Ska music, originating from Jamaica, found its home over the pond in Coventry and Birmingham in the late 70s/early 80s and brought people from all backgrounds together, playing a huge role in tackling racism in the UK.
The genre recently gained attention following the recent premier of the BBC show This Town, but its popularity levels have always been the same, as in an interview with ska musician Joe Cook revealed that this series “shows that ska didn’t die in the 70s – like people are still into it, so it’s definitely going to be good”.
Ska in focus in BBC’s This Town
The BBC show brought ska music to our TVs, meaning many young viewers might want to delve a little deeper into the significance of the genre, not only in the music scene but in the unification of different races in the UK.
Created by Steven Knight (creator of Peaky Blinders), the show follows an extended family and four young people who are drawn into the explosive ska music scene in the 80s, as it captures the coming together of white, black and Asian youths in the West Midlands. Lobster drummer Cook commented: “I’m a big fan of Steve Knight’s work and I’m interested in Birmingham’s culture and how people can live side by side and exchange different cultures.”
To say that a show honouring the significance of ska music in Birmingham is a bit late would be an understatement, but at least there is one now and it’s better late than never. Cook said: “I think the show will grow ska amongst the younger generation and it will be a big nostalgic trip for a lot of people.”
The sound of the West Midlands
The genre has played a huge role in the West Midlands’ music scene and in the venues in the region; when this new Jamaican sound needed a base to play from, venues operating mainly underground in Birmingham and Coventry welcomed the new sound with open arms.
Cook said: “In the West Midlands it is a big cultural identity for those growing up and going to underground ska live sets with their parents”, especially in venues such as The Lanch in Coventry, better known as the Lanchester Students’ Union, which was famous for hosting legendary ska bands such as The Specials.
With Coventry having The Specials at the forefront of the two-tone music era in the UK, it wasn’t long until Birmingham joined the scene with the iconic band The Beat. Cook explained: “Coventry had The Specials and Birmingham had The Beat. You can’t talk about Birmingham without mentioning ska and two-tone music.”
Music with a message
The two-tone ska music quickly built an underground and rebel reputation for itself, especially amongst the working class. “Over here in the UK it became a staple sound with working-class kids living side by side with children of the Windrush generation,” said Cook.
This rebellious characteristic was adopted by the genre in order to combat the growing racism caused by the far right and the rise of the National Front at the time. Cook commented: “As it moved through history it gained more of a message in the lyrics as it became more rebel or protest music.”
During this time, movements such as Rock Against Racism took a big role in helping bring communities together through putting white and black artists on the same stage. Cook pointed out: “When it came to Birmingham where there was multi-culturalism but also a lot of far-right leaders such as the National Front, it gave a voice to that time as both groups enjoyed the music, bringing them together.”
He continued: “I mean you had all these white skinheads talking about send the blacks home but they were dancing to their music which originates from Jamaica.”
As the UK landscape in the early and late 70s was massively affected by the National Front and their message, the ska music unifying different races was forced underground, especially during events such as the Lewisham National Front strikes in 1977, which saw fights between black and white workers divide the population.
Staying alive underground
With the ska genre being played mostly in underground and DIY venues, the underground characteristic fitted in perfectly with the rebel message in the music and soon enough its fans did not want the genre to go public and gain popularity. Cook commented: “If anyone is trying to push it into the mainstream it tends to have more of a sugary sweet sound to it rather than being more radical.”
Of course, Birmingham is a big enough city for these underground sounds to not only survive but to thrive, as there were plenty of places people could put on shows without being in the public eye. In more recent times, the areas in Birmingham where a lot of these venues were based have now been commercialised and therefore those underground sets have been shut down, meaning the ska sound has been forced to evolve.
For example, the studio where Joe and the Lobster band recorded some of their music now no longer exists. He said: “I think there is a decrease in bands and the gentrification that has happened in Digbeth has also had a big impact on it because we were predominantly playing in these punky DIY spaces which are now adult pool places.”
The new generation
Then again, we are talking about ska music and the genre is all about surviving tough times and a few venues closing is not having an effect on the music’s popularity; as Cook pointed out: “I think there has been a decrease in spaces but it hasn’t affected the popularity of ska.”
With the times changing, the Brummie Lobster band, as well as other ska bands, have had to keep up with the times. Cook said: “It was predominantly underground, DIY venues that were keeping the scene alive but now we are playing in not so underground venues like at open food stalls.”
It’s this survival side of the ska music which its fans love, and for new listeners getting into the genre because of BBC’s This Town, Cook’s suggestion is: “start with the core artists like The Specials’ first record and The Beats but then go back into the Jamaican roots of those records and you’ll gain a good picture.”
