Neville Staples
Encyclopedia
Neville Eugenton Staple (born 11 April 1955) is a singer
for the two-tone ska
band
, The Specials
as well as his own combo
, The Neville Staple Band. Along with Ranking Roger
, he also sings in Special Beat
.
, Jamaica
. At the age of five, Neville left Jamaica to live in the English town of Rugby, Warwickshire
but later moved to Coventry
. He was initially active in the sound system scene forming his own crew called "Jah Baddis". Neville was a regular fixture at the Locarno ballroom in Coventry where he met its resident DJ, Pete Waterman
. Pete was heavily involved in the seventies reggae
scene before going on to become a major pop producer in the 1980s. Pete has written the foreword to Neville's biography - "Original Rude Boy" - and briefly managed The Specials
.
, Neville took to the stage and never looked back. For a while, The Specials were managed by The Clash's manager Bernard Rhodes of whom Neville used to toast "Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue" at the beginning of the Specials hit single "Gangsters".
Neville's vocal style is toasting or chanting over a rhythm. A forerunner of rapping
which was brought to Britain in the 1960s by musicians from Jamaica. Neville honed his toasting skills on the sound system scene in Coventry during the 1970s. When he joined the Coventry Automatics, the line up already included Jerry Dammers
, Horace Panter
and Silverton Hutchinson on drums. Terry Hall
subsequently came in as vocalist, replacing Tim Strickland, and Roddy Radiation
on lead guitar. John Bradbury would later take over on drums from Silverton.
and Lynval Golding
, to form Fun Boy Three
. They had a string of chart hits, some in collaboration with the all-female trio Bananarama
.
from The Beat
to form Special Beat
, a revival group playing hits from both former two-tone bands. This was in response to the huge explosion of interest in ska in the United States. The so-called "Third Wave" of ska. Neville moved to California
in the 1990s to work with many of these new American ska acts. Bands he collaborated with included No Doubt
, Rancid
and Unwritten Law
. Neville also featured on the song "Explosive" by the Canadian ska band, The Planet Smashers
.
In 2000, Staple's re-recordings of hits by The Specials and Fun Boy Three were released as The Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three
, though without being prominently labelled as a solo work by Staple.
with Warren Middleton (Trombone), Andy Perriss (Guitar), Stephen Armstrong (A.k.a Sledge, Bass) Joe Atkinson (from Flipron
, keyboards) and Patrick Pretorious/Matty Bane (Drums).
Since 2004 Neville has relentlessly toured the UK, Europe, The Middle East, Australia & New Zealand with his own band, as well as several successful tours and shows alongside Ranking Roger of The Beat
and Pauline Black of The Selecter
as Special Beat
and Legends of Ska.
He has a daughter; Sheena Staple, who currently lives in the U.S., and is working on a solo album; and a son Darren Simms who is the lead singer in a U.S. reggae / rock band named "DreadStarr" And a Male model.
. The same month also saw the launch of his biography Original Rude Boy
published by Aurum Press
. The book covers Neville's involvement with the 1970s sound system
scene and childhood in Jamaica
. Then how a chance encounter with Jerry Dammers
and The Specials led to his involvement in that band and Fun Boy Three
. Neville collaborated with former BBC
journalist Tony McMahon on the book and both are registered with the Blake Friedmann literary agency.
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
for the two-tone ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
as well as his own combo
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, The Neville Staple Band. Along with Ranking Roger
Ranking Roger
Ranking Roger is an English musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s two-tone band, The Beat and General Public...
, he also sings in Special Beat
Special Beat
Special Beat is a 2 Tone band founded by members of The Specials and The Beat in the early 1990s. The band toured England, Japan and North America, and released some live albums.-Discography:*Live *Gangsters...
.
Early life
Staple was born in ManchesterManchester Parish, Jamaica
The parish of Manchester is located in west-central Jamaica, in the county of Middlesex. Its capital, Mandeville, is a major business centre, and the only parish capital not located on the coast or on a major river. The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley The parish of Manchester is located in...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. At the age of five, Neville left Jamaica to live in the English town of Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
but later moved to Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. He was initially active in the sound system scene forming his own crew called "Jah Baddis". Neville was a regular fixture at the Locarno ballroom in Coventry where he met its resident DJ, Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
. Pete was heavily involved in the seventies reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
scene before going on to become a major pop producer in the 1980s. Pete has written the foreword to Neville's biography - "Original Rude Boy" - and briefly managed The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
.
The Specials
Neville's first involvement with The Specials was when they were still called The Coventry Automatics. He initially joined as their roadie but at a gig supporting The ClashThe Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Neville took to the stage and never looked back. For a while, The Specials were managed by The Clash's manager Bernard Rhodes of whom Neville used to toast "Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue" at the beginning of the Specials hit single "Gangsters".
Neville's vocal style is toasting or chanting over a rhythm. A forerunner of rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
which was brought to Britain in the 1960s by musicians from Jamaica. Neville honed his toasting skills on the sound system scene in Coventry during the 1970s. When he joined the Coventry Automatics, the line up already included Jerry Dammers
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
, Horace Panter
Horace Panter
Horace Panter also known as Sir Horace Gentleman, is the bassist for the Coventry 2 Tone, ska revival band The Specials....
and Silverton Hutchinson on drums. Terry Hall
Terry Hall (singer)
Terry Hall is the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas. He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with many artists including David A...
subsequently came in as vocalist, replacing Tim Strickland, and Roddy Radiation
Roddy Radiation
Roddy Radiation is an English musician who played lead guitar for The Specials, as well as many rockabilly bands such as the Bonediggers and the Tearjerkers...
on lead guitar. John Bradbury would later take over on drums from Silverton.
Fun Boy Three
When The Specials split up, Neville departed with Terry HallTerry Hall (singer)
Terry Hall is the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas. He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with many artists including David A...
and Lynval Golding
Lynval Golding
Lynval Golding is a British musician. He is best known as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist with the British 2 Tone Records band, The Specials....
, to form Fun Boy Three
Fun Boy Three
Fun Boy Three were a short-lived but successful English New Wave Pop band which ran from 1981 to 1983 and was formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left The Specials.-History:...
. They had a string of chart hits, some in collaboration with the all-female trio Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
.
Third wave
In 1990, Staple joined Ranking RogerRanking Roger
Ranking Roger is an English musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s two-tone band, The Beat and General Public...
from The Beat
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....
to form Special Beat
Special Beat
Special Beat is a 2 Tone band founded by members of The Specials and The Beat in the early 1990s. The band toured England, Japan and North America, and released some live albums.-Discography:*Live *Gangsters...
, a revival group playing hits from both former two-tone bands. This was in response to the huge explosion of interest in ska in the United States. The so-called "Third Wave" of ska. Neville moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the 1990s to work with many of these new American ska acts. Bands he collaborated with included No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
and Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
. Neville also featured on the song "Explosive" by the Canadian ska band, The Planet Smashers
The Planet Smashers
The Planet Smashers are a ska punk band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Since their formation in 1994, they have been a staple of the Montreal music scene. During the third wave of ska, they quickly rose to national, and eventual international fame, with tours in the United States, Europe, and Japan...
.
In 2000, Staple's re-recordings of hits by The Specials and Fun Boy Three were released as The Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three
The Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three
The Very Best of The Specials and Fun Boy Three is an unofficial greatest hits album featuring songs rerecorded by Neville Staple, a former member of both bands. No other band members were involved.-Track listing:#"Our Lips Are Sealed" The Very Best of The Specials and Fun Boy Three is an...
, though without being prominently labelled as a solo work by Staple.
Solo career
In 2004, Neville returned to the UK and formed "The Neville Staple Band". This group featured former members of the British ska band Bad MannersBad Manners
Bad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
with Warren Middleton (Trombone), Andy Perriss (Guitar), Stephen Armstrong (A.k.a Sledge, Bass) Joe Atkinson (from Flipron
Flipron
Flipron are a psychedelic pop band from Glastonbury, England, consisting of singer and songwriter Jesse Budd, pianist/organist Joe Atkinson, and drummer Mike Chitty...
, keyboards) and Patrick Pretorious/Matty Bane (Drums).
Since 2004 Neville has relentlessly toured the UK, Europe, The Middle East, Australia & New Zealand with his own band, as well as several successful tours and shows alongside Ranking Roger of The Beat
The Beat
- Film and television :* The Beat , an American drama starring William McNamara* The Beat , an American drama starring Jazsmin Lewis* The Beat a 2000s American drama series...
and Pauline Black of The Selecter
The Selecter
The Selecter are a 2 Tone ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in mid 1979.Like many other bands in the ska revival movement, The Selecter featured a racially diverse line-up. Their lyrics featured themes connected to politics and marijuana, set to strong melodies and a danceable beat...
as Special Beat
Special Beat
Special Beat is a 2 Tone band founded by members of The Specials and The Beat in the early 1990s. The band toured England, Japan and North America, and released some live albums.-Discography:*Live *Gangsters...
and Legends of Ska.
He has a daughter; Sheena Staple, who currently lives in the U.S., and is working on a solo album; and a son Darren Simms who is the lead singer in a U.S. reggae / rock band named "DreadStarr" And a Male model.
Original Rude Boy
In April 2009, Neville Staple set out on a reunion tour with The SpecialsThe Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
. The same month also saw the launch of his biography Original Rude Boy
Original Rude Boy
Original Rude Boy is the autobiography of Neville Staple, vocalist in ska band The Specials. The book was launched in May, 2009 to coincide with the reunion tour of The Specials. It sets out to chart the black British influence on the second wave of ska which originated in Coventry in the late...
published by Aurum Press
Aurum Press
Aurum Press is an independent English publishing house located in London. It was founded in 1976. Aurum concentrates on non-fiction titles and publishes approximately 75 new books every year. One of its titles in 2009 will be the biography of Neville Staple, vocalist in The Specials, Fun Boy...
. The book covers Neville's involvement with the 1970s sound system
Sound system (DJ)
A sound system is a group of DJs and engineers contributing and working together as one, playing and producing music.-Origin:The sound system concept originated in the 1950s in Kingston, Jamaica. DJs would load up a truck with a generator, turntables, and huge speakers to set up street parties...
scene and childhood in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Then how a chance encounter with Jerry Dammers
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
and The Specials led to his involvement in that band and Fun Boy Three
Fun Boy Three
Fun Boy Three were a short-lived but successful English New Wave Pop band which ran from 1981 to 1983 and was formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left The Specials.-History:...
. Neville collaborated with former BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
journalist Tony McMahon on the book and both are registered with the Blake Friedmann literary agency.
Compilation albums and compilation contributions
| Title | Release date |
Label | U.K. album peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Singles Collection The Singles Collection (The Specials album) -Track listing:# "Gangsters" - 2:45# "Rudi, A Message To You" - 2:50# "Nite Club" - 3:25# "Too Much Too Young" [Live Recording] - 2:05# "Guns Of Navarone" [Live Recording] - 2:20... |
1991 | 2 Tone, CHR TT 5010 | 10 |
| Coventry Automatics Aka the Specials: Dawning of a New Era Coventry Automatics Aka the Specials: Dawning of a New Era Coventry Automatics AKA The Specials: Dawning of a New Era is a compilation album by The Specials, focusing on the group's John Peel recordings... |
1994 | Receiver | - |
| Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection is a compilation album by British Ska band The Specials. It features eight songs from their self-titled 1979 debut album Specials, along with seven songs from the subsequent More Specials album , plus the track Rude Boys Outa Jail, originally only released as... |
1996 | EMI | - |
| Concrete Jungle | 1998 | - | |
| BBC Sessions BBC Sessions (The Specials) BBC Sessions is a compilation album with all The Specials' live BBC performances.- Track listing :# "Gangsters"# "Too Much Too Young"# "Concrete Jungle"# "Monkey Man"# "Rude Boys Outta Jail"# "Rat Race"... |
1998 | EMI | - |
| Best of the Specials Best of the Specials Best of the Specials is a compilation album by The Specials, released in 1999 .-Track listing:#"Rude Boys Outta Jail" - 4:06#"A Message to You Rudy" - 2:52#"Rat Race" - 3:09#"Maggie's Farm" - 3:31#"Blank Expression" - 2:42... |
1999 | Disky | - |
| Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three | 2000 | Cleopatra | - |
| Archive | 2001 | Rialto | - |
| The Specials vs. The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars | 2002 | Big Eye Music | - |
| Ghost Town | 2004 | - | |
| Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities is an official 3 disc compilation album of The Specials. It contains many A and B sides and some rarities... |
2005 | Chrysalis | - |
| The Best of the Specials & Fun Boy Three The Best of the Specials & Fun Boy Three The Best of the Specials & Fun Boy Three is an album by Neville Staple comprising new recordings of the greatest hits of The Specials and Fun Boy Three, released in 2006 .-Track listing:#"Our Lips Are Sealed"#"Man at C&A"... |
2006 | Pegasus | - |
| Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (The Specials album) Greatest Hits is a compilation album by The Specials, released in 2006 .-Track listing:#"Man at C&A" - 2:50#"A Message to You Rudy" - 2:47#"Rude Boys Outta Jail" - 2:13#"Leave It Out" - 3:30#"You're Wondering Now" - 2:24... |
2006 | Fantastic Prize | - |
| 80's New Wave Hits - Rearrangement of The Go-Go's The Go-Go's The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts.... ' "Our Lips Are Sealed", with Jane Wiedlin Jane Wiedlin Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:... , originally on The Specials vs The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars |
2006 | Big Eye Music | - |
| The Best of the Specials The Best of the Specials The Best of the Specials is a DVD and CD compilation album by The Specials.-Disc 1 :# "Gangsters"# "Message to You Rudy"# "Nite Klub"# "Concrete Jungle"# "Too Much Too Young"# "Blank Expression"# "Doesn't Make It Alright"... |
2008 | EMI | 24 |
External links
- The Specials
- Neville Staple official website
- Neville Staple's myspace page
- Rolling Stone article on Neville and Third Wave
- Neville Staple book signing in Birmingham - May, 2009
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neville-Staple-Original-Rudeboy-from-The-Specials/131410463549602?v=wall&ref=ts#!/pages/Neville-Staple-Original-Rudeboy-from-The-Specials/131410463549602?v=info&ref=ts