The Selecter

9-30-08 The Selecter

After writing about The Specials yesterday, I thought I would continue the 2-Tone thread today with The Selecter, the group that shared their debut 45 with The Specials!

7" ON MY RADIO / TOO MUCH PRESSURE TWO TONE UK CHSTT 4

1979 2 TRKS with 'Two Tone' sleeve

7" READY MIX RADIO FLEXIPOP UK 995

1980 1 TRKS no pic sleeve, flexidisc from Flexipop magazine, UK

LP TOO MUCH PRESSURE TWO TONE JPN WWS-81313

1980 14 TRKS insert

CD TOO MUCH PRESSURE CAPT MOD UK MODSKACD 17

1980 16 TRKS ('01 issue) 2 x bonus tracks

7" MISSING WORDS / CARRY GO BRING HOME TWO TONE UK CHSTT 10

1980 2 TRKS with 'Two Tone' sleeve

7" THREE MINUTE HERO / JAMES BOND TWO TONE UK CHSTT 8

1980 2 TRKS with 'Two Tone' sleeve

12" TRAIN TO SKAVILLE CHRYSALIS UK CHS 12-S1

1980 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

LP CELEBRATE THE BULLET CHRYSALIS US CHR 1306

1981 11 TRKS

7" CELEBRATE THE BULLET / LAST TANGO IN DUB CHRYSALIS UK CHS S2

1981 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

I wrote about The Selecter in my very first year of blogging, 2002!

I really think “Too Much Pressure” is a great album – definitely first rank, along with the debut albums by The Specials, The (English) Beat and Madness. Their “James Bond” song is fantastic!

As with yesterday’s post, I have read a bit about The Selecter recently, in Sir Horace Gentleman’s “Ska’d For Life” (Specials) book. I distinctly remember being in England and seeing a video by The Selecter being played in a Woolworth’s! (Likely, it was “Three Minute Hero”)

There was also a German TV show about ‘the new wave’ (that we had a Japanese copy of) – and The Selecter featured prominently – I remember Charly (the guy with the enormous dreadlocks & sharp suit) saying something to the effect of “Live music is the best, get out there are see a band…any band…play live!”

In 2008, I think The Selecter have many more albums than this contiguous set. Looks like singer Pauline Black has been pretty busy, of late.

I am lucky enough to own a Japanese pressing of “Too Much Pressure” – according to Sir Horace Gentleman’s book – the 1980 tour of Japan by The Selecter was cancelled – I wonder if the original group ever made it there? I do not remember them ever playing Los Angeles at that time.

Check out “Two Tone – A Chequered Past” 2CD set on Chrysalis/Capitol US – it’s chock full of great stuff!