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On this day, 7 November 1979, the Two Tone package tour consisting of Specials/Madness/Selector played Cardiff’s Top Rank.
In 1979 cool kids rocked to the 2-Tone tour. The Specials, formerly The Coventry Automatics and The Special AKA The Automatics, supported by Madness and The Selecter, had rehearsed for the tour at The Roundhouse in London’s Chalk Farm.
In October they played the first gig at the Top Rank, Brighton. The running order for stage shows was always The Selecter on first, then Madness, lastly The Specials.
2-Tone, created by Jerry Dammers, the son of a Coventry clergyman, designer of the 2 Tone label, with its black and white checks and ‘rude boy’ mascot, Walt Jabsco, had come a long way from the founder’s one-bedroom flat on 51 Albany Road. The sound was raw and ready.
Earlier that year Rude Girl Pauline Black was working as a Walsgrave Hospital radiologist when she and a group of Coventry musicians formed The Selecter. Born Belinda Magnus in 1953 to Anglo-Jewish/Nigerian parents, Black epitomised 2-Tone.
“The amount of violence at specials gigs has been exaggerated down the years” say Dammers. “I really wish there hadn’t been any. The great majority were trouble free, but there were a few where a minority thought they were supposed to have a scrap. With about four exceptions, any sign of trouble was nipped in the bud by the band stopping and Terry explaining that it wasn’t part of the deal”.
08/11/79 THE SPECIALS – A Message To You Rudy (Top of the Pops)
Yes, it’s that Two Tone takeover of Top of the Pops with The Specials, The Selecter and former stable mates, Madness all appearing on the show. The 2 Tone tour has stopped off in Cardiff so Madness take a helicopter ride to London whilst The Specials don’t do such luxuries and instead lump it onto the train to the BBC Studios. The Selecter meanwhile cheat by getting Top of the Pops to just repeat their previous performance although admittedly that does allow them to keep the Cardiff Top Rank mob at bay before the other two bands return. A bare chested, creepy looking host in a fez introduces The Specials, now at no. 19 in the charts. Terry, Barrister Staples and Lynval are to be found seated on some high stools and are all on lead vocals so Jerry fills in on guitar, with his organ remaining unopened to the side of the stage. The Selecter’s “On My Radio” was at it’s peak position of no. 9. in the charts whilst “One Step Beyond” from Madness was a brand new release but also Top Ten bound. Walt Jabsco in cardboard form makes a guest appearance next to Woody for Madness’ performance.
