1981 ska documentary Dance Craze

[Buzzer]

Does anyone else remember this seminal documentary of the 2 tone revival? I seem to recall that it was on at Worthing Odeon for about 2 weeks sometime in early spring 1981 and everyone got dressed up in their best mod/skin clobber to go and see it. My memory has probably blown a minor incident into a major event but I remember some of the older lads telling tales of a massive punch-up between Tarring and Durrington High at one of the screenings that spilled out into Montague Street.

I've always thought that punk was a bit false and really about middle-class blokes exploiting the teens and the music taking a backstage to the hype but this, the ska revival, really spoke to the working class youth in a way that I don't think any other music genre has since. Crazy days, indeed.... which reminds me, even as a 12 year old I thought "Crazy Dance" was a crap name for this film.

Here it is in full. Did any of the older people here see the tour live?

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[T soprano]

Went to see it in 81 at the odeon west street loads of us from school went can honestly say no one was in their seats watching it the whole cinema was dancing great memories , still see all the old ska & 2 tone bands when they're touring now The Specials Madness, Bad manners , The Beat & The Selector will never grow tired of the ska music scene my wardrobe only consists of Fred Perry , Ben Sherman desert boots & loafers

 

[BadFish]

Thanks for that I love ska, although I was born too late to have been their.

I reckon rave anbd dance music would have been a good shout for speaking to the youth (of all classes) coupled with the Roses Mondays stuff late 80' early 90's of course.

Loving this doco though, Saw the Specials earlier this year they were awesome.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

What a cracking find

 

[BadFish]

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

the ska revival, really spoke to the working class youth in a way that I don't think any other music genre has since.

What about rave? The artist Jeremy Dellar has explored the working class nature of acid house in some of his work.

 

[LAMBRETTA MAN]

saw the specials ,the beat and the bodysnatchers at the top rank in 79 . The beat gig i remember was cut short by the ol bill swarming in and baton charging all the skinheads coz the mods were taking a right.good hiding. Gotta say personally i thought.the.selecter were the.best.of.the bunch . still got dance.craze on vhs .

 

[Buzzer]

What about rave? The artist Jeremy Dellar has explored the working class nature of acid house in some of his work.

Is that the chap who did the video mash-up of Northern Soul, casual culture and the rave scene? I did blog about that a year back if so. I'll have to go back and check. I think the rave scene wasn't solely working class though, for instance it was huge when I was at Uni and a lot of middle-class types both made the music and followed it, I don't think the same can be said of the ska scene. Even Camden poseurs such as Madness weren't particularly art college wannabes.

 

[T soprano]

That's strange a day after this thread
BAD MANNERS release their uk tour dates
Brighton Concorde sun 16th dec
What a weekend that promises to be From The Jam playing at the Concorde on sat 15th plus The Albion playing Notts Forest 3pm on the Saturday as well
Honestly if you've not seen Bad Manners live I promise you won't be disappointed