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Coventry, United Kingdom (1979 – 1982, 1991 – present)
The Selecter were a British ska revival band from Coventry, formed in the late 1970s as one of the essential bands of the British ska movement.
Much of what set apart The Selecter from many of the other ska bands at the time was the voice of Pauline Black. She had to disguise herself as a man in order for the band to get gigs, but once they did, there was no disguising her voice. Like other ska bands of this movement, The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and songs about violence, politics, marijuana, a fictional spy’s theme song, James Bond, and reggae classics. The name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ. Also typical to the style is the mix of one vocalist singing, and the other toasting in a Jamaican style, a precursor to rapping.
The Selecter’s first recording Too Much Pressure was recorded at the end of 1979 and beginning of 1980 and issued on the pre-eminent 2 Tone/Chrysalis label. Their second recording Celebrate the Bullet was issued in 1981. Though the band has continued to regroup and reform on and off, most of the many recordings available are recompiled selections from these first two albums, either live or studio recordings. The Selecter’s first two albums are essential British ska recordings.
Much of what set apart The Selecter from many of the other ska bands at the time was the voice of Pauline Black. She had to disguise herself as a man in order for the band to get gigs, but once they did, there was no disguising her voice. Like other ska bands of this movement, The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and songs about violence, politics, marijuana, a fictional spy’s theme song, James Bond, and reggae classics. The name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ. Also typical to the style is the mix of one vocalist singing, and the other toasting in a Jamaican style, a precursor to rapping.
The Selecter’s first recording Too Much Pressure was recorded at the end of 1979 and beginning of 1980 and issued on the pre-eminent 2 Tone/Chrysalis label. Their second recording Celebrate the Bullet was issued in 1981. Though the band has continued to regroup and reform on and off, most of the many recordings available are recompiled selections from these first two albums, either live or studio recordings. The Selecter’s first two albums are essential British ska recordings.
Shouts:
48 shouts
Top Albums
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Too Much Pressure
The Selecter
Buy- Download Album
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Greatest Hits
The Selecter Buy- Download Album
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- Amazon $20.00
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Selected Selecter Selections
The Selecter Buy- Download Album
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Out on the Streets
The Selecter Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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Druid66 wrote:
I can't hear a note of these guys and remain seated!
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managerman wrote:
NEW EXCLUSIVE REMIX of Neol Davies a.k.a The Selecter NEW SINGLE Dolla Fe Dolla by Shasta The Kid. 7 Day Preview only https://www.box.net/shared/3sgheajcxc1518usoyyt www.neoldaviesakatheselecter.com
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YControl755 wrote:
the selecter have a brand new single out called 'big in the body-small in the mind"!
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Old_Punka wrote:
The first one.. Too Much Pressure
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KaramAkerfeldt wrote:
So what album(s) is a good starter?
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MexDA wrote:
three minute hero ♥
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carbonization wrote:
"Brand new singer, all female horn section, stunning band and collaborations" SO IT'S NOT THE SELECTER
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diska wrote:
NEW VIDEO SPITFIRE "Я ПЕРВЫЙ" http://www.youtube.com/user/spitfirerus#p/a/u/0/sW4avAnsw-Y
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EvgenyOskin wrote:
чо за херь, почему на них кидает с The Whisper????
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Elementree1 wrote:
PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!! If you like The Selecter and Rock/Reggae/Dancehall/Ska with a concious message please check out our music. We are a fresh new band out of Cincinnati Ohio, genre bending music and a message that must be heard. Our last fm page is: http://www.last.fm/music/theohms Our myspace page is: http://www.myspace.com/ohms. Feel our music
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Wickedsound wrote:
Oh Pauline.... Your voice's so sweet..............
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epi_gee wrote:
THIS WEEK IS SKA WEEK ON LAST.FM, Stop by this group to find out what will be highlighted next: Diversity + Knowledge Group - Hope to see you there, EpI_gEe
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YgorCanute wrote:
ska pra sempre!
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YControl755 wrote:
Feel good but with a dark edge. Their uniqueness and songwriting made them the greatest two-tone band, in my opinion.
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Shinyyy wrote:
feel good music sounds absolutely right. :)
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fallintoblue wrote:
this is my feel good music.
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MIR17 wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/Midlanders+UK/connections Join my group if you are from the Midlands!
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RangerJackson wrote:
Happiness is to see youth [Me included] with the need for good fun beat. Selector - gimme my selector Ruff rude it
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pong_ping wrote:
Pauline Black - electric!
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PrisRoux wrote:
I uploaded 3 NEW BEAUTIFUL PICTURES of the band here on their profile. Please, check them out, I bet you'll leave 'em some THUMBS UP ; ) Cheers!
Videos
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Play
"On My Radio '91"- The Selecter
2 shouts
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Play
Deep Water
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Play
The Selecter - Missing Words
1 shout
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Play
everyday time hard ska
Events
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Feb
17
Son of a Bastard - The Ride 2012
Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
2 going
- Feb 21 The Beat & The Selecter Buxton Opera House, Buxton, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
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Mar
1
The Selecter
Sub89, Reading, United Kingdom
1 going
Listening Now
Top Listeners
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ColosMax
Top Listener
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punchkickwham
Top Listener
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tinyearthquakes
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silentduuuude
Top Listener
Recent Activity
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Chris_Bloodline tagged The Selecter with ‘ska’. yesterday evening
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aforaorta added The Selecter to aforaorta’s library. yesterday afternoon
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SimonePerrota tagged The Selecter with ‘ska’. yesterday morning
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SimonePerrota and weareincrisis added The Selecter to their libraries. yesterday morning
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chrisfishlock added The Selecter to the lineup of The Selecter at Sub89. Friday afternoon
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linzo_beanz added The Selecter to the lineup of The Selecter at Eric's. Thursday morning
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lowinic, davedrums1, vickyhinault and 12 other people added The Selecter to their libraries. Wednesday evening
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SextonBlake wrote about The Specials – Ghost Town in One In Ten : A Statistical Reminder Of A World That Doesn't Care. Wednesday morning
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jackrhelliwell added The Selecter to the lineup of The Selecter at Brudenell Social Club. last week
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AndrewLosev and ddie8000 added The Selecter to their libraries. last week
Related Journals
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8 Aug 2011
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The Inescapable 'Seen Live' List
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by ingridbijkerk |
14 Sep 2010
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2 Tone
229 members
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Ashes To Ashes
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I was born several decades too late
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Ska Fans
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More Information
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