So, here is my latest song obsession. A little history: I have always loved The (English) Beat, but never really got into General Public. "I Confess" is one of my all-time favorite songs. While researching that aforementioned song I found this little GEM and have been playing it non-stop!
It has also opened a belated crush on Ranking Roger. I love him so much in the video above. Dave Wakeling has always been awesome, but I feel that Roger holds his own in The (English) Beat and in General Public.
(Roger on the left, Dave on the right)
Here is some info about him from Wikipedia:
"Roger was born in Birmingham, England, the son of Jean Baptiste Charlery. He became a punk rock fan as a teenager and joined ska revival pioneers The Beat in the late 1970s. He had appeared on stage toasting and singing with them many times before officially joining the band. His energetic style and Jamaican-influenced vocals, paired with Dave Wakeling were crucial in distinguishing the band from the other second-wave ska bands. The Beat released three albums: the critically-acclaimed and seminal I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen? (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982).
After The Beat's 1983 break-up, he and Wakeling formed General Public with Mickey Billingham and Andy "Stoker" Growcott of Dexys Midnight Runners and Horace Panter of The Specials. They released the album All the Rage, aided by the single "Tenderness". In 1986 they released Hand to Mouth which was significantly less successful, and the band soon split up."
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