www.nuttyboys.co.uk & www.thespecials2.com are pleased to announce that DENNIS BOVELL will be the MC for the 'Big One' Dennis is well known for his Reggae & Lovers rock songs, he 's an inspiration to many people here in the UK, last week saw Dennis host the BBC Four Reggae Britiannia with many of our favourites from Rico to Al Capone, Ken Boothe...Janet Kay, hopefully we may see one or two live at Sandford Park on 19,20,21 Oct for the 'Teenage Cancer Trust' book now on 0844 3353501, this is skaa
Dennis is big influence in the UK Reggae world and strives forward to ensure that the beautiful sound is passed on to the younger generation. From the early sixties Britain has embraced the beautiful music, which is Reggae.
I myself love this music, my record collection will testify this, my father was from Angel Road, Brixton so you can understand the connection. Whilst posted in Celle, West Germany in the 70's my search for reggae music was found under the counter at a music, illegal imported music.
Dennis also gives a time helping charities and has recently confirmed he will be MC at the Specialized event in October 2012.
Check out Wolf man the official radio station for the 'the big one' 19,20,21 Oct, at Sandford park, Dorset the whole event will be live on the Internet radio station, with music and interviews with all the big names from the world of ska.
nuttyboys.co.uk are happy to announce the 'big one' of the year *SPECIALISED* with the top ska bands, very special guest's, this is a massive event which will be recorded. Come meet the stars of Ska and Specialized, all proceeds will go to a great cause The cancer trust for teenagers...... 'SPECIALIZED WEEKENDER' information to follow DONT MISS OUT.
'ORANGE STREET' will kick off the south coast's launch of Specialized CD, when they will be appearing in Poole Dorset on the Quay. This will take place on Bank Holiday Monday 9th April, they will be supported by Sound of the Suburbs a local band who recently supported Bad Manners at the famous Mr Kyps venue.
Entry is by donation to this SPECIAL cause.
There will be a large covered stage erected on the quay.
Please donate by giving your shrapnel (change from your beer tokens) to the collectors, this event is for the charity trust for cancer in our children who are the our future.
'Support this event'
nuttyboys.co.uk
we together are Skaaa
nuttyboys.co.uk has teamed up with Specialized to bring you the event of the year, a Specialized weekender in October 2012, dates to be confirmed on monday. Already top ska bands have given their support. Tickets will be on sale from march, nuttyboys.co.uk has negotiated and hope secured one of the UK's Top Holiday park's with accomodation, 3 Bars, Swimming Pool, catering, with a 1500 capacity music venue.....remember this is a charity event all monies will go towards the childrens trust for cancer, support it.
Madness to play across the pond in San diego, Las Vegas, LA and San Franscico. Jason Lawson from the USA informs me the ska scene is well and truly alive in the USA, alongside the Reggae revolution which is has seen many of the greats making an impact, Susan Cadogan one of my favourites had a copy of hits here in the Uk in the 70's with 'Hurt so good', The late Desmond Dekker has a tribute album being released, with songstress Susan Couch a talented singer from Jamaica.
YORK ska expert, concert promoter, website administrator and biographer Paul Williams had a light-bulb moment as he watched a TV programme on health care.
"I was thinking about cancer and how it can take everyone out, it doesn't matter what class they are," says Paul, whose paternal grandmother died of the disease.
"Then I noticed a poster I had from when The Specials did a concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust in March 2009 at the Royal Albert Hall. That's when the light bulb came on! I thought, ?What better way to raise money than through a band with that kind of pull? Let's get bands to do an album of Specials cover versions for charity."
The resulting compilation, Specialized - A Modern Take On Specials Classics, will be available from Specials2 Records as a £12.99 download on iTunes and a £14.99 limited-edition double CD from next month, although the precise date is yet to be confirmed. More details are being announced via the website specializedcharityalbum.co.uk
"It's going to feature more than 30 modern artists, including former Fine Young Cannibals singer Roland Gift doing You're Wondering Now, Lee Thompson from Madness with his ska orchestra, and The Bodysnatchers' Rhoda Dakar, who sings Guns Of Navarone with The Communicators," says Paul, who has raised £2,000 to make the album through sponsorship from Specials fans.
"They're all covering Specials songs in their own style, so it's not all ska bands on there; there's also folk, indie, rock, punk, Mod, reggae, all sorts of genres."
In keeping with The Specials' Royal Albert Hall show, all proceeds will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that the Coventry band have highlighted and supported on all their tours since 2009, raising more than £9,000 in the process.
Continuing that good work, the Specialized album carries the unofficial seal of approval of The Specials, for whom Paul co-administrates the official fans' site, thespecials2.com
"I run my own ?home service' business, cleaning , painting and gardening, in Darlington, where I moved from York after I got re-married, but in my spare time I'm a massive fan of The Specials, doing the website and working in conjunction with the band on their last tour," he says. "I'm also their biographer, having had the book You're Wondering Now - The Specials From Conception To Reunion published in 2009, and I'm now working with Specials guitarist Lynval Golding on his memoirs."
Now Paul and thespecials2.com want to raise as much as possible for the Teenage Cancer Trust, buoyed by words of encouragement from Lynval Golding. "We will all be touched by cancer in our lifetime but when it is our youth afflicted with such a struggle it makes it that much harder to fathom," he says.
"After learning about the incredible services that the Teenage Cancer Trust provides, I was honoured when they asked the Specials to play their Royal Albert Hall Benefit concert. We are proud to support them again by endorsing the charitable Specialized album, with proceeds benefiting the trust. If we all just do a little, it could do so much in these young people's lives. Please join us in making a difference."
The Specials bass player, Sir Horace Gentleman, is contributing to the project too by writing the sleeve-notes to the 500-edition double CD, while John Teflon Sims, the original 2-Tone artwork designer, has designed the sleeve with Paul for free.
Specialized brings together tracks commissioned specifically for this album, with a deadline of January 31 for completing the recordings.
"All of it is previously unheard material, and it's just been a joy all along. Every time I get a finished track I'm excited," says Paul.
"All the acts have given up their time and energy to pull off some superb and unusual versions in homage to The Specials, from established artists such as Roland Gift, former members of Bad Manners and The Selecter and some of The Specials' brass section, to two bands fresh from their support slots on the Specials 2011 tour."
Paul drummed up contributors via Facebook, asking for interested musicians to contact him. "You know how it works, it spreads like wild fire, and we got more than 30 artists. we even had to turn down Steve Strange as the album was already full up," he says.
"I have a very good nose for who I think will be good at which song, like handing I Can't Stand It, off the More Specials album, to a punk band, Punks Not Dad, and Too Much Too Young has gone to Venous Return, a thrash metal band from Darlington, who have done a fantastic job on it.
"And because the album has been so popular, we've had to stretch it to songs that The Specials did live, like Sea Cruise, which we've given to Semi Skinned, a London ska reggae band, and we've got two hardcore DJs, Onex (my brother, John Williams) and Trax, doing Liquidator in a Reverse Bass Mix as Liquidised."
As the tracks roll in, Paul can't wait for the late-February release.
"If you buy one album this year, make it this one," he says. "It caters for all tastes, you won't be disappointed and together we can hopefully make some difference to the lives of young people in this country who are suffering from cancer.
"After all these years, we're not coming any closer to a cure for cancer, which is shocking when so many other things can be cured now, so we're just trying to make some sort of difference, helping in our own way."
? The Teenage Cancer Trust supports teenagers struggling with cancer in many ways. For more information, visit the website teenagecancertrust.org
The Paradimes formed in 2011 by members of ska band El pussycat, The Specials and former members of Reggae band Stiff Naked Fools.
Original songs, with skanking one drop rhythms, Gospel vocal harmonies and killer brass lines Studio One style!
Heavily influenced by old skool legends, Toots and the Maytals, Bob Marley and Prince Buster.
The USA has seen the second coming of many Reggae stars from the 60's & 70's , Jimmy Clffe above being one. Jimmy Cliff hooked up with Tim Armstrong last year who put together a backing band of the best musicians he could to create a collection of tunes that would showcase Cliff’s distinctive vocals and gangster personality with Tim’s punk esthetic. It looks perfect on so many levels as we mentioned before.
Back in the beginning of December they staged a secret show and LA Record was there to give a report.
The bigger news though is that Jimmy Cliff, Tim Armstrong and The Engine Room (featuring J Bonner on Bass, Dan Boar on Organ, Tim on Guitar and Scott Abels on Drums!!) are playing the 2 weekend Coachella Festival in April. Pretty much already sold out so if you didn’t get your tickets you’ll have to find some other way to make it out there.
Specialized is an album of modern takes of Specials songs.Each artist and band do it their way, and that way is an assortment of genres ranging from indie, punk, folk, electronic to rap and dance, all in the aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.
2-Tone Central web guru and Specials biographer Paul Williams has for many years been responsible as the co-host of the official Specials2 forum site. I asked Paul how the project came about?
"I do all I can to keep the Specials in the public eye, and more importantly to help young people who are so unfairly seriously ill at a very difficult stage in their life and try and raise as much money as we can to try and help eradicate this horrible disease.
"The album is jam-packed with tracks specifically commissioned especially for this album and is all previously unheard material.
"All the acts have given up their time and energy to pull off some superb and unusual versions in homage to The Specials".
So who is on the album, I hear you cry?
Well there's the likes of Friday Night Saturday Morning by King Hammond, Do The Dog by Liverpool band The Amnesiacs, Specials support bands Stone Foundation are there performing Sock It To Em JB and the other Specials support band By The Rivers cover Man at C&A, Orange Street one of the south's top bands have covered 'It does'nt make it alright'
'Bongo Bob' aka nuttyboy, recently spotted playing the bongo's. Well what can i say, been caught out, i was invited to play with the south coast's top band Orange Street at the Isle of Wight Scooter rally, it was an experience i enjoyed. Further Gigs followed which saw 'Bongo Bob' join the band supporting Pauline Black's the Selecter, also when the band headlined at the Railway Christmas Party Pompey, home of the Pompey fans. Not a safe place for a saints supporter, i came out unscathed, seriously they were a great crowd and they love their ska.......
section 3
Sinead O'Connor Unveils New Track
Grammy Award-winning vocalist Sinead O'Connor guests on track with reggae producer Kemar ?Flava' McGregor, titled How About I Be Me, available now on iTunes.
The track - a melodic dance-club reggae anthem told from the female perspective - was produced by Jamaican beatmaker Kemar ?Flava' McGregor, and will be included on McGregor's upcoming various-artists compilation, Club Dance Riddim, scheduled for digital release this fall.
This track represents the continuation of her longtime penchant for reggae, as she plans to collaborate with McGregor to produce additional reggae tracks with her during 2012, McGregor said.
Rico Rodriguez has paved the way to appear at the 'Specialized' event during October, Rico will also be touring that month with the 'Jools Holland Band'. Rico is one of the icons of the reggae and ska world here in the UK, known as the master of the trombone solos. this is as great addition to the bands such as Roddy Byers(Specials) and the Ska Billy Rebels, King Hammond, Lynval Golding(Specials).
Last month nuttyboys.co.uk spoke with Rico inviting him to attend the 'Big One' , with the Jools Holland band touring the same month, Rico sent his apologies. Howevewr a change of plans saw Rico contact Paul Willo offering his service.
Roger Daltrey recently attended the 'Teenage Cancer Trust' event in London, amongst many other stars from the world of Music and TV.
nuttyboys.co.uk & 'Specialized' are in talks to bring Roger Daltry plus other VIPs to attend 'the big one' being held at Parkdean, Sandford in Dorset 19,20,21 Oct 2012, limited tickets are available with accomodation, it will be a three day event of music filled with bands and VIPs who have offered their services for the 'teenage cancer trust'.
Check out nuttyboy jackson on Facebook for up to date info
dont miss the chance to meet your favourite bands from the world of ska
Following the phenomenal success of Quadrophenia for Teenage Cancer Trust in 2010, Roger Daltrey performed The Who's 1969 rock opera Tommy as well as early hits including material from Live at Leeds. The legendary musician and the driving force behind Concerts for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall performed the album about the “deaf, dumb and blind kid.” Selling over 20 million copies worldwide, Tommy was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for ‘historical, artistic and significant’ value.
Ken Boothe performed in Sweden for the first time in August of last year. In fact he’s been making a lot of new stops around Europe over the last 5 years. Does that sound strange to you cause it does me. He’s been touring and major force since the 60′s, KB will alsdo be performing at the London Skafestival in London with Bob & Marcia, English Beat, Dave & Ansell Collins this will be the event of the year, all you Reggae fans need to get your tickets as time is running out before the shutters come down on ticket sales.
'SPECIALIZED' the event of the year, in association with nuttyboys.co.uk Max Splodge and his band have offered their services for this cause, along with double barrel, Orange Street, 2Tone.....King Hammond, Roddy Byers...etc etc etc....full list to be posted soon....soon dont miss the Specialized weekender, limited numbers, this is the 'big one' SPECIALIZED' all monies to the 'TEENAGE CANCER TRUST' for more info catch www.nuttyboys.co.uk updated daily......this is skaaa
London Ska Festival 2012
With the London International Ska Festival coming back in style, a new player called Rocking Steady (magazine, label, download store, booking agency) on the rise, AND The Specials continuing to play sold-out shows across the globe, 2011 was definitely a great year for many Ska people.
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Will they, wont they....The specials will they perform live again this year in the UK. I like many hope they will, every event was a sell out. Lobby the website lets get these guys back on stage.
Orange Street have announced the following gigs for 2012
Sun 12th Feb - Sub 89,Reading
Fri 24th Feb - The Wedgewood Rooms,Albert Road,Southsea.
Sat 25th Feb - The Green Dragon, Gosport
Mon 9th April - (Specialized), Poole Quay
Sat 14th April - The Pyramids, Portsmouth
Sat 28th April - The Soul Cellar, Southampton supporting The Dualers
Sat 2nd June - The Gosport Festival,Gosport
Sat 28th July - The Rox Festival,Bognor Regis
Sat 18th August - The Barley Mow,Gosport...BBQ followed by live music
Sat 15th December - Rifle Club,Goldsmith Ave,Portsmouth
DESMOND DEKKER was born70 years ago tomorrow, he passed away anout 5 years ago. The Reggae world has missed the “King of Ska”. He was a legend and everyone remembers the song's the Israilites, It Mek and 007.
I understand there is to be a Desmond Dekker cover album recorded by Suzanne Couch that will be a tribute to the great man. It was recorded in 2008, its released is immenant.
Suzanne Couch a singer from Jamaica was attracted to his music when she was at a party, “Fu Man Chu”'e was playing she immediately asked the DJ who the artist was. He Replied 'Desmond Dekker'.
She knew who Desmond was and his hits such as “007″, “Isrealites” and “Honor Your Mother”. The song inspired her to perform & record a number of his songs.
In December 2008 Suzanne travelled to Los Angeles. She met up with The Aggrolites. In there band they had famous Reggae bass player Phil Chen. The Wailing Souls! also contributed, they recorded 13 songs in the studios, a tribute to Desmon Dekker who died from a heart attack in the UK in 2006. The tracks were recorded using specialize recording systems to produce the air of DD greatest tunes.
Catch the tunes on You Tube ''Suzanne Couch''
MADNESS TO PLAY IN CALIFORNIA
Madness are reportably off to the states to play at the Colchello event in California this coming April which will see them line up with the Artic Monkeys, Jimmy Cliff, AfroJacks. 2 other english bands who reportably played at conchello's in the past were the Bodysnatchers & The Specials. That must have been some ago. Also appearing will be Snoop Dog & Dr Dre, who will be playing on the same day as MADNESS.....now that is ska!
''Something Special''
During my visit to 2Tone Central i was fortunate to bump into Roddy Byers lead guitarist with Coventry's 'Specials'. Fitting that the Uni was the home of 2Tone as the band members were students before entering into the world of ska. Coventry is also the home to the Selecter & The Beat.
Talking about the Selecter I was lucky to once again meet Pauline Black when i was invited to play the congas for Orange Street who supported the Selecter at Bridport
The last time i met Pauline she informed me that the Selecter were calling it a day, with the reform of the Selecter Pauline has brought in a number of new musicians, a very lively keyboard player to mention one.
however back to Roddy, when i was touring with Dougie and the manners i remember meeting Roddy in a takeaway in Birmingham, a bit worse for wear, of course he did'nt remember. Roddy performed with Orange Street that evening.
Horace PanteR
COVENTRY'S Horace Panter is normally seen on stage playing bass with the Specials, but he is letting his paintings take centre stage in a new exhibition.
A fascination for icons and pop art combines in Horace's works, which are on show in Leamington's White Room Gallery's 10th annual Christmas show.
And it's not a case of a musician suddenly discovering art - Horace graduated in art from the then Lanchester Poly in 1975.
When on tour with the Specials he would make sure he got early nights so he could get up in the mornings and head off to visit galleries like the Guggenheim.
In the past couple of years with the reformation of The Specials he has found time to start painting again and has now staged a series of exhibitions.
Pauline Black of the Selecter
Pauline Black is my queen of Ska, when she first told me whilst performing at the joiners in southampton that the Selecter were to be no more after their last gig, i was stunned. Pauline was to perform as a accustic duo with Dave Wakeling. Selecter and the queen of ska was to be no more. So when i heard Pauline had reformed the band with new members i was as many of her fans, elated.
Rico Rodriguez
one of life's stalwarts of the Reggae world, still performing to packed out Halls, his music grabs a hold of you and takes you off to a special world of peace and love, forget the wars, discrimination, close your eyes and take in the sound, your probelms will dissapear in the oral of this great great Reggae artists, come with me, join the beautiful world that is Rico's world.
If you have'nt seen this legend then your resolution for 2012 is to embrace and enter the beautiful world of Reggae,
nuttyboy
The Specialized ball is rolling with a great response. Next week the nuttyboys.co.uk website will make an announcement for your diary later in the year. Stay in touch.....this is ska
