Daniel Rachel

Denver - Tattered Cover Book Store
2024-08-30 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London)
Daniel Rachel Live at Colfax

Tattered Cover is excited to welcome Daniel Rachel to our Colfax location on August 30th, 2024 at 6PM.
He will be presenting his new book, Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation !
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.

Registration includes a signed copy of the book and an opportunity to meet the author.

Register for this event below!
If you are unable to attend the event after purchasing a ticket, you are required to pick up your copy of the book (with proof of purchase from your event registration) within 30 days after the event date. If the book is not picked up by that date, you relinquish your copy to Tattered Cover Book Store.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the English Beat, and the Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against rightwing extremism. It was exuberant and eclectic: white youths learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae, crossed with a punk attitude, to create an original hybrid.
The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Dammers signed a slew of successful artists, and a number of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination. Over the following years, Dammers built the label back up again, entering a new phase full of fresh signings and a beautiful end-piece finale in the activist hit song “(Free) Nelson Mandela.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge; Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia; The Lost Album of the Beatles: What If the Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?; One for the Road: The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene; and Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever. He is also coauthor of Ranking Roger’s autobiography, I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in the Beat. In 2021, Rachel was a guest curator of the “2 Tone Lives & Legacies” exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021, and he curated the anniversary edition of the Selecter’s debut album, Too Much Pressure.

Event date:

Friday, August 30, 2024 – 6:00pm

Event Location:

Location: Colfax Avenue

ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Tom Murphy is a music writer and musician whose work has appeared in publications such as Westword, Dagger Zine, Birdy, Denver and his own site Queen City Sounds and Art. He has also been a contributor to the books Where the Wild Gigs Were: A Trip Through America’s Legendary Underground Music Venues (2021) and An Ideal For Living – A Celebration of the E.P. (2024)
https://www.tatteredcover.com/event

Tempe, ARIZONA- Changing Hands
2024-08-29 19:00 - 21:00
FREE EVENT
Daniel Rachel: Too Much Too Young
7PM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28

LOCATION: TEMPE
Birmingham-born music historian and bestselling author Daniel Rachel visits with his book, Too Much Too Young, The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation.
ABOUT THE BOOKIn 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the English Beat, and the Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against rightwing extremism. It was exuberant and eclectic: white youths learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae, crossed with a punk attitude, to create an original hybrid.
The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Dammers signed a slew of successful artists, and a number of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination. Over the following years, Dammers built the label back up again, entering a new phase full of fresh signings and a beautiful end-piece finale in the activist hit song “(Free) Nelson Mandela.”Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge; Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia; The Lost Album of the Beatles: What If the Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?; One for the Road: The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene; and Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever. He is also coauthor of Ranking Roger’s autobiography, I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in the Beat. In 2021, Rachel was a guest curator of the “2 Tone Lives & Legacies” exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021, and he curated the anniversary edition of the Selecter’s debut album, Too Much Pressure.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Marc Masters writes about music for Pitchfork, the Wire, and Bandcamp Daily. He has also written for the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, SPIN, and NPR Music. He is the author of the books No Wave and High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette Tape.

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

By Daniel Rachel
$32.95
ISBN: 9781636141893
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Akashic Books, Ltd. – June 4th, 2024

https://www.changinghands.com/upcoming-events

Las Vegas - The Writer's Block
2024-08-27 19:00 - 21:00
DANIEL RACHEL

Tuesday August 27th, 2024 @ 7:00PM – 8:00 PM
Hosted by music journalist , Eric Gladstone

A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR OF TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG: THE 2 TONE RECORDS STORY
In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the English Beat, and the Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against rightwing extremism. It was exuberant and eclectic: white youths learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae, crossed with a punk attitude, to create an original hybrid.
The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Dammers signed a slew of successful artists, and a number of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination. Over the following years, Dammers built the label back up again, entering a new phase full of fresh signings and a beautiful end-piece finale in the activist hit song “(Free) Nelson Mandela.”
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.
Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge; Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia; The Lost Album of the Beatles: What If the Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?; One for the Road: The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene; and Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever. He is also coauthor of Ranking Roger’s autobiography, I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in the Beat. In 2021, Rachel was a guest curator of the “2 Tone Lives & Legacies” exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021, and he curated the anniversary edition of the Selecter’s debut album, Too Much Pressure.

Buy Books

San Francisco - City Lights at the Makeout Room
2024-08-25 18:00 - 22:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2024, 7:30 PM PST
2 Much 2 Young: The 2-Tone Records Story
This event will be held at The Makout Room, 3225 22nd Street (near Mission) San Francisco, CA 94110. Admission $10.00 at the door.

City Lights, Akashic Books and The Makeout Room celebrate the publication of Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation – By Daniel Rachel – Published by Akashic Books

City Lights in conjunction with Akashic Books and The Makeup Room present

2 Much 2 Young: The 2-Tone Records Story
With w/ DJs Dukey, Paul Costuros, DJ ’66, and a presentation and booksigning by author Daniel Rachel
At The Makeout Room, 3225 22nd Street (near Mission) San Francisco, CA 94110
Admission charge $10.00. To learn more visit: http://www.makeoutroom.com/
City Lights celebrates the publication of
Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation
By Daniel Rachel
Published by Akashic Books
The definitive and remarkable story of 2 Tone Records, featuring an introduction by Pauline Black
In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against right-wing extremism.
The music of 2 Tone was exuberant: white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae crossed with a punk attitude created an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Borrowing £700, the label’s first record featured “Gangsters” by The Specials, backed by an instrumental track by the as-yet-unformed Selecter. Within two months, the single reached number six on the UK music charts. Dammers went on to sign Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone artists onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation.
As excitement grew in the United States, 2 Tone bands began crossing the Atlantic to perform for American audiences. Soon, however, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still, under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979–1981 incarnation, the label nevertheless continued to thrive for another four years, releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in the activist hit song “(Free) Nelson Mandela.”
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.
Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge;Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia; The Lost Album of the Beatles: What If the Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?; One for the Road: The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene; Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever; and coauthor of Ranking Roger’s autobiography I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in The Beat. In 2021, Rachel was a guest curator of the “2 Tone Lives & Legacies” exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021, and he curated the anniversary edition of The Selecter’s debut album, Too Much Pressure.
DJ’s Dukey, Paul Costuros, and DJ 66 spin vintage #soul, reggae, #blues, #afrobeat and assorted #funky #grooves
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DJ 66!!!!!!!!
Made possible by support from the City Lights Foundation.

Los Angeles - Book Soup
2024-08-23 19:00 - 21:00
Daniel Rachel, in conversation with Junior Francis, discusses Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation
Special Guests: Lynval Golding (The Specials) & Sarah-Jane Owen (Bodysnatchers / Belle Stars)

–A Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year
–An Uncut Book of the Year
–Long-Listed for the Penderyn Music Book Prize
–A Louder Than War Book of the Year
–A Blitzed Magazine Book of the Year
In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the English Beat, and the Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against rightwing extremism. It was exuberant and eclectic: white youths learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae, crossed with a punk attitude, to create an original hybrid.
The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Dammers signed a slew of successful artists, and a number of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination. Over the following years, Dammers built the label back up again, entering a new phase full of fresh signings and a beautiful end-piece finale in the activist hit song “(Free) Nelson Mandela.”
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.

Event date:

Friday, August 23, 2024 – 7:00pm

Event address:

8818 Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

Event Type:

Main Store

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

By Daniel Rachel
$32.95
ISBN: 9781636141893
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Akashic Books, Ltd. – June 4th, 2024

Rebellion Festival
2024-08-04
Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story (Daniel Rachel)

Described as the definitive guide to 2 Tone, ‘Too Much Too Young – The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation’, to give it its full title, documents the impact of one of the UK’s most influential record labels. From its initial explosion in 1979, the likes of The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers launched a socially aware movement that went beyond the music, tackling social injustice and racism. Author Daniel Rachel has gained many plaudits for this book, including a Sunday Times Music Book of the Year, he has also written and co-written numerous titles including works on Rock Against Racism, Oasis, Cool Britannia and The Lost Album of the Beatles.

BUY TICKETS1st – 4th August 2024

Literary Festival
The Literary events have become an important and enjoyable part of the festival. In the past we’ve had: JOHN LYDON, RAT SCABIES, GLEN MATLOCK, JAH WOBBLE, JORDAN, PENNY & STEVE (CRASS), STEVE & COLIN (Cock Sparrer), MONKEY, STEVE DIGGLE, DON LETTS, WATTIE, ANIMAL, PAULINE MURRAY, JELLO BIAFRA, CAPTAIN SENSIBLE, MICK & WAYNE (Slaughter & The Dogs )and many many more.
2022 saw us launch the LITERARY FESTIVAL in its brand new home. The Blackpool Conference and Exhibition Centre is a newly opened, purpose built events venue. It is the first major building development to happen on the Winter Gardens complex since the construction of the Opera House in 1939.
The new building is one of the largest venues of its kind in the north of England. It is split over two floors, with an exhibition space on first floor and a conference space with a capacity of 2000 on the second floor.
With space for the Literary Festival and Punk Art this has been an amazing addition to the Winter Gardens that we will be utilising again in 2024
EARLY CONFIRMATIONS
ARTHUR KITCHENER
BEV WARNER (AKA CHERRY B)
DANIEL RACHEL
LYDIA LUNCH
HANDSOME DICK MANITOBA
JIM BROOKS (THE EJECTED)
LEE WILSON (INFA RIOT)
LORA LOGIC (ESSENTIAL LOGIC)
MIKE MAGRANN (CHANNEL 3)
MIKE PETERS (THE ALARM)
NICK CULMER (ANIMAL)
PALMOLIVE
ROADENT
ROMAN JUGG
SEAN FORBES (HARDSKIN)
STAN LEE & GREG HETSON
ZOE HOWE

The Wake Festival
2024-07-27
Daniel Rachel is in conversation with John Andrews at 1:30pm he also plays a 2 Tone 7” vinyl dj set at 5pm both are on the Meadow Stage.
Musician-turned-award winning author talks about his current book, THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF 2 TONE RECORDS.

AN UNCUT, RESIDENT MUSIC, LOUDER THAN WAR, BLITZED & TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR.
An essential read…fasten your seat belts, rudies’ MOJO
A brilliant book…Nothing is left out of this definitive book THE WIRE
Disputatious, colourful & rife with contradictions UNCUT
An exceptional portrait of Britain at a crucial time IRISH TIMES
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
Superb…Rachel writes with the undimmed passion and enthusiasm of the teenage tonic-suited rude boy VIVE LE ROCK
The most extensive & engrossing account of the 2 Tone movement written to date DO THE DOG
The ideal match of author and subject JON SAVAGE
Surely 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 great book about a few exceptionally talented people who came together and created something extraordinary CHARLIE HIGSON
Comprehensive, cautionary but nonetheless celebratory saga of the 2 Tone label PAULINE BLACK
The definitive story of 2 Tone. Masterful BILLY BRAGG
Every bit as thrilling, and 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

British Library - Rudies Come Back
2024-07-25 19:00 - 22:00
Your Local Arena Film Screening and Panel Talk: Rudies Come Back or The Rise and Rise of 2-Tone
With Special Guests: Rhoda Dakar & Charlie Higson
Free event!

Thursday 25 July 2024 at 19:00 at the British Library, London NW12DB.

With its home in Coventry, its roots in reggae and its multiracial bands, 2-Tone was a British musical phenomenon. As part of the British Library’s Beyond the Bassline season, Your Local Arena screens Rudies Come Back, the energetic 1980 BBC Arena film made right at the moment that 2-Tone was emerging, capturing its unique blend of 1960s blue beat and ska with 1970s reggae, soul and punk.

After the film, the accompanying panel discussion with Rhoda Dakar (the Bodysnatchers), Charlie Higson (the Higsons) and Jeff Perks (2 Tone filmmaker) was around at the time, and the discussion will be chaired by Daniel Rachel, author of Too Much Too Young, The 2-Tone Records Story.

The event finishes with a new poem inspired by the film by the #YourLocalArena roaming-poet-in-residence, Helen Thomas. It promises to be an unforgettable evening highlighting Britain’s most multiracial music genre and it is completely free!

Get your free ticket now at the link in the bio. Booking early is recommended as this event will be very popular.
See also at: https://beyondthebasslineevents.seetickets.com/…/3083981

Your Local Arena is a Lucy Hannah & Speaking Volumes co-production featuring BBC Arena’s film archive. Funded by Arts Council England.

Your Local Arena is a unique project featuring iconic films from the archives of BBC TV’s Arena, the pioneering cultural documentary series. It includes new poems inspired by the Arena films and panel talks to explore the continuing relevance of the Arena archives today. The Your Local Arena concept was developed by Lucy Hannah and Speaking Volumes, with Arena’s award-winning director/editor Anthony Wall as creative consultant, and funded by Arts Council England.

Ventnor Fringe Festival
2024-07-23 19:30 - 20:30
The Story of Two Tone

Author Daniel Rachel discusses his definitive book about a label and musical movement that shaped British culture. Developed in Coventry in the late 70’s, 2 Tone was black and white: a multi-racial mix of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class and gender struggles. One for all Rudies out there!

Show Information
Duration 60mins (no interval) Age Suitability: 12+ Culture / Unlimited Pass 2for1 Tickets Yes
Accessibility Information
Access: One step to building, steps to toilets. Wheelchair Spaces: No Accessible Toilets: No Standing/Seated: Seated

Location

Ventnor Arts Club
13 High Street
Ventnor
Isle of Wight
PO38 1RZ

Blur: To The End
2024-07-20 07:00 - 22:30
SOLD OUT

Saturday, July 20

Blur: To The End – Film screening and director Q&A

Dreamhouse Records and SHAKE THE HIGH ROAD present a very special screening of the new Blur documentary ‘To The End’ in a unique E11 venue

Dreamhouse Records and SHAKE THE HIGH ROAD present a very special screening of the critically acclaimed new Blur documentary ‘To The End’, which follows the journey of the band as they come together in 2023 to record new songs ahead of their epic sold out Wembley Stadium shows.

The event, hosted in one of Leytonstone’s most charming venues, will also feature a post-film Q&A with director Toby L and Daniel Rachel, as well as a special Blur quiz with the chance to win some fantastic band merchandise.
There will be a pop-up bar with beers from Libertalia Brewing Co. and wines from Theatre Of Wine.
Please note that the screening will take place upstairs at the venue, and there is no lift.

By Dreamhouse Records

Date and time

Saturday, July 20 · 6:30 – 11pm GMT+1

Location

Good Shepherd Studios
15A Davies Lane London E11 3DR

Bradford Literary Festival
2024-07-07 13:30 - 14:30
TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG: THE 2 TONE RECORDS STORY

DESCRIPTION
Join musician-turned-award-winning-author, Daniel Rachel, for the incredible story of the watershed moment that, for a time, shaped British pop culture.
In 1979, the 2 Tone label exploded into the national consciousness as records by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst into the charts and an iconic 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, and taking the fight against right-wing extremism.
Highlighting the challenges of mixing pop and culture, Too Much Too Young is the fascinating story of an iconic music label and the soundtrack of a generation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DANIEL RACHEL

Birmingham-born Daniel Rachel is a former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters, Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music & Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge, Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia, The Lost Album of The Beatles: What if the Beatles hadn’t Split Up?, and Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever. In 2023, Daniel published Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story to enormous critical acclaim.

ABOUT THE CHAIR

AAQIL AHMED

Professor Aaqil Ahmed is the former Head of Religion and Ethics at both the BBC and Channel 4. He is currently a Media, communications and diversity consultant and a Professor in media. Aaqil is a Non Executive Director of a number of organisations including The Advertising Standards Authority, OFCOM and The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

BLF 2024

Sunday, 7 July 2024 | 13:30 – 14:30

The Studio, The Alhambra Theatre, BD7 1AJ More Info

Event Reference: CC24001

£7.00
Discounts & Concessions

Book Now

Idler Festival
2024-07-06 12:30 - 13:30
Click on the names below to find out more about the speakers.

ANIEFIOK EKPOUDOM ARTHUR SMITH BEN MOOR BILL ANDERSON CALEB AZUMAH NELSON CATHERINE FITZGERALD CHARLIE HIGSON CHRIS LINTOTT CLARE POLLARD DANIEL RACHEL DIVYANAND CAIRD DJ PAULETTE ELLA BERTHOUD EMILY’S WALKING BOOK CLUB GAVIN PRETOR-PINNEY GEORGIA MANN GUY HAYWARD GUY STANDING HARRY MOUNT AND JOHN DAVIE HENRY ELIOT JOHN-PAUL FLINTOFF LOUISA YOUNG LOUISE WINTER LUCIA STUART LUCY COOKE MARK VERNON AND ROBERT ROWLAND SMITH MICHAEL FRAYN MIXMASTER MORRIS NATALIE WILDGOOSE NINA STIBBE OLIVER BROADBENT (OF THE MUDFLAPPERS) OLIVIA LAING PARIS 68 REDUX RACHEL KELLY REBECCA FRAYN ROB ORCHARD ROSIE HOLT ROWAN WILLIAMS SALENA GODDEN SUNDRA LAWRENCE SUSIE DEANE TIM KEY VIRGINIA IRONSIDE ZADIE SMITH

BRITISH ROCK READY FOR THE 80s & ITS AFTERSHOCKS
2024-07-02 19:30 - 23:00
Join us for a rare screening of British Rock Ready for the Eighties: Punk and its Aftershocks + Q&A with director Wolfgang Büld and the authors Daniel Rachel, Cathi Unsworth, and Richard Weight

doors: 7:00 start: 7:30
Tickets: £10

TICKETS

This sequel to the Munich-based filmmaker Wolfgang Büld’s classic doc, PUNK IN LONDON, finds punk not dead but Britain now on fire with the fresh sounds and street styles of Ska, Mod and New Wave.
An unmissable snapshot of the musical landscape of the nation in 1979, BRITISH ROCK READY FOR THE EIGHTIES: PUNK AND ITS AFTERSHOCKS features live performances and exclusive interviews with the likes of The Clash, The Jam, Ian Dury, The Pretenders, Secret Affair, Spizzenergi, The Boomtown Rats, Gary Numan, and 2-Tone pioneers The Specials, Madness, and The Selector.
Büld will be joined in a discussion about the film and the sounds and fashions of the late 70s by the authors Daniel Rachel (Too Much Too Young), Cathi Unsworth (Season of the Witch) and Richard Weight (Mod) hosted by pop culture historian Travis Elborough.
Don’t miss this rare screening of one of rock’s finest documentaries and a portrait of Britain on the cusp of enormous musical, political and social change.

Wolfgang Büld is a German-born but London-based filmmaker, scriptwriter and producer who studied at the University of Television and Film in Munich. His graduation film in 1977 was the music documentary PUNK IN LONDON, which became an instant international cult classic and resulted in two sequels before Büld branched out into making feature films.
Birmingham-born Daniel Rachel is a former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author whose books include Don’t Look Back in Anger: the Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia and Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story.
Cathi Unsworth is a lifelong Goth. A teenage music journalist turned acclaimed crime writer and biographer of punk icon Jordan, her latest book, Season of the Witch: The Book of Goth, is a personal and social history of an enduring counter-culture – one that steadfastly refuses to give up the ghost.
Richard Weight is the author of the acclaimed MOD From Bebop to Britpop, Britain’s Biggest Youth Movement and the forthcoming Pleasure Island: Drugs & the British, A Global History.
The author and broadcaster Travis Elborough has been described by The Guardian as ‘one of Britain’s finest pop culture historians.’

Decades: THE 1990s: Cool Britannia with Miki Berenyi
2024-06-18 19:00 - 21:30
THE 1990s: Cool Britannia with Miki Berenyi, Daniel Rachel and Martin Green
From Union Jack dresses to Britpop chart battles on the night-time news, the Nineties was a time when Britain – and especially London – seemed to swing once again. Hedonism and hope appeared the order of the day but could dashed opportunities and orgiastic excess have been nearer the mark?
Miki Berenyi was co-founder in 1988 of Lush, a band who swiftly transitioned from shoegaze icons to Britpop darlings, and the author of the peerless memoir, Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success.
Daniel Rachel is a musician turned award-winning writer, whose books include Don’t Look Back in Anger: The rise and fall of Cool Britannia, told by those who were there
Martin Green is a DJ, writer and curator, who in the early 1990s founded the Club Smashing. Based in Eve’s on Regent St it would become the epicentre of the Brit-Pop scene with regulars including Jarvis Cocker, Damon Albarn and Damien Hirst.
With the author Travis Elborough, they’ll ponder the age of Riot Girls and lad mags, alcopops and New Labour.
https://centuryclub.co.uk/the-1990s-cool-britannia-with-miki-berenyi-daniel-rachel-and-martin-green/

Birmingham Ska & Reggae Festival
2024-06-01
Daniel will hosting a conversation with Rhoda Dakar (Bodysnatchers / Special AKA), Basil Gabbidon (Steel Pulse) and members of Symarip.
Daniel will be signing copies of Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story

Here Comers The Weekend
2024-05-26
WWW PRESENTS HERE COMES THE WEEKEND!
Sponsored by Modfather Clothing Company & DRC Shipping
25 & 26 MAY 2024 – Doors 12pm

We’re very excited to announce that HERE COMES THE WEEKEND! is returning to Woking FC on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th May 2024!

And we are honoured to have in conversation, The Jam’s drummer, Rick Buckler! Rick will be talking about the heady days of the rise of the band from local Woking haunts to Number 1’s, touring the world and in depth chat about the recording of some of the key moments in The Jam’s career.

Also they’ll be Q&A’s with award winning author Daniel Rachel (Walls Come Tumbling Down, Too Much Too Young, Cool Britannia), award winning documentary director Bob Smeaton (About The Young Idea – The Story of The Jam, The Beatles Anthology, Classic Albums) and author Ian Snowball (Thick As Thieves, Sounds From The Studio).

Live music comes from Small Fakers, the no 1 tribute to The Small Faces. (PW’s fav all time band.) We also have the return of teenage sensations The Molotovs! (More acts to be announced.)

Dan Jennings from the Paul Weller Fan Podcast will be MC for the weekend.

Tufty Tours will be taking place each morning as Steve Carver and pal Sam Molnar take a coach load of Paul Weller acolytes around the Woking area to places of significant interest and haunts from Paul’s youth, as well as places The Jam rehearsed and played, before hitting the charts.

If you’ve not been on one as yet, make sure you don’t miss out!

Richie Scooted and Booted will have his decks set up to DJ throughout each day with Sonny, and we will have a screen set up so those who want to watch the FA Cup Final as well.

We’re also putting a stage in this year so everyone can see the bands properly!

The Modfather Clothing Company will have their stall again and another Scooter Rideout will take place on the Sunday morning.

There are both indoor and outdoor bars, food vans, outdoor seating, free parking and free overnight secure parking for scooters and motorbikes.
Come and join us!

Weekend tickets £90 / Weekend tickets with Tufty Tour £100
*WEEKEND PASSES WILL BE SENT SPECIAL DELIVERY IN EARLY MAY*

Woking F.C.
Laithwaite Community Stadium
Kingfield Road
Woking GU22 9AA

*Weekend & Tufty Tour tickets on sale Thursday 23rd November at 8am from www.sddproductions.co.uk

Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Belfast
2024-05-12 19:00 - 22:00
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story – Stuart Bailie in conversation with Daniel Rachel
The Black Box (Green Room)
Sunday 12 May, 7.00pm
Doors 6.30pm | Unreserved seating
£7.00
BUY TICKETS
Author Daniel Rachel joins us to talk about his new book 2 Tone: The Music, label and moment that shaped British Culture.
A SUNDAY TIMES MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
#2UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
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.
The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, masterminded by a middle-class art student raised in the church. Jerry Dammers had a vision of an English Motown. Borrowing £700, the label’s first record featured ‘Gangsters’ by The Specials’ backed by an instrumental track by the, as yet, unformed, Selecter. Within two months the single was at number six in the national charts.
Dammers signed Madness, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, soon infighting amongst the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to an inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered in a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979-1981 incarnation the label nevertheless continued to thrive for a further four years releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in ‘(Free) Nelson Mandela’.
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.

Tickets also available from:
Visit Belfast | 028 90 246 609
9 Donegall Square North – Open 7 days a Week

Phoenix - Changing Hands
2024-04-30 18:00 - 20:00
Daniel will be discussing 2 Tone and his new book Too Much Too Young

An Evening of SKA, REGGAE & 2 TONE
2024-04-27 20:30 - 23:59
Too Much Too Young: Ska, Reggae & 2 Tone Records
Come & celebrate the music of 2 Tone with 3 hours of dancing and guest DJs.
Dance to the infectious rhythms of The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners, UB40 and the music that made 2 Tone.

The last night sold out -so please buy early to avoid disappointment…

GUEST DJs
DON’T CALL ME SKA FACE
Growing up on 2 Tone got me into the Birmingham ska scene at a young age, I found other young people with a mutual love for the sound of Ska, Rocksteady and Boss reggae. I work with people involved in the subculture to keep the scene alive, and celebrate the music!
DANIEL RACHEL
Daniel Rachel is a former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author. In 2021, Daniel was a guest curator of 2 Tone Lives & Legacies exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021 and curated the anniversary edition of the Selecter’s debut album Too Much Pressure. His most recent book Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story was an Uncut, Blitzed, Louder Than War and SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR and longlisted for PENDERYN MUSIC PRIZE 2024

EDDIE PILLAR
Established Acid Jazz record label and the independent station Totally Wired Radio. Eddie recently published the bestselling memoir Clean Living Under Difficult Circumstances. His past glories include owning Hoxton’s legendary Blue Note club and as teenage painting the beta girl on his Harrington with Typex.

Signed copies of Too Much Too Young’ the 2 Tone Records Story available to buy on the night.

As Terry Hall said, ‘Enjoy Yourself and have bags of fun!’

https://fb.me/e/1q18opEdr

Heath Literature & Music Festival
2024-04-21 15:30 - 17:00
White Rabbit Books: ‘Too Much, Too Young’ – Two-Tone Music with Daniel Rachel and Pauline Black
21st Apr 2024 2:45pm – 4pm
at Hare & Hounds

70 High St, King’s Heath, Birmingham, B14 7JZ

This event is 15.00-16.00 followed by book signing.
Join best selling British author Daniel Rachel, author of ‘Too Much, Too Young. The 2 Tone Record Story: Rude boys, Racism and The Soundtrack of a Generation’, with special guest, iconic front woman of The Selecter, Pauline Black.
Daniel and Pauline will be in conversation with Lyle Bignon.
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.
Birmingham-born Daniel Rachel is a former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME Book of the Year), Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music & politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge (winner of the Penderyn Music Book prize), Don’t Look Back in Anger: the Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia (An Evening Standard and Metro Book of the Year), The Lost Album of The Beatles: What if the Beatles hadn’t Split Up? (Guardian Book of the Day and Amazon No. 1 Bestseller), One For The Road (The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene) Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever (with Jill Furmanovsky – A Sunday Times Bestseller), When Ziggy Played the Marquee by Terry O’Neill (editor) and co-writer of Ranking Roger’s autobiography, I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in The Beat (a Vive Le Rock Book of the Year). In 2021, Daniel was a guest curator of 2 Tone Lives & Legacies exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021 and curated the anniversary edition of The Selecter’s debut album Too Much Pressure.Performer, singer, artist, band leader and songwriter, Pauline Black has dedicated four decades to the music scene and is an undisputed icon of British music. Supporting and campaigning for racial equality throughout her work, she describes herself as first and foremost, a singer. Pauline was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours and received an Honorary Degree from the University of Warwick in the same year.
A lifelong love of music inspired by punk and reggae artists from the 1970s led Pauline to join The Selecter and a career that has seen her travel across the world to share her passion and artistry with hundreds of thousands of fans. The Selecter went on to become a platinum-selling band and one of the most influential within the 2 Tone music scene, alongside others including The Beat, The Specials and Madness. Pauline Black is one of very few women in the 2-Tone scene – she is often referred to as the Queen of Ska.
From childhood to fame, from singing to acting and broadcaster to writer, from adoption to her search for her birth parents, Pauline shared her story of music, race, family and roots in her critically acclaimed memoir ‘Black By Design.’
She celebrated her 70th birthday in 2023 and is still performing live with The Selecter and recording new music. The Selecter is co-fronted by original member Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson with original drummer Charley ‘Aitch’ Bembridge.Lyle Bignon is a UK and European music, media, and PR consultant; music writer, and Night Time Economy Ambassador for Birmingham. A champion of all things music and NTE in his home city, Lyle works with artists, bands, bars, clubs, communities, DJs, labels, organisations, producers and venues. He has delivered hundreds of launches, premieres, projects, and tours spanning opera to grime, Qawwali to sludge metal, and folktronica to punk rock, and worked with some of the biggest names and brands in music over the past 20 years.
Lyle has written for or broken stories across international media including Arte, BBC, CBS, Channel 4, Classic FM, CNN, The Guardian, ITV, Metro, Mixmag, Music Week, NBC, NME, The Daily Telegraph, and The Times.
His lobbying and campaign work alongside policymakers, academics, business leaders, and industry continues to highlight and address issues affecting music and the NTE at a local and national level.
This event is part of ‘The Heath Bookshop Literature and Music Festival’ which is supported using public funding by National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Tickets

General Admission
E-TICKET
Ticket grants entry.

£6.50+ £0.30 fee

Next

Freedom Sounds Festival - Cologne
2024-04-19 - 2024-04-20
I will be in conversation at the festival with Joe Scholes and special guests Rhoda Dakar (Bodysnatchers / Specials / Special AKA) and Penny Layton (Bodysnatchers).
Book signing of Too Much Too Young, Walls Come Tumbling Down and I Just can’t Stop It (My Life in The beat Ranking Roger)

Home

Upstairs at the Commercial Inn
2024-04-11 19:00 - 22:00
Daniel Rachel – Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story

Thu 11 Apr 2024 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
The Commercial Inn, SK13 7SH

Daniel Rachel – Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story

‘In Conversation With’ and Book Launch

Press release
White Rabbit publish the definitive guide to the legendary 2 Tone Records written by the bestselling British author Daniel Rachel. Titled Too Much Too Young The 2 Tone Records Story : Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation, the book maps out the journey of one of the UK’s most influential record labels that became a movement that shook up the nation with its rebellious spirit, fighting against the injustices in society and took the fight against the right wing extremism in the country.
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.
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. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, masterminded by a middle-class art student raised in the church. Jerry Dammers had a vision of an English Motown. Borrowing £700, the label’s first record featured ‘Gangsters’ by The Specials’ backed by an instrumental track by the, as yet, unformed, Selecter. Within two months the single was at number six in the national charts. Dammers signed Madness, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, soon infighting amongst the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to an inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered in a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979-1981 incarnation the label nevertheless continued to thrive for a further four years releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in ‘(Free) Nelson Mandela’.
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.
Author, Daniel Rachel, said: As a child, 2 Tone defined the way I saw the world. I was seduced by the off-beat rhythms, the cool looking clothes and most importantly the social and political lyrics. 2 Tone taught me about black and white unity, it gave a voice to the pointlessness of street violence, and it provided an understanding and awareness of the horror of rape and apartheid. That you could dance, look good and be educated by a record was incredible. This music and these bands have printed an indelible mark on my life. To write the story of 2 Tone is one of profound personal pride. But more so, to honour one of the greatest periods in modern popular culture. 2 Tone at its heart was a movement of great songwriters, musicians and songs – We danced and sang, and the music played in a de boomtown!

A TIMES / SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR
A RESIDENT MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR
A LOUDER THAN WAR BOOK OF THE YEAR
A BLITZED BOOK OF THE YEAR
AURAIST CHOICE: BEST WRITTEN NON-FICTION
PENDERYN MUSIC PRIZE LONGLIST 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
An incredible white-knuckle ride told with real love, style and attention to detail DO THE DOG
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
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story
Daniel Rachel

LOCATION
The Commercial Inn, SK13 7SH

Arts Online
2024-04-04 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, 4 April

Rachel Mayfield – Arts Online – Daniel Rachel

Rachel Mayfield Arts Online, a weekly inspirational arts and healing arts event on Zoom

Date and time

Thu, 4 Apr 2024 19:00 – 21:00

19:00 – 20:00

Guest Author Daniel Rachel & Q&A

Arts Online with Rachel Mayfield – Special Guest Author Daniel Rachel – The Art of Interview & Music Journalism
Musician turned award-winning Author Daniel Rachel will discuss his personal writer’s journey, his writing process and style, and the story behind his inspiration while sharing ways to interview and write on music. This is a first-of-its-kind interview with Daniel. If you are interested in music, Indie Rock, Ska, Bowie, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, and so much more, don’t miss this opportunity to meet, talk, and be inspired by Daniel Rachel, who is an expert on the subject.
View More about Daniel Rachel at Daniel Rachel – Musician-turned-award winning author
Be inspired and stay connected to your creative mind at this weekly drop-in online event. Pour your favourite drink, get comfortable and log on wherever you are. Each week will be unique, with guest speakers, Q&A, themed discussion and creative workshopping. Whatever your art form, writing, music or multimedia, there will be something to light up your world. The sessions are interactive, you will be encouraged to share your thoughts and discuss your ideas and creative work. However, taking part in the conversation or workshopping is optional. You can join as an audience member and listen in with your camera off if you prefer. All are welcome, whether at the beginning or further along in your creative life. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to join Rachel Mayfield and connect with fellow creators. Sign up now to secure your spot in this inspiring creative cafe!
See more about Rachel Mayfield at
Home | Rachel Mayfield Arts
Music | Rachel Mayfield (bandcamp.com)
Instagram @RachelMayfieldArts
Event Details:

Date: 04/4/2024
Time: 7 pm
Location: Online

2 Tone The Story
2024-04-01 18:00 - 19:00
Daniel has contributed to this #2tone documentary

2 Tone The Story BBC Radio WM
2024-03-30 14:00 - 15:00

BBC RADIO 4 FRONT ROW
2024-03-28 19:00 - 20:00
I’ll be discussing the new 6 part BBC drama, This Town directed by Steven Knight with
Samira Ahmed and Sarah Gaventa

BBC WM
2024-03-27 16:50
Talking to Mollie Green about #ThisTown and my book Too Much Too Young : the 2 Tone Records Story on Wednesday morning BBCWmusic

Also picking up the conversation on BBC Radio 4 Front Row with Samira Ahmed, Thursday 28th 7.15pm

THE SOUTHBANK CENTRE PRESENTS
2024-03-21 07:00 - 22:00
Too Much Too Young: The Story of 2 Tone Records
Samira Ahmed, author Daniel Rachel, singer Pauline Black and Madness bassist Mark Bedford

21 Mar, 7.15pm

Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Literature & poetry
£12

closedJuliet de Vie

Samira Ahmed, author Daniel Rachel, singer Pauline Black and Madness bassist Mark Bedford discuss 2 Tone: the music, label and moment that shaped British culture.

In Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story, award-winning author Daniel Rachel chronicles the soundtrack of a generation.
A Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year, the book is the definitive account of one of the most influential and innovative musical movements in British history: a multi-racial force of British and Caribbean island musicians singing about social issues, racism, class and gender struggles.
At the forefront of that movement was Pauline Black’s band The Selecter, who exploded onto the scene in 1979 with their iconic frontwoman, one of the few women in the 2 Tone scene.
Using the book, images and footage from the time, along with their own recollections, our three speakers will reflect on the impact of 2 Tone and its resonance today.
Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed presents Newswatch on BBC1 and Front Row on Radio 4, where she regularly interviews rock and pop musicians. She grew up in south London in the 1970s and 1980s with a passion for pop music.
Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge and Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia.
Pauline Black is a key figure in the music community, as well as an author, actor and style icon, and was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours list.
Mark Bedford is the bass player and founder member of the band Madness. He made his first record with the band when he was 17 years old and went on his first tour when was barely 18. That tour was the 2 Tone tour. He continues to record and tour the world with Madness. Their work has brought them two Ivor Novello Awards, a Silver Clef Award and an Olivier Award. Their latest studio album, Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est la Vie, reached number one in November 2023.

Need to know

Age recommendation

For ages 16+

Event information

The house opens at 7.15pm with a 2 Tone DJ set from Daniel Rachel, followed by the conversation and an audience Q&A.
A book signing by the author takes place after the show.

Dates & times

Thu 21 Mar, 7.15pm

Price

Standard entry£12*
Concessions25%**

* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.

Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can’t be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.

Laugharne Weekend
2024-03-17 03:30 - 05:30
Daniel will be discussing Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story
https://www.thelaugharneweekend.com/line-up
Millennium Hall 4pm

LINE UP / YN CYMRYD RHAN

Here’s a list of the first acts confirmed for March 15-17, 2024. The tickets have all sold out, but you can join the waiting list in case people can’t come, and also live stream some acts for £10. Go to TICKETS.

​
Alexei Sayle, Cerys Matthews & Arun Ghosh, Mike Brearley, James Brown, Isy Suttie, Martin & Eliza Carthy, Caitlin Moran, Robin Askwith,Tracey Thorn, Sali Hughes, John Niven, Martin Rowson, Nick Revell, Luke Wright, Chris Bryant, Tim Burgess & Helen O’Hara, Allan Jones, Sheena Patel, Kiri Pritchard McLean, Daniel Rachel, Catherine Taylor, David Stubbs, Dan Stuart, Daljit Negra, Fflur Dafydd, Robin Ince, The Secret Tory MP, Pete Paphides, Fflur Dafydd, Catherine Taylor, Natasha Walter
​Click Here To Buy Tickets

Bristol Cube Microplex: MUSIC, CULTURE AND ANTI RACISM: THE 2 TONE STORY
2024-03-14 20:00 - 22:00
MUSIC, CULTURE AND ANTI RACISM: THE 2 TONE STORY
Film, talks and discussion about 2 tone and its relevance today.
Thu 14 March // 20:00
Tickets: £5 (full)
BOOK TICKETS

Film, talks and discussion.

Author of ‘Too Much, Too Young: The 2 Tone Story‘ discusses his book and the wider questions of music, culture and anti-racism in conversation with Bristol Poet and educator at Cargo; Lawrence Hoo and Publisher, Sociologist and Musician, Pete Webb of PC-Press and UWE.
Before the discussion there will be a film showing of the BBC Arena programme on 2 Tone called ‘Rudies Come Back’.
This event is sponsored by PC-Press and Sociology at University of the West of England.
Thursday 14th March – 7 – 11pm. £5 entry in advance.

~
Pic: Lawrence Hoo

Press reaction to ‘Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Story’:
A TIMES / SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR
A RESIDENT MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR
A LOUDER THAN WAR BOOK OF THE YEAR
A BLITZED BOOK OF THE YEAR
AURAIST CHOICE: BEST WRITTEN NON-FICTION
PENDERYN MUSIC PRIZE LONGLIST 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
An incredible white-knuckle ride told with real love, style and attention to detail DO THE DOG
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
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story
Daniel Rachel
White Rabbit publish the definitive guide to the legendary 2 Tone Records written by the bestselling British author Daniel Rachel. Titled Too Much Too Young The 2 Tone Records Story : Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation, the book maps out the journey of one of the UK’s most influential record labels that became a movement that shook up the nation with its rebellious spirit, fighting against the injustices in society and took the fight against the right wing extremism in the country.
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.
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. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, masterminded by a middle-class art student raised in the church. Jerry Dammers had a vision of an English Motown. Borrowing £700, the label’s first record featured ‘Gangsters’ by The Specials’ backed by an instrumental track by the, as yet, unformed, Selecter. Within two months the single was at number six in the national charts. Dammers signed Madness, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, soon infighting amongst the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to an inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered in a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979-1981 incarnation the label nevertheless continued to thrive for a further four years releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in ‘(Free) Nelson Mandela’.
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.
Author, Daniel Rachel, said: As a child, 2 Tone defined the way I saw the world. I was seduced by the off-beat rhythms, the cool looking clothes and most importantly the social and political lyrics. 2 Tone taught me about black and white unity, it gave a voice to the pointlessness of street violence, and it provided an understanding and awareness of the horror of rape and apartheid. That you could dance, look good and be educated by a record was incredible. This music and these bands have printed an indelible mark on my life. To write the story of 2 Tone is one of profound personal pride. But more so, to honour one of the greatest periods in modern popular culture. 2 Tone at its heart was a movement of great songwriters, musicians and songs – We danced and sang, and the music played in a de boomtown!
Publisher, Lee Brackstone said: The music and the aesthetic of 2 Tone set the dial for the prevailing mood of the counterculture in the 1980s, and we’re still feeling the aftershocks of the extraordinary achievements of the label four decades later. Through exhaustive interviews with the major artists and those associated with the label and deep research, award-winning writer Daniel Rachel brings the story of 2 Tone to life: the joy of a uniquely creative moment which arguably did more than any other to challenge racism and class prejudice in Britain, and in the process enlightened a whole generation of fans and created a catalogue of unparalleled quality. Essential reading.
Birmingham-born Daniel Rachel is a former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME Book of the Year), Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music & politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge (winner of the Penderyn Music Book prize), Don’t Look Back in Anger: the Rise & Fall of Cool Britannia (An Evening Standard and Metro Book of the Year), The Lost Album of The Beatles: What if the Beatles hadn’t Split Up? (Guardian Book of the Day and Amazon No. 1 Bestseller), One For The Road (The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene) Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever (with Jill Furmanovsky – A Sunday Times Bestseller), When Ziggy Played the Marquee by Terry O’Neill (editor) and co-writer of Ranking Roger’s autobiography I Just Can’t Stop It: My Life in The Beat (a Vive Le Rock Book of the Year). In 2021, Daniel was a guest curator of 2 Tone Lives & Legacies exhibition as part of Coventry Cultural City 2021 and curated the anniversary edition of the Selecter’s debut album Too Much Pressure.
