Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation

A TIMES / SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

In conversation with award winning and best-selling author Daniel Rachel

In 1979, 2 Tone exploded into the national consciousness as records by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was black and white: a multi-racial force of British and Caribbean island musicians singing about social issues, racism, class and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and took fight against right wing extremism. The music of 2 Tone was exuberant: white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae; and crossed with a punk attitude to create an original hybrid.

Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.

A TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES / UNCUT / RESIDENT / LOUDER THAN WAR / BLITZED BOOK OF THE YEAR. PENDERYN MUSIC PRIZE RUNNER UP 2024

A brilliant book…nothing is left out of this definitive book WIRE

A disputatious, colourful & rife with contradictions UNCUT

Superb…Rachel writes with the undimmed passion and enthusiasm of the teenage tonic-suited rude boy VIVE LE ROCK

An exceptional portrait of Britain at a crucial time IRISH TIMES

An essential read…fasten your seat belts, rudies’ MOJO

A must-read for anyone interested in 2 Tone, ska or British music history LOUDER THAN WAR

A brilliant, insightful book & nothing short of definitive RECORD COLLECTOR

The ideal match of author and subject JON SAVAGE

The definitive telling of the 2 Tone story JOHN HARRIS

An incredible and detailed account of a massive watershed moment in British culture GURINDER CHADHA

A comprehensive, cautionary but nonetheless celebratory saga of the 2 Tone label PAULINE BLACK

Just as achingly evocative as the music it was written to celebrate… a scintillating read PETE PAPHIDES

The definitive account of one of Britain’s finest youth movements SUGGS