Beat



The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in Birmingham, England, in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics. Cconsisting of Dave Wakeling (vocals, guitar), Ranking Roger (vocals), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums), and Saxa (saxophone), the band released three studio albums in the early 1980s: I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen? (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982), and a string of singles, including "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Too Nice to Talk To", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Hands Off, She's Mine" and "All Out to Get You". (Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel
On 6 October 1979, Peel saw the Beat live for the first time at Birmingham Aston University. He often cited this as one of his favourite gigs, an occasion when he apparently gave the band his own DJing fee so they would play again. On 15 August 1988 he recalled:

"'I've never forgotten really the first time that I saw the Beat, at Aston University, one of the very best gigs ever. I invited them at the time to play their set through twice, and they did this, and both times it was wonderful. Just thinking about it sets me toes tapping.' "

A few weeks after this gig, the band appeared with the Vapors at the John Peel Roadshow visit to Guildford on Friday 16 November 1979. Peel aired both sides of the group's debut single on his next show, 19 November 1979 and said he'd loan his copy to Mike Read, who wanted to play the record in his own programmes.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions
Three sessions. Official releases:


 * Session #1 on I Just Can't Stop It 2xCD expanded reissue, 2012 (Edsel EDSG 8016)


 * Session #2 on Wha'ppen? 2xCD expanded reissue, 2012 (Edsel EDSG 8017)


 * Session #3 on Special Beat Service 2xCD expanded reissue, 2012 (Edsel EDSG 8018)


 * 'Ranking Full Stop' from #1 on Various Artists: Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979 2xCD, 2011 (EMI ‎– CDPEEL 7779)

1. Recorded 1979-10-24. First Broadcast 05 November 1979: Repeated 01 January 1980, 09 June 1980 (five Two-Tone session repeats), 02 June 1983.
 * Tears Of A Clown / Mirror In The Bathroom / Ranking Full Stop / Click Click / Big Shot

2. Recorded: 1980-09-03. First Broadcast 22 September 1980. Repeated 13 October 1980, 29 December 1980, 05 February 1985.
 * Too Nice To Talk To / Walk Away / Monkey Murders (9 Mexicans) / New Psychedelic Rockers

3. Recording date not known, private recording. First Broadcast 29 March 1982. Repeated: 07 September 1982
 * Spar Wid Me / Till The End Of The Party / She's Going She's Gone / Save It For Later / Sole Salvation / Patou And Roger A Go Talk

Other Shows Played
(The list below is compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)


 * 1979
 * 19 November 1979: Tears Of A Clown / Rankin' Full Stop (single) 2 Tone (on Friday, Peel had been in Guilford with the Beat and the Vapors.)
 * 27 November 1979: Tears Of A Clown (7") 2-Tone
 * 10 December 1979: Tears Of A Clown (7") Two-Tone
 * 04 December 1979: Rankin' Full Stop (b-side 'Tears Of A Clown' 7") 2 Tone
 * 06 December 1979: Tears Of A Clown (7") Two-Tone (JP: "Top 5 record do you think? I certainly think so." [He was very nearly right - it peaked at number 6 in the second week of 1980.])
 * 05 December 1979 (Virgin In-Store): Tears Of A Clown (Single)
 * 05 December 1979 (Virgin In-Store): Ranking Fullstop (Single) Two Tone
 * 08 December 1979 (BFBS): Tears Of A Clown (7") Two-Tone CHS TT6
 * 08 December 1979 (BFBS): Ranking Full Stop (7" - Ranking Full Stop) Two-Tone CHS TT6
 * 11 December 1979: (Peel mentions that the last time he'd seen The Beat live was in Guildford. Requests are still pending from a Birmingham University gig the previous weekend.)
 * 12 December 1979: Ranking Full Stop (b-side Tears Of A Clown 7") Two-Tone
 * 15 December 1979 (BFBS): Tears Of A Clown (7") Two-Tone CHS TT6
 * 18 December 1979: Ranking Full Stop (b-side Tears Of A Clown 7") 2-Tone (JP notes that the Beat are at number 20 in the singles chart.)


 * 1980
 * 08 January 1980: (JP: "Now, just when I thought that Tears of a Clown had peaked at number 17, or wherever it was last week, it's gone up to number 6. About which of course I'm extremely pleased.") Tears Of A Clown (7") 2-Tone (JP: "Could it make a bid for number one? Well I don't know. Who cares really, but I should be jolly pleased if it did.")
 * 04 February 1980: Hands Off... She's Mine (7") Go-Feet
 * 04 February 1980: Twist And Crawl (7" b-side - Hands Off... She's Mine) Go-Feet
 * 05 February 1980: Hands Off... She's Mine (7") Go-Feet
 * 06 February 1980: Hands Off... She's Mine (7") Go-Feet (Mike Read fills in for Peel, who is otherwise indisposed with the birth of his son Tom!)
 * 06 February 1980: Twist And Crawl (7" b-side - Hands Off... She's Mine) Go-Feet
 * 09 February 1980 (BFBS): Twist And Crawl (7" - Hands Off She's Mine) Go-Feet FEET 1
 * 09 February 1980 (BFBS): Hands Off She's Mine (7") Go-Feet FEET 1
 * 11 February 1980: Twist And Crawl (7" b-side - Hands Off... She's Mine) Go-Feet
 * 19 February 1980: Hands Off … She’s Mine (7") Go-Feet
 * 20 February 1980 (BFBS): Hands Off... She's Mine (7") Go-Feet
 * 27 February 1980: Hands Off... She's Mine (12") Go-Feet
 * 03 March 1980: Twist and Crawl (12" - Hands Off... She's Mine) Go-Feet
 * 06 March 1980: Hands Off She's Mine (12") Go Feet
 * 14 April 1980: Mirror In The Bathroom (7") Go-Feet
 * 14 April 1980: Jackpot (7" b-side - Mirror In The Bathroom) Go-Feet
 * 15 April 1980: Mirror In The Bathroom (7") Go-Feet)
 * 21 April 1980: Jackpot (7" b-side - Mirror In The Bathroom) Go-Feet
 * 22 April 1980: Mirror In The Bathroom (single) Go-Feet
 * 29 April 1980: Mirror In The Bathroom (single) Go-Feet
 * 01 May 1980: Jackpot (7" b-side - Mirror In The Bathroom) Go-Feet
 * 07 May 1980: Jackpot (7" b-side - Mirror In The Bathroom) Go-Feet
 * 07 May 1980: Mirror In The Bathroom (7") Go-Feet FEET 2
 * 08 May 1980: Big Shot / Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret / Noise in this World / Can't Get Used To Losing You / Best Friend / Jackpot (JP plays the whole of the second side of the Beat's first LP over the course of the programme. Infers that he wouldn't have played "Can't Get Used To Losing You" if it were by some obscure band from Dumfries.)
 * 13 May 1980: Big Shot (LP - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 14 May 1980: Rough Rider (LP – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 15 May 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (LP – I Just Can’t Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 20 May 1980: Click Cick (LP – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 21 May 1980: Rough Rider (LP – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 26 May 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (LP – I Just Can’t Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 28 May 1980: Big Shot (LP – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 04 June 1980: Best Friend (album – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet BEAT 1
 * 05 June 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (LP – I Just Can’t Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 24 June 1980: Noise In This World (LP - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet (Peel sick this week. Show presented by Paul Gambaccini.)
 * 25 June 1980: Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret (LP - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet (Peel sick this week. Show presented by Paul Gambaccini.)
 * 29 July 1980: Jackpot (album - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet BEAT 1
 * 07 August 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret
 * 11 August 1980: Best Friend (7") Go-Feet FEET 3
 * 12 August 1980: Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret (LP - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 14 August 1980: Best Friend (7") Go-Feet
 * 18 August 1980: Best Friend (7") Go-Feet
 * 20 August 1980: Best Friend (7") Go-Feet
 * 28 August 1980: Whine & Grine/ Stand Down Margaret
 * 02 September 1980: Best Friend (7") Go-Feet
 * 23 September 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (album - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet
 * 21 October 1980: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (album – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet BEAT 1
 * 01 December 1980: Too Nice To Talk Too (Dubweiser) (12") Go Feet FEET 124
 * 02 December 1980: Too Nice To Talk Too (Dubweiser) (12") Go Feet FEET 124
 * 15 December 1980: Too Nice To Talk To (7") Go-Feet FEET 4


 * 1981
 * 03 February 1981: Big Shot (v/a album - Dance Craze) Two-Tone
 * 01 April 1981: Drowning (7”) Go-Feet
 * 06 April 1981: All Out To Get You (7" - Drowning / All Out To Get You) Go-Feet FEET 6
 * 22 April 1981: Doors Of Your Heart / I Am Your Flag / Dream Home In New Zealand (LP - Wha’ppen) Go-Feet (three tracks from the new Beat album played over the show.)
 * 30 April 1981: Doors Of Your Heart
 * 04 May 1981: Get A Job (album - Wha'ppen) Go Feet/Sire
 * 21 May 1981: French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud) / Drowning (LP – Wha'ppen?) Go-Feet


 * 1982
 * 25 August 1982: Jeanette (7") Go-Feet FEET 15
 * 30 August 1982: Ranking Full Stop (7" - Tears Of A Clown / Ranking Full Stop) Two-Tone
 * 30 August 1982: Jeanette (LP - Special Beat Service) Go-Feet
 * 22 September 1982: Ackee 123 (LP - Special Beat Service)
 * 22 September 1982: She's Going (LP - Special Beat Service)
 * 25 November 1982: I Confess (EP - I Can Confess) Go-Feet


 * 1983
 * 30 January 1983 (BFBS): Rough Rider (album – I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet BEAT 1
 * 23 November 1983: Rankin Full Stop (v/a album - This Are Two Tone) Two-Tone CHR TT 5007
 * 03 December 1983 (BFBS): Rankin Full Stop (v/a album - This Are Two Tone) Two-Tone CHR TT 5007


 * 1986
 * 11 February 1986: Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (LP - I Just Can't Stop It) Go-Feet


 * 1987
 * 27 April 1987: I Confess (LP - Special Beat Service) Go-Beat


 * 1988
 * 15 August 1988: (JP: 'I've never forgotten really the first time that I saw the Beat, at Aston University, one of the very best gigs ever. I invited them at the time to play their set through twice, and they did this, and both times it was wonderful. Just thinking about it sets me toes tapping.')


 * 1991
 * 07 July 1991: Tears Of A Clown (LP - This Are Two Tone) Two-Tone


 * 1993
 * 20 February 1993: Rankin' Full Stop


 * 1996
 * 05 August 1996: Rankin' Full Stop (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)


 * 1998
 * 29 September 1998: Ranking Full Stop (7” - Tears Of A Clown) 2 Tone


 * 2000
 * 07 December 2000: (JP – “If I was to make a list of the best gigs that I ever went to in all of may life, say the top 10 or the top 15, then this lot at Aston University would certainly be on it.”) Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret (CD: Beat This! - The Best Of The Beat) Go-Feet
 * 2001
 * 02 January 2001: Tears Of A Clown (LP - ) Go Feet
 * 03 January 2001: Mirror In The Bathroom (LP - ) Go Feet


 * 2002
 * 21 August 2002: Tears Of A Clown (LP - B.P.M...Beats Per Minute) Go-Feet


 * 2003
 * 18 February 2003: Hands Off... She's Mine (Go Feet)


 * Other
 * 25 December 1981 (TOTP): Too Nice To Talk To
 * 05 May 1983 (TOTP): Can’t Get Used To Losing You (29)
 * John Peel's First Podcast: Doors Of Your Heart (LP - Wha'ppen?) Go-Feet