I decided to open a new series about singers and bands that mean (or meant) a lot to me. Most of them were big in the punk/post-punk era and I want to remember them at this place. Maybe some memories will raise up when you reed this words.
Let's start with a band the first time they caught my ears when I owned myself a sampler of New Wave music. The Ruts are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band. They formed in 1977 against the background of their anti-racist activities. Trademark was some sharp guitars, songs with great harmonies and a singer shouting out his messages.
In a rut is a very good example of their early songs - here in the version at a Peel session:
After the appreciation of John Peel they signed to Richard Branson's Virgin label and released their first album The Crack. It was one of the first albums I bought from this genre and it is still a classic. On this album was also their single with the biggest success in charts:
Another typical song is Staring at the Rude boys. A drifty bass and massive guitar riffs make this song a classic.
The Ruts - Staring at the Rude Boys
As said The Ruts have a huge addiction to reggae. They are of the first bands that combined their music with ingredients of reggae. Jah War is one of these songs that had a heavy rotation on my turntable at these times and I still love this song today.
The Ruts - Jah War
In 1980 they had to bear a stroke of fate when singer Malcolm Owen was found dead in the bathroom of his parents house from a heroin overdose. The band continued as Ruts D.C. (D.C. stands for da capo, an Italian term standing for back to the beginning) and released another classic Rhythm Collision. It's like the mother of all British dub records. It was a lucky coincidence when Mad Professor took The Ruts under his wings and brought together what belonged together.
