The Swinging Cats

[funboy]

The Swinging Cats, took to the stage for their first set in Coventry
for 29 years. Cardboard and his Wife Lynsey were on vocals joing Paul
Heskat and John Shipley. After a reading from Paul's planned book, The
Swinging Cats performed three songs including "Never On A Sunday" and
"Mantonvarni"

Video's can be seen here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwF799Iytr4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-XorixlD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMgahgPsHAs

ON FRIDAY at 3pm, the penultimate 2-Tone plaque goes up at the site of
the Hand & Heart pub in Far Gosford Street.

The plaque, sponsored by Harrabin Construction, is to be unveiled by
legendary ska DJ Steve ‘Cardboard’ Eaton. Steve is not only Coventry’s
snappiest dresser and original DJ at the popular Hand & Heart venue,
but he was also the face on the cover of the Selecter album, Too Much
Pressure.

The Hand & Heart pub played host to the emerging Coventry punk scene
in the late 1970s. Reggae band Hardtop 22 played there – a few months
later key members of the band would form the core of the Selecter. On
February 23, 1978, a band called the Coventry Automatics played the
venue; on Friday December 1, 1978, they returned as the Specials.
Events continue at 4pm at The Dog & Trumpet in Hertford Street with
the return of Coventry 2-Tone band the Swinging Cats.

Original members John Shipley and Paul Heskett, along with Dom Hazell
and Terry Downes, will play a selection of songs that helped define
the 2 Tone genre. The band will take part in a question and answer
session, and talk about their 2 Tone days and life with their
subsequent bands The Specials and the Special AKA. This is a free
event.


The Swinging Cats were formed in the early 80s by John Shipley, who
along with Toby Lyons recruited like-minded individuals, and so
created one of 2-Tone’s most flamboyant acts, even topping Madness and
Bad Manners for on-stage quirkiness. The Cats won a Battle of the
Bands contest at the Lanch that gave them two days at Leamington’s
Woodbine Studios and a spot on TV show Look Hear.

They signed to 2 Tone records and released the irresistibly catchy
Mantovani, with Away as its flipside.

“I already knew Jerry Dammers” said John, “He really liked us, and he
offered us a two single deal, sadly the second release Greek Tragedy,
never saw the light of day. We practiced in our drummer Billy Gough’s
garage, full of canoes and mooses’ heads; there wasn’t enough room to
swing a cat, and a name was born. We did have a terrific time touring
with bands like Bad Manners and the Selecter.”

2-Tone – blessing or curse?



I ASKED Paul Heskett if signing to 2-Tone was a blessing or a curse
for the band.
Hand and Heart plaque

“Definitely a blessing,” he replied, “Or I wouldn’t be sitting here
talking to you now! No one really had an idea of what we were meant to
do; we were a band without a drummer and John Bradbury of The Specials
stood in for us. Because of the association with the label, a lot of
interest and attention was directed at us, which meant exposure in the
music press and an enthusiastic audience.”

It’s well known that key players like Jerry Dammers and Neol Davies
had a tremendous influence on 2 Tone and its development, but John
Shipley was another huge 2 Tone innovator.

Paul Heskett said he and John had plenty of ideas for the future,
adding: “Remember: 2010 will be the 30th anniversary of our last great
line-up. I hope we can celebrate that anniversary and who knows? Maybe
the best is yet to come...”

Funboy1