2-Tone Honour
So the 2-Tone/Specials honour debate rages on, with most people agreeing that there should be something in Coventry to commemorate this massive musical achievement.
The idea of naming a street after the late Specials drummer John Bradbury was greeted with a lot of support, although most felt alongside it there should be a statue of the 2-Tone man Walt Jabsco somewhere in Coventry. Both ideas were raised in this column.
I feel that this would be perfect for City of Culture 2021, a skanking statue of the black and white icon right where it all began in University Square, opposite what use to be the Lanchester Polytechnic – although Dave Mills suggested the statue should be outside the old Locarno/Tiffany’s site now Central Library.
Maybe with a seat at the base where you can plug in your own headphones and listen to a tape loop of famous 2-Tone songs all powered by a solar panel (a similar idea was done for Ian Dury in Richmond Park)
Now, who would fund this is another matter. However I feel there has to be some sort of lasting legacy for this music we are famous for, a statue would be the most generic way of honouring all who made it what it is.
So what do the readers think? Should there be a Walt statue or could such money be better spent elsewhere? Ian Graham suggested we name our new train station ‘Coventry Two Tone Central’.
David Goody
We use the word ‘unique’ a lot these days, often in the direction of those who may not even deserve the title.
But there is at least one man making music in Coventry who not only fits ‘unique’ to a tee, he also has an act that is hard to define. As a journalist, I must at least have a go.
David likes to be topical. He also likes to take subjects that have no right to be celebrated in song and, well, celebrates them. His subjects include The Ring Road, Batch’s, Godcakes, Poundland Shampoo and ‘Pete Waterman’s Ultimate Cheese Shop’ not forgetting ‘Straight Out of Earlsdon’.
See what I mean about ‘unique’? With just spade handled electric ukulele in hand, he confounds his audience with his hilarious finger-on-the-pulse songs, always guaranteed to make you smile.
So, this Saturday, the Coventry Music Museum continues its run of what is called ‘All The Car’s a Stage’.
After Nick Knibb’s great poetry performance last week, David will use the original Specials Ghost Town car as his stage, to give us a set that promises to include the new song especially commissioned for the event, ‘The Day I Bought The Ghost Town Car’. It all starts at 12 noon on the dot, normal museum prices apply.
John Coles
One of Coventry’s best known photographers John Coles is celebrating 40 Years of 2-Tone at the 2-Tone Village with his very own photographic exhibition.
As a master snapper, John has taken photos of so many local and visiting bands in the city. This exhibition concentrates on The Specials, The Selecter and The Beat.
Opened by Selecter legend Neol Davies with Christine & Neville Staple, the many images take you to a moment in time, captured perfectly by the master lensman John Coles.
On opening the exhibition Neol Davies made the very real point that in an age when everyone is a photographer, John is still head and shoulders above others.
I had a sneaky peek before the exhibition opening and it’s photo after photo of a life as a 2-Tone camera man, from the very start (check out the early Selecter shots) to the present day.
His eye for detail is exceptional and his knowledge of his subject exemplary. Life in the photo-pit is never quite the same without him.
To get to see this man’s incredible work, public days are August 8 to 11 and August 15 to 18 at Knights the 2-Tone Village.
