The Beat were a blast on Saturday night. You'd have to be a proper sourpuss not to find some enjoyment in ska played live and fronted by someone as irrepressible and happy as Ranking Roger (with son Ranking Junior on co-vocals). They played all songs you'd want The Beat to play, a few new ones, a full on dub version of Mirror In The Bathroom to follow the usual one and a cover of Rock The Casbah. As we'd walked up the ramp to the Waterside Roger was outside having a smoke. He met me in the eye and said Hello. Fifteen minutes later he was bouncing around on stage to the delight of the middle aged of Sale. A good night for babysitters.
In 1982 Roger recorded some vocals for a different, unreleased version of Rock The Casbah. Mick Jones intended it to go on his idea of what became Combat Rock but was over-ruled. It's been available on bootlegs ever since.
Rock The Casbah (Ranking Roger version)
They encored with Save It For Later, a minor classic of the early 80s and proof that it wasn't all ska, ska, ska.
This makes me really jealous, SA! It must have been a wonderful gig indeed ...
ReplyDeleteWow - he's looking great, hasn't aged a bit!
ReplyDeleteThat was the view of some of the female members of my party especially when he did the encore shirtless
ReplyDeleteFound this recently on You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAsIsvAuzo. Considering it was in 1980 the quality is excellent. That was one gig I would have loved to have been at, but as I was only 10 years old at the time and living in East Kilbride I will have to make do with the wonderful footage.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great show, Adam. I never heard this version of Rock the Casbah before. Did you ever hear RR's "So Excited"? Wonderful single.
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