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Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation
The definitive and remarkable story of 2 Tone Records
"We lived in Britain, a country that had hugely benefited from immigration, but curiously had an innate antipathy to the ideas of multiculturalism and diversity. Daniel Rachel has managed to capture the essence of that contradiction in those Margaret Thatcher–governed years, with this comprehensive, cautionary but nonetheless celebratory saga of the 2 Tone label."—Pauline Black, singer of The Selecter
"Daniel Rachel has managed to talk to all the significant players and the story he tells is one that shines a light on the challenges of mixing pop with politics. This feels like the definitive story of 2 Tone. Masterful."—Billy Bragg
In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against right-wing extremism.
The music of 2 Tone was white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae crossed with a punk attitude created an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Borrowing L700, the label's first record featured "Gangsters" by The Specials, backed by an instrumental track by the as-yet-unformed Selecter. Within two months, the single reached number six on the UK music charts. Dammers went on to sign Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone artists onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation.
As excitement grew in the United States, 2 Tone bands began crossing the Atlantic to perform for American audiences. Soon, however, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still, under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979–1981 incarnation, the label nevertheless continued to thrive for another four years, releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in the activist hit song "(Free) Nelson Mandela."
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.
"We lived in Britain, a country that had hugely benefited from immigration, but curiously had an innate antipathy to the ideas of multiculturalism and diversity. Daniel Rachel has managed to capture the essence of that contradiction in those Margaret Thatcher–governed years, with this comprehensive, cautionary but nonetheless celebratory saga of the 2 Tone label."—Pauline Black, singer of The Selecter
"Daniel Rachel has managed to talk to all the significant players and the story he tells is one that shines a light on the challenges of mixing pop with politics. This feels like the definitive story of 2 Tone. Masterful."—Billy Bragg
In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against right-wing extremism.
The music of 2 Tone was white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae crossed with a punk attitude created an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Borrowing L700, the label's first record featured "Gangsters" by The Specials, backed by an instrumental track by the as-yet-unformed Selecter. Within two months, the single reached number six on the UK music charts. Dammers went on to sign Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone artists onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation.
As excitement grew in the United States, 2 Tone bands began crossing the Atlantic to perform for American audiences. Soon, however, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still, under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979–1981 incarnation, the label nevertheless continued to thrive for another four years, releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in the activist hit song "(Free) Nelson Mandela."
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2024
99 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Rachel
11 books27 followersDaniel Rachel is a musician turned award winning and best-selling author. His works include:
Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME Book of the Year),
Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music & politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge (winner of the Penderyn Music Book prize),
Don’t Look Back in Anger: the Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia (An Evening Standard and Metro Book of the Year),
The Lost Album of The Beatles: What if the Beatles hadn’t Split Up? (Guardian Book Choice)
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation
He has also co-authored
Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever (with Jill Furmanovsky – A Sunday Times Bestseller),
When Ziggy Played the Marquee by Terry O'Neill (editor)
Ranking Roger's autobiography I Just Can't Stop It: My Life in The Beat (a Vive Le Rock Book of the Year).
One For The Road (The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene)
David Bowie: Icon
HIs latest book, This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich is published in November 2025
Praise for Isle of Noises
‘Without doubt the finest book I've ever read about songwriters and the songs they write.’ NOEL GALLAGHER
‘I was astounded by Daniel’s knowledge and even after all these years to be asked original questions that surprise you was very impressive.’ ROBIN GIBB
‘It makes for a fascinating read. Especially if you're trying to get a sense of what it takes to write songs.’ ANNIE LENNOX
‘…sometimes you know straightaway if someone’s going to be trotting out the same old stuff. Daniel’s obviously got a real feeling for the esoteric, romantic and spiritual side of it.’ JOHNNY MARR
Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME Book of the Year),
Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music & politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge (winner of the Penderyn Music Book prize),
Don’t Look Back in Anger: the Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia (An Evening Standard and Metro Book of the Year),
The Lost Album of The Beatles: What if the Beatles hadn’t Split Up? (Guardian Book Choice)
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation
He has also co-authored
Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever (with Jill Furmanovsky – A Sunday Times Bestseller),
When Ziggy Played the Marquee by Terry O'Neill (editor)
Ranking Roger's autobiography I Just Can't Stop It: My Life in The Beat (a Vive Le Rock Book of the Year).
One For The Road (The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene)
David Bowie: Icon
HIs latest book, This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich is published in November 2025
Praise for Isle of Noises
‘Without doubt the finest book I've ever read about songwriters and the songs they write.’ NOEL GALLAGHER
‘I was astounded by Daniel’s knowledge and even after all these years to be asked original questions that surprise you was very impressive.’ ROBIN GIBB
‘It makes for a fascinating read. Especially if you're trying to get a sense of what it takes to write songs.’ ANNIE LENNOX
‘…sometimes you know straightaway if someone’s going to be trotting out the same old stuff. Daniel’s obviously got a real feeling for the esoteric, romantic and spiritual side of it.’ JOHNNY MARR
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 25, 2024
This book does what it says on the cover which is tell the 2 Tone Records story. In many ways, the story of the Specials is entwined with that. Related bands like Madness and the (English) Beat were involved and tangentially important.
I think by staying true to the concept, the book is better for it. The book won a lot of awards for music writing and deservedly so. Author Daniel Rachel seems to have interviewed everyone involved and when conflicting stories pop up, he will tell all versions.
Which makes this a great music book regardless if you are a diehard fan or a novice. What amazes me is how short the heyday of 2 Tone was. May 1979 was the release of Gangsters and June 1981 was the release of Ghost Town (with Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple leaving subsequently to form Fun Boy Three).
Even as an American music fan, I see these are wildly different eras. The Specials formed in 1977 amidst punk, unemployment, National Front tensions, Rock Against Racism and heavy unemployment. At the end, New Wave has taken over and the Falklands War is on the horizon.
The rise of the band is lightning fast and the idea of 2 Tone surely seems ahead of its time. Sure I can think of many artists who had record labels- Beatles, Stones, Zappa but the idea of a boutique label launching new artists (with major label backing) and a similar sound and vision is the kind of thing that didn’t really take off until the 90s.
That said, it’s a blessing and a curse. The Beat and Madness saw the allure of more money and publicity. The Bodysnatchers and The Selecter made great singles but would not survive band infighting. UB40 would chart a different non-2 Tone path altogether as agreed upon by all parties involved.
Rachel makes sure Jerry Dammers is able to tell his point of view. An oversimplified characterization might otherwise fall into place. Dammers was a task manager who perhaps worked the band too hard. His principles put art over money and seeked to avoid the hypocrisy of Joe Strummer and the punks. On the other hand, remember this was a nine person band with Dammers, Hall, Staple, Golding and Roddy Byers all capable of fronting a band on their own.
Also the slim construct of what “the 2Tone sound” is was also a blessing and a curse. Decades later, it means the label is still much venerated decades later. However, it also was so slim that the label was unable to grow that much.
It’s probably not surprising that Dammers wanted to change his song for the second Specials album. What is surprising is that the new influence on him was something he heard in America- Muzak.
While it was not a huge commercial success and was part of a rollercoaster ride to the band breaking up, I think More Specials holds up. Even more so, as the band fell apart, the band recorded “Ghost Town”. As much as it’s a low point in the story, the song is truly timeless.
Similarly the “third” album In the Studio by the band now dubbed The Special AKA was a boondoggle. Of course, in retrospect, Jerry had to essentially restart the band in an incredibly short time frame. Yet again, one single “Free Nelson Mandela” is one that is transcendent.
Another major chapter of the band’s life that goes horribly wrong is the 1981 documentary Dance Craze. In this case, a missed opportunity maybe to tell more of the story and a document that faded quickly into obscurity (like so much of the 2 Tone Story- time has rewarded that narrow focus- but it was also a barrier to sales and growth) but last year was rediscovered and instantly caused a buzz.
This is a great book at telling the story of a special moment in time. How a bunch of extremely talented artists worked together to create something unique while having to deal with the issues of the day - sexism, racism, music label problems and infighting.
September 8, 2024
Brilliant, definitive and comprehensive book about the 2 Tone record label and associated and/or 2 Tone adjacent bands. I researched the 2 Tone label a while ago as part of a University project, but at that point it was quite hard to piece together a history from what was available at the time. This seems like a really comprehensive and well-written book that delves into some of the more difficult aspects of 2 Tone's history - including the National Front presence at a lot of the gigs, and the varying political commitment and outlook of the different band members. It was really interesting to read about the musical lineage of the music as well, including that several well known hits by some of the 2 Tone "borrowed" quite heavily from existing music without always giving due credit; and I really enjoyed reading about the chaos of some of the tours.
I feel like this book is very fair in its telling of the history, because it acknowledges some of the problematic aspects of some of the material and the musicians' behaviour (it doesn't shy away from describing some of the sexist behaviour on the tours, or from the misogyny of the song 'Too Much Too Young') and pays tribute to the label without ever shying away from the problems that the idealism caused, or how much of the supposedly 'collective' work and decision making was actually usually just taken on by one person.
After all this time though, it is remarkable to find out how The Specials were able to leverage the interest in their band to get a major label, Chrysalis, to get them to run their own subsidised imprint, 2 Tone, where they could put out 12 seven inches a year by the bands of their choice, and these bands would then be free to go to another label if they so chose. It's amazing that all of this ever happened at all.
This book is a bit less interesting towards the end, when it gets onto some of the lesser-known 2 Tone bands like The Higsons; you can tell that by this point the shine had gone off the label.
All the same, it's a great book and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the 2 Tone label and the classic bands who were on it.
I feel like this book is very fair in its telling of the history, because it acknowledges some of the problematic aspects of some of the material and the musicians' behaviour (it doesn't shy away from describing some of the sexist behaviour on the tours, or from the misogyny of the song 'Too Much Too Young') and pays tribute to the label without ever shying away from the problems that the idealism caused, or how much of the supposedly 'collective' work and decision making was actually usually just taken on by one person.
After all this time though, it is remarkable to find out how The Specials were able to leverage the interest in their band to get a major label, Chrysalis, to get them to run their own subsidised imprint, 2 Tone, where they could put out 12 seven inches a year by the bands of their choice, and these bands would then be free to go to another label if they so chose. It's amazing that all of this ever happened at all.
This book is a bit less interesting towards the end, when it gets onto some of the lesser-known 2 Tone bands like The Higsons; you can tell that by this point the shine had gone off the label.
All the same, it's a great book and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the 2 Tone label and the classic bands who were on it.
July 12, 2024
I have been searching, somewhat in vain, for a decent black-and-white checkers sticker to put on my electric bass. If you know where I can get one please direct that my way.
Popular music comes and goes; what is the newest biggest trendiest thing one day disappears the next and is henceforth forgotten. The Specials struggle to break two million monthly listeners on Spotify, which isn't bad, but lags behind a lot of other—for lack of better word—less influential bands. I discovered them only though the video for "A Message to You Rudy," which is a cover and far from the Specials' best work, appearing periodically on my YouTube recommended. I clicked on it on a whim, and to be honest, I was not all that impressed. It took the titular song of this book, "Too Much Too Young," to get me thinking that the Specials were a legit band and to explore more. And boy am I glad that I did. Now I'm absolutely obsessed.
The Specials introduced me to the world of 2 Tone Records, a short-lived independent record label that was less a record label and more a musical collective. It was the brainchild of one Jerry Dammers, the keyboard player, chief songwriter, and de facto leader of the Specials. When he founded 2 Tone Records, he didn't do it to cash out—he wanted a label that stood for something to go on the Specials' records.
2 Tone came together under a vision of antiracism, antisexism, and nonviolence. The sound of Specials and other 2 Tone bands—Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers—represented this ideal of racial unity. Where ska/reggae had been seen as "Black music" and punk as "white music," the 2 Tone sound was the love child of the two. Though the 2 Tone collective fell apart rather quickly, as band after band broke up in quick succession (The Specials and the Bodysnatchers in 1981, The Selecter in 1982, The Beat in 1983, leaving only Madness standing, though they left the 2 Tone label years ago), its influence lived on. Where once the neo-Nazi National Front and British Movement had once captivated British youth, 2 Tone preached love and unity to the skinheads who went to their shows and turned that all on its head.
As a second-gen immigrant, I've always struggled with that elusive sense of belonging. Sure, you can say it's just music, but 2 Tone has always made me feel welcome. It's been 40 years since the label died, but when I listen to that music, I feel like I'm right there, that this is my culture.
Of all musical movements, and I love and cherish many of them, I hope 2 Tone doesn't get forgotten. This is why I'm so happy that this book exists. As far as music history goes, documents on 2 Tone are few and far between: the largely forgotten Dance Craze rockumentary (which got revived in 2023) and a handful of musician memoirs. This is the definitive history that I've been looking for.
Daniel Rachel forgets no one, and I really mean no one. Beyond the OG 2 Tone bands were a handful of obscure groups that Jerry Dammers signed after the Specials imploded, but while popular memories may have forgotten them, Rachel has not. The Swinging Cats, the Higsons, the Apollonaires, the Friday Club—I mean, have *you* heard of any of these guys? I haven't, and I am a snob who prides herself on knowing bands like That Petrol Emotion and The Wild Swans. (Bonus points if you know who they are.) Rachel gives them the attention and screentime they warrant as members of the 2 Tone family in this book, an indicator of his thoroughness in his research.
Most of the book is dedicated to the Specials and their aforementioned contemporaries, and it's such a detailed, thorough account that often I forgot that Daniel Rachel is there at all. He gets everybody's point of view, and I really mean everybody. The producer? You bet Rachel interviewed him. The sacked manager? Rachel tracked him down too. Even the bass player! I mean, who better to tell the story of 2 Tone than the people who created it?
It's a work of nonfiction, but it reads as smoothly and as engagingly as a novel. You feel as if you were there, dancing under the strobe lights to a characteristically chaotic 2 Tone gig. You feel the tension in the room as the bands begin arguing and falling apart. You—or at least I—mourn as this brilliant movement draws to an end. The thing that separates good nonfiction from great nonfiction is the same thing that separates good fiction from great fiction, the connection between the reader and the characters. Good nonfiction informs me on the subject; great nonfiction draws me into the scene, puts me in the people's shoes, makes me feel as much as great fiction does.
Y'all, this is a great and truly important piece of music history. If you don't read this book you should at least check out the Specials, the Selecter, the Beat, Madness, and the Bodysnatchers on Spotify! (I'll stop myself right here before I yap until the end of time about all my favorite songs.)
Popular music comes and goes; what is the newest biggest trendiest thing one day disappears the next and is henceforth forgotten. The Specials struggle to break two million monthly listeners on Spotify, which isn't bad, but lags behind a lot of other—for lack of better word—less influential bands. I discovered them only though the video for "A Message to You Rudy," which is a cover and far from the Specials' best work, appearing periodically on my YouTube recommended. I clicked on it on a whim, and to be honest, I was not all that impressed. It took the titular song of this book, "Too Much Too Young," to get me thinking that the Specials were a legit band and to explore more. And boy am I glad that I did. Now I'm absolutely obsessed.
The Specials introduced me to the world of 2 Tone Records, a short-lived independent record label that was less a record label and more a musical collective. It was the brainchild of one Jerry Dammers, the keyboard player, chief songwriter, and de facto leader of the Specials. When he founded 2 Tone Records, he didn't do it to cash out—he wanted a label that stood for something to go on the Specials' records.
2 Tone came together under a vision of antiracism, antisexism, and nonviolence. The sound of Specials and other 2 Tone bands—Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers—represented this ideal of racial unity. Where ska/reggae had been seen as "Black music" and punk as "white music," the 2 Tone sound was the love child of the two. Though the 2 Tone collective fell apart rather quickly, as band after band broke up in quick succession (The Specials and the Bodysnatchers in 1981, The Selecter in 1982, The Beat in 1983, leaving only Madness standing, though they left the 2 Tone label years ago), its influence lived on. Where once the neo-Nazi National Front and British Movement had once captivated British youth, 2 Tone preached love and unity to the skinheads who went to their shows and turned that all on its head.
As a second-gen immigrant, I've always struggled with that elusive sense of belonging. Sure, you can say it's just music, but 2 Tone has always made me feel welcome. It's been 40 years since the label died, but when I listen to that music, I feel like I'm right there, that this is my culture.
Of all musical movements, and I love and cherish many of them, I hope 2 Tone doesn't get forgotten. This is why I'm so happy that this book exists. As far as music history goes, documents on 2 Tone are few and far between: the largely forgotten Dance Craze rockumentary (which got revived in 2023) and a handful of musician memoirs. This is the definitive history that I've been looking for.
Daniel Rachel forgets no one, and I really mean no one. Beyond the OG 2 Tone bands were a handful of obscure groups that Jerry Dammers signed after the Specials imploded, but while popular memories may have forgotten them, Rachel has not. The Swinging Cats, the Higsons, the Apollonaires, the Friday Club—I mean, have *you* heard of any of these guys? I haven't, and I am a snob who prides herself on knowing bands like That Petrol Emotion and The Wild Swans. (Bonus points if you know who they are.) Rachel gives them the attention and screentime they warrant as members of the 2 Tone family in this book, an indicator of his thoroughness in his research.
Most of the book is dedicated to the Specials and their aforementioned contemporaries, and it's such a detailed, thorough account that often I forgot that Daniel Rachel is there at all. He gets everybody's point of view, and I really mean everybody. The producer? You bet Rachel interviewed him. The sacked manager? Rachel tracked him down too. Even the bass player! I mean, who better to tell the story of 2 Tone than the people who created it?
It's a work of nonfiction, but it reads as smoothly and as engagingly as a novel. You feel as if you were there, dancing under the strobe lights to a characteristically chaotic 2 Tone gig. You feel the tension in the room as the bands begin arguing and falling apart. You—or at least I—mourn as this brilliant movement draws to an end. The thing that separates good nonfiction from great nonfiction is the same thing that separates good fiction from great fiction, the connection between the reader and the characters. Good nonfiction informs me on the subject; great nonfiction draws me into the scene, puts me in the people's shoes, makes me feel as much as great fiction does.
Y'all, this is a great and truly important piece of music history. If you don't read this book you should at least check out the Specials, the Selecter, the Beat, Madness, and the Bodysnatchers on Spotify! (I'll stop myself right here before I yap until the end of time about all my favorite songs.)
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November 19, 2024Популярність британської музики в минулому столітті важко переоцінити. Проте 2 Tone був деякий час центральним явищем в Британії й водночас маргінальним за її межами. Мене завжди трохи бентежило, що «сaунтдтреком покоління» там став відроджений жанр ска, хоч й оновлений духом панку. І це завдовго до доби рівайвалів і ретроманії нульових. На останнє Джері Даммерс зауважив би, що revival is a word for people who haven’t heard the word continuation. Коротше — книжку я читав з культурологічної цікавості, а не як фанат жанру чи когось з музикантів.
Пояснення, як так трапилось, тут звісно є: починаючи від бомбардуваннь Ковентрі у Другу світову, згадуючи Британський національний акт 1948 року, промову Єноха Павелла про ріки крові, прихід до влади уряду Маргарет Тетчер та інші знаменні події в історії Сполученого Королівства. Але книжка в першу чергу про конкретних людей.
Деніел Рейчел проінтерв'ював, здається, навіть всіх третєрядних постатей, які хоч чимось пов'язані з 2 Tone, не кажучи вже про музикантів, але в книжці є головний герой, засновник лейблу і співзасновник гурту The Specials Джері Даммерс. Це одночасно історія його успіху і невдачі. Точніше його утопічного проєкту. Людина лівих поглядів, Даммерс був обурений расизмом британського суспільства, і мріяв про незалежний музичний лейбл. З першим Джеррі мав частковий, але незаперечний успіх, принаймні в царині популярної музики. Як зауважує Саґґс з Madness, сьогодні молоде покоління перемішує музику не задумуючись, але тоді все було дуже чітко: чорні грали те, білі це. 2 Tone мав величезний вплив на зміну цієї точки зору. З лейблом успіх був короткостроковим. Формально він проіснував сім років, але як пише автор, пік 2 Tone тривав трохи більше вісімнадцяти місяців, з кінця 1979 до літа 1981 року. Він став заручником швидкого успіху, асоціації з певним музичнийм жанром, у творчому процесі Даммерс виявися не таким вже й демократом, а більшість людей просто пересварилася між собою.
Я зазна�� в книзі одна з учасниць The Bodysnatchers, це іронічно, оскільки вся ідея 2 Tone полягала в тому, щоб відкинути розбіжності та об’єднатися для просування кращого суспільства, що ми не змогли подолати власні розбіжності. Це говорить щось дуже сумне про людей: ми маємо добрі наміри, але всі ми жертви власних недоліків».
Пояснення, як так трапилось, тут звісно є: починаючи від бомбардуваннь Ковентрі у Другу світову, згадуючи Британський національний акт 1948 року, промову Єноха Павелла про ріки крові, прихід до влади уряду Маргарет Тетчер та інші знаменні події в історії Сполученого Королівства. Але книжка в першу чергу про конкретних людей.
Деніел Рейчел проінтерв'ював, здається, навіть всіх третєрядних постатей, які хоч чимось пов'язані з 2 Tone, не кажучи вже про музикантів, але в книжці є головний герой, засновник лейблу і співзасновник гурту The Specials Джері Даммерс. Це одночасно історія його успіху і невдачі. Точніше його утопічного проєкту. Людина лівих поглядів, Даммерс був обурений расизмом британського суспільства, і мріяв про незалежний музичний лейбл. З першим Джеррі мав частковий, але незаперечний успіх, принаймні в царині популярної музики. Як зауважує Саґґс з Madness, сьогодні молоде покоління перемішує музику не задумуючись, але тоді все було дуже чітко: чорні грали те, білі це. 2 Tone мав величезний вплив на зміну цієї точки зору. З лейблом успіх був короткостроковим. Формально він проіснував сім років, але як пише автор, пік 2 Tone тривав трохи більше вісімнадцяти місяців, з кінця 1979 до літа 1981 року. Він став заручником швидкого успіху, асоціації з певним музичнийм жанром, у творчому процесі Даммерс виявися не таким вже й демократом, а більшість людей просто пересварилася між собою.
Я зазна�� в книзі одна з учасниць The Bodysnatchers, це іронічно, оскільки вся ідея 2 Tone полягала в тому, щоб відкинути розбіжності та об’єднатися для просування кращого суспільства, що ми не змогли подолати власні розбіжності. Це говорить щось дуже сумне про людей: ми маємо добрі наміри, але всі ми жертви власних недоліків».
October 5, 2024
This book was amazing!! I didn't know much about 2 Tone going into it, but it did bring a bunch of context I didn't know I was missing when I started listening to ska in high school. There's so much detail, so much British history, and written in a way that's extremely engaging and even fun. Thanks so much to Akashic (especially Johanna and Johnny) for my free copy! It was an absolute pleasure to meet and host Daniel (interviewed by the fantastic Keith Willis) at MLK Library to talk about the book while he was on a weeks-long cross-country tour of the US with his wonderful wife Susie. So grateful for the opportunity, and for my personalized signed copy! 😊
January 7, 2025
The best account of 2 Tone I’ve read or seen, although it is not without a few misconceptions. At one point he implies Punk “punk had little if any trace of Black musical influence”. Pick any major punk band in the UK or US, look at the covers they play and influences they admit and this becomes demonstrably false. This sets up the ‘white punk’ meets ‘black ska’ false narrative that instills the racial essentialism that 2 Tone directly contradicted. There was also a strange anecdote about John Lennon and Yoko Ono that perpetuates the submissive husband/nagging wife myth around Lennon and Ono that we should be well past by now. These just seemed odd in a book where Rachel otherwise has a thoroughly nuanced and level headed understanding of music history.
The books extensive documentation of the National Fronts presence at 2 Tone gigs moves through territory no tv doc on Ska dares to go (with the exception of Don Letts The Story of Skinhead). In this, Rachel steers 2 Tones legacy away from the popular narrative of ‘black and white musicians went on stage and ended racism forever’ and instead revises this erasive history to uncover the true significance of 2 Tone. With its overtly anti-racist politics and multi-racial music being simultaneously enjoyed by racial separatists, 2 Tone exposed and confronted the contradictory racial essentialism of skinhead/all post-colonial melancholic British identity, identities that can only survive in their refusal to accept the inevitable routes of hybridisation in post-colonial cultural encounters. This book is finally a 2 Tone history has a framework that moves towards this understanding.
The books extensive documentation of the National Fronts presence at 2 Tone gigs moves through territory no tv doc on Ska dares to go (with the exception of Don Letts The Story of Skinhead). In this, Rachel steers 2 Tones legacy away from the popular narrative of ‘black and white musicians went on stage and ended racism forever’ and instead revises this erasive history to uncover the true significance of 2 Tone. With its overtly anti-racist politics and multi-racial music being simultaneously enjoyed by racial separatists, 2 Tone exposed and confronted the contradictory racial essentialism of skinhead/all post-colonial melancholic British identity, identities that can only survive in their refusal to accept the inevitable routes of hybridisation in post-colonial cultural encounters. This book is finally a 2 Tone history has a framework that moves towards this understanding.
May 20, 2025
Particularly liked the lesser known stuff about the Swinging Cats, Apollinaires and Higsons!
October 26, 2025
Really enjoyed the nostalgia trip back to 1979 onwards. Learnt about the background to 2 Tone which, as a ten year old, I really would not have got just from seeing a group of musicians wearing black and white pork pie hats on ToTPs. Great playing all the albums again and understanding the social and political context behind the music. Very well researched and written.
September 15, 2024
A sturdy, straight-on history of 2 Tone records and second-wave British ska bands.
June 7, 2025
I’ve finally finished this very long, very detailed and comprehensive account of the shooting star that was 2 Tone.
Fantastically researched and compiled; how wonderful to read quotes and anecdotes and see photos of musicians I’ve revered for ages. Not to mention all the album and single cover art and posters and the minutiae of the graphic design processes.
Unfortunately, given that Keir Starmer just recently echoed the sentiments of Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, with his warning of the UK becoming an ‘island of strangers’, the 2 Tone ethos and anguish feels decidedly apt.
The cycle of scapegoating immigrants is tired and lazy and unjust.
With 2 Tone as hard evidence, might I remind Mr. Starmer and the Reform voters he’s trying to appeal to, that:
the best bits about the UK were shaped and influenced by immigrants and their descendants.
Fantastically researched and compiled; how wonderful to read quotes and anecdotes and see photos of musicians I’ve revered for ages. Not to mention all the album and single cover art and posters and the minutiae of the graphic design processes.
Unfortunately, given that Keir Starmer just recently echoed the sentiments of Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, with his warning of the UK becoming an ‘island of strangers’, the 2 Tone ethos and anguish feels decidedly apt.
The cycle of scapegoating immigrants is tired and lazy and unjust.
With 2 Tone as hard evidence, might I remind Mr. Starmer and the Reform voters he’s trying to appeal to, that:
the best bits about the UK were shaped and influenced by immigrants and their descendants.
March 31, 2025
Not long ago, “Gangsters” came on in the car, and about a week later my kid was telling me about how great The Specials were as though I didn’t know. Regardless, proud dad moment ensued. Ska music has a special place in my heart, and above any of the third-wave punk-infused acts that I loved in my 20s, The Specials stand alone.
2 Tone Records was long done by the time I developed my own affection for The Specials and their contemporaries, but Daniel Rachel‘s definitive history of the band, the label and the scene is essential reading for serious fans of the music.
At the outset, Rachel makes the scene feel alive. England in the late 70s was consumed by racial violence, the beginning of Thatcherism and the mass poverty and discord that accompanied it. Punk music had burned bright and short, and there was a vacuum in the music scene. In this moment, Jerry Dammers imagined a fusion of punk and reggae, black and white artists, and a music label to champion it. Somehow managing to sell Chrysalis Records on the idea of a subsidiary label that was basically no-risk and all reward, 2 Tone records was born as a handshake deal and a split single with The Specials and the Selecter. The label was instantly iconic. Rachel’s extensive research and interviews provide deep insight into the successes and struggles of the label over the 5-ish years that it existed.
The author details every act that the label signed (and several that they nearly signed), from legendary acts like Madness and The English Beat to has-beens or never-weres like The Appolinaires, The Swinging Cats and The Higsons. No detail is spared, and over nearly 500 pages the book sometimes felt like a slog. Long chapters about bands that flamed out before achieving commercial success are often entertaining, but frequently the book gets dragged down in conflicting details about origin stories or tours.
I loved much of this book: I learned a ton about The Specials and a whole lot about the scene and culture of the day. Most eye opening was the description of how big a presence the racist National Front had in that era, and how closely the Nazi movement was associated with ska music (despite 2 Tone being clearly motivated by racial harmony).
If I’m honest, though, the book was a lot more than I needed. The last 100 pages were often a grind, in the same way that Hearts on Fire: Six Years that Changed Canadian Music 2000-2005 was. Meeting a new band, adding another half-dozen to the massive cast of characters after 400 pages was overwhelming to the casual fan that I am. As a historical document, Too Much Too Young is an impressive feat, but unless you lived through the era or have a deep interest in the details of obscure artists, it might simply be too much.
2 Tone Records was long done by the time I developed my own affection for The Specials and their contemporaries, but Daniel Rachel‘s definitive history of the band, the label and the scene is essential reading for serious fans of the music.
At the outset, Rachel makes the scene feel alive. England in the late 70s was consumed by racial violence, the beginning of Thatcherism and the mass poverty and discord that accompanied it. Punk music had burned bright and short, and there was a vacuum in the music scene. In this moment, Jerry Dammers imagined a fusion of punk and reggae, black and white artists, and a music label to champion it. Somehow managing to sell Chrysalis Records on the idea of a subsidiary label that was basically no-risk and all reward, 2 Tone records was born as a handshake deal and a split single with The Specials and the Selecter. The label was instantly iconic. Rachel’s extensive research and interviews provide deep insight into the successes and struggles of the label over the 5-ish years that it existed.
The author details every act that the label signed (and several that they nearly signed), from legendary acts like Madness and The English Beat to has-beens or never-weres like The Appolinaires, The Swinging Cats and The Higsons. No detail is spared, and over nearly 500 pages the book sometimes felt like a slog. Long chapters about bands that flamed out before achieving commercial success are often entertaining, but frequently the book gets dragged down in conflicting details about origin stories or tours.
I loved much of this book: I learned a ton about The Specials and a whole lot about the scene and culture of the day. Most eye opening was the description of how big a presence the racist National Front had in that era, and how closely the Nazi movement was associated with ska music (despite 2 Tone being clearly motivated by racial harmony).
If I’m honest, though, the book was a lot more than I needed. The last 100 pages were often a grind, in the same way that Hearts on Fire: Six Years that Changed Canadian Music 2000-2005 was. Meeting a new band, adding another half-dozen to the massive cast of characters after 400 pages was overwhelming to the casual fan that I am. As a historical document, Too Much Too Young is an impressive feat, but unless you lived through the era or have a deep interest in the details of obscure artists, it might simply be too much.
April 13, 2024
Are you a child of the 80's? Grew up to the skanking rhythms of The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat et al? Do you live in a Ghost Town, surrounded by Gangsters, whilst campaigning to (Free) Nelson Mandela? Then this might be the book for you.
It's good. An in depth history of the story of the 2 Tone label and its major players, so if that is a period of musical history that resonates then it is a worthwhile read. Certainly it feels complete with no stone left unturned - which conversely, is one of its problems.
This isn't a light read and at 488 pages goes on and on long after 2 Tone both as a musical genre and as a record label had lost any resonance with 80's British youth. Chapters on The Higsons, The Friday Club and The Apollinaires feel like an extended suicide note as we drag ourselves onwards to the final hurrah of (Free) Nelson Mandela. And despite the author's proclamation of the huge cultural importance of 2 Tone, you are left with a feeling of how narrow, short-lived and insignificant its achievement was (3 Specials and 1 Selecter albums). Yes, there was a raft of great singles (a special mention for the often overlooked 'The Boiler') and two truly iconic songs that helped define the 80's ('Ghost Town' and '(Free) Nelson Mandela') but the participants are biased and the author comes across as an acolyte and like all acolytes has problems seeing beyond their own narrow perspective.
The post-punk world of the early 80's saw an explosion in musical diversity and although the mod/northern soul revival, the blitz kids, and the birth of electronica are mentioned in passing (to name just 3) the author fails to acknowledge 2 Tone's place as just one of a multitude of newly created independent labels. Yes, 2 Tone may briefly have burned the brightest but the decade was one of constant change, re-invention and splintering of musical culture and as a result it would be other labels with more longevity who would really define the decade and beyond - be they Factory, 4AD, Mute, Creation, Rough Trade, Postcard and many more too numerous to mention.
It's good. An in depth history of the story of the 2 Tone label and its major players, so if that is a period of musical history that resonates then it is a worthwhile read. Certainly it feels complete with no stone left unturned - which conversely, is one of its problems.
This isn't a light read and at 488 pages goes on and on long after 2 Tone both as a musical genre and as a record label had lost any resonance with 80's British youth. Chapters on The Higsons, The Friday Club and The Apollinaires feel like an extended suicide note as we drag ourselves onwards to the final hurrah of (Free) Nelson Mandela. And despite the author's proclamation of the huge cultural importance of 2 Tone, you are left with a feeling of how narrow, short-lived and insignificant its achievement was (3 Specials and 1 Selecter albums). Yes, there was a raft of great singles (a special mention for the often overlooked 'The Boiler') and two truly iconic songs that helped define the 80's ('Ghost Town' and '(Free) Nelson Mandela') but the participants are biased and the author comes across as an acolyte and like all acolytes has problems seeing beyond their own narrow perspective.
The post-punk world of the early 80's saw an explosion in musical diversity and although the mod/northern soul revival, the blitz kids, and the birth of electronica are mentioned in passing (to name just 3) the author fails to acknowledge 2 Tone's place as just one of a multitude of newly created independent labels. Yes, 2 Tone may briefly have burned the brightest but the decade was one of constant change, re-invention and splintering of musical culture and as a result it would be other labels with more longevity who would really define the decade and beyond - be they Factory, 4AD, Mute, Creation, Rough Trade, Postcard and many more too numerous to mention.
September 12, 2024
Too Much Too Soon: The Two-Tone Record Story by Daniel Rachel In this book, Rachel does an admirable job of contextualizing the late 70s mod/ska revival within its social framework. Bands like The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, and The Beat may have had moderate success in the US, but they were cultural phenomena in the UK. The two-tone bands churned out one hit after another, serving as a counterforce to the emerging white racist faction within the skinhead punk scene. It’s easy to forget that the National Front was gaining ground among the youth, leading to groups of young thugs attacking hippies and Pakistani immigrants on sight. Many established bands flirted with anti-immigrant and racist sentiments. Even punk bands like The Clash, while incorporating reggae as an alternative to punk, never fully integrated the sound. Into this milieu, Jerry Dammers emerged, reviving 60s ska by infusing it with punk attitude and 60s Mod song structures. Dammers, an avowed Marxist, expressly aimed to create bands that were both black and white, something still relatively rare today. He and many of the musicians hailed from working-class Coventry, a frequent casualty of neo-liberal economic changes. The irony lies in Dammers, a white man, writing the songs and maintaining artistic control, which led to internal conflicts and ultimately, the fragmentation of the bands and the scene. While short-lived and eventually overshadowed by the New Romantics, the two-tone scene’s influence endures, inspiring a generation of US bands like Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Fishbone, and No Doubt, all of whom balanced white male angst with social relevance. The book often questions contemporary views on cultural appropriation, acknowledging that ska itself wouldn't exist without it. Focusing on the social aspects of ska reveals the book's most compelling elements. However, there is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction; perhaps the sheer number of musicians in each band or the decision to focus on Dammers without fully telling his story detracts from the book's coherence. Nevertheless, Too Much Too Soon can be fascinating and poignant, albeit occasionally clunky.
July 9, 2024
Too Much Too Young is a comprehensive look at the history of Ska through the lens of the 2 Tone Records story. Comprehensive in both time and viewpoint, it stretches from the earliest days of the founding of the Specials through the entire lifetime of 2 Tone. The author has taken pains to, while not necessarily independently verifying all first hand accounts they collected and recorded here, present multiple first hand accounts wherever possible even when details may conflict with one another. This provides a unique and detailed look back on this history of Ska.
Historical retrospectives of this type can read as a little dry, especially when the specific topic may not an area of expertise or interest to the reader. However, between the writing style and the diverse first hand accounts, Too Much Too Young is a surprisingly easy, fast, and engaging read likely to appeal to both the expert fan and the uninitiated alike.
Historical retrospectives of this type can read as a little dry, especially when the specific topic may not an area of expertise or interest to the reader. However, between the writing style and the diverse first hand accounts, Too Much Too Young is a surprisingly easy, fast, and engaging read likely to appeal to both the expert fan and the uninitiated alike.
August 1, 2024
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. 2 Tone was over before I was even born, and it didn't have the traction in America that it did in England. It was, for all intents and purposes, a huge blind spot for me. American ska-punk is where I came into this kind of music. Then, after that, I just went straight back to the original Jamaican ska. 2 Tone was just this thing in the middle I never explored too much
I'm beyond happy this book exists. It filled in a lot of gaps for me. It really made me appreciate the music beyond that first Specials record, or a handful of songs by The Beat and The Selecter
I'm beyond happy this book exists. It filled in a lot of gaps for me. It really made me appreciate the music beyond that first Specials record, or a handful of songs by The Beat and The Selecter
January 2, 2024
Brilliant book I loved the 2 tone music when it came out and brought a few records when it started. They definitely got me into ska and I loved going out and searching for that kind of music so I have Jerry dammers to thank for that. The book is extensively researched and it’s sad to hear about all the infighting amongst the bands especially the selectors. If you want to find out about those times then this is the book to get. The specials were awesome in their time but I think only madness come out with any credibility.
August 10, 2024
Interesting as I didn't know thar the Higsons released vinyl on 2 Tone. I have seen Madness, Selecter and the Beat but not the Specials, also missing out on seeing the early support slot of Coventry Automatics with the Clash. The 2 Tone movement was the perfect follow-up to punk, combining punk and ska.
A well researched book about the era and the decline and fall of the record label. Doesn't hold back on the internal ructions and the moronic right wing retards who behaved like cretins at gigs. 40+ years later and the morons are still around.
Great trip down memory lane.
A well researched book about the era and the decline and fall of the record label. Doesn't hold back on the internal ructions and the moronic right wing retards who behaved like cretins at gigs. 40+ years later and the morons are still around.
Great trip down memory lane.
Read
October 25, 2024I gave this one just about 100 pages. As the title indicates, the book is really about the record label. I think I was hoping for more about the cultural impact, Rock Against Racism, and stories from the road, which haven’t shown up yet in the portion of the book I read. I don’t have the patience to stick it out another 300 pages. Still, I’m having an awesome time looking up each band and song and dancing around in my kitchen. Especially valuable is a list of musicians and bands in the front of the book and song credits in the back.
December 13, 2025
Too Much Too Young is a comprehensive look at the history of the 2 Tone Record label. Comprehensive in both time and viewpoint, it stretches from the earliest days of the founding of the Specials through the entire lifetime of 2 Tone. Jerry Dammers who was the founder of 2 tone records and The Specials is just really brilliant. and yes there is the Specials/Selecter/The Beat and Madness but the last 100 pages goes into The Appollinaires, The Swinging Cats, Bodysnatchers? None of these "never wases" ever moved the needle but i found it interesting to hear about them.
May 17, 2024
Much too polite and parochial to have been a Rude Boy, I nevertheless enjoyed the music of 2Tone and the author writes very interestingly and in great detail about the music, the bands, and the movement. I learned lots and enjoyed it, though the later history, when the label and the movement were waning, was less interesting to me. But to detailed for me as a less committed reader but enjoyable all the same. Would certainly read more from the author.
January 18, 2025
The music of Two-Tone was the soundtrack to my teens and Leamington Spa, where I grew up was home to the Woodbine Studios which has host to The Specials for some of there recordings.
This book details the history of the Two Tone record label and the bands and people and it's ultimate end.
As a young teen, I never saw the bands live during this time so the story of the random violence at the concerts was news to me.
Really worth a read if you are familiar with the bands.
This book details the history of the Two Tone record label and the bands and people and it's ultimate end.
As a young teen, I never saw the bands live during this time so the story of the random violence at the concerts was news to me.
Really worth a read if you are familiar with the bands.
August 22, 2024
Obsessive goodness of details for a music scene that took off the top of your head with its impact while you were dancing on the edge of some seriously intense times. I don't think you have to have been there to enjoy this book but it really is a terrific read for all. We need another 2 Tone scene in current Britain and hopefully beyond - its message is still not being fully heard.
September 20, 2024
This is the comprehensive, thoroughly-researched story of 2 Tone Records with Daniel Rachel seeming to have interviewed all of the major players. The story of the early days and the astonishing rise of the record label, peaking with 'Ghost Town', is great. The final section about the fall of 2 Tone - the Higsons, anyone? - is less compelling, however.
December 18, 2024
A captivating recollection of a vital movement in music history, let alone cultural history. A lengthy read but absolutely worth the time. Ska, in all its waves continue to highlight what really matters and yet not sugarcoat the circumstances. Daniel Rachel wrote this beautifully and I feel like zero stone was left unturned.
October 5, 2025
Pretty solid account of the 2 tone story although I felt the early part of the Specials life as a band and development from the Automatics into the Specials wasn’t covered in as much detail as I would have liked. I wanted a bit more.
Still a good read and worth your time if you have an affinity with this fascinating period of English musical history.
Still a good read and worth your time if you have an affinity with this fascinating period of English musical history.
April 15, 2024
More like 3.5. Really interesting to learn of the struggle between their ideals and the reality. Would have preferred it to stick to the 2 Tone movement rather than the label: the ending about bands like The Higsons who were on the label latterly was less of interest to me.
April 25, 2024
2 Good
Totally brilliant read - not a 'fan' type of biog but an overview seemingly without bias.
Endearingly written, but not romanticised. I missed a lot of this as I was too young but it feels good to know more.
Buy this without caution.
Totally brilliant read - not a 'fan' type of biog but an overview seemingly without bias.
Endearingly written, but not romanticised. I missed a lot of this as I was too young but it feels good to know more.
Buy this without caution.
August 15, 2024
Amazing account of such a vibrant era of music and such great bands, but brings in the social and political context that makes it that much more powerful and informative. Really enjoyed this and brought back many fond memories.
October 6, 2024
In depth and excellent book about the 2 tone movement, and especially Jerry Dammers. Well written and full of detail, it really only lasted 2-3 years but what music it produced. Bought back great memories, well worth a read for all music lovers out there. Highly recommended.
February 11, 2025
Indispensable! Now I have a head full of ska - and that's not a bad thing. Full to the brim with fascinating insights and an absolute must-read for anyone whoever skanked or moonstomped at any point in their lives!
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