Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music5 Jul

The Beat (The English Beat) - Socially Conscious Ska

The Beat, also known as The English Beat in the United States and Canada, formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The music of this post-punk act fused various styles including ska, soul, reggae, pop, and punk rock to become one of the key and most successful bands of the UK ska revival and the two-tone scene of the early '80s.

The Beat's songs would often include lyrics that took on socio-political themes, while the music and the danceable sound gave the band crossover appeal to go along with their message.

The band released multiple critically acclaimed studio albums starting with their debut album of 1980, I Just Can't StopIt, along with a number of hit singles including "Mirror in the Bathroom" and "Save It for Later".

The Beat broke up in 1983 after the third studio album before some members went on to form two other notable bands, General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. The Beat reformed in the 2000's and continues today with a new make-up behind original member and lead singer Dave Wakeling.

This episode will tell the story of The Beat from their early days through the music of their three albums of the early 80’s.

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