Daniel Rachel

Decades: THE 1990s: Cool Britannia with Miki Berenyi
2024-06-18 19:00 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
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/

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.’

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Denver - Tattered Cover Book Store
2024-08-30 18:00 - 20:00
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

CHICAGO Printers Row
2024-09-07 03:30 - 05:00
39th Annual

The 2024 Printers Row Lit Fest is set for Saturday, September 7 & Sunday, September 8, 10AM – 6PM.
This FREE event takes place on the streets of South Dearborn, from Ida B Wells to Polk Street. Come Rain or Shine!

Daniel Rachel and Priscilla ‘Rude Girl’ Layne with Heather Augustyn. 3.30pm
Joseph & Bessie Feinberg
Foundation Stage
(OnW. Polk St., just west of S. Federal St.)
More info https://printersrowlitfest.org/

Cleveland - Mac's Back
2024-09-08 16:00 - 18:00
TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG

Sunday, September 8, 2024 – 4:00pm to 5:00pm

British music writer Daniel Rachel, author of Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation will be in conversation with photojournalist Anastasia Pantsios on Sunday, September 8th at 4 pm.
lN 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 mutiracial 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.

Event address:

1820 Coventry Rd,

Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Books:

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: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Akashic Books, Ltd. – June 4th, 2024

Anastasia Pantsios is a writer, researcher, and photographer, with experience in both print and digital journalism. She has also have covered hard news with a focus on election and women’s issues, music, the arts, and culture. Anastasia has organized and promoted events including concerts, art shows, meetings, and forums. She also published Girls to the Front, a collection of photographs of female musicians.

Saugerties, New York
2024-09-09 19:00 - 22:30
The 2 Tone Records Story featuring author Daniel Rachel and Dance Craze

Trailer Review Orpheum Tickets
ORPHEUM · SAUGERTIES
A Foreword! event.
Monday, September 9 7:00p
Daniel will be in conversation with Tony Fletcher about his new book “Too Much Too Young”: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism, and the Soundtrack of a Generation” with a preface by Pauline Black, singer of the legendary band the Selecter. This is the story of truly iconic bands like the Specials, Madness, the English Beat, the Selecter, Bad Manners, and others in the UK “ska revival” of the early 1980s. These bands were decades ahead of their time, in their integration of Black and white musicians and their musical synthesis of ska, punk, and other genres. The author interviewed ALL the musicians in these bands and presents the history in a fascinating way.

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. “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 honor one of the greatest periods in modern popular culture. 2 Tone at its heart was a movement of great song.”
Tony Fletcher (moderator) is the author of a dozen books, including several best-selling music biographies, a memoir, a novel and more. Born in the UK in 1964, he started the fanzine Jamming! during the punk rock explosion of 1977, which led him into further areas of the music and media worlds, and eventually into writing books. Fletcher moved to New York City in the late 1980s, and to the Hudson Valley in the mid-2000s.

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Jersey City - Word Bookstore
2024-09-11 19:00 - 21:00
WORD Presents Daniel Rachel
09/11/2024 – 7:00pm

FREE Event at WORD Jersey City!
About the Book
“Madness, the Selecter, the Beat, UB40, the Specials—these were just some of the biggest names in the 1970s and 1980s movement of punk-influenced ska and reggae-based songs, antiracist and antisexist at heart, on the airwaves. British music writer Rachel presents a rich and vibrant history of that era and of the bands and record companies that made it happen, with a special focus on 2 Tone Records founder, Jerry Dammers . . . It’s a big fat book about an important, if sometimes neglected, part of cultural music history . . . when music of the African diaspora was heard and embraced around the
world.” —Booklist, STARRED review

“We lived in Britain, a country that had benefited from immigration, but had an innate antipathy to ideas of multiculturalism. Daniel Rachel has managed to capture the essence of that contradiction in those Margaret Thatcher years, with this comprehensive, cautionary, and celebratory saga of 2 Tone.”
—Pauline Black, the Selecter

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.
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. Too Much Too Young
In conversation with
Gaylord Fields from the radio station WFMU

New York - Rough Trade Records
2024-09-12 08:00 - 17:00
Daniel will be discussing Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story with Drew Stone (Incendiary Device) and host of popular New York Hardcore Chronicles podcast.

Washington, DC Public Library
2024-09-14 15:00 - 17:00
Daniel in conversation with Keith Willis about Too Much Too Young: the 2 Tone Records Story

Supernova International Ska Festival - Virginia
2024-09-15
We’re bringing a new literary tent to Supernova for 2024!

Featuring seven authors on Jamaican influenced music and issues surrounding music and the media, the literary tent pops up on the historic grounds of Supernova. Authors will be selling and signing their books, along with in-depth talks about the topics that are featured in them. The tent will also feature live dubbing between talks and allow for anyone who wishes to try their hand at dubbing songs. The authors featured are Eric Abbey, Heather Augustyn, Aaron Carnes, Kenneth Partridge, Award winning and best-selling author Daniel Rachel, Aram Sinnreich , and Marc Wasserman. Come experience the music through the writers in the field and enjoy a stop between live performances at the festival. Thanks to Eric Abbey for putting this together.

The largest ska festival in the U.S. takes place at Fort Monroe, Virginia on Sept 13-15, 2024.

tim@supernovaska.com

supernovaska

linktr.ee/supernovaska

https://supernovaska.com/

Margate Bookie with Pauline Black
2024-10-05 14:00 - 15:00
2pm – 3pm | Turner Contemporary

Too Much Pressure! The Two Tone Story with Pauline Black, Daniel Rachel and Cheri Amour

Lead singer and songwriter in The Selecter, Pauline Black, and musician-turned-author Daniel Rachel, talk about their pivotal roles within the two-tone movement.
In conversation with author and journalist Cheri Amour, Pauline and Daniel reflect on identity and belonging against a backdrop of racial tensions in 1970s England, and how they continue to share their stories through their work to the present day.

Bios

2 Tone exploded into the national consciousness in 1979. Records by The Specials, The Selecter and Madness 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.
Pauline Black, lead singer and songwriter in The Selecter, is an undisputed icon of British music and recipient of an OBE for her services to entertainment. Supporting and campaigning for racial equality throughout her work, Pauline is also the author of Black by Design, her story of music, race, family and roots.
Daniel Rachel is the author of Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters – a Guardian and NME Book of the Year. His latest book, Too Much Too Young (A Times / Sunday Times Book of the Year) maps out the journey of 2 Tone Records, one of the UK’s most influential record labels, which shook up the nation with its rebellious spirit.
Cheri Amouris a freelance writer, editor, and author championing underrepresented voices on air, online, and in print. Her 33 1/3 book, Come Away With ESG, is out now via Bloomsbury.

Reserve your seat

Bios

Margate Bookie 2024 – Too Much Pressure! The Two Tone Story

Turner Contemporary, Margate, CT9 1HG

Sat 5th October 2024 2:00PM

With Pauline Black, Daniel Rachel and Cheri Amour
Lead singer and songwriter in The Selecter, Pauline Black, and musician-turned-author Daniel Rachel, talk about their pivotal roles within the two-tone movement.
In conversation with author and journalist Cheri Amour, Pauline and Daniel reflect on identity and belonging against a backdrop of racial tensions in 1970s England, and how they continue to share their stories through their work to the present day.
2 Tone exploded into the national consciousness in 1979. Records by The Specials, The Selecter and Madness 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.

Event Details
Admission From 1:45PM
From Sat 5 Oct 2024, 2:00PM to Sun 6 Oct 2024, 3:00PM

Location
Turner Contemporary, Margate, CT9 1HG

2024-10-25 18:30 - 22:00
Doc’N Roll: PAULINE BLACK: A 2 TONE STORY + Q&A with Pauline and director, Jane Mingay hosted by Daniel Rachel

Friday, October 25, 2024

·
Music Documentary, 2-Tone, Music
·
1 hr 32 min

Overview

Doc’n Roll FF 2024 present PAULINE BLACK: A 2 TONE STORY + Q&A with Pauline and director hosted by Daniel Rachel
Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone hit band The Selecter, tells her extraordinary life story in the same frank manner that helped shape her as an iconic, era-defining female musician. Pauline had a difficult upbringing and joining the 2-Tone music movement in 1979 was the perfect catalyst; enabling her to explore and express all sides of herself.
Looking back at her own ground-breaking experience in this feature documentary, Pauline traces how her legacy came about and how it is relevant to the world today, especially where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race and identity.
Pauline, of mixed Nigerian and Jewish heritage, was adopted into a white family in Essex in the 50’s. Her upbringing was defined by casual racism from within her own family. Pauline went on to find her own identity in the Coventry 2-Tone music scene and The Selecter was a reflection of working-class life in Thatcher’s Britain, their music as social reportage and with an ethos of anti-racism and anti-sexism.
This is a cinematic and visceral documentary mixing intimate actuality, archive and interviews and a storming soundtrack. Contributors include Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, Don Letts, Skin, Damon Albarn, Rhoda Dakar, Lynval Golding, Mykaell Riley, Sonia Boyce and Jools Holland.
Read More expand_more
Director
Jane Mingay
Cast
Pauline Black and the 2-Tone Family

An evening of Ska, Reggae and 2 Tone SOLD OUT
2024-10-26 20:00 - 23:30
Too Much Too Young – An evening of Ska, Reggae and 2 Tone

Saturday 26th October 2024 8-12pm
Come & celebrate the music of 2 Tone Records 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 two 2 Tone nights sold out. Please buy ticket early to avoid disappointment.
SIGNING
Daniel Rachel and Rhoda Dakar will be signing copies of both Too Much Too Young: The Story of 2 Tone Records and Rhoda Dakar Sings The Bodysnatchers (45 Year Edition) from 8.15pm. (Purchases can be collected from the stage at the end of the dancing)

TICKET LINK
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mildmayclubandinstituteltd/1354718

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
RHODA DAKAR
Rhoda Dakar began her career as lead vocalist with all female 2Tone band, The Bodysnatchers. She’s recorded with The Specials, Madness and most recently, a colab with the Dub Pistols, Stand Together. Rhoda has toured in Mexico, USA, Europe, UK and Australia. Rhoda is also a respected live DJ and has a radio show, Pork Pie & Mash Up, broadcast monthly on Totally Wired Radio.

The Mildmay Club Ticket Information
MILDMAY CLUB MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS

Mildmay Club members can purchase reduced price tickets online and on the door for Mildmay Club events (subject to availability)
Mildmay Club members can purchase ‘Guest’ tickets online and on the door for Mildmay Club events (subject to availability)
Please always carry your Mildmay Club members’ card when at the Club
Members must accompany their guests to events and guests must be signed in on arrival
Up to three guests can be signed in on the door. If a member purchases four or more guest tickets, guests’ names must be pre-supplied by emailing enquiries@mildmay.club

NON-MEMBERS

Non-member tickets can be purchased via our online ticketing platform up to 2 days before the event (subject to availability)
Non-member tickets must be purchased 1 ticket per transaction – we require the name and contact details of each non-member attending the event
Due to our Club rules, we can not sell non-member tickets on the door. If you do not have a ticket to an event and are not a Club member or a guest of a Club member, we are sorry but we are unable to grant access to The Mildmay Club for a specific event without a ticket

DONATION

The Mildmay Club is a member owned community space, with limited access to grants and funding. We are committed to providing affordable entertainment, refreshments and are a certified London Living Wage employer. At checkout there is an optional donation to The Mildmay Club which helps us continue our work to preserve our incredible building. If you do not wish to donate on this occasion or are purchasing multiple non-member tickets, please leave the amount blank.

SE Bookfest SOLD OUT
2024-11-02 15:30 - 17:00
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation

Sat 2 Nov 2024 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Morocco Bound, SE1 3HB

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

Location
Morocco Bound, SE1 3HB

Writeidea Festival
2024-11-23 17:30 - 18:30
Saturday, November 23

Daniel Rachel : Too Much Too Young

In conversation with music journalist Sean Hannam

Date and time

Saturday, November 23 · 5:30 – 6:30pm

Location
160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ

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.
Bestselling author Daniel Rachel 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.
A Sunday times and uncut book of the year.
Daniel will be in conversation with Sean Hannam who is a freelance journalist specialising in retail, tech and music.

Rock Against Racism Nottingham
2024-11-24

Curzon Cleevedon 2 Tone Britain
2024-11-28 19:00 - 23:00
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story + LIVE BAND + DOCUMENATRY + IN-CONVERSATION

Book Tickets

Join us for an evening of 2-Tone deep diving as Daniel Rachel, 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.

We’re very excited to welcome funk and ska masters, Traps, back to play not he Curzon stage after filling the place for Dance Craze back in 2023!
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 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 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’. Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.
We will also be hosting a 2-Tone film screening plus live music. Check back here soon for more info and further updates!

ROME - Radiation Records
2024-12-07
RED STAR PRESS PRESENT

TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG
Storia della 2 Tone Records: i rudeboys, l’antirazzismo e la lotta all’oppressione di classe e di genere nella colonna sonora di una generazione

Nel 1979, gli album marchiati 2 Tone conquistarono l’attenzione generale quando nomi come The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, The Bodysnatcher e Madness iniziarono a occupare le parti alte delle classiﬁche dei dischi più venduti nel Regno Unito. Ciò che veniva prodotto dalla leggendaria etichetta discograﬁca, in realtà, non aveva a che fare solo con la musica, essendo piuttosto la colonna sonora di un più ampio culto giovanile: un movimento antirazzista che, amalgamando nelle periferie britanniche una generazione di musicisti provenienti dalle isole caraibiche, imponeva alla scena pubblica fondamentali questioni sociali, si scontrava con gli estremisti di destra e cantava l’oppressione di classe e di genere come non era mai stato fatto prima. La musica 2 Tone – un’inedita miscela tra il ritmo contagioso dello ska, la melodia del reggae e l’attitudine del punk – nacque in quel di Coventry grazie a un prestito di settecento sterline e alla visione di uno studente d’arte della classe media: Jerry Dammers, deciso a dare vita a una sorta di Motown inglese. Il disco d’esordio della nuova etichetta, con all’interno Gangsters degli Specials oltre a una traccia strumentale dei Selecter, non ancora formati, raggiunse la sesta posizione in classiﬁca: solo il primo di una serie di successi che valsero alla 2 Tone un posto d’onore nei cuori e nelle menti di un’intera generazione. Con un incredibile lavoro di ricerca, Daniel Rachel ha raccolto una massa impressionante di informazioni e testimonianze: il cuore pulsante di un libro in grado di raccontare la storia deﬁnitiva della 2 Tone, rendendo il giusto tributo a una stagione irripetibile.

Categorie: Antirazzismo, Musica e Controcultura
€34.00

Scheda Bibliografica

Autore
Daniel Rachel

Pagine
480

Formato
cm 15 x 22 – brossurato con bandelle

Hellnation Libri
Unaltramusica

ISBN
9788867184064

BOLOGNA Hellnation Music Store
2024-12-08
RED STAR PRESS PRESENT

Via Domenico Zampieri, 2/2c, 40129 Bologna BO, Italy

TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG
Storia della 2 Tone Records: i rudeboys, l’antirazzismo e la lotta all’oppressione di classe e di genere nella colonna sonora di una generazione

Nel 1979, gli album marchiati 2 Tone conquistarono l’attenzione generale quando nomi come The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, The Bodysnatcher e Madness iniziarono a occupare le parti alte delle classiﬁche dei dischi più venduti nel Regno Unito. Ciò che veniva prodotto dalla leggendaria etichetta discograﬁca, in realtà, non aveva a che fare solo con la musica, essendo piuttosto la colonna sonora di un più ampio culto giovanile: un movimento antirazzista che, amalgamando nelle periferie britanniche una generazione di musicisti provenienti dalle isole caraibiche, imponeva alla scena pubblica fondamentali questioni sociali, si scontrava con gli estremisti di destra e cantava l’oppressione di classe e di genere come non era mai stato fatto prima. La musica 2 Tone – un’inedita miscela tra il ritmo contagioso dello ska, la melodia del reggae e l’attitudine del punk – nacque in quel di Coventry grazie a un prestito di settecento sterline e alla visione di uno studente d’arte della classe media: Jerry Dammers, deciso a dare vita a una sorta di Motown inglese. Il disco d’esordio della nuova etichetta, con all’interno Gangsters degli Specials oltre a una traccia strumentale dei Selecter, non ancora formati, raggiunse la sesta posizione in classiﬁca: solo il primo di una serie di successi che valsero alla 2 Tone un posto d’onore nei cuori e nelle menti di un’intera generazione. Con un incredibile lavoro di ricerca, Daniel Rachel ha raccolto una massa impressionante di informazioni e testimonianze: il cuore pulsante di un libro in grado di raccontare la storia deﬁnitiva della 2 Tone, rendendo il giusto tributo a una stagione irripetibile.

Categorie: Antirazzismo, Musica e Controcultura
€34.00

Scheda Bibliografica

Autore
Daniel Rachel

Pagine
480

Formato
cm 15 x 22 – brossurato con bandelle

Hellnation Libri
Unaltramusica

ISBN
9788867184064
