Neville Staple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neville Staple
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Neville Staple (Dundee Doghouse, 2007)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Neville Eugenton Staple |
| Born | 11 April 1955 Manchester Parish, Jamaica |
| Origin | Coventry, England |
| Genres | 2 Tone, ska, new wave |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, percussion, trumpet |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | 2 Tone, Chrysalis, Cleopatra |
| Associated acts | The Specials Fun Boy Three The Neville Staple Band Special Beat |
Neville Eugenton Staple (born April 11, 1955) is a famous singer from England, originally from Jamaica. He is well-known for his work with the 2 Tone ska band The Specials, and the pop group Fun Boy Three. He also performs with his own group, the Neville Staple Band. Sometimes, people call him Neville Staples.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Neville Staple was born in Manchester, Jamaica. When he was five years old, he moved to England, first living in Rugby, Warwickshire, and later in Coventry.
In the 1970s, Neville became skilled at "toasting." This is a style of chanting or speaking rhythmically over music, similar to early rapping. He practiced this skill in Coventry's "sound system" scene. He started with his cousin's "Messenger Sound" and later created his own system called "Jah Baddis."
Music Career Highlights
Joining The Specials
Neville Staple first joined The Specials when they were called the Coventry Automatics. He started as their roadie, helping with equipment. Soon, he joined the band on stage during a concert where they opened for The Clash.
In The Specials, Neville often sang lead vocals on some songs. He also provided extra and backing vocals alongside the main singer, Terry Hall. He helped write many of their songs.
Forming Fun Boy Three
After The Specials first broke up, Neville Staple, Terry Hall, and Lynval Golding formed a new band called Fun Boy Three. This group had many popular songs, including some collaborations with the all-female trio Bananarama.
Ska's "Third Wave"
In 1990, Neville teamed up with Ranking Roger from the band The Beat to create Special Beat. This group played hits from both The Specials and The Beat. This happened because ska music became very popular in the United States, a period known as the "Third Wave" of ska.
Neville moved to California in the 1990s to work with many American ska and punk bands. These included famous groups like No Doubt and Rancid. He also appeared on a song called "Explosive" by the Canadian ska band The Planet Smashers.
Neville Staple was part of The Specials' reunion tours from 1993 to 2001, and again from 2009 to 2012. He later left the band due to personal reasons and some health concerns.
Solo Music Journey
The Neville Staple Band
Neville Staple has toured the UK, Europe, and other parts of the world with his own group, the Neville Staple Band, since 2004. He also performed with Ranking Roger and Pauline Black as Special Beat and Legends of Ska.
In 2004, Neville returned to the UK and officially formed the Neville Staple Band. They released an album called The Rude Boy Returns. This album featured talented musicians like Mick Jones from The Clash and Rat Scabies from The Damned.
His Life Story
In April 2009, Neville Staple released his biography, a book about his life called Original Rude Boy. The book shares stories about his childhood in Jamaica and his early days in the 1970s sound system scene. It also covers his time with The Specials and Fun Boy Three.
Recent Music and Collaborations
Neville Staple continues to make music and collaborate with other artists. In May 2014, his band released the album Ska Crazy. This album included classic ska covers and new songs. His wife, Christine Staple, and his friend Daddy Woody also sang on the album.
Neville has worked with many other artists and bands, including The Mutants, Dub Pistols, and Save Ferris. In 2015, he produced his wife Christine's music, and she began performing with the Neville Staple Band.
In February 2017, he released Return of Judge Roughneck & Dub Specials. This album was co-produced with his wife Christine, who also co-writes songs with him. The album brought back his famous Judge Roughneck character, first heard on The Specials' first album.
In 2018, Neville and his wife Christine Sugary Staple released another album together called Rude Rebels. It included collaborations with his former Specials bandmate Roddy "Radiation" Byers.
Neville Staple toured with his band to celebrate "40 Years of Ghost Town," a famous song by The Specials. The Neville Staple Band currently includes Christine "Sugary" Staple on vocals, Drew Stanshall on saxophone, Matty "Bingo" Bane on drums, Stephen "Sledge" Armstrong on bass, Billy Shinbone on guitar, Joe Atkinson on keyboards, and Pete New on trombone.
In January 2024, Neville Staple announced that he has a serious heart condition. Because of this, he has had to cancel all his future live performances.
Solo Discography
Albums
- 1994 – Skanktastic (Moon Records)
- 2000 – Ghost Town: 13 Hits of the Specials and Fun Boy Three (Anagram – Cherry Red Records)
- 2001 – Neville Staple from the Specials (525 Music Production)
- 2002 – Ska Au Go-Go (as "Special Skank Ft. Neville Staple") (Cleopatra)
- 2004 – The Rude Boy Returns (Rude Boy Records)
- 2005 – The Rude Boy Returns: Neville Staple Live (DVD) (Asian Man Records)
- 2006 - The Specials: Greatest Hits (Fantastic Price Records)
- 2014 – Ska Crazy (Cleopatra)
- 2017 - Return of Judge Roughneck & Dub Specials (Cleopatra)
- 2018 - Rude Rebels (as "Neville & Sugary Staple Featuring Roddy Radiation") (Cleopatra)
- 2021 - From the Specials & Beyond (Cleopatra)
