SOUNDTRACK4LIFE: THE B-SIDES: Remembering...The Musical Legacy of Ranking Roger (21st February 1963

Ranking Roger (born as Roger Charlery)

Birmingham, England

21st February 1963 - 26th March 2019

I did not expect in my last bunch of posts to be doing a piece dealing with the loss of a musician who was actually the same age that I will be in a couple of months time (56)!

Below you will find lots of links to singles/albums and even a live show. Click on them to enjoy the musical legacy of one of England's most beloved entertainers. This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything he ever played on but it will give you a taster for a lot of the great music he has left behind. We honour him best when we keep playing the music he shared with us... loud and with lots of dancing!

Around 9pm last night I read of the sad news that Ranking Roger of The Beat had died. The Beat website and FB page had posted this simple message:

“He fought & fought & fought, Roger was a fighter.”
Sadly Roger past away a few hours ago peacefully at his home surrounded by family.
Roger’s family would like to thank everyone for their constant support during this tough time. More to follow in the coming days. RIP ROGER

It was very sad news indeed when you consider that in the past year he had been hospitalized with a suspected mini-stroke, had surgery upon two brain tumours and had been battling against Lung Cancer.

While he had been dealing with his various health issues he managed to complete work on his biography with his co-writer Daniel Rachel entitled 'I Just Can't Stop It: My Life In The Beat' and it is due for publication early Spring or Summer by Omnibus Press. I would think that they might move up the publication date in light of the current news of his passing.

He had also completed a new album by The Beat Feat. Ranking Roger entitled 'Public Confidential' that was released in January this year.

Public Confidential - The Beat Feat. Ranking Roger
DMF Records
Produced by Mick Lister and Ranking Roger
Released 25th January 2019

Live at The Roundhouse - The Beat Feat. Ranking Roger
DMF Records
Released 8th June 2018

Bounce - The Beat Feat. Ranking Roger
DMF Records
Produced by Mick Lister
Released 30th September 2016

Selected Tracks from Bounce:

Walking On The Wrong Side.

Avoid The Obvious.

Heaven Hiding.

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Roger was not an original member of The Beat back in 1978 but his Punk band at the time in Birmingham (The Nam Nam Boys) played their first ever gig in support of the band and building on a friendship with the band he begun to "gategrash" their gigs and jump on stage and "Toast".

He did this many times before officially becoming a member of the band and appeared on their debut hit single for Two Tone Records (it reached #6 in the UK), the Double A-Side Tears of a Clown / Ranking Full Stop (released in November 1979).

I Just Can't Stop It (1980)

UK Chart #3

Singles from the Debut Album

Hands Off... She's Mine / Twist and Crawl

UK Chart #9

Mirror In The Bathroom / Jackpot

UK Chart #4

Best Friend / Stand Down Margaret (Dub)

UK Chart #22

Non Album Single:

Too Nice To Talk To / Psychedelic Rockers

UK Chart #7

Wha'ppen (1981)

UK Chart #3

Special Beat Service (1982)

Select Tracks from the album:

Save It For Later.

UK Chart #47

Jeanette.

UK Chart #45

I Confess.

UK Chart #54

What Is Beat? The Best of The Beat (1983)

Features the singles:

Can't Get Used To Losing You (1983 Remix Version).

UK Chart #3

Ackee 1-2-3.

UK Chart #54

General Public

All The Rage (1984)

US Chart #26

Singles from the album:

General Public

UK Chart #60

Tenderness

UK Chart #95

Hand To Mouth (1986)

US Chart #86

Singles from the album:

Faults and All

Did Not Chart

Too Much or Nothing

Canadian Chart #83

In Conversation

Did Not Chart

After a long break General Public returned to the charts in 1994 with a cover of the classic Staples Singers song that appeared in the Soundtrack to the film Threesome.