Legendary Vocalist for The Specials, Neville Staple, Premieres Gritty New Video from His Forthcoming New Album

The Original Rude Boy returns! Neville Staple, charismatic vocalist/toaster for one of the most celebrated 2 Tone ska bands ever, The Specials, reclaims his place in the spotlight with a triumphant new album to be released on Cleopatra Records on May 13. Entitled Ska Crazy!, the album features phenomenal cover versions of ska/reggae classics by Prince Buster (“Time Longer Than Rope”), The Slickers (“Johnny Too Bad”), and Max Romeo (“Wet Dream”) plus brand new compositions including “Rude Boy Returns,” “Girl,” and the gritty single “Roadblock,” which made its worldwide debut in a professionally shot music video that premiered on the syndicated music/pop culture webzine Something Else! this week.

From the cinematic opening scenes of urban decay filmed in Neville’s hometown Coventry, England, the video bristles with tension as the song’s melodic hook, a killer horn-guitar combo riff, pulsates over shots of graffiti walls and CCTV cameras, like the title sequence to a lost season of The Wire. The dramatic plot of the video, a drug deal that erupts in violence, unfolds as Neville and fellow toaster Daddy Woody act as a Greek chorus warning against youthful hubris. Director Joseph Wallace comments, “I wanted to film a video that approached the subject of street crime seriously, yet still very much retaining the relaxed mood and chilled tone of the music. I wanted Neville walking through Coventry’s cold, empty streets at night singing to the camera as though almost preaching his message; weaving in and out of the narrative itself and blurring the line between performance and social issues.” The video was produced by Rawline Entertainment.

Staple enthuses about the album, “I am so pleased and proud to have put this album together as it includes some old time classic favourites, which I grew up with and which I have added some ‘original rudeboy’ flavour to. My current band are brilliant and they put a lot of time into creating that authentic Jamaican sound with me, that you will hear in the tracks, as well as helping me with the creation of brand new material. You will also hear a lot of vocals from my wife Christine and my good friend and Jamaican DJ artist, Daddy Woody. I hope you all love it as much as I do and I’m dedicating the album to Jerry Dammers and my cousin Alvin who helped me on the way to a career in music.” 

For the latest information on Staple, visit: https://www.facebook.com/NevilleStapleBand