The Beat/English Beat

[sunvalleylaw]

When I was in college I loved this stuff. I love the chord progressions and rhythym guitar. Starting to listen to this lead me to the bands Madness, The Untouchables, The Violent Femmes, etc. Submitted for memory lane travel for any others who got into it. Going back and watching the guitar now seems interesting. I wonder what that tear drop shaped one is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNpaaPHENE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ZbcTkz8e8&mode=related&search=

[jasongins]

They tried to reunite this band on VH1 Bands Reunited, but there were two members they couldn't track down or get to cooperate. I think it was the bass player and one other. What I didn't know was that when the band split, some members went on to form General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. I like the rhythym guitar as well and hope to learn some of that style.

[sunvalleylaw]

Dave Wakeling and some backers came here to Ketchum last summer to a local pub, and darn it, I missed them.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Oh yeah!!! Thanks Sun!

[Spudman]

Vewey intwestwing silly wrabbit.

I have never listened to these guys and now I can't get the darn song out of my head. I'm even thinking of looking for a restaurant with glass tables. :) Pretty infectious stuff.

[sunvalleylaw]

Here is one more that I remember as being very fun, very 80s!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8bYpD34gRo&mode=related&search=

[Spudman]

Amazing, I've actually heard Save It For Later.

[duhvoodooman]

Going back and watching the guitar now seems interesting. I wonder what that tear drop shaped one is.
Vox "Teardrop". Brian Jones of the Stones used to play one frequently, and when I saw Tom Petty last summer, both he and Mike Campbell played them on certain songs.

http://www.sandiego.com/music.jsp?x=000&id=9437af38-b28d-4583-a92a-b37421487124

[sunvalleylaw]

...................Thanks DVM!

[aeolian]

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0sVcWbqpug

I love Madness except that the radio will only play "Our House", which I think is their worst song. Look for "Complete Madness" and you will see what I mean. They have this one crazy song on there which has a 15/16 (or was it 14/16) beat which just drove me crazy until I figured out what they were doing.

If you prefer more straight ahead raggae rather than ska, try UB40's first album "Present Arms." To me, that is a classic.

[sunvalleylaw]

I love that one! Much closer to a lot of ska than Our House, like the Untouchables and The Specials, who I forgot to mention earlier. I watched that vid a bunch when MTV was new. Thanks for the reminder!

[sunvalleylaw]

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0sVcWbqpug

I love Madness except that the radio will only play "Our House", which I think is their worst song. Look for "Complete Madness" and you will see what I mean. They have this one crazy song on there which has a 15/16 (or was it 14/16) beat which just drove me crazy until I figured out what they were doing.

If you prefer more straight ahead raggae rather than ska, try UB40's first album "Present Arms." To me, that is a classic.

I also have some UB40, and General Public and enjoy them. How long have you been in Portland? Did you ever see the Crazy 8's? They used to be ska oriented. I still have the Law and Order album on vinyl and break it out once in a while.

[aeolian]

Hey Steve,

I've been in the Portland area since 1979 so I do know the Crazy 8's. I bought their first album (may be only album) back when it came out on vinyl. Can't say whether I still have it somewhere since I get rid of my record player and hundreds of vinyl records, although I hung on to certain items on vinyl because they are more unique (an example is Dave Mason's Alone Together that came in the swirly multi-colored vinyl). I stored these vinyl records away somewhere since I have no way to play them anymore.

I saw UB40 when they came to Portland back in the 80s.