General Public
Encyclopedia
General Public were a band formed by The Beat
vocalists, Dave Wakeling
and Ranking Roger
, and which included former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Specials
and The Clash
. They are best remembered for their North American Top 40 hits "Tenderness" (1984) and "I'll Take You There" (1994).
), Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger decided to continue working together in a new venture. They joined up with keyboardist Mickey Billingham
(Dexys Midnight Runners
), guitarist Mick Jones
(The Clash
), bassist Horace Panter
(The Specials
) and drummer Stoker (Dexys Midnight Runners/The Bureau
) to form a quasi-supergroup
of the UK punk
/ska
/mod
scene. The band was dubbed General Public and was signed to Virgin Records
in the UK and I.R.S. Records
in North America.
The band recorded and released the album All the Rage
in 1984. Jones left General Public part way through the recording process, but he is listed in the album's inner sleeve credits as a group member (although he did not appear in any of the band photographs). Jones' replacement, guitarist Kevin White, also played on the album and was also listed an official group member. White's picture also appeared on the album's back cover.
In the UK, General Public had a minor hit with the eponymous track "General Public", which reached #60 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1984. The single's B-side "Dishwasher" (an instrumental mix of "Burning Bright" from All The Rage) became a surprise Top 40 hit in the Netherlands
, after its use as a theme tune to the pop
radio show Avondspits.
Later in the year, the band fared even better in North America, where their second single "Tenderness
" was a Top 40 hit in Canada
(#11) and the US
(#27). It is featured in the John Hughes comedy feature films Weird Science
(1985) and Sixteen Candles
(1984), and in the Amy Heckerling
comedy feature film Clueless (1995). Another song "Taking The Day Off" was featured in the John Hughes comedy feature film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
(1986).
For the follow-up album, White and Stoker were replaced by brothers Gianni and Mario Minardi on guitar and drums, respectively. Hand to Mouth was significantly less successful than their debut album, and the band dissolved soon after its release.
Roger and Wakeling worked on various solo projects for the next few years, before reconstituting General Public in 1994 to perform a cover version of The Staple Singers
hit "I'll Take You There
" for the Threesome
film soundtrack. The new General Public line-up retained only vocalists Wakeling and Roger from previous incarnations; the vocal duo was now backed by Michael Railton (keyboards), Randy Jacobs (guitars), Wayne Lothian (bass), Thomas White (drums), and Norman Jones (percussion).
"I'll Take You There" was a Top 40 hit in the US and Canada and a minor hit in the UK (#73). Jacobs and White then left the group, and new drummer Dan Chase was brought in. The sextet released the album Rub It Better for Epic Records in 1995, recorded in the USA with the aid of record producer Jerry Harrison
. Guests on the album included Mick Jones, Saxa
, Pato Banton
, and Chris Spedding
; ex-band members Horace Panter and Stoker also participated in the album's creation, co-writing one song apiece. (Stoker also received an "additional recording" credit.) Sales were poor, however, and Roger became tired of traveling to America, and they soon broke up again.
Since 2004, Dave Wakeling has toured the US with a full backing band as The English Beat. They often perform General Public tracks.
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....
vocalists, Dave Wakeling
Dave Wakeling
Dave Wakeling is an English rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is most famous for singing and writing songs for the 1980s 2-Tone band The Beat and also General Public.-Career:...
and Ranking Roger
Ranking Roger
Ranking Roger is an English musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s two-tone band, The Beat and General Public...
, and which included former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
and The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. They are best remembered for their North American Top 40 hits "Tenderness" (1984) and "I'll Take You There" (1994).
Career
After the 1983 break-up of The Beat (known as The English Beat in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
), Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger decided to continue working together in a new venture. They joined up with keyboardist Mickey Billingham
Mickey Billingham
Mickey Billingham is an English keyboardist. He was the former keyboardist of the band Dexys Midnight Runners...
(Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
), guitarist Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
(The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
), bassist Horace Panter
Horace Panter
Horace Panter also known as Sir Horace Gentleman, is the bassist for the Coventry 2 Tone, ska revival band The Specials....
(The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
) and drummer Stoker (Dexys Midnight Runners/The Bureau
The Bureau
The Bureau were a New Wave soul group formed in late 1980 in Birmingham, England, when the original lineup of Dexys Midnight Runners split-up....
) to form a quasi-supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
of the UK punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
/mod
Mod
- General :* Honour Moderations, a first set of examinations at Oxford University* Maximum operating depth, in scuba diving, the depth at which a gas mix exceeds safe limits* Ministry of Defence, the part of a government responsible for matters of military defence...
scene. The band was dubbed General Public and was signed to Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in the UK and I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
in North America.
The band recorded and released the album All the Rage
All the Rage
All the Rage is the debut album by General Public, released in 1984 .-Track listing:# "Hot You're Cool" - 3:47 # "Tenderness" - 3:34...
in 1984. Jones left General Public part way through the recording process, but he is listed in the album's inner sleeve credits as a group member (although he did not appear in any of the band photographs). Jones' replacement, guitarist Kevin White, also played on the album and was also listed an official group member. White's picture also appeared on the album's back cover.
In the UK, General Public had a minor hit with the eponymous track "General Public", which reached #60 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1984. The single's B-side "Dishwasher" (an instrumental mix of "Burning Bright" from All The Rage) became a surprise Top 40 hit in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, after its use as a theme tune to the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
radio show Avondspits.
Later in the year, the band fared even better in North America, where their second single "Tenderness
Tenderness (song)
"Tenderness" is a song by General Public from their 1984 album All the Rage, produced by I.R.S. Records.-Content:The song's lyrics tell about a man who really needs tenderness to feel like a man. It was one of the band's first singles...
" was a Top 40 hit in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(#11) and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(#27). It is featured in the John Hughes comedy feature films Weird Science
Weird Science (film)
Weird Science is a 1985 American teen comedy film written and directed by John Hughes and starring Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Kelly LeBrock...
(1985) and Sixteen Candles
Sixteen Candles
Sixteen Candles is a 1984 American film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall. It was written and directed by John Hughes.- Plot :...
(1984), and in the Amy Heckerling
Amy Heckerling
Amy Heckerling is an American film director, one of the few female directors to have produced multiple box-office hits.-Early life:...
comedy feature film Clueless (1995). Another song "Taking The Day Off" was featured in the John Hughes comedy feature film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
(1986).
For the follow-up album, White and Stoker were replaced by brothers Gianni and Mario Minardi on guitar and drums, respectively. Hand to Mouth was significantly less successful than their debut album, and the band dissolved soon after its release.
Roger and Wakeling worked on various solo projects for the next few years, before reconstituting General Public in 1994 to perform a cover version of The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis...
hit "I'll Take You There
I'll Take You There
"I'll Take You There" is a number-one single written and produced by Al Bell and performed by soul/gospel family band The Staple Singers, released on Stax Records in February 1972...
" for the Threesome
Threesome (film)
Threesome is a 1994 film, written and directed by Andrew Fleming. The film is an autobiographical comedy mixed in with some social commentary, and is based on the college memories of Fleming. It was given an R rating by the Motion Picture Association of America...
film soundtrack. The new General Public line-up retained only vocalists Wakeling and Roger from previous incarnations; the vocal duo was now backed by Michael Railton (keyboards), Randy Jacobs (guitars), Wayne Lothian (bass), Thomas White (drums), and Norman Jones (percussion).
"I'll Take You There" was a Top 40 hit in the US and Canada and a minor hit in the UK (#73). Jacobs and White then left the group, and new drummer Dan Chase was brought in. The sextet released the album Rub It Better for Epic Records in 1995, recorded in the USA with the aid of record producer Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison is an American songwriter, musician and producer...
. Guests on the album included Mick Jones, Saxa
Saxa
Saxa may refer to either:*Saxa , a brand of salt and pepper*Saxa , a saxophonist...
, Pato Banton
Pato Banton
Pato Banton is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. He received the nickname 'Pato' from his stepfather, and 'Banton' from the disc jockey slang for a "heavyweight DJ".-Biography:Born in Birmingham, Banton first came to public attention in the early 1980s when he worked with The...
, and Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
; ex-band members Horace Panter and Stoker also participated in the album's creation, co-writing one song apiece. (Stoker also received an "additional recording" credit.) Sales were poor, however, and Roger became tired of traveling to America, and they soon broke up again.
Since 2004, Dave Wakeling has toured the US with a full backing band as The English Beat. They often perform General Public tracks.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
||||||||
| 1984 | All the Rage All the Rage All the Rage is the debut album by General Public, released in 1984 .-Track listing:# "Hot You're Cool" - 3:47 # "Tenderness" - 3:34...
|
26 | 19 |
Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... : Gold |
|||||
| 1986 | Hand to Mouth Hand to Mouth (album) Hand to Mouth is the second album by General Public, released in 1986 .-Track listing:# "Come Again!" - 3:43 # "Faults and All" - 3:35... |
151 | 84 | ||||||
| 1995 | Rub It Better Rub It Better Rub It Better is the third album by General Public, released in 1995 when the band reformed after almost ten years.-Track listing:# "It Must Be Tough" - 5:34... Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
— | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes released that did not chart | |||||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Classic Masters Classic Masters (General Public album) Classic Masters is a compilation album by General Public, released in 2002 on Capitol Records.-Track listing:# "General Public" - 4:27# "Tenderness" - 3:37# "Hot Your Cool" - 3:53# "Never You Done That" - 4:11...
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
NL MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
NZ | US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Dance | US Main | US Mod | ||||||
| 1984 | "General Public" | 60 | — | — | — | 41 | — | — | — | — | All the Rage | |||
| "Dishwasher" | — | — | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Tenderness Tenderness (song) "Tenderness" is a song by General Public from their 1984 album All the Rage, produced by I.R.S. Records.-Content:The song's lyrics tell about a man who really needs tenderness to feel like a man. It was one of the band's first singles... " |
95 | 50 | 11 | — | — | 27 | — | 39 | — | |||||
| 1985 | "Never You Done That" | — | — | — | — | — | 105 | — | — | — | ||||
| "Hot You're Cool" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | |||||
| 1986 | "Faults and All" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hand to Mouth | |||
| "Too Much or Nothing" | — | — | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "In Conversation" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | |||||
| 1994 | "I'll Take You There I'll Take You There "I'll Take You There" is a number-one single written and produced by Al Bell and performed by soul/gospel family band The Staple Singers, released on Stax Records in February 1972... " |
73 | — | 14 | — | 8 | 22 | 1 | — | 6 | Threesome Threesome (film) Threesome is a 1994 film, written and directed by Andrew Fleming. The film is an autobiographical comedy mixed in with some social commentary, and is based on the college memories of Fleming. It was given an R rating by the Motion Picture Association of America... (soundtrack) |
|||
| 1995 | "Rainy Days" | — | — | — | — | — | 93 | — | — | 40 | Rub It Better | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||||||||||
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart