The English Beat- Mirror In The Bathroom

It's one of my favourite cuttings from The Beat. Not my number one but it's up there.

Geir doesn't surprise me often, I'm sort of shocked that he said this of all things! Out of all those bands, the Beat definitely had the strongest and sweetest and most sophisticated sense of melody by a country mile. I'm wondering what songs he's even heard of theirs... 'Save It For Later'? 'I Confess'? 'Doors of Your Heart'? 'Best Friend'? 'Hands Off She's Mine'? 'Walkaway'? 'Sole Salvation'? So many great goddamn pop songs. Honestly, some of their stuff is not a million miles away from the likes of his beloved XTC. Geir my dear chap, I beseech you - get your ears out of your fookin' arse.

Madness and the specials are two of the most, er, special bands ever. They, er, beat The Beat by a country mile.

Madness>Specials>Bad manners>Beat. Though the beat were a great band, Bad manners pip them by virtue of a string of great, early 80's singles, esp Walkin in the sunshine.

Liking Bad manners more than the beat is up to you.

But to say they are >>>>> the beat is mad.

I'll go and have a listen and come back to you.

Maybe I'm judging from a 10 year old's perspective, which was what made me LOVE Bad manners then.

To be honest, I may well be wrong here. Forgotten how good 'Drowning' was.....Still hate 'Can't get used to losing you' and 'Tears of a clown' though.

There again 'Got no brain' is pretty grim and 'Can can' is awful and overplayed.

'Drowning' is one of the best things i have heard ever...(today)

I have heard most of their most well-known songs, and I find them repetitive and boring, plus they are more disco than ska. Not to mention the fact that they sound less archetypically English than the other three bands I mentioned. There is something archetypically North London Cockney-Kitchen-Sink-Twee that I absolutely love about Madness and Bad Manners, that The Beat doesn't have much of at all.

There are two Beat songs that I really love - their versions of "Tears Of a Clown" and "Can't Get Used To Losing You". They were both cover versions.

It must be added that the main reason for my ranking them as follows is that I really consider Madness, Specials and Bad Manners very good and very underrated.

Well, that begins to explain. The Beat are from Birmingham in the first place.

plus they are more disco than ska

i can't say how happy i was this morning when i accidentally listened to this song this morning with my ipod on shuffle. the kind of reggae influenced dance music which automatically makes my face smile and my legs move. btw i didn't know this song beforehand. this does not sound like ska at all to me. it has not got that chopped staccato beat. the beat is rounder and smoother.

I love the bass in this song so much.

TUUUUUUUNE

bimble loved this band

amazing song

I love songs that have that groove-like quality to them, where the bass and keys and guitars act as one instrument and can't really be separated from each other. This is such an incredible track, I love the instrumental sections where it sounds like the groove is accelerating, switching up a gear, and the tone of the guy's voice too. Perfect.

the reggae-dub mix of this song is even better than the original. one reason is that it is half a minute longer. still much too short for such a sweet tune.

oh is that the one you're about to post an mp3 link to?

Love love love love love this song and this band.

oh is that the one you're about to post an mp3 link to?

Ok Alex, time's up. Post the link!

Please...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UTNpaaPHENE
Oh sorry, time flies.

Qnother try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNpaaPHENE

the mp3 link will follow later hopefully...

Man, that song. How weird that the bassist and guitarist went on to such a rhythmically leaden next project.

Bad Manners >>>>>> Beat

Still agog at this.

Geir, I hate to piss on your parade, but if you ever have a parade, I will be there, pissing on it.

Bad Manners >>>>>> Beat

Complete crap.

Not even sure Buster Bloodvessel would agree with that!

Love the African touches in The Beat's sound.
Not really listened to them much in the last couple of decades but do know some of the singles were great.

Since I'm from the U.K. I think of them simply as The Beat. Still not 100% sure who the US based band were. Powerpoppers or something?
Heard they had some quality so possibly not just total usurpers.

As to Bad Manners, some decent upbeat pop good for dancing I guess but I think I'd rate The Beat higher.
Also not sure about Madness supposedly being better than The Specials. Guess Madness were almost like an 80s Kinks but I'd still rate The specials more.

no, the beat from L.A.(i believe) just coincidentally had that name and i remember seeing their record in the shop before i just can't stop it was release stateside.
Bad Manners were kind of more of a novelty act, iirc. i did see them once way back when. Madness were good for awhile, too, but i think the selecter beats BM and Madness hands down

Their best. Often I think these guys are the best pop band to emerge in the eightiesWhat a catalog.

The 12" of Too Nice to Talk To is a slab of pure joy

I saw Dave Wakeling and band a few years back in a small club, he was still full of spit and vinegar. Fabulous show, I love all their work though I admit the debut is my favorite.

the sound quality of this isn't great but this peel session is amazing, that bass sounds like it could bring down a car park:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lANXQHoChHs

too nice to talk to / walk away / monkey murders / psychedelic rockers

All their Peel Sessions are in the "Complete Beat" box.

Anyone seen the Ranking Roger version recently? They're playing down the road with the Selecter next month.

Bad Manners >>>>>> Beat

Still agog at this.

― ka£ka (NickB), Thursday, 17 March 2011 13:18 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

btw I just read the original Geir post and am agog myself, NickB OTM

I saw the Beat episode of Bands Reunited and fucking hell how much do those guys hate each other!?