Wheels Out Of Gear: 2 Tone, The Specials and a World in Flame - Softcover

Uncut's Books of the Year (2005). Also reviewed in The Guardian, The Times, Mojo, Record Collector and Q.

Originally published to great critical acclaim in 2004 by Helter Skelter Publishing, Wheels Out of Gear is a vivid exploration of the 2-Tone movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s, set against the turbulent backdrop of Thatcher's Britain. Taking its roots from Caribbean Ska, Rock Steady and Reggae, the 2-Tone sound was honed into a modern urban multi-racial groove led by The Specials, whose 2-Tone record label gave the movement its name and a home to many of the groups of the time, such as The Selecter and Madness.