The English Beat

During the late 1970s and early 1980s British ska revival, the Beat stood among its central acts. To sidestep overlap with Paul Collins’s power pop outfit, the group performed as the English Beat throughout North America. Their skillful merger of infectious melodies and locked-in grooves turned them into major attractions across the U.K. while earning a loyal cult audience in the United States. Led by vocalist-guitarist Dave Wakeling and toaster Ranking Roger, the racially mixed Birmingham ensemble issued its first single, “Tears of a Clown” backed with “Ranking Full Stop,” on the Specials’ 2-Tone imprint in 1979. That record climbed into the British top ten, prompting an Arista arrangement to handle their self-run Go Feet label. Their 1980 debut album, I Just Can’t Stop It (issued domestically by Sire), reached gold status in England largely because of the hit single “Mirror in the Bathroom,” and the band’s intense shows plus incisive mix of personal and political themes cemented their status at home. Following the less successful 1981 sophomore release Wha’ppen?, they returned forcefully with 1982’s Special Beat Service. This more pop-focused collection expanded their American reach after MTV championed the singles “I Confess” and “Save It for Later.” The unit disbanded at the close of that year, yet in the 2000s both Wakeling and Roger each fronted separate touring incarnations of the Beat, and the Wakeling lineup produced the 2018 album Here We Go Love.

The Beat came together in 1978 and played their first concert the following March in Birmingham, just as fellow ska-inflected outfits such as the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, and Bad Manners were surfacing on the British club circuit. The initial lineup featured Wakeling on vocals and guitar, Andy Cox on guitar, David Steele on bass, and Everett Morton on drums. They soon welcomed toaster Ranking Roger (born Roger Charlery) and expanded to a sextet by adding saxophonist Saxa (Lionel Augustus Martin), whose prior credits included work with Desmond Dekker, Laurel Aitken, and Prince Buster. As their live reputation spread, the Specials invited them onto tour and onto the 2-Tone roster. The resulting single paired a cover of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown” with the original “Ranking Full Stop,” peaked at number six on the U.K. chart, and led to headline dates. Seeking greater autonomy, the group launched Go Feet Records and secured international distribution via Arista (with Sire handling U.S. releases). Their debut album, the acclaimed I Just Can’t Stop It, reached the British top three, earned gold certification, and, under the English Beat name, attained a modest U.S. peak of number 142.

Extensive touring followed, with keyboardist Dave “Blockhead” Wright added for 1981 shows. The second album, Wha’ppen?, appeared in June 1981 and again reached number three at home while improving on its predecessor’s American placement, although critics responded coolly and sales ultimately lagged. Sire ended its U.S. deal. Saxa participated in the sessions for 1982’s Special Beat Service, yet Wesley Magoogan replaced him on the road after the veteran saxophonist found touring too demanding. Special Beat Service climbed only to number 21 in Britain, but I.R.S. issued it stateside. Heavy MTV rotation for “I Confess” and “Save It for Later,” together with co-headlining dates alongside the Police, the Pretenders, and R.E.M., lifted the album to number 39 and secured a lasting American foothold. Domestic success arrived too late, however; the Beat dissolved in 1983.

After the split, Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed General Public while Cox and Steele started Fine Young Cannibals, both projects achieving U.S. chart success. General Public disbanded in 1987, reunited briefly in 1994, and Wakeling issued the solo set No Warning in 1991. Ranking Roger made his solo bow with the more roots-oriented Radical Departure in 1988. Morton and Saxa assembled the International Beat, released The Hitting Line, and toured both Britain and the States before the group ended in 1992. The original members minus Cox and Steele reunited for a U.K. tour in 2003. By 2006 Wakeling and Ranking Roger each led their own touring editions: Wakeling’s English Beat featuring Dave Wakeling operated mainly in North America, while Roger’s Beat featuring Ranking Roger (also billed as the New English Beat featuring Ranking Roger) remained U.K.-based. In both cases the frontman was the sole original participant. Wakeling crowdfunded a new project in 2015; the resulting album, Here We Go Love, credited to the Beat Starring Dave Wakeling, appeared in June 2018. Original drummer Everett Morton passed away on October 9, 2021, at age 71.