Dance Craze

 

Dance Craze

by Pete Clemons

The Odeon cinema in the Skydome centre recently put on a 'for one night only' showing of the shining new 4K restoration of the classic 2 tone era chronicle 'Dance Craze'. I completely enjoyed revisiting this film again.

Additionally both the original album, the film soundtrack and the film itself have now been re-released in a wonderful variety of presentation packs.

This 1981 documentary captured the live adventures of all of the main protagonists from the 2 tone movement. It was an inspired decision, on the part of the film makers, to create this piece of history. Such was its importance to preserve this moment in time.

A resulting VHS tape released after the film had originally done the rounds was notoriously bad quality.

This newly cleaned up version is a very welcome release. And the whole collection has had considerable success in a variety of charts. I have read comments from several of those involved. 'It all seems like a lifetime ago' was the most common utterance. But even after 40 years this new release is still hitting number one in some of those charts.

Thumbing through some obscure local press I recently came across this great review from 1981, and yes, The Specials were still being referred to as the Coventry Automatics.

'Dance Craze (Two-tone) -  Which songs changed your life? 'Tutti Frutti?', 'Rock Around the Clock?', 'Heartbreak Hotel?' 'Please Please Me?', Anarchy in the U.K.?' 'Stairway to Heaven? (God forbid). How about 'Gangsters?'

The latest album from the Coventry Automatics and their friends, in which a cast of forty three, skank till we're dizzy, is the live one. Everything here is already available on studio albums, but the liveness we in Coventry know and love captures it all so much better.

Six bands, fifteen songs: 'Concrete Jungle', 'Man at C & P 'Nite Klub' from the Specials, 'One Step Beyond', 'Night Boat to Cairo' and 'Razor Blade Alley’ from Madness, 'Too Much Pressure', 'Missing Words' and 'Three Minute Hero' from the Selector, 'Big Shot', 'Mirror in the Bathroom' and 'Ranking Full Stop' from the Beat, 'Lip Up Fatty' and 'Inner London Violence’ from Bad Manners, and the feminist anthem 'Easy Life', my favourite single of 1980, from the immaculate, underrated, now lamented Bodysnatchers.

If you've seen them all live, you'll appreciate just how good they all are; if you haven't, well this will help teach you. The spirit of the last 18 months, living forever. We danced at Westwood, the Lanch, the Union, Tiffany's, the Lyceum, Top Ranks and Palais. Now we dance in our living rooms. Come the film, they'll be skanking in the ABC1'