Jim Pinckney remembers the music and career of The Beat frontman and 80s two-tone and ska pioneer Ranking Roger (born Roger Charlery) who passed away this week age 56.
Ranking Roger Photo: Supplied via Southbound Records
Being of West Indian heritage, Ranking Roger was one of the few black punks in England in the mid 70s. He went on to join The Beat and contribute to the beginnings of the second wave of ska - also known as 'two-tone' - a music and social movement which combined Jamaican ska, punk rock, rocksteady and new wave music. The multicultural makeup and social politics of this urban scene, signified by the use of black and white checks, went against the racial tensions of Thatcher's Britain.
After The Beat broke up in 1983, a new band General Public came together with members of The Beat and fellow two-tone act The Specials as well as Dexy's Midnight Runners.
Ranking Roger also released solo work, and contributed to projects with acts such as The Clash, Smash Mouth, The Police, Big Audio Dynamite, The Specials and The Selector.
In 2005 The Beat reformed, and included Ranking Jnr, Roger's son, also on vocals. They continued to tour until Roger's health started to fail in August 2018.
More to explore:
- Ranking Roger helped make this doco for RNZ, celebrating 30 years of his friends UB40.
The Beat playing live in 2016, featuring Ranking Roger, and Ranking Jnr, followed by some classic tracks from The Beat.
Much loved frontman Ranking Roger dies aged 56
(record company media release:)
Tributes are being paid to Ranking Roger, the talented, energetic and charismatic frontman from The Beat, who passed away on Tuesday 26 March surrounded by family.
Ranking Roger Photo: Steve Gullick
Birmingham born star Roger Charlery, was diagnosed with cancer at the end of last year but remained a creative force until the end - recently releasing a new album and putting the finishing touches to an autobiography whilst undergoing treatment.
Tarquin Gotch, Roger’s long-time manager, said “We have lost a wonderfully talented artist and great friend. It has been an enormous honour and privilege for us all to have been a part of his life.”
In Autumn 2018, just before he was about to embark on his first US tour in over 12 years Roger was diagnosed with cancer. At the time he was riding high having just released a live DVD from a sold-out London Roundhouse show, finished a new studio album and had over the preceding year enjoyed enormous worldwide success touring with lifelong friends The Selecter.
After his diagnosis The Beat cancelled all forthcoming live dates.
As 2019 began Roger finished his biography ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ with co-writer Daniel Rachel which will be released in the spring. And the new studio album ‘Public Confidential’, which he was so rightly proud of, was released in January by DMF Records.
Ranking Roger was an original member of The Beat who formed in Birmingham in 1978. Their numerous hits include Mirror in the Bathroom, Tears of A Clown, Ranking Full Stop and Hands off She’s Mine. 2-Tone was a crucial multi-racial, multi-cultural explosion borne out of Coventry and the Midlands that remade British pop from 1979 onwards.
Roger collaborated and worked with numerous other musicians over the years including Big Audio Dynamite, Sting, Pato Banton and members of The Specials and Dexys Midnight Runners to name a few.
He is survived by his partner Pauline and 5 children including Ranking Junior who he worked with for the last 10 years of his life.
