Hailing from working-class Birmingham, England, Dave Wakeling and The English Beat entered the music scene in the 1979. When The English Beat rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of social, political and musical upheaval. Into this storm came they came, trying to calm the waters with their simple message of love and unity set to a great dance Beat. The six member band consisted of singer/songwriter Dave Wakeling (vocals & guitar), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums), Saxa (saxophone) and Ranking Roger (toasting). The band managed to fuse all of their respective musical influences - soul, reggae, pop and punk - into a unique sound that was highly danceable. Along with contemporaries such as The Specials, The Selecter and Madness, The English Beat became one of the most popular and influential bands of the British Ska movement. Over the course of the three albums, The English Beat achieved great success in their home country, charting several singles into the top 10. In addition to their UK chart success, in America the band found a solid base of young fans eager to dance to the their hypnotic rhythms. Their constant touring with iconic bands such as The Clash and The Police helped to boost their popularity in the States. The English Beat disbanded in 1983, after their third album, "Special Beat Service". It was at this point that Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger recruited Stoker (drums) and Mickey Billingham (keyboards) of Dexy's Midnight Runners, Horace Panter (bass) of The Specials, and former Clash guitarist Mick Jones to formed General Public. Their first album, "...All The Rage", met with fantastic success, charting high in the U.S., U.K. and even winning the band a coveted Juno award in Canada for Best New Artist in 1984. After the second General Public Album, Dave and Roger went different directions to follow their own muses. Dave Wakeling continues to perform as The English Beat, touring back and forth across the States and beyond and playing countless gig from sea to shining sea. He loves re-connecting with his Beat and General Public fans and building a strong and loyal fan base that continues to love his songs and embrace the evolution of his music.