Neville Staple, The OriginalRude Boy Returns

Mon 3rd Apr, 2006 in Features

Neville Staple, a true rude-boy originally from Jamaica, began his musical pilgrimage in Coventry in England. Neville was a roadie for one of the great 2-tone ska bands, The Specials, but was eventually asked to join them for his toasting, singing and skanking skills early on in the piece. Neville and The Specials went on to record the classic eponymous first release in 1979 which included such classic tracks as “Too Hot”, “Blank Expression”, “Nite Klub” and of course, “A Message to You Rudy”. This brilliant release, produced by Elvis Costello, remains one of the true shining stars of the 2-tone era.

But this is 2006 and The Specials are a musical historical blip that have come and gone, leaving behind some fantastic sounds, but the musicians have moved on and creativity does not stop. Neville has attempted a number of line-ups that were called The Specials and also played with Ranking Roger from The Beat in a band called the Special Beat to maintain his connection to his roots and to continue to grow his own special brand of rocking reggae influenced tunes.

Presently, Neville Staple is touring in the UK and will soon be touching down on Australian shores to show us first hand what he can do on stage. “The gigs are going pretty well, which surprises me. Because everyone is used to The Specials you see. The fans are fine, but not so much now, when I first started on my own people kept asking me when The Specials were getting back together. I put my own new material in with the old material so my songs don’t sound too different then the others. To be honest with you, I can’t wait around for The Specials to reform before I do what I like do, which is performing”, expressed Neville.

And waiting around is not what Neville is doing. His recent solo release, “The Rude Boy Returns” (2005) was a good mix of reggae, rock and ska. Neville does not want to rest on his laurels and continue to be known as a one-trick pony. He loves to perform and record and his shows have been well received around the globe. Presently, Neville has ideas for a new album and it may get a start right here in Australia. “I have a new album to do right now. So I am thinking if I have a day off in Australia and I can find a studio, I will probably put the backing tracks down while I am over their”, said Neville.

Neville is exposed to so much music these days by his children and friends that picking influences and heroes was a difficult question for him to answer. But he wanted us to understand that his heroes and musical tastes don’t necessarily over shadow his creative process when recording. “Toots and the Maytalls, the Specials and The Clash are my biggest influences. I listen to so much stuff. I don’t really get influenced by what I am listening to. When I go into the studio, it is just what comes. It may sound like somebody else but I don’t go into the studio to copy anyone”, Neville remarked down the phone line.

Neville will be touring Australia and playing at the Great Escape Festival in Sydney over Easter. I asked Neville what the punters could expect and whom he was touring with. Of course we will get a mix of old and new, but who will his fellow travelers be on this tour? “I am bringing my original band that has been with me for 2 and ½ years. I have a few players on trombone, guitar and bass who used to play in the band Bad Manners and a young 22 year old drummer and Joe Atkinson on keyboards whom has been with me a few years, too. I am only bringing one horn player because I am trying to do my own thing. People ask me and they want to know why one horn player and I tell them I only want one horn, and he is a good horn player. We play “A Message To You Rudy” and he plays the horn!”

You can catch Neville Staple at the Great Escape Festival in Sydney on the Easter Long Weekend, as well as his sideshows:

Thu Apr 13 – The Zoo, Brisbane
Fri Apr 14 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sat Apr 15 – Gaelic Club, Sydney