“Boomtown whipped up by Neville Staple..!” Financial Times
Neville Staple received an honorary degree from Arden University, Coventry, for his efforts to defuse racial tension through innovation and music. Most recently, Neville has dedicated his time to promoting anti-knife crime, working with various groups and youth projects following the fatal stabbing of his 21-year-old grandson in 2018. Neville is to be known as “Dr Rude Boy”.
Legendary front man of The Specials, Fun Boy Three and Special Beat, was known as The Original Rude Boy, (now Dr. Rude Boy), celebrates 40 years of his top music career, and of the beginning of the 2-Tone movement. Neville Staple is credited with changing the face of pop music not only once but twice. His UK and International career in the music industry, is well documented and started out from the early days with Ray King, Pete Waterman (OBE), The Coventry Automatics and his Jah Baddis Sound System, before taking to the stage with The Specials as part of the famous tour with ‘The Clash’ and Bernie Rhodes. He has performed, written or produced, highly acclaimed and hit albums and singles, along with TV and film soundtrack writing and recordings, including a song for the 2019 Spiderman blockbuster. His musical awards also include MOJO, NME, Gold & Silver discs and a lifetime achievement award from Foxford School in his home city of Coventry (birthplace of the 2-Tone Movement). He is celebrated as a living legend.
“Out on his own, still pretty special” Record Collector:
“Nothing came close to the sensational Neville Staple Band who really got the party started and had the masses dancing along” Anita Merritt-Exeter Express & Echo.
Neville states, “I remember the massive reactions to the hit songs like Ghost Town, Too Much Too Young and Gangsters and fans still write to me about my rugged, energetic and fun stage presence. The way we bring ska to the mainstream is by mixing Jamaican music with the English punky style. I love performing live and always include my Specials hits, along with other career favourites. Every show is like a massive party where the brilliant fans love to stomp or sing-along. I was so proud to become an official Doctor of Music recently too. How cool is that!”
Neville continues to write, perform, collaborate and produce new music, alongside his wife, Christine ‘Sugary Staple’, and his 2-Tone legacy is huge. The music that fused traditional Jamaican ska and reggae music and style with punk rock attitude, energy and musical edge. The movement helped to transcend and defuse racial tensions in Thatcher-era Britain and still resonates in today’s Brexit uncertainties. The actual black and white chequered imagery of 2 Tone has become almost as famous as the music itself. Neville has worked with other top International and mainstream artists and his work is regularly shared on mainstream TV, Films, Radio and exhibitions, reflecting his highly successful career. His bestselling autobiography, THE ORIGINAL RUDE BOY, was published by Aurum Press in 2009. Neville and the band are currently promoting anti-knife crime, during their UK and International tours, which follows the highly publicised and recent fatal stabbing of Neville’s 21-year-old grandson. Neville Staple and Sugary also work with schools, charities and youth groups, providing awareness talks, performance tips, music lesson guest-tuition and fund-raising activities. He is also a patron of the Coventry Music Museum at the 2Tone Village, Cefovid Uganda and is an Ambassador for various charities including Musicians Against Homelessness.
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