{{Short description|English band}} {{for|the musical genre which originated in Britain|Beat music}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Beat | background = group_or_band | image = The English Beat, Truckee, California.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = The Beat in 2007 | alias = The English Beat, the British Beat | origin = [[Birmingham]], England | discography = [[The Beat discography]] | years_active = {{hlist|1978–1983|2003|2006–present}} | label = {{hlist|[[Go-Feet Records|Go-Feet]]|[[2 Tone Records|2 Tone]]|[[London Recordings|London]]|[[Sire Records|Sire]]|[[I.R.S. Records|I.R.S.]]|[[EMI Records|EMI]]|[[A&M Records|A&M]]|[[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]]}} | genre = {{hlist|[[New wave music|New wave]]|[[ska]]|[[Pop music|pop]]|[[Two-tone (music genre)|two-tone]]|[[post-punk]]|[[reggae rock]]|[[punk rock]]}} | spinoffs = [[General Public]]<br> [[Fine Young Cannibals]] | current_members = * [[Dave Wakeling]] Antonee First Class | past_members = * [[Ranking Roger]] * [[Andy Cox]] * [[David Steele (musician)|David Steele]] * [[Everett Morton]] * [[Saxa (musician)|Saxa]] * Wesley Magoogan * Dave 'Blockhead' Wright }} [[File:TheBeatLive.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ranking Roger]] and Everett Morton's reformation of the Beat in London, 2006]]
'''The Beat''' (known in the United States and Canada as '''the English Beat''' and in Australia as '''the British Beat'''<ref>Album ''I Just Can't Stop It'' Go-Feet Records L37344, Australia</ref>) are an English band formed in [[Birmingham]] in 1978.<ref name="Allmusic">{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4194|label=The English Beat}}</ref> Their music fuses [[Latin music|Latin]], [[ska]], [[Pop music|pop]], [[Soul music|soul]], [[reggae]] and [[punk rock]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/01/06/the-beat-goes-on-11/ |title=The Beat goes on|author=Evan Haga |work=Baltimore Sun |date=6 January 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>
The Beat, consisting of [[Dave Wakeling]] (vocals, guitar), [[Ranking Roger]] (vocals), [[Andy Cox]] (guitar), [[David Steele (musician)|David Steele]] (bass), [[Everett Morton]] (drums) and [[Saxa (musician)|Saxa]] a.k.a. Lionel Augustus Martin (saxophone), joined by keyboard player Dave "Blockhead" Wright in 1980, released three studio albums in the early 1980s: ''[[I Just Can't Stop It]]'' (1980), ''[[Wha'ppen?]]'' (1981) and ''[[Special Beat Service]]'' (1982), and a string of singles, including "[[Mirror in the Bathroom]]", "[[Save It for Later]]", "[[I Confess (The Beat song)|I Confess]]", "[[Too Nice to Talk To]]", "[[Can't Get Used to Losing You#The Beat version|Can't Get Used to Losing You]]", "[[Hands Off...She's Mine]]" and "All Out to Get You".<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book | first= Martin C.| last= Strong | year= 2000 | title= The Great Rock Discography | edition= 5th | publisher= Mojo Books | location= Edinburgh | pages= 63–64 | isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref>
==Career==
===1978–1983=== The Beat formed in Birmingham, England, in [[1978 in the United Kingdom|1978, during a period]] of high [[unemployment]] and social upheaval in the United Kingdom. [[Ranking Roger]], one of the band's vocalists, added a Jamaican vocal flavour to the band's sound with his [[Toasting (Jamaican music)|toasting]] style. Jamaican [[Saxophone|saxophonist]] Saxa added a Jamaican ska instrumental sound. [[Saxa (musician)|Saxa]] (born Lionel Augustus Martin in 1930) had played saxophone with [[Prince Buster]],<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> [[Laurel Aitken]], and [[Desmond Dekker]] in the first wave of ska. He joined the Beat to record their first single, "[[The Tears of a Clown#The Beat version|Tears of a Clown]]", a [[cover version]] of the [[Motown Records|Motown]] hit by [[Smokey Robinson and the Miracles]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>
The band's debut studio album, ''I Just Can't Stop It'', was released in May 1980, entering the [[UK Albums Chart|UK albums chart]] at No. 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Albums Chart Top 75 {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19800525/7502/ |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.officialcharts.com |language=en}}</ref> Notable singles from the album included "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Hands Off...She's Mine" and "Best Friend". The second Beat album, ''Wha'ppen?'' was supported by extensive touring, including a United States tour with [[the Pretenders]] and [[Talking Heads]]. The album yielded more UK hits, with "All Out to Get You", "Drowning" and "Doors of Your Heart", all of which broke into the [[Top 40]] of the [[UK Singles Chart]]. The Beat received support from modern rock radio stations such as [[KROQ-FM]] in Los Angeles, the now defunct [[KQAK]] The Quake 99FM (98.9) & [[KITS]] Live 105 (105.3) in San Francisco and KYYX in [[Seattle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kroq.radio.com/2010/07/27/the-english-beat-tears-of-a-clown-kats-box/ |title=KROQ Radio.com Event notification |publisher=Kroq.radio.com |date=27 July 2010 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>
Although the Beat's main fan base was in the UK, the band was also popular in Australia, partly due to exposure on the radio station [[Triple J]] and the TV show ''[[Countdown (Australian TV program)|Countdown]]''. The Beat had a sizable following in the US and Canada, where the band were known as ''the English Beat'' for legal reasons (to avoid confusion with the American band [[The Beat (American band)|the Beat]]).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The Beat toured the world with well-known artists including [[David Bowie]], [[the Clash]], [[the Police]], [[the Pretenders]], [[R.E.M.]], [[the Specials]] and [[Talking Heads]]. Members of the band often collaborated on stage with [[the Specials]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-English-Beat-Biography/F18794119C65748B48256C14000938F6 |title=The English Beat Biography |publisher=Sing365.com |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>
During their early career, the band were associated with Birmingham-based cartoonist [[Hunt Emerson]], who designed their 'Beat Girl' icon and painted the mural that was used on the cover of ''Wha'ppen?''<ref name="Marco">{{cite web |title=The Beat Girl – Noted Cartoonist Hunt Emerson Designs a 2-Tone Era Icon |url=https://marcoonthebass.blogspot.com/2008/12/beat-girl-noted-cartoonist-hunt-emerson.html |website=Marco On The Bass |access-date=27 March 2019 |date=16 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="booklet1">{{cite AV media notes |title=Wha'ppen? |author=The Beat |year=1981 |type=liner |publisher=[[Go Beat]]}}</ref>
===Post-breakup=== After the break-up of the Beat in 1983, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger went on to form [[General Public]] and had a couple of hit singles in the US and Canada including "[[Tenderness (General Public song)|Tenderness]]", while [[Andy Cox]] and [[David Steele (musician)|David Steele]] formed [[Fine Young Cannibals]] with vocalist [[Roland Gift]] from the ska band [[Akrylykz]].<ref name="rc">{{cite web| url= https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/beat |title=David Steele |work=Record Collector |date=11 July 2018 |access-date=20 July 2018}}</ref> Drummer Everett Morton and Saxa formed the International Beat along with the Birmingham-based singer, Tony Beet, and the band released an album titled ''The Hitting Line'' on [[Blue Beat Records]] in 1990. The album was produced by [[Ranking Roger]] and he often guested with the band at some of their shows. The International Beat toured the UK and United States until 1992.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
Ranking Roger also briefly joined [[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|Mick Jones']] post-[[The Clash|Clash]] band [[Big Audio Dynamite]] and performed at several live shows with the band. However, the band broke up shortly after he joined when its last album was shelved by the record company. Meanwhile, "March of the Swivelheads", an [[instrumental version]] of the Beat's song "Rotating Head", was used in the climactic chase scene of 1986's ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]''; the band was listed in the end credits as "The (English) Beat". "Save It for Later" was featured on the soundtrack album to 1996's ''[[Kingpin (1996 film)|Kingpin]]'', 2010's ''[[Hot Tub Time Machine]]'' and 2017's ''[[Spider-Man: Homecoming]]''.
[[Everett Morton]] formed Beat Goes Bang and recruited vocalist Ross Lydon from 360, bass player Faisal Rashid, and Lukasz Machometa on sax, former member of Citybeats and Urban Groove Syndicate.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
Roger released his solo debut, a reggae-oriented album entitled ''Radical Departure'', in 1988. In the early 1990s, Roger joined members of [[the Specials]] to form Special Beat, which toured and released two live albums. They supported the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] (CND). In 2001, Roger released another solo album, ''Inside My Head'', which included traditional reggae and ska with influences of electronica, jungle and dub. Ranking Roger's son, [[Ranking Junior]], followed in his father's footsteps. In 2005, he appeared on [[the Ordinary Boys]]' single "[[Boys Will Be Boys (The Ordinary Boys song)|Boys Will Be Boys]]".
[[Pete Townshend]] performed "Save It for Later" numerous times between 1985 and 1998. [[The Who]] performed the song twice on their [[The Who Tour 1989|1989 Reunion Tour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewholive.net/concert/concert_list.php?GroupID=0&Tracklisting=save+it+for+later&Tag=&Monat=&Jahr=&Stadt=&Halle=&LandID=&StateID= |title=The Who Concert Guide: Concert List |publisher=Thewholive.net |access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref>
Brazilian rock group [[Paralamas do Sucesso]], strongly influenced by ska and world music, inspired by the vibraphone chords from "Hand's Off... She's Mine" to make the intro chords of their song "Oculos", recorded in 1984.
[[The Wonder Stuff]] also played "Save It for Later" featuring [[Ranking Roger]] on their "From the Midlands with Love" series in June 2012.{{importance inline|date=February 2023}}
[[Pearl Jam]] also began playing "Save It for Later" in 1996, blending it (a practice often known as "tagging") into the end of "[[Better Man (Pearl Jam song)|Better Man]]", and it remained in the set list of their 2023 tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pearljam.com/music/song/save-it-for-later |title=Pearl Jam Songs Archive: Save it for Later |publisher=pearljam.com |access-date=15 April 2024}}</ref> In June 2024, lead singer Eddie Vedder released a full, solo version of the track.
===21st century=== In 2003, the Beat's original line-up, minus Cox and Steele, played a sold-out one-off gig at the [[Royal Festival Hall]]. In 2004, the [[VH1]] show ''[[Bands Reunited]]'' tried unsuccessfully to reunite the original line-up.
In 2006, the UK version of the Beat, featuring Ranking Roger, recorded a new album that was mixed by Adrian Sherwood, but it remains unreleased. The band also featured Everett Morton and [[Mickey Billingham]] on keyboards, formerly a member of [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] and General Public.
Dave Wakeling fronts the US version of the group as the English Beat, which usually adds a couple of General Public songs to the setlist.<ref>{{Citation |date=16 February 2016 |title=Dave Wakeling Readies First New English Beat Album in 34 years |publisher=Blastecho.com |url=http://blastecho.com/dave-wakeling-readies-first-new-english-beat-album-in-34-years/ |access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> The singer and his band flew to the UK in April 2011, to perform at the London International Ska Festival at the [[Clapham Grand]] music venue. They played the [[Great Dorset Steam Fair]] show 2011 on 31 August 2011. At this point, both the UK and US versions of the band continued to tour frequently on either sides of the Atlantic.
[[File:Dave Wakeling - English Beat.jpg|thumb|left|David Wakeling performs with The English Beat at The Palladium in New York City on April 7, 2024.]]
In mid-2012, the Beat released a box set, titled ''[[The Complete Beat]]'', comprising their three albums along with non-album singles, remixes and live material.<ref name="NYMN July 2012">{{cite web |title=Interview With Dave Wakeling of the English Beat |url=http://nymn.com/interview-with-dave-wakeling-of-the-english-beat/ |publisher=Nymn.com |date=27 July 2012 |access-date=23 September 2012 |archive-date=20 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920083955/http://nymn.com/interview-with-dave-wakeling-of-the-english-beat/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Additional bonus tracks were included on re-released, double-CD versions of each studio album.
The English Beat recorded two new songs that feature prominently in the [[Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated]] episode "[[List of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated episodes|Dance of the Undead]]" which aired 26 March 2013. It features a zombie ska group called Rude Boy and the Ska-Tastics who come back to life in order to turn people into zombies and make them dance to ska music forever. According to an interview [[Dave Wakeling]] conducted with the ''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'', he said: "This was my first opportunity to do anything for television as a gun for hire, and I actually managed to record and mix two songs in 12 hours. It was like running at double speed with no brakes, but it was exciting, and [[Warner Bros.]] really loved them. So the zombies have a song called 'You’re Dead Right, Mate,' and the Hex Girls have one called 'We're the Good Bad Girls,’ which has a definite [[Ramones]]–[[The Runaways|Runaways]] vibe to it, but frankly, I'm really happy I did it, because I’ve always loved ‘[[Scooby-Doo]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://marcoonthebass.blogspot.com/2013/03/scooby-doo-episode-features-new-music.html |title=Marco On The Bass: Scooby Doo Episode Features New Music By The English Beat |publisher=Marcoonthebass.blogspot.com |date=22 March 2013 |access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref>
In late 2013, the Beat with Ranking Roger released the live album, ''Live in London'' which featured a new song titled "How Do You Do (Side to Side)" and also a song previously released solo by Ranking Roger, entitled "Dangerous", among many other songs.
The Beat feat. Ranking Roger released ''Bounce'', a studio album, on 30 September 2016, on CD, Vinyl and Digital on DMF Records. The first single from the album, 'Walking on the Wrong Side' was released in July 2016, whilst the album reached No. 49 on the UK Albums Chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/50325/beat-ft-ranking-roger/|title=BEAT FT RANKING ROGER | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref>
Saxa (born Lionel Augustus Martin) died on 3 May 2017 at the age of 87.
In 2018 the Beat feat. Ranking Roger released ''The Beat – Live at the Roundhouse'' a live album with accompanying DVD,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Beat-Live-At-The-Roundhouse/master/1405984|title=The Beat (6) – Live At The Roundhouse|website=[[Discogs]]|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref> while the (English) Beat starring Dave Wakeling released an album called ''[[Here We Go Love]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://essentiallypop.com/epop/2020/03/two-tone-legend-dave-wakeling-talks-to-essentially-pop/|title=Two-Tone Legend Dave Wakeling Talks to Essentially Pop|first=Steve|last=Holley|date=23 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://englishbeat.net/discography/|title=The English Beat|website=englishbeat.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/15890/the-english-beat-here-we-go-love|title=The English Beat – Here We Go Love|website=www.punknews.org|date=19 June 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/english-beat-here-we-go-love-interview-8457423/|title=The English Beat Talk First New Album in 36 Years & Feeling Like 'Ska-stradamus'|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> This album was announced by Wakeling in 2014, with the project funded through the [[PledgeMusic]] website (which was a direct-to-fan music platform where fans could donate money to a group to complete an album project).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-review-the-english-beat-starring-dave-wakeling-here-we-go-love/|title=SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE ENGLISH BEAT STARRING DAVE WAKELING – HERE WE GO LOVE|date=15 June 2018|website=The Spill Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Album Review: English Beat – Here We Go Love |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/review-english-beat-here-we-go-love/ |website=New Noise Magazine}}</ref>
On 26 January 2019 the Beat feat. Ranking Roger released a new studio album, ''Public Confidential''. The first single from the album 'Maniac' was playlisted on [[BBC Radio 6 Music]].{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
Weeks after undergoing surgery for two [[Brain tumor|brain tumours]], and while undergoing treatment for [[lung cancer]],<ref name=bbc_obit>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47714991|title=Ranking Roger: The Beat singer dies aged 56|date=27 March 2019|website=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Ranking Roger died at home on 26 March 2019, aged 56.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.brooklynvegan.com/ranking-roger-the-english-beat-general-public-dead-at-56/|title = Ranking Roger (The English Beat, General Public), dead at 56|work = [[BrooklynVegan]]|date = 26 March 2019|access-date = 26 March 2019|last = Pearis|first = Bill}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/26/the-beat-singer-ranking-roger-dies-aged-56|title=The Beat singer Ranking Roger dies aged 56|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=27 March 2019|access-date=27 March 2019|author=Otte, Jedidajah}}</ref><ref name=bbc_obit />
In March 2021, Mini Murphy (Ranking Junior from the Special Beat and the version of the Beat signed to DMF Music in 2016) teamed up with indie rock band [[the Ordinary Boys]] to record a tribute to his late father, Ranking Roger. The resulting double-A side single, with "Legacy" on one side and "Jump and Skank" on the other, was released as a download, vinyl and CD single by United Sound Records/[[Proper Records|Proper]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2021/03/ordinary-boys-team-up-with-ranking-junior-for-ranking-roger-tribute/|title=Ordinary Boys team up with Ranking Junior for Ranking Roger tribute|date=18 March 2021}}</ref>
On 8 October 2021, drummer Everett Morton died in Birmingham at the age of 71.<ref>{{cite news |title=Everett Morton, Drummer Of The Beat, Dies At 71 |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/everett-morton-drummer-of-the-beat-dies-at-71/ |access-date=6 October 2025 |publisher=U Discover Music |date=10 October 2021}}</ref> Keyboardist Dave "Blockhead" Wright died in October 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=We are saddened to hear Dave 'Blockhead' Wright keyboard player with The Beat from 1980 to 1983 has sadly passed away. |url=https://x.com/TheBeat/status/1975257133701865714 |website=The Beat Featuring Ranking Jnr on X |access-date=6 October 2025 |date=6 October 2025}}</ref>
==Personnel== ===The Beat / The English Beat=== * [[Andy Cox]] – guitar (1978–1983) * [[Everett Morton]] – drums (1978–1983, died 2021) * [[Ranking Roger]] – lead vocals, toasting (1978–1983, died 2019) * [[Saxa (musician)|Saxa]] – saxophone (1978–1983, died 2017) * [[David Steele (musician)|David Steele]] – bass (1978–1983) * [[Dave Wakeling]] – lead vocals, guitar (1978–1983) * Dave "Blockhead" Wright – keyboards (1980–1983; died 2025) * Wesley Magoogan – saxophone (1981–1983)
===The English Beat starring Dave Wakeling=== * [[Dave Wakeling]] – lead vocals, guitar * Brian Nucci Cantrell – drums, vocals * Matt Morrish – sax, vocals * Wesley Perry – sax, vocals (current) * Kevin Lum – keys, vocals * Minh Quan – keys, vocals * Brad Engstrom – bass, vocals * Antonee First Class – toasting (current)
==Discography== {{Main|The Beat discography}}
===The Beat / The English Beat's original run=== * ''[[I Just Can't Stop It]]'' (1980) * ''[[Wha'ppen?]]'' (1981) * ''[[Special Beat Service]]'' (1982)
===The Beat featuring Ranking Roger=== * ''Bounce'' (2016) * ''Public Confidential'' (2019)
===The Beat starring Dave Wakeling=== * ''[[Here We Go Love]]'' (2018)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== * ''The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll'', Third Edition (Fireside, 2001) * ''The Beat: Twist and Crawl'' by Malu Halasa (Eel Pie, 1981) * {{cite news |last1=Simmons |first1=Doug |title=No touching, please, we're British: On the road with the English Beat |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_1982-12-07_11_49/page/n73/mode/1up |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=The Boston Phoenix |date=December 7, 1982}}
==External links== {{Commons category|The Beat}} * [http://www.thebeatuk.com/ The English Beat official website (US)] * [http://www.thebeatofficial.com/ The Beat official website (UK)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623095954/https://thebeatofficial.com/ |date=23 June 2025 }} * [http://www.northantset.co.uk/interviews/The-Beat--And-the.3880567.jp Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph interview with The Beat]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} * [http://www.songfacts.com/int/2008/04/dave-wakeling-english-beat.html Songfacts interview with Dave Wakeling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018114540/https://www.songfacts.com/int/2008/04/dave-wakeling-english-beat.html |date=18 October 2021 }} * [http://www.bullz-eye.com/music/interviews/2009/dave_wakeling.htm 2009 Dave Wakeling interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526221410/http://www.bullz-eye.com/music/interviews/2009/dave_wakeling.htm |date=26 May 2009 }} at Bullz-Eye.com *{{AllMusic}} * {{Discogs artist}} * {{IMDb name}} *{{MusicBrainz artist}}
{{The Beat|state=expanded}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beat (British band), The}} [[Category:1978 establishments in England]] [[Category:2 Tone Records artists]] [[Category:English reggae musical groups]] [[Category:English new wave musical groups]] [[Category:English post-punk music groups]] [[Category:English ska musical groups]] [[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1983]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1978]] [[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2006]] [[Category:Rock music groups from Birmingham, West Midlands]] [[Category:Second British Invasion artists]] [[Category:Second-wave ska groups]] [[Category:Go-Feet Records artists]] [[Category:Go-Feet Records]]