The English Beat Ready New CD, Will Hit NYC Thursday

“Somewhere between long awaited and well overdue” was how Dave Wakeling described the status of a new English Beat record when I spoke to him during a recent visit to New York City. Dave and the rest of the band are back in town for a show this week at Irving Plaza on a double bill with Soul Asylum. The new album still hasn’t been given an official release date but it has gained an official title: Here We Go Love and a firm promise to be unleashed this fall.

The interest in a new album, as well as for the enduring demand for English Beat tours, can be explained by the potency of the three English Beat albums: I Just Can’t Stop, Wha’ppen, and Special Beat Service. Those albums, with their mix of ska and rock, remain as appealing and singular as when they came out in 1980, ’81, and ’82 respectively.

The English Beat are known as such only in North America. They are The British Beat in Australia and in their native England and the rest of the world, they are simply The Beat. There is, however, nothing simple about wha’ppened after their breakup in ’83. It’s as confusing as any a tale the annals of music and involves outfits like General Public and Fine Young Cannibals as well as Special Beat and The International Beat.

These days, Dave Wakeling leads The English Beat who will hit Irving Plaza on Thursday. The Beat With Ranking Roger continues a life of its own and will, coincidentally or not, release a new album this fall as well. Despite the theoretically competing lineups, when I spoke with Wakeling, there was no hint of any bad blood between him and Roger. In fact, Wakeling didn’t express any negative feelings whatsoever. He is a man who clearly adores what he does and appreciates the fans who hold the catalog of The English Beat in such high esteem and who continue to come out and shake their bones in the clubs.

NOTE: That’s actually Antonee First Class in the vid and not King Sasha who is the toaster now in the band.

Here are some bonus thoughts from Dave on Pete Townshend and the classic Save It For Later and on his work with Scooby Doo!