COVENTRY Music Museum Curator Pete Chambers writes for the Observer.
Dance Craze Premiere
I had the honour of hosting a very special Q&A session last week at the Coventry Premiere of the newly-remastered Ska film Dance Craze.
Originally released in 1981, it set out to do what the albums and singles could not quite achieve and that was to capture the sheer energy of the bands explosive live sets.
This new film – remastered in all its shining glory – takes you on a nostalgia trip to the heady days when stage invasions were not a health and safety nightmare.
The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, The Bodysnatchers and Bad Manners all looked fresh faced as they bounded across the stage delighting a partisan crowd hanging on their every word.
At Coventry Odeon at The Skydome, we opened the evening up with some superb memories from The Selecter’s Pauline Black OBE and Producer and Grammy award winner Roger Lomas, before opening the questions out to the audience.
Then as the lights dimmed, we sat back to enjoy this rather unique film that took live action of the various band entwined with retro Pathé New Reels and the like.
Some at the time suggested that such a film should be less like action and more of a documentary about this music phenomenon that began in Coventry.
Back then I was one of them, but looking back now and watching the bands in their prime I’m so glad that this moment in time has be captured for all to see.
The remastered DVD and Blu Ray is now available as is the deluxe triple box sets on vinyl and CD that include all of the live tracks from the movie’s soundtrack for the first time and they are things of beauty thanks to Chrysalis Records.
Huge thanks to Jim and Sue Shannon for the photograph.
Danny Ansell new single Puddles
Danny Ansell is back with another melancholic look on life, something he does perfectly.
The new single Puddles is yet another classic song in Danny’s vast body of work.
If Danny was a film director he would be a master at the subplot, yes what’s in your face is great but take a listen to the background where there is something always complex and clever going on.
Danny said: “After a pretty hectic live schedule since releasing Jericho last year it was nice for myself, Patrick and Steven to finally get in the studio again and record some of my new songs.
“Puddles is the first of four new songs recorded.
“It was recorded by ourselves at DAM studios, we then sent the files to our good friend Eddie Thomas from Marquis Drive, a great band whom we’ve been supporting over the last year.
“Eddie mixed and mastered the track for us and we are massively grateful to him and the boys and more than happy with the result.”
The single is accompanied by a video shot on location in Coventry by Dan Connolly media and will be also released in March.
Danny Ansell – Vocals, guitars, piano, Patrick Beard – bass guitar and Steven Shelley – drums.
