Syracuse Ska Forum

So today, I was par-oozing SecondSpin.com and found an album by The Special Beat, entitled "Gangsters." The tracklisting is as follows:

1. Concrete Jungle
2. Monkey Man
3. Tears of a Clown
4. Too Much Too Young
5. Get a Job
6. Rat Race
7. Spar Wid Me
8. Too Nice to Talk To
9. Do Nothing
10. Nite Klub
11. Gangsters
12. Ranking Full Stop
13. Mirror in the Bathroom
14. Enjoy Yourself

Now, I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the CD? Is it live tracks, the originals, or were they re-recorded?

Thanks.

Live recordings from a 1995 tour of Japan.

For those that don't know, Special Beat was a band that combined members of The Beat (aka The English Beat) and The Specials and played the hit songs of both bands.

I got my copy of this album from Neville Staple when he played at Planet 505 in Syracuse. It was released on his label.

Is it worth buying?

Wow. Tough question. I got mine for free. Or I suppose you could argue I paid $900 for it.

I've listened to it very little. I usually prefer to play the more "traditional" 2-tone releases or sometimes some obscure 2-tone. I'm just not a big fan of cover bands, which is essentially what Special Beat was.

I'll take that to mean no . I think one of my friend's from Cali has it, I'll make him send it to me.