Which British New-Wave Musician(s) Blended a Strong Regg

British new-wave music blended a strong reggae influence with other genres to create a unique sound. This blog will explore which British new-wave musicians were influenced by reggae music.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band of the 20th century. They were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways; the band later explored rhythm and blues genres with Rubber Soul (1965), followed by a foray into psychedelic rock with Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, mainly with Stuart Sutcliffe on bass guitar. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, accompanied by drummer Pete Best, left for Germany in August 1960. Within months they had been fired from their residency in Hamburg after getting into a brawl with local gangsters over musician Rory Storm; they then returned to Liverpool to play at the Cavern Club nightly for almost two years.

In late 1962, the group signed a five-year recording contract with EMI’s Parlophone label for seven pounds per week (equivalent to £300 per week in 2019),[nb 4] with Pete Best remaining as drummer. Construction delays at EMI Studio Two meant they had time to develop as a band and hone their skills on stage; among other places they played at the Star-Club in Hamburg during April 1963.[67] After Brian Epstein became their manager that year—replacing Stuart Sutcliffe’s father Alf—the Beatles enjoyed increasing popularity in Britain with Please Please Me (1963). That March they played 73 consecutive nights at the Star-Club,[68] setting a record that has never been beaten.[69][nb 5] From May 1963—”From Me To You”—they began achieving success in America: it peaked at number one on Billboard Hot 100 chart on 18 May.[71][nb 6] Please Please Me rapidly ascended the British charts to number one early in 1963,[72] becoming one of only three pop albums to do so within 12 months of release.[73][74] It remained atop the UK charts for 30 weeks[75][76]—a record which stood until 1977—and has sold approximately five million copies worldwide.[77][78] The album included two songs written by McCartney–Lennon—”Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You”, which indicated an early songwriting partnership starting between them that would be significant during their career together.[79][80][nb 7]”

The Rolling Stones

The answer is The Rolling Stones, who released their song “Reggae Like It Used to Be” in 1981. The song features a strong reggae beat and was one of the first times that the genre was used in a mainstream rock song.

The Kinks

The Kinks are often cited as one of the first British Invasion bands to successfully blend elements of British music hall and R&B. Formed in London in 1963, the group originally consisted of brothers Ray and Dave Davies, Pete Quaife, and Mick Avory. The Kinks released their debut album, Kinky Reggae, in 1964.

The Who

The Who blended a strong reggae influence in their music, most notably on the song “MAGIC BUS” from the album WHO ARE YOU. Roger Daltrey’s delivery of the “MAGIC BUS” lyrics are pure reggae.

The Animals

The Animals were a British rock band of the 1960s, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, during the early part of the decade. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The group’s best-known line-up featured lead vocalist Eric Burdon, bassistDave Rowberry, guitarist Hilton Valentine, drummer John Steel and organist Alan Price.Burdon has been the only continuous member throughout the band’s career and officially returned to the name “The Animals” in 1983. He has sporadically assembled different line-ups for tours intermittently until 2011 when he reunited with Valentine for a UK and US tour.