The Duff Guide to 2Tone

by Stephen Shafer

"The Duff Guide to 2 Tone" features over 70 reviews of reissues of essential 2 Tone albums from The Specials & The Special AKA, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, The Bodysnatchers, and Bad Manners, as well as write-ups of their more recent records, gigs, books, and movies—which no self-respecting fan of 2 Tone should miss! (This guide also features reviews of 2 Tone-adjacent releases that you need to know about.) Ska music writer Stephen Shafer was Moon Ska Records “director of propaganda” during the 1990s and played a significant, behind-the-scenes role in making the so-called American “Third Wave” of ska happen. With a foreword by Gaz Mayall (The Trojans, Gaz's Rockin' Records, Gaz's Rockin' Blues, and co-writer of The Bodysnatchers' "Ruder Than You"), "The Duff Guide to 2 Tone" draws from over 12 years of Shafer’s reviews from his Duff Guide to Ska blog—and this collection not only provides a critical overview of 2 Tone’s ever-growing body of work, it also documents the continuing and largely unwritten history of these bands, as well as 2 Tone’s lasting impact well into the 21st century.“An essential read…Stephen's eye for detail is incredible and his love for 2 Tone oozes from each page.” — Kevin Flowerdew, Do the Dog Skazine“Written with a personal touch and with great passion about the bands and releases while giving a lot of emphasis to the lyrics, Stephen’s book is a great guiding hand to navigating your way to some great new music.” — Peter Walsh, 2-Tone.info“It's some of the finest Madness analysis I've ever read.” —Donald Trull, Stateside Madness“Steve's own story would make a great book, but instead he's written The Duff Guide to 2 Tone, a 250+ page collection of 2 Tone-related pieces from his blog. There are reviews of original pieces, but the book's real purpose is to show how the 2 Tone sound and—more importantly its ideals—carry on today...Get this book right away!" — Charles Benoit, Reggae Steady Ska"...Shafer has definitely not forgotten how socially conscious issues were at the root of Ska even from the beginning. He makes certain to thread the political issues that motivated the development of Ska throughout his narrative; painting a picture that took both the oppressive political environments and the often ecstatic musical content into account. And in that, he nails down for me what the enduring pull of Ska was to its many fans. Was there ever a more upbeat dance music that combined its boundless energy with a push for progressive social values and calling truth to power?" — Post-Punk Monk"...[The Duff Guide to 2 Tone is a] chatty, informative and knowledgeable work, one that you can either sit down and read or use as a reference source..." —Nik Skeat, Scootering Magazine"During the reading of the book it is dangerous to have a screen open next to you with Discogs. I have found lots of ‘new music’ via the stories in The Duff Guide to 2 Tone which I must have." -- Peter Vrakking, Blue Beat & Ska

254 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2020

Reviews

[Kenny Plont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen is a phenomenal writer who has the ability to write about 2 tone (and music in general) in an exciting, critical and cohesive way. Learning about his direct experiences while working at Moon Ska Records and going to NY ska shows for years makes for an easy and enjoyable read. This was a great book to read at work while things we're slow, since the reviews are succinct and always fun to read, even if I didn't know about the artists he was reviewing prior. He has a fascinating amount of knowledge about ska and his prose flows in such a way that his reviews about 2 tone are even more enticing to read through.

I loved reading his reviews, which are much less cynical than most music critics or journalists out there (Stephen certainly doesn't embody the traits of sanctimonious music critics!), but still maintains legitimate critiques of bands and things mentioned throughout his many reviews. For example, no one in the 2 tone movement or ska/reggae/rocksteady is exempt from being called out on their sexism, even if they were/are in a racially diverse band. Overall, the passion in Shafer's writing ignites any sort of youthful exuberance left in any aging ska fan and you can easily get carried away reading these reviews! Highly recommend. I only hope that one day Stephen writes another book, perhaps on the N.Y. ska scene, or something cool like that. Thanks, Stephen!

[Tedford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informational and entertaining. A great reference for the ska and 2Tone afficionado. Also handy as a checklist for the collector.