DANCE CRAZE (1980 LP) the original soundtrack to the Two Tone movie POLL

Three Minute Hero or Too Much Pressure are most loved by me in all their frantic amphetamine frenzy

<3

IDK, maybe Ranking Full Stop.

Too Much Pressure

I went for “Man at C&A”, somebody had to

The Beat were so great.

Yes they were. Calling them “The English Beat” is so bad, “The Beat UK” would have been better, but it’s a bit late now.

Everyone had this album when I was 11/12 it felt like. Was it bargain priced? Or maybe we all had second hand copies. Even at that age I realised Bad Manners stuck out like a shit thumb, but I guess inclusivity was Dammers's thing.

wasn't it disappointing because they were mostly live versions? but yes, cheap.

It would have been disappointing it it wasn’t all live tracks in this case.

yeah that's what's great about it! None of these takes are anywhere else iirc

The Beat are far and away my favorite band from this era. The Specials took some time for me, even moreso with Madness (I disliked them in the beginning, though not as much as Greil Marcus who called them a minstrel show and "the Blues Brothers of ska").

Kind of depressing how two of the Beat's key members and their producer died in the last few years. Wakeling's new "Beat" album is surprisingly fine - I guess they were wary of being tied to a movement that was already considered old news, but had they stuck it out and not cared so much about trends, they could've continued making excellent albums in the long run.

"The Blues Brothers of ska" seems like a valid criticism of early Madness, tbh. Such are the perils of going all-in on "the nutty sound."

Madness are absolutely the least fashionable, but also the group I have the longest, deepest connection with. I could do without hearing Our House or Baggy Trousers or Driving In My Car again, but Embarrassment, Grey Day, Cardiac Arrest, even Night Boat To Cairo are all-time for me, as is their version of It Must Be Love.

I dislike most Madness music (love 'The Prince' though) but like them as an institution and am glad they exist. I really enjoyed the recent - Madness: Before We Was We series.

I only really know The Beat's singles, all of which are great. Stand Down Margaret forever!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFaFVhyjb5Y

1st 2 Specials and Selecter albums are eternal.

like the first Specials lp a lot, but not a fan of the second, just seems undercooked.

1st one is best but 'Enjoy...' grew on me over the years.

My stepdad had the Special AKA Live! EP / Ghost Town / Free Nelson Mandela singles only, kind of the best and worst introductions to the band.

Have never heard anything from 2nd Selector lp, worth checking out?

I dislike most Madness music (love 'The Prince' though) but like them as an institution and am glad they exist. I really enjoyed the recent - Madness: Before We Was We series.

I've grown to enjoy their singles (if not their albums), but this isn't far from how I feel about them. I still have mixed feelings about their music, but as a massively popular act (at least outside of the U.S.), I'm glad they've attained that status given what they've stood for and addressed through their work.

So I guess I like Madness the way I like Pearl Jam - more as institutions than recording artists.

Have never heard anything from 2nd Selector lp, worth checking out?

yes, Celebrate The Bullet is well worth a listen! I like it a lot.

Everyone had this album when I was 11/12 it felt like. Was it bargain priced?

massive free poster included.
mine has been long gone of course, albeit with its blu-tak stained corners.

I could do without hearing Our House or Baggy Trousers or Driving In My Car again

this is me.
Madness will always be my all time fave band that i no longer listen to due to how deep their groove hit me at a time when things were important.
i could quite happily live the rest of my life without hearing these 3 tracks.

Growing up near Camden Madness were the local lads but I've been playing the first Beat album a lot and it's non stop fantastic of course. Such vital, sounds incredibly good. Spent a very good NYE watching Special Beat in the early 90s some time having been too young first time round.

I think I've seen this film but too much of a boomer right now to get round the region lock.

Of course as fun as it was, Special Beat clearly felt like a cabaret / legacy thing at that time, barely ten years after the bands' initial breakout.

I only really know The Beat's singles, all of which are great

stirmonster, do you know 'psychedelic rockers'? was the b-side to 'too nice to talk to'. worth checking if you like weird dubby stuff and know you do do! this is a live version that just popped up on youtube, but it's worth checking the studio cut as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2mTYjyohGw

and obviously 'twist & crawl' is one for the ages:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbyzaIBvitY

i had never heard 'psychedelic rockers' before - thanks! 'twist & crawl' sounding even better than i remembered.

i wish there was a high quality version of the ranking roger version of 'rock the casbah'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nSrKBFWviU

I DJ-ed a monthly Northern Soul/Motown event for a couple of years pre-Covid, which usually finished with some 2-Tone. Of all the 2-Tone tracks, easily the best loved and most requested was "Nite Klub" - it pre-dated my taking over, and had already reached anthemic status.

interesting. In my experience, pretty much any UK crowd who might not consider themselves 2-Tone fans will lose their shit to "Gangsters", "Ghost Town" or "A Message To You Rudy" on the dancefloor. Dandy Livingstone OG of "Rudy" will work equally as well.

Definitely a venue-specific thing for me. It was the former landlady's favourite tune, and everybody took great delight in screaming "and the beer tastes just like PISS!". The other fail-safe was Bad Manners "Special Brew". You're probably getting the picture of what I had to deal with.

The Selecter are the best in the movie!

Bad Manners are very bad

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

OK I voted for "Missing Words" on impulse but I probably should have voted for a Beat song

great selection, but it has to be Mirror In The Bathroom

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

i had never heard 'psychedelic rockers' before - thanks! 'twist & crawl' sounding even better than i remembered.

i wish there was a high quality version of the ranking roger version of 'rock the casbah'.

Oh yeah - it's straight from the master. I posted it in the Combat Rock thread but here it is again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69zglj8jYNA

so much better sounding than the bootleg i have!

It's the only thing that makes the Combat Rock 40th anniversary releases worthwhile - the album deluxe set is a waste, especially if you have Sound System, but the Ranking Roger stuff is it's own single

"its own single"

This is getting reissued by the BFI. Press release below:

DANCE CRAZE
A film by Joe Massot

Blu-ray/DVD release on 27 March 2023 with remastered soundtrack LP/CD released by Chrysalis Records on 24 March

The DANCE CRAZE film, shot throughout 1980 and released in cinemas in 1981, brilliantly captures the cultural phenomenon that was the 2Tone movement and represents an important social document of the times. Directed by Joe Massot (The Song Remains the Same) and filmed by Bafta award-winning cinematographer Joe Dunton, it showcases the very best of the British Ska phenomenon, with exclusive live performances from The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers.

Newly remastered in 4K from original film materials, DANCE CRAZE is presented here by the BFI and Chrysalis Records on Blu-ray and DVD (Dual Format Edition) for the first time, more than 40 years on from its theatrical release.

Special features include a rare episode of the BBC series Arena exploring the rise of 2Tone and a selection of rare clips from the film, many previously unseen. Alongside the Blu-ray/DVD release, Chrysalis Records are releasing the soundtrack in a remastered audio 3LP and 3CD set on 24 March.

DANCE CRAZE premieres at the Glasgow Film Festival on Thursday 9 March and will be screened at BFI IMAX, the biggest screen in Britain – 65 foot high with a 12-channel sound system – on Wednesday 22 March. The already sold out BFI IMAX screening will be introduced by members of the bands featured. 30 x Picturehouse cinemas are holding a special one-off screening on 23 March.

Special features
• Newly remastered from original 70mm materials and approved by cinematographer Joe Dunton
• Rudies Come Back (1980, 34 mins): in this episode of the long-running BBC series Arena, music journalist Adrian Thrills explores the rise of 2Tone. Featuring interviews with The Specials and The Selecter
• Outtakes (1980, 17 mins): a selection of rare clips, many previously unseen, featuring the bands from the film
• Restoration demo (2022, 2 mins): a before-and-after look at the restoration of Dance Craze
• Original stereo and surround sound mixes by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley remastered for this release, plus a new Dolby Atmos surround sound mix approved by Jerry Dammers
• ***First pressing only*** illustrated booklet with a new essay by Johnny Mains, the original 1981 press release and original 1981 band biographies, credits and notes on the special features

Product details
RRP: £19.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1471 / 12
UK / 1981 / colour / 88 minutes / English language, with optional subtitles for the Deaf and partial hearing / original aspect ratio 1.66:1 // BD50: 1080p, 24fps, Dolby Atmos, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, PCM 2.0 stereo audio / DVD9: PAL, 25fps, DTS 5.1 surround audio (48kHz/16-bit), Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio

oh fuck yeah

Apparently the cinematographer's 70mm print is more or less the ONLY good film element that survives, which is why they're using it. (The OCN is apparently lost and the surviving 35mm prints are in bad shape.) They made a 70mm blow-up because at the time it was the most practical way to get the best possible sound because it was the only format that would use a magnetic audio track.

And here's the BFI's trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEACP4rOwj8