Abstract:

This article tracks the history of ska in Britain in terms of its relationship with the mainstream white population. The article tracks a brief history from The Equals, through the impact of reggae during the punk era, to the use of ska by the Two Tone, and similar, groups. One of the article’s most important concerns is with the relationship between the reception of ska and the ways that issues related to race were played out in Britain. The article argues that, while Jerry Dammers, the instigator of The Specials and founder of the Two Tone ska/punk sound, claimed that the reworking of ska by punk-influenced groups comprised of both black and white members was an assertion of racial equality, in reality the resurrection of ska marked a retrograde step full of nostalgia for an earlier time when black migrants were clearly positioned as subordinate to the white, British population.

Author: Jon Stratton