Dexys Midnight Runners came along with their energetic soul revival sound in 1979, riding the coat-tails of 2-Tone as the punk revolution began to diffuse into new sounds and hybrids.

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During the short but sweet 2-Tone era, The Beat clocked up half a dozen hit singles of which Mirror In The Bathroom, which reached No.4 in 1980, was arguably the best. 

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The second hit single for The Beat, Hands Off She’s Mine was one of the highlights of the Two-Tone music movement by the Birmingham band. (more…)

Reggae and Punk were natural partners, linked by their outsider credentials, exemplified by Coventry band The Specials and the Two-Tone explosion of 1979. (more…)

The Bodysnatchers were an all-female seven-piece ska revival band from London and The Boiler was the chilling centrepiece of their live performances. (more…)

The Selecter started out with this self-titled instrumental on the flip-side of Gangsters by The Special A.K.A. (soon to be shortened to The Specials) in 1979. (more…)