In the “Two Beats Hearting As One” Tour, British ska band The English Beat joins American New Wave band The Beat. Both ’80s bands are at the Peel Thursday night.
Win two tickets now: Just be the first commenter to tell us the name of the band that Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger went on to form after the 1983 breakup of The English Beat.
Only commenters who have not won anything from Ashvegas in the last 30 days are eligible to win. Please use your correct first and last name in your comment, so we know who to hold your tickets for.
Doors: 8:00 pm / Show: 9pmTickets: $16 advance / $18 day of show
One tempestuous weekend in March 1979 was not only the date of the Three Mile Island nuclear incident, but also, in Birmingham, England, the very first show by a nascent band known asThe English Beat. Introduced as “the hottest thing since the Pennsylvania meltdown”, the band had a sense that the next few years could well be explosive! The English Beat hailed from working class, industrial Birmingham, England. When The English Beat rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of social, political and musical upheaval. Into this storm came The English Beat, trying to calm the waters with their simple message of love and unity set to a great dance beat.
The Beat was founded by Paul Collins, who spent his pre-teens living in Greece, Vietnam and Europe before returning to his native New York. He studied at the prestigious Julliard Music School and eventually moved to San Francisco where he joined songwriter Jack Lee and bassist Peter Case to form The Nerves in 1974. The Nerves proved to be one of the pioneers of the burgeoning US punk rock scene, independently releasing their own 4 song EP which included the classic “Hanging on the Telephone,” later to become a hit for Blondie.
After The Nerves disbanded in 1977, Collins moved to LA and formed The Beat with bassist Steve Huff, drummer Mike Ruiz and lead guitarist Larry Whitman. Their friend Eddie Moneyrecommended The Beat for management by legendary concert promoter Bill Graham. Under new management, The Beat toured with The Police, The Jam and Joe Jackson. They also made numerous TV appearances and recorded their debut self-titled album with producer Bruce Botnick (who had produced The Doors). The album featured Beatles and Byrds-influenced guitars and catchy choruses, defining the skinny-tied power pop which The Knack took to the charts. In the ’90s, The Beat re-formed as Paul Collins’ Beat and continues to write and tour.
4 Comments
General Public is the name of the band that Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger went on to form after the 1983 breakup of The English Beat. Thanks! (Did I win?:-)
General Public
General Public!
Lori is our winner!