. Its name derives from
, and references a desire to transcend and defuse racial tensions in Thatcher-era Britain. Many two-tone groups, such as
featured a mix of black, white, and multiracial people. It was part of the second wave of
movements. The two-tone sound originated among young musicians in Coventry in the West Midlands of England, who grew up listening to 1960s Jamaican
.
They combined influences from
ska,
reggae, and
rocksteady with elements of
punk rock and new wave.
Bands considered part of the genre include
The Specials,
The Selecter, Madness,
The Beat,
Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers, and Akrylykz.
The Specials' keyboard player Jerry Dammers coined the term "two-tone". Dammers, with the assistance of Horace Panter and graphic designer John "Teflon" Sims, developed the iconic Walt Jabsco logo (a man in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, pork pie hat, white socks, and black loafers) to represent the two-tone genre. The logo, based on an early album-cover photo of Peter Tosh, included an added black-and-white check pattern.
Printed in USA
