Let’s do
Rocksteady was our take on Dandy Livingstone’s People Get Ready- Let’s do Rocksteady first released in 1969.
We played it at a faster pace than the original and 2Tone/ Chrysalis wanted
it for the first single though some of us were discussing whether to release
The Boiler. However the powers that be in 2Tone/ Chrysalis felt The Boiler was
too challenging for the public so against our feeling and the
fact that The Boiler was self-penned and not a cover we agreed to record Let’s Do Rocksteady.
I / we had no
say whatsoever in the recording or production of this song . I recall it took
26 takes as we were encouraged to constantly speed up our playing and to play
it tighter than we were used to . It was also mixed to sound
as commercial as possible and ’ good ‘ on the radio, I feel already losing credibility
or authenticity .
However I am genuinely complemented and slightly taken aback when I hear recent ska bands cover The Bodysnatchers' version .
