Too Much Too Young: The Story of 2 Tone Records

In Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story, award-winning author Daniel Rachel chronicles the soundtrack of a generation.

A Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year, the book is the definitive account of one of the most influential and innovative musical movements in British history: a multi-racial force of British and Caribbean island musicians singing about social issues, racism, class and gender struggles.

At the forefront of that movement was Pauline Black’s band The Selecter, who exploded onto the scene in 1979 with their iconic frontwoman, one of the few women in the 2 Tone scene.

Using the book, images and footage from the time, along with their own recollections, our three speakers will reflect on the impact of 2 Tone and its resonance today.

Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed presents Newswatch on BBC1 and Front Row on Radio 4, where she regularly interviews rock and pop musicians. She grew up in south London in the 1970s and 1980s with a passion for pop music.

Daniel Rachel is a Birmingham-born, best-selling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge and Don’t Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia.

Pauline Black is a key figure in the music community, as well as an author, actor and style icon, and was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours list.

Mark Bedford is the bass player and founder member of the band Madness. He made his first record with the band when he was 17 years old and went on his first tour when was barely 18. That tour was the 2 Tone tour. He continues to record and tour the world with Madness. Their work has brought them two Ivor Novello Awards, a Silver Clef Award and an Olivier Award. Their latest studio album, Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est la Vie, reached number one in November 2023.