Selecter

The Selecter are a 2 Tone ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in the late Seventies by Neol Davies. By mid-1979 the group's lineup was completed with the recruitment of vocalist Pauline Black, who shared vocal duties with Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson. The band scored a Top 10 hit in the UK that November with the single "On The Radio". The seven-piece band issued debut LP 'Too Much Pressure' in 1980. Black left the band in 1981 following the release of their second LP, 'Celebrate The Bullet', and the group then disbanded.
The group reformed in 1991, with a lineup that included Black, Davies and Hendrickson. Following a hiatus in 2006, the group reformed again in 2010 and continue to the present. The latter lineup no longer includes founder member Davies, who launched his own short-lived incarnation of the band in 2011.
== Links To Peel ==
"At this very moment, the Selecters are very much go at Peel Acres." (29 October 1979)
Although Peel did play the group's eponymous debut single (a split 7" with the Specials 'Gangsters' on the flip), it was their second single "On The Radio" that made Peel a very enthusiastic supporter of the group. This was the first to feature Pauline Black on vocals. After playing both sides of the 7" on 24 September 1979, he did admit that his preference was for the B-side, "Too Much Pressure", as the documented plays would indicate.
After expressing his desire to see the group play live several times, Peel got his wish when the 2 Tone package tour came to the UEA in Norwich on 26 October 1979, with Madness and the Specials completing the bill. Commenting on the gig on the programme of 29 October 1979, John stated that he had enjoyed the Selecter's set most of all, perhaps because they had most to prove in such heavyweight company. It wasn't just the music that found favour with Peel, as the DJ candidly admitted on the same show: "And if I was given to making sexist remarks, I'd say that Pauline of the band is a cracker."
"On My Radio" moved into the Top 10 in the singles chart in November 1979. On 13 November 1979 Peel noted that the record had risen a place to #8 in that week's Top 40. This happened to become its peak position.
Peel received a copy of their debut LP in early 1980, declaring it "a cracker of an album" . He began working his way through the tracks in late January, noting with approval on 07 February 1980 that Sounds magazine had given it their maximum rating of 5/5 in their review that week. However, Peel wasn't as instantly grabbed by the group's next single, "Three Minute Hero", admitting on 15 January 1980 that it had taken five or six listens for the song to grow on him.
Peel continued to play the group's material before their split in 1981. "Missing Words" was given another spin on the programme in October 1999 as a result of the DJ airing the Selecter tribute track "Pauline" by The 'Tone.
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*None.
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 1979-10-09. First broadcast: 22 October 1979. Repeated: 14 November 1979, 27 December 1979, 09 June 1980.
*They Make Me Mad / Carry Go Bring Come / Street Feeling / Danger
2. Recorded: 1980-11-10. First broadcast: 01 December 1980. Repeated: 01 January 1981.
*Selling Out Your Future / Deep Water / Tell What's Wrong / Washed Up And Left For Dead
:Both sessions released on the LP "BBC Sessions / Live At The Paris Theatre '79" (EMI, 1998).
:Session #1 available as stand-alone digital release John Peel Session (9 October 1979) (download and streaming), and on Too Much Pressure 3xCD boxset (2021).
== Other Shows Played ==
The list below was researched only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive and is certainly incomplete. Please add further information if known.
;1979
*07 May 1979: The Selecter (split 7" with Special AKA) Two-Tone
*12 September 1979: On My Radio (7") Two-Tone
*17 September 1979: On My Radio (7") Two-Tone
*24 September 1979: On My Radio / Too Much Pressure (7") Two-Tone
*26 September 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*01 October 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*03 October 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*06 October 1979 (BFBS): Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*13 October 1979 (BFBS): Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*16 October 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*18 October 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*23 October 1979: On My Radio (7") Two-Tone
*29 October 1979: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") Two-Tone
*October 1979 (Virgin In-Store): Too Much Pressure (7 inch (b side of On My Radio)) Two Tone
;1980
*14 January 1980: Three Minute Hero (7") Two-Tone CHS TT 8
:JP: "Chart bound sounds! Well who can say. But I hope so."
*15 January 1980: Three Minute Hero (7") Two-Tone CHS TT 8
*21 January 1980: James Bond (b/w Three Minute Hero 7") Two-Tone CHS TT 8
*23 January 1980: James Bond (7" - Three Minute Hero / James Bond) Two-Tone CHS TT 8
*23 January 1980 (BFBS): Three Minute Hero (7") Two-Tone CHS TT 8
*24 January 1980: Three Minute Hero (7") Two-Tone CHS TT 8
*26 January 1980 (BFBS): James Bond (7" - Three Minute Hero) Two-Tone CHS TT8
*28 January 1980: Murder (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*28 January 1980: Danger (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*28 January 1980: Everyday (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*30 January 1980: Everyday (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*30 January 1980: Too Much Pressure (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*31 January 1980: Murder (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*02 February 1980 (BFBS): Murder (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*02 February 1980 (BFBS): Danger (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*02 February 1980 (BFBS): Every Day (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*02 February 1980 (BFBS): Black And Blue (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*04 February 1980: Carry Go Bring Home (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*05 February 1980: They Make Me Mad (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*05 February 1980: Too Much Pressure (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*06 February 1980: Out On The Streets (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*07 February 1980: Black And Blue (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*09 February 1980 (BFBS): Everyday (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*09 February 1980 (BFBS): Out On The Streets (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*11 February 1980: Too Much Pressure (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*19 February 1980: My Collie (Not A Dog) (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*19 February 1980 (Virgin In-Store): Everyday (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*20 February 1980: Out On The Streets (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*20 February 1980 (BFBS): My Collie (Not A Dog) / Too Much Pressure (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*23 February 1980 (BFBS): Every Day (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*23 February 1980 (BFBS): Out On The Streets (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*26 February 1980: Everyday (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*28 February 1980: Carry Go Bring Home (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*01 March 1980 (BFBS): Carry Go Bring Come (album - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone CDL TT 5002
*12 March 1980: Carry Go Bring Home (b/w Missing Words 7") Two-Tone
*13 March 1980: Missing Words (LP - Too Much Pressure) Two-Tone
*17 March 1980: Missing Words (7") Two-Tone
*26 March 1980: Missing Words (7") Two-Tone
*22 July 1980: The Whisper (7") Chrysalis
*28 July 1980: Train To Skaville (7" - The Whisper) Chrysalis CHS S1
*28 July 1980: The Whisper (7") Chrysalis CHS S1
*02 August 1980 (BFBS): The Whisper (7") Chrysalis CHS S1
*02 August 1980 (BFBS): Train To Skaville (7" - The Whisper) Chrysalis CHS S1
*06 August 1980: The Whisper (7") Chrysalis CHS S1
*09 August 1980 (BFBS): The Whisper (7") Chrysalis
*13 August 1980: Train To Skaville (12") Chrysalis
*16 August 1980 (BFBS): Train To Skaville (12") Chrysalis
*20 August 1980: Train To Skaville (12") Chrysalis
*23 August 1980 (BFBS): The Whisper (7") Chrysalis
*26 August 1980: The Whisper (7") Chrysalis
*30 August 1980 (BFBS): Missing Words
*04 September 1980: The Whisper (7") Chrysalis
;1981
*03 February 1981: Missing Words (Various Artists LP - Dance Craze) Two-Tone
*23 February 1981: (Who Likes) Facing Situations (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*26 February 1981: Deepwater (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*01 March 1981 (BFBS): Washed Up And Left For Dead (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*08 March 1981 (BFBS): Selling Out Your Future (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*10 March 1981: Bombscare (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*18 March 1981: Washed Up And Left For Dead (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
*22 March 1981 (BFBS): Washed Up And Left For Dead (album - Celebrate The Bullet) Chrysalis CHR 1306
;1983
*09 May 1983: Train To Skaville (12") Chrysalis
*21 December 1983 (BFBS): On The Radio (v/a album - This Are Two Tone) Two-Tone CHR TT 5007
;1997
*18 September 1997 (Radio Eins): Too Much Pressure
*24 September 1997: Too Much Pressure (b/w On My Radio 7") 2 Tone
;1999
*25 October 1999: Missing Words (7") 2 Tone
*02 November 1999 (BBC World Service): Missing Words (7") 2 Tone
== See Also ==
*Gigography 1979 
*Sounds
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs listing
*The Guardian: "How We Made 'On The Radio'"
Category:Artists