Ska
 September
1979. England. The Prince by Madness
had entered the British charts on September 1. The
Specials were riding high in the Top 10 with Gangsters.
Those hot, hot summer holidays were over and the standard school
uniform of black and white was about to take on a whole new
meaning.
Pocket money was spent on 2 Tone badges and scarves. Ties were
worn narrow-side out and uniforms were altered to include
stove-pipe pants, white socks and penny loafers. 2 Tone was taking
over . . .
Taking Berry Gordy's Motown as the
blueprint and "with an agenda for social change resulting in
racial harmony", The Specials'
organist and chief songwriter Jerry Dammers set up 2 Tone records
and had The Specials rubber stamping
5,000 plain paper sleeves for their debut single in bassist Horace
Panter's bedroom a mere five moths earlier. Only three months
later the ska movement in the UK had become a monster.
 Top
Of The Pops was invaded by Madness, The
Specials and The Selecter, and five
months later Jerry Dammers declared "2 Tone has become a
monster". Its success - five Top 10 hits including The
Specials' first Number One with the live EP featuring Too
Much Too Young - had taken its toll.
Pork pie hats, crombies, rolled-up drainpipes, DMs, wraparound
shades, skinny ties, Harrington jackets and white socks . . .
that's style!
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