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| 2 Tone Records | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2 Tone Records |
| Founder | Jerry Dammers |
| Status | defunct |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Location | Coventry |
2 Tone Records was a British independent record label founded in 1979 in Coventry by Jerry Dammers to promote a revival of ska fused with punk rock and new wave aesthetics. The label became synonymous with a racially integrated musical movement that involved bands and artists connected to scenes in Coventry, Birmingham, London, and Manchester. 2 Tone’s output linked the legacy of Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan, and The Skatalites with contemporary acts influenced by The Clash, Sex Pistols, and The Specials.
2 Tone emerged during the late-1970s British cultural milieu shaped by events like the Winter of Discontent, the aftermath of Brixton riots, and the political discourse around Margaret Thatcher. The label’s formation coincided with the rise of independent labels such as Stiff Records, Factory Records, Rough Trade Records, Mute Records, and Island Records’s later ska reissues, while engaging with scenes from Notting Hill Carnival to the student venues of University of Warwick. Early 2 Tone singles charted in the UK Singles Chart alongside releases by Blondie, Elvis Costello, The Police, and The Jam, situating the label within broader popular music currents including post-punk and new wave.
Jerry Dammers, keyboardist and principal songwriter for The Specials, founded the label and served as artistic director, collaborating with producers and engineers who had worked with artists such as John Peel, Martin Hannett, Nick Lowe, and Dave Edmunds. Key figures included members of The Specials (for example Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Lynval Golding), The Selecter (including Charley Anderson), Madness-adjacent contributors, and associates from Rock Against Racism. Visual collaborators included designer John "Teflon" Langford and artists linked to the British DIY punk scene, while distribution and promotion involved contacts in independent retail chains like Rough Trade Shops and media champions such as DJs John Peel, Andy Kershaw, and presenters on Top of the Pops.
The 2 Tone roster featured debut singles and albums by The Specials ("Gangsters"), Madness (early singles before signing to Stiff Records), The Selecter ("On My Radio"), The Beat ("Mirror in the Bathroom" post-label releases via Go-Feet Records), and Fun Boy Three (formed by ex-Specials members). Other associated acts included Rhoda Dakar, The Bodysnatchers, Bad Manners (adjacent to the scene), UB40 (contemporaries from Birmingham), and studio collaborations with figures like Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook of The Skatalites. Landmark releases encompassed singles, EPs, and compilations that entered the UK charts and influenced playlists on stations such as BBC Radio 1 and Capital Radio.
2 Tone’s sound blended Jamaican ska and rocksteady rhythms with elements of punk rock urgency and new wave harmonies, drawing lineage from producers and musicians including Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Lyrically and aesthetically, artists addressed themes resonant with late-1970s Britain: racial tension, unemployment, urban life, and youth identity, paralleling dialogues found in works by The Clash, Pub Rock acts, and the sociological studies of the time around multiculturalism in Britain. 2 Tone’s records helped reintroduce Jamaican musical forms to European audiences, creating pathways for revivals influenced by later scenes connected to Two-Tone revival movements in the United States, Japan, and continental Europe, and impacting festivals such as Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival lineups.
The label’s black-and-white checkerboard motif and the iconic "Walt Jabsco" logo—an image of a lanky, suit-wearing, porkpie-hat figure—became instantly recognizable, reflecting influences from mod (subculture), rude boy imagery, and visual artists active in the punk era like those involved with Sniffin' Glue and NME. Designers associated with the label drew inspiration from vintage Trojan Records sleeves, Blueprint magazine aesthetics, and filmic references such as The Harder They Come and Rockers, creating album art, posters, and merchandise that circulated through independent record shops, youth clubs, and radio promotion networks. The branding supported political messaging in collaborations with groups like Rock Against Racism and cultural institutions including Coventry Cathedral events.
Commercially, 2 Tone achieved UK chart success with multiple top-40 singles and albums, influencing major-label signings of ska-influenced acts and fostering careers for musicians who later joined labels such as Stiff Records, Chrysalis Records, and Epic Records. The label’s chart presence placed it alongside releases by Dire Straits, David Bowie, and Queen, while its DIY distribution strategies informed later independent movements exemplified by Rough Trade and Factory. Although the original label ceased regular operation in the mid-1980s, its catalog and ethos persisted through reissues, tribute compilations, and scholarly attention in books and documentaries about British popular music and multiculturalism.
2 Tone catalyzed a global ska revival that influenced subsequent waves including the third wave ska movement in the United States featuring bands like Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Less Than Jake, and inspired scenes in Japan, Germany, and Australia. The label’s artists and imagery have been referenced in films, television programs, and fashion cycles, intersecting with subcultural currents from mod revival to skinhead reinterpretations and later indie revivals associated with labels like Sub Pop and Load Records. Museums, academic studies, and cultural retrospectives continue to examine 2 Tone’s role alongside institutions such as British Library collections and exhibitions at venues like the Coventry Transport Museum.
Category:British record labels Category:Ska labels