The Beat (2)

2 Tone Ska revival group formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England by guitarist/vocalist [a=Dave Wakeling] with [a22392] (bass) and [a=Andy Cox] (guitar) along with rapper/toaster [a=Ranking Roger] ([a=Roger Charlery]), drummer [a=Everett Morton] and veteran Jamaican saxophonist [a=Saxa] ([url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/1511592-Lionel-Martin-2]Lionel Martin[/url]). As there was an eponymous US group emerging at the time they were forced to use the names The English Beat on their North American releases and The British Beat briefly in Australia.

The band enjoyed immediate chart success and established their own record label [l27705]. After the split in 1983, Steele and Cox went on to form [a=Fine Young Cannibals] and later [a=2 Men A Drum Machine And A Trumpet] while Wakeling, Ranking Roger and Saxa formed [a=General Public]. Saxa and Everett Morton also formed [a=International Beat], with some guest appearances by Ranking Roger who also joined members of [a=The Specials] in [a=Special Beat].

Until recently, two different versions of the band toured fairly frequently: "The English Beat starring Dave Wakeling" (a.k.a. [a=The Beat (8)], based in California, U.S.A.) and "The Beat with Ranking Roger" (a.k.a. [a=The Beat (6)], which also featured Ranking Roger's son [a750519], and was based in the UK.) The latter group ended with the death of Ranking Roger in Spring of 2019.