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| Jerry Dammers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jerry Dammers |
| Caption | Dammers in 1980 |
| Background | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth date | 22 January 1955 |
| Birth place | Warrington, Cheshire |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Associated acts | The Specials, The Special AKA, The Selecter, Madness, Stiff Little Fingers |
Jerry Dammers Jerry Dammers is an English keyboardist, composer, songwriter, producer and visual artist known for founding the ska revival band The Specials and for creating the 2 Tone record label. He is noted for blending Jamaican ska, British punk rock, and political themes in songs and albums that influenced Paul Weller, Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, Madness, and broader scenes such as the 2 Tone movement and the late-1970s punk rock revival. Dammers's work intersects with figures and institutions across popular music, film and political activism including collaborations with Rhoda Dakar, Ska, UB40, Stiff Little Fingers and cultural venues like 2 Tone Records and the Blackpool Opera House.
Born in Warrington, Cheshire and raised in Coventry, Dammers attended local schools before studying art at Coventry School of Art and Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham. His education exposed him to visual art movements associated with Pop Art, exhibitions at institutions such as the Tate Gallery and pedagogical influences from figures linked to British art education networks. During this period he encountered peers and future collaborators active in scenes connected to Riot Grrrl predecessors, independent labels like Stiff Records and venues including The 100 Club and The Republic.
Dammers began performing in the mid-1970s amid the rise of punk rock and the decline of pub rock venues like The Hope and Anchor. Early projects placed him alongside musicians from The Jam, The Clash, X-Ray Spex and Siouxsie and the Banshees in a milieu that mixed DIY ethics with retro Jamaican rhythms. He co-founded a band that fused ska and 2 Tone aesthetics, releasing singles and albums that charted on the UK Singles Chart and received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Capital Radio. His keyboard style drew on influences spanning Toots and the Maytals, The Skatalites, Prince Buster and Alton Ellis while his songwriting engaged with issues resonant with audiences of Rough Trade and Factory Records.
As founder and principal songwriter of The Specials, Dammers assembled musicians who had roots in Coventry's clubs and rehearsal spaces associated with venues such as The Locarno, Coventry Cathedral events and benefit concerts for causes like the Rock Against Racism movement. The Specials' debut album, produced amid interest from labels like Chrysalis Records and the independent 2 Tone Records (founded by Dammers), became a touchstone for bands including The Beat (English band), The Selecter, Bad Manners, and international acts inspired by the revival. Singles such as "Gangsters" and "Ghost Town" addressed urban tensions, unemployment and civil unrest related to incidents like the 1981 riots and were played on programmes hosted by presenters from John Peel's show to Top of the Pops. The 2 Tone label fostered a national network of artists, designers and promoters linked to graphic designers and illustrators who worked with labels such as Virgin Records and radio shows on BBC Radio 2.
Following lineup changes and the evolution to The Special AKA, Dammers pursued solo projects, production work and collaborations. He produced and arranged recordings for artists associated with the ska and post-punk scenes including Rhoda Dakar, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Mad Professor and members of UB40. He composed film and theatre music for directors and companies connected to Channel 4, the Royal Shakespeare Company and independent filmmakers involved with festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Belfast Film Festival. Dammers has worked with musicians from Sinead O'Connor's circle, Paul Weller's collaborators, and session players who recorded at studios like Abbey Road Studios and Strawberry Studios.
Dammers's songwriting and public statements engaged with anti-racist campaigning groups such as Rock Against Racism and influenced cross-community initiatives involving trade unions, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament events and anti-apartheid demonstrations supporting movements like the African National Congress. His lyrics addressed socioeconomic crises that paralleled debates in the House of Commons and coverage by newspapers including The Guardian and The Times. Dammers participated in benefit concerts alongside artists from The Specials, Stiff Little Fingers, The Clash and charitable coalitions coordinated with organisations like Amnesty International and Oxfam.
Trained in art schools, Dammers has produced posters, record sleeve designs and visual works shown in galleries associated with the Tate Modern, independent spaces tied to Institute of Contemporary Arts programmes and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He has scored soundtracks and composed music for films screened at venues like the BFI Southbank and collaborated with filmmakers involved with Channel 4 commissions and independent documentaries on topics ranging from British youth culture to urban policy debates.
Dammers's influence is recognised through mentions in histories of British popular music, retrospectives by publications like NME, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, and by artists citing his role in the 2 Tone phenomenon, including members of The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat (English band), Madness and UB40. His compositions such as "Ghost Town" are studied in academic texts on popular culture at institutions like University of Warwick and Goldsmiths, University of London. Exhibitions, reunion tours and archival releases have been organised with promoters and labels such as Live Nation, Island Records and Rough Trade Records to preserve the 2 Tone legacy for new audiences.
Category:English keyboardists Category:British record producers