Charley Anderson Sounding Off
Tomorrow (July 27th) at 12.00 noon, The Coventry Music Museum plays host to one of the original members of the Ska legends The Selecter’s Charley Anderson.
Famed for his dynamic bass lines and his flowing red dreadlocks, this promises to be a stand out Sounding Off session.
So, at midday tomorrow, I will have the honour to host this Coventry star and talk about his long and varied career, and the audience will also get a chance to ask a question or two.
Charley will talk about his time in the Selecter of course, and before that Hardtop 22 the seminal 2-Tone band but also about his time in the Century Steel Band and their Ireland connection.
I’ll ask him about the band he formed after he left the Selecter called The People, and their single dedicated to legendary Ska trombonist Rico Rodriguez entitled ‘Music Man”.
The band also included Desmond Brown from the Selecter, Chris Christie formerly of Hardtop 22, and John Hobley former drummer of Gods Toys.
Here’s Charley’s biography from Discogs, as you can see we have a lot to talk about. He was born in Negril, Jamaica, but moved to Coventry when he was 11 years old.
His brother and Lynval Golding were friends and often rehearsed downstairs in the Anderson garage.
He gained his first stage and musical experience by dj-ing at sound systems in the Coventry area. After various stints as a soundman and guest musician he and Charlie ‘H’ Bembridge formed ‘Hard Top 22’ consisting of members who would eventually become the Selecter in Gaps, Desmond, Compton Amanor.
Though The Selecter’s success didn’t change his life financially, Charley has been quoted as saying “It was a great mental boost – like graduating with a triple Ph.D. on how to survive in music.”
He refused to play on “Celebrate the Bullet” as he didn’t think it was the right direction for the band and left together with Desmond Brown.
Both started The People with Silverton Hutchinson, then Chris Christie joined too.
They supported the Specials, but the band was dismantled after they finished one single produced by Lynval Golding and Dave Jordan.
In 1982, he joined Century Steel Band for their first recording and toured Ireland and UK with them.
Later he moved to Mombasa, Kenya where he formed ‘The Vikings Band’ and worked as Entertainment Manager.
In the late 1990’s he became a member of the Swedish ska band The Skalatones up to their split in 2001. Find out more tomorrow.
Goodbye Gaps
We knew that today would be a bittersweet affair as most funerals are: saying goodbye for the last time and at the same time celebrating someone’s life.
At a packed Coventry Cathedral we said goodbye to Selecter vocalist and joint-founder Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson. It was a superb turn out for a very special man, with a huge slice of the 2-Tone fraternity there all gathered to honour one man.
Pauline Black’s Eulogy was superb, giving a perfect perspective of Gaps’ life.
Words from band mate Neol Davies and family members all helped us remember what a unique man he was.
Lynval Golding and Charley Anderson both sang and of course the tears flowed at the end of the service. RIP Gaps x
