# The Strange Magic of: The (English) Beat



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Great English 2 Tone Ska band. The British line-up, calling itself The Beat, consisted of lead singer/guitarist Dave Wakeling; Andy Cox, guitar; David Steele, bass; Everett Morton, drums; singer/catalyst Ranking Roger; and Jamaican saxophonist Saxa. This grouping produced many fine tunes, full of cheerful energy, and one song, Stand Down Margaret, which became an anthem for the opponents of Maggie Thatcher. In attempting to attack the U.S. market, The Beat became The English Beat, Saxa was replaced by Wesley Magoogan, and keyboardist Dave Wright was added. Here we find The English Beat in full throat in one of my favorite EB songs, _I Confess_; this song also found in their excellent album Special Beat Service, which made it into the Top 30 albums. Also check out _Save it for Later, Sugar and Stress_, and _End of the Party_ from that album.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Sorry but I don't agree they were a great band.
Mostly it was pretty mainstream music they produced from my memory, and like many bands of that time they dated rapidly
But, Standown Margaret was a great song played with passion on that I will agree


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Pretty mainstream music. I affirm proudly that I am Mister Mainstream Himself (though it's a pretty wide stream); also often an occupant of the very center of the bell curve (you can hear the bell most clearly there). Nothing actually wrong with mainstream music, come to think on it, is there? But I'll postpone further mulling over the merits of mainstream and instead _Save It For Later_......


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

I remember enjoying Mirror In The Bathroom a lot when it came out.

As usual, I am wary of labelling anything "great" or "genius" or, indeed, "mediocre" if I liked them.






Part of the soundtrack to my youth.


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