Dance Craze

In 1979, Jerry Dammers founded not only The Specials but the 2 Tone Record Label. Releasing their debut single Gangsters in July of that year, they spent 12 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, closely followed by the label's second single, The Prince by Madness. Over the course of the next 12 months, 2 Tone took over the UK, with more singles, album releases and two 2 Tone package tours by The Selecter, The Beat and the The Bodysnatchers, along with additional bands. Director Joe Massot (Led Zeppelin's film 'The Song Remains the Same') and cinematographer Joe Dunton both witnessed these bands live and wanted to try and attempt at capturing the sheer force and energy of the movement. They filmed various bands at venues over the course of 1980 using the newly-invented SteadyCam on Super 35mm film stock to emulate the camera dancing along with the beat of the music. The end film captures a moment in time at the height of the ska revival with 27 songs over 90mins.