{"product_id":"too-much-too-young-the-2-tone-records-story-rude-boys-racism-and-the-soundtrack-of-a-generation","title":"Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe definitive story of \u003cem\u003e2 Tone Records\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1979, 2 Tone exploded into the national conscience as records by \u003cstrong\u003eThe Specials\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Selecter\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMadness\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Beat\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Bodysnatchers\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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. 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 \"\u003cem\u003eGangsters\u003c\/em\u003e\" by \u003cstrong\u003eThe Specials\u003c\/strong\u003e backed by an instrumental track by the, as yet, unformed, \u003cstrong\u003eSelecter\u003c\/strong\u003e. Within two months the single was at number six in the national charts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDammers signed \u003cstrong\u003eMadness\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Beat\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Bodysnatchers\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStill under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered in 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 endpiece finale in \"\u003cem\u003e(Free) Nelson Mandela\u003c\/em\u003e\". Told in three parts, \u003cem\u003eToo Much Too Young\u003c\/em\u003e is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"White Rabbit","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":50404506992971,"sku":"2025992","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":50404508696907,"sku":"2189102","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/TMTY_PB_announce_STORY_1_74c80415_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726569221","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/products\/too-much-too-young-the-2-tone-records-story-rude-boys-racism-and-the-soundtrack-of-a-generation","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}