2 UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023

In 1979, 2 Tone burst into the national consciousness with the recordings of The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat, and The Bodysnatchers, creating a youth movement. 2 Tone represented multi-racialism: a British and Caribbean music force that sang about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke to the injustices of society and resisted right-wing extremism.

The music of 2 Tone was explosive: white youths learned to dance to the infectious rhythms of ska and reggae, combined with a punk attitude to create an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, under the creative guidance of an art student who grew up in church. Jerry Dammers had a vision of an English Motown. He borrowed £700, and the first record of the label included 'Gangsters' by The Specials, accompanied by an orchestral composition from the then-unknown Selecter. Within two months, the track reached sixth place on the national charts.

Dammers signed Madness, The Beat, and The Bodysnatchers, as a series of hits propelled 2 Tone to the top of the charts and into the hearts of a generation. However, internal disputes among the bands and pressure from the record label management led 2 Tone to succumb to an inevitable burden of expectations and accusations. Despite the challenges, under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as the period from 1979-1981, the label continued to thrive for another four years, releasing a series of new signings and a stunning finale with '(Free) Nelson Mandela'.

The story of 2 Tone, as captured in "Too Much Too Young," is the defining narrative of a record label that for a brief, bright moment, shaped British culture.

• Pages: 544
• Publication Year: 0723
• Dimensions: 13x13cm