriguez
  • The Selecter
  • The Specials, also known as The Special AKA
  • The Swinging Cats

Discography

Singles

Albums

  • TT5001 The Specials - The Specials (1980, UK # 4)
  • TT5002 The Selecter - The Selecter (1980, UK # 5)
  • TT5003 The Specials - More Specials (1981, UK # 5)
  • TT5004 Various Artists - Dance Craze (1981, Soundtrack, UK # 5)
  • TT5005 Rico - That Man Is Forward ( 1981)
  • TT5006 Rico - Jama Rico ( 1982)
  • TT5008 The Special a.k.a. - In the Studio (1984, UK # 34)
  • TT5010 The Specials - The Specials Singles ( Compilation, 1991)
England Madness (band) Rico Rodriguez (musician)
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