why coventry?

gaz89 · Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

I'm doing a bit of research for a project at uni about 2-tone and was just curious of peoples thought about what it was about Coventry and the West Midlands in the late 70s that made 2-tone what is was? related to this, if you were there at the time was it a different experience living in this area than anywhere else in the UK?

any thoughts?

JETT RINK · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 3583 Location: Texas

Why nott

r13ska · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 2167 Location: at confession

couldnt have done it in scotland, as we were tortured with bay bloody city rollers Shocked

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Shan · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 9759 Location: UK

It so happened that the lads were from Cov, that made a bit of a difference Laughing

Brum was the same, I'm sure it was much of a muchness in the cities with Thatcher-induced poverty and all the job losses and social unrest.. as for the miners elsewhere in the country, they had other more pressing issues to protest about.
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Ally · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 3769 Location: DUNDEE

Multiracial communities mixed with unemployment ,and some right clever bastards Very Happy

thats my guess anyway Confused

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Nice of you to pop in on your way to the wine and cheese do, Ally. Very Happy

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Ally · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 3769 Location: DUNDEE

Thought i would pop in for an hour or two Hughie,let the champers work it's way out my system before i head off to the do Very Happy

it's the chauffers night of Razz

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The Member For Slough · Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 2028 Location: Slough

wonderstuff · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Posts: 587

1979, the year when that bitch came 2 power..
punk was dead then, it was just the right time 4 something new & original 2 happen.
and 7 guys from Cov, came 2 the fore, with there songs & politics bout living in a shithole & racial tensions at the time.
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The Member For Slough · Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 2028 Location: Slough

There was still lots of fantastic punk around in 79.

gaz89 · Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

i've got another one (sorry everyone!). more for those who were into 2-Tone in the late70s/early 80s but also for anyone who's got into 2-Tone since.

i got into 2-Tone when i joined a ska band as a bassist when i was 15 and found the basslines more interesting than alot of the punk stuff i was listening to, but it quickly became more than just the basslines! So what did/does 2-Tone mean to you? i'm guessing for most people its much more than just a style of music? And has your view changed overtime too?

marigold · Joined: 16 May 2010 Posts: 524 Location: washington. d. c.

I'm reading older posts as they are good!
No, It can't just be the music - definitely the message, the way It was presented with conviction - not lecturing and probably the very beginning of what they now call "World music" [hate that term] only our world was smaller and our influences were West Indian/not African?

Are you researching for a book?

With parents from the North, living in London during The War - I remember how Coventry and the residents were talked about with respect and awe as they sustained so much of the bombing and destruction It left.
The Specials must have been raised in this enviroment of loss, the city buildings showed It for ages - and you remember how Grandparents talked about The War.
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