Post by Fuggle on Apr 5, 2008 13:41:58 GMT -5
The Beat frontman aims to hook up with Johnny Rotten
Apr 4 2008 By Andy Coleman
THE Beat's mainman Ranking Roger hopes to hook up with Johnny Rotten after the Sex Pistols' Birmingham gig on June 11.
Bearwood-based Roger wants to talk to the punk legend, now known as John Lydon, about long-held plans to work together.
"I last spoke to John some years ago and there was talk then of us doing something together," reveals 47-year-old Roger, who brings The Beat to Birmingham's Carling Academy tonight.
"He can't sing to save his life but that doesn't matter because he's such a character.
"If I'm around when the Pistols are in town I'd love to go and see them and tell John that we should work together."
Although The Beat currently have a 'Best Of' record in the shops an album of new material is still some way off. Explains Roger: "We recorded an album last year but before it was mixed our line-up changed, with three band members leaving. We couldn't put the record out with them on it so we are having to re-record the album with the current line-up.
"But we will be playing some new tunes at tonight's show."
The Beat broke up in 1983, after which Ranking Roger formed the band General Public with Dave Wakeling.
That band split and reformed in 1995, and in between Roger released two solo albums, briefly joined Big Audio Dynamite and formed The Special Beat with members of The Specials.
In 2003 The Beat played a sold-out one-off gig at the Royal Festival Hall and reformed in 2005.
The current line-up features Ranking and his son Ranking Junior, keyboard player Mickey Billingham, bassist Andy Pearson, rhythm guitarist Steve Harper, Everett Morton on drums, sax man Simeon and lead guitarist Neil Deathridge, who was one of those who left the band in the summer but has since returned.
Still missing is original member Dave Wakeling who is touring in America with his version of the band, The English Beat.
His outfit supported INXS at Birmingham's Symphony Hall last year, something that Roger was not too happy about.
"It really confused people. He should really have toured in the UK as Dave Wakeling's English Beat. When we play in America, hopefully in July, I'll call my band Ranking Roger's English Beat.
"Back in 1996 I vowed not to work with Dave again but he sent me an email at Christmas saying we should stop the war. I told him it was not me who started the war! But it's the 30th anniversary of The Beat next year and we might do one or two gigs together. I'd do it if the other original members agree to also be involved."
Roger says he considers his version of The Beat to be the real deal.
"We're more dubby, more punky and more rootsy. There's anger in there and there's a great energy which the audience really gets off on. Three quarters of the way through our gigs I look out on the crowd and see that 90 per cent of them are smiling. There's just something in our music that makes people do that.
The Beat play Carling Academy Birmingham tonight. For tickets, call 0844 477 2000.
Apr 4 2008 By Andy Coleman
THE Beat's mainman Ranking Roger hopes to hook up with Johnny Rotten after the Sex Pistols' Birmingham gig on June 11.
Bearwood-based Roger wants to talk to the punk legend, now known as John Lydon, about long-held plans to work together.
"I last spoke to John some years ago and there was talk then of us doing something together," reveals 47-year-old Roger, who brings The Beat to Birmingham's Carling Academy tonight.
"He can't sing to save his life but that doesn't matter because he's such a character.
"If I'm around when the Pistols are in town I'd love to go and see them and tell John that we should work together."
Although The Beat currently have a 'Best Of' record in the shops an album of new material is still some way off. Explains Roger: "We recorded an album last year but before it was mixed our line-up changed, with three band members leaving. We couldn't put the record out with them on it so we are having to re-record the album with the current line-up.
"But we will be playing some new tunes at tonight's show."
The Beat broke up in 1983, after which Ranking Roger formed the band General Public with Dave Wakeling.
That band split and reformed in 1995, and in between Roger released two solo albums, briefly joined Big Audio Dynamite and formed The Special Beat with members of The Specials.
In 2003 The Beat played a sold-out one-off gig at the Royal Festival Hall and reformed in 2005.
The current line-up features Ranking and his son Ranking Junior, keyboard player Mickey Billingham, bassist Andy Pearson, rhythm guitarist Steve Harper, Everett Morton on drums, sax man Simeon and lead guitarist Neil Deathridge, who was one of those who left the band in the summer but has since returned.
Still missing is original member Dave Wakeling who is touring in America with his version of the band, The English Beat.
His outfit supported INXS at Birmingham's Symphony Hall last year, something that Roger was not too happy about.
"It really confused people. He should really have toured in the UK as Dave Wakeling's English Beat. When we play in America, hopefully in July, I'll call my band Ranking Roger's English Beat.
"Back in 1996 I vowed not to work with Dave again but he sent me an email at Christmas saying we should stop the war. I told him it was not me who started the war! But it's the 30th anniversary of The Beat next year and we might do one or two gigs together. I'd do it if the other original members agree to also be involved."
Roger says he considers his version of The Beat to be the real deal.
"We're more dubby, more punky and more rootsy. There's anger in there and there's a great energy which the audience really gets off on. Three quarters of the way through our gigs I look out on the crowd and see that 90 per cent of them are smiling. There's just something in our music that makes people do that.
The Beat play Carling Academy Birmingham tonight. For tickets, call 0844 477 2000.