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Part of the English Midlands 2 Tone scene of the early 1980s, The Beat stood alongside the likes of The Specials, Madness and The Selecter in bringing reggae and ska rhythms into UK pop music. Originally formed as a punky new wave group by front man David Wakeling and guitarist Andy Cox, their sound changed when Ranking Roger started toasting (a Jamaican style of rapping) along to the band during an early gig. Jamaican saxophonist Lionel "Saxa" Martin - who by then was in his 50s and had previously played with Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker - completed the line-up, and the Birmingham lads scored their first big hit with a cover of Smokey Robinson's Tears Of A Clown in 1979. Their first two albums I Just Can't Stop It (1980) and Wha'ppen (1981) both made it to Number 3 in the UK charts and produced the Top 10 singles Hands Off She's Mine and Too Nice To Talk; but the group's greatest hour was the hit anthem Mirror In The Bathroom, which is still regarded as a classic slice of UK ska pop. The band toured with David Bowie, The Clash and The Police, but split in 1983 with Cox and bass player David Steele going on to form Fine Young Cannibals. VH1 television show Bands Reunited tried to reform the group in 2003, but instead two different line-ups of the band emerged - one fronted by Ranking Roger and one by Dave Wakeling.
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