I well remember in about 1982, when the ska revival (one of many revivals) came into full swing in the U.S… It was on a smaller scale than the U.K… Fueled largely in part by MTV, which was actually playing videos at the time. Videos of music that the pop stations were not playing.
I first heard of the English beat around 1982, from an IRS record compilation called “This Are Two-Tone.” I played “Full Stop” over and over. I still have the album, but no way to currently play it. I also have “Special Beat Service,” a more pop friendly collection on CD. The English Beat evolved into seperate projects, General Public, Fine Young Cannibals, Pato Banton, ect. They also became the influence of teenagers and future Ska bands from the 80’s to present time.
I heard, much later, that in the U.K. they were known merely as “The Beat.” That when they started importing their music there was already an American Band known as The Beat. I assume this to be true, although I would like some input from Dopers worldwide. Also, whatever became of “The (U.S.) Beat?” I never knew they existed, but they must have had some potential in record executives minds. Did the U.S. Beat have any overseas success? Were they called “The U.S. (or American) Beat?”
Was the U.S. Beat any good? What was their music like?