Music Matters – 2-Tone Celebration at Coventry Music Museum today – 45 years later

CURATOR at Coventry Music Museum, Pete Chambers BEM, writes for The Observer.

The years go by as fast as you can blink

May 4th may conjure up Star Wars, but it’s also the day 2-Tone officially became an entity in 1979.

Now 45 years on, we’re celebrating this special anniversary at the Coventry Music Museum in 2-Tone Village.

If 1979 took you by surprise, then 2024 must be an epiphany to realize that the musical phenomenon we call 2-Tone is not only still a thing, but continues to have huge resonance and legitimacy in these times often worrying.

The history of this infectious sound that copies from Ska and steals from Punk has been well documented over time, if you’re reading this you’ll no doubt be well acquainted with bands like The Specials, The Selecter, Madness and The Beat. They all had a hand in changing our lives, taught us to dance (or at least try to), gave us a beat that was our own, and ever so gently worked their sociopolitical views on us to make us better people.

The male skinhead hairstyle is no longer an option for us oldies, just a way of life now, but Walt Jabsco tattoos remain a totem for a sweet indulgence that was and always will be a life choice. They may have faded over the years like the skin on those cherry red DMs, but we can all remember where and when they were first created and what the musical soundtrack was at the time.

For over ten years, 2-Tone Village and Coventry Music Museum have been actively celebrating local music in all its forms, of course as we reach forty-five years of 2-Tone as a major musical genre and a beautiful way to life. We can best believe we’ll be here to tell our visitors all about it, and as part of that we’ve created a short trail that starts in the Museum and ends at the Knights Venue and tells the story of 2-Tone in ten objects.

Guests can see 45 years of 2-Tone in 10 objects on a short route around the museum ending at the Knights with a very special display of custom stage signs as famously seen at the Coventry Cathedral concert . Here you can also submit your own top ten selection and enjoy some sounds and some visuals. Start in the museum and look for the ten iconic objects that we have specially selected to tell the story of 2-Tone at 45. The last element of the trail is located in the Knights Venue and takes us to the last set of Speciale’s live concerts that have including Coventry Cathedral.

Our selection looks like this: 1. Gangsters Vs Selecter Single, 2. Jerry Dammers’ Suit, 3. Mantovani/Swinging Cats Single, 4. Official BBC Award No. 1/Specials/Encore, 5. The Ghost Town Organ, 6. Ranking Roger’s Hat, 7. Madness Slim Tie, 8. Selecter Handwritten Lyrics to “On My Radio”, 9. Pauline’s Sheepskin Coat Black and 10. Special concert posters. Now what are your top ten?

On Sunday 5th May there is a Sounding Off special this time with Pete Shells, former Specials road crew from noon to 1pm, normal museum admission applies; there will also be a chance to win a very special signed t-shirt.