The Selecter - A Tale of 2 Gigs

 The Selecter - A Tale of 2 Gigs

by Pete Clemons

It was good to see The Selecter appear at the HMV Empire recently. They were touring in support of the bands latest album release 'Human Algebra'. Since the bands reformation The Selecter have had incredible success. Particularly on the live scene where the band continue to wow.

But it hasn't always been a bed of roses for The Selecter over the course of its 40 odd year history. During the promotion of the current tour I read this bit of spin: 'The band split at the height of their popularity in 1981 but reformed 10 years later'. A wry smile followed after I saw the 'height of their popularity' part of the editorial.

Two reviews below, from Coventry gigs, give a flavour of how the band were received early on and how their esteem floundered. Of course this only touches on the bands fortunes.

Lanch, October 1979 - At the Lanch the band were greeted by 'Ladies and gentlemen, The Selecter'. They jogged on stage amid a mass of dreadlocks and tremendous applause. Pauline Black demands that we enjoy ourselves, and its straight into the first tune. Staccato drums, quirky beat, and the gig is immediately a success - most of the hall are up and swaying, screaming applause on the penultimate chord, and we are thrust into a punchy, stompy cover of 'Murder'.

With gleeful dancing, onstage as well as off, the gig bustled on speedily, and even though we heard 'let's slow things down a little' at least once. The Selecter proved themselves right by being competent and danceable. Unmistakeably it is Ska, but with much other influences such as, jagged Clash like chords coupled with intricate dub rhythms, giving a great 'best of both worlds'.

The new single 'On My Radio' went down particularly well, as did an excellent cover of the old ska tune 'Carry Go Bring Home', and the band deserved the two encores they got, people not even being satisfied with dancing on the stage to '007'. So, fair enough, it'll be instant popularity and success in the wake of The Specials, and Madness, after all they are playing to a converted audience, but their success won't be undeserved. This is a very tight and competent band.

Tiffany's, January 1981 - The sight of a scarcely quarter full Tiffany's for the return of Coventry's number two band stands as testimony to the early decline of the two tone empire. Also, the combination of a now unfashionable sound, a high admission price - £3 - and massive youth unemployment, says one observer. And he may be right.

Guarded enthusiasm for the Pharaohs, a reggae ska, seven piece featuring alto and baritone sax and trombone, natty threads and an entertaining sound with commercial potential. More tuneful than Madness but naturally not as nutty.

Selecter begin uncomfortably and raggedly but gradually Pauline's enthusiasm warms the audience and loosens the tension. She's evidently pleased to be playing live in front of a British audience again, and of course Coventry is special. The old songs are all featured but interspersed with plenty new ones from the forthcoming album. They all sounded strong but, it must be said, unadventurous - no radical departures a la Jerry Dammers - just more ska with perhaps a degree more sophistication.

'Bomb Scare' is potentially a new single, and it should get The Selecter back into the national consciousness. Pauline was obviously anxious to prove that The Selecter have not faded away. Long before the end she let her hair down, beamed at the audience and announced 'This song is called - 'Washed Up and Left for Dead'... and we're not !'. On returning for the first, of many, encores she observed 'I think that means you enjoyed yourselves', and by the time most of the crowd had joined the band on stage for a raucous, anarchic rendition of Prince Buster's 'Madness' there wasn't much doubt that she was right Unfashionable they may be, but The Selecter are undeniably enjoyable and infectiously danceable.

As, the contrast between the two reports kind of shows, how precarious life in a band can actually be.