Rude Boy George (
www.rudeboygeorge.com) is a NYC-based band that performs ska, rocksteady, and reggae versions of 80s new wave and post-punk classics.
Love and Dancing is the second collection of 80's new wave tracks that the band has recorded in a ska and reggae style. Instead of releasing all the songs together as an album, the band will be releasing a song and video every other month over 2016 and 2017 with a goal of having 12 songs compiled in the collection by the middle of 2017.
The album is called "Love and Dancing" because the songs the band has recorded so far are all about the ups and downs of love and the joys of dancing. It also pays homage to the Human League who had a side project called The League Unlimited Orchestra and released a remix of their "Dare" album with that title in the early 80's.
The first release from the album in April 2016 is a punky ska/new wave version of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" which itself was a cover of the 1960's northern soul classic recorded by Gloria Jones.
The second release from the album in May 2016 is a 2-Tone/reggae version of The Cure's 1985 UK hit "Close To Me" from their studio album "The Head on The Door."
The third release from the album in June 2016 is a bouncy reggae version of Wang Chung's "Dance Hall Days" which was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1984.
The fourth release from the album in July 2016 is a 2-Tone/ska version of Kim Wilde's "Kids In America" from 1981which went to #2 in the UK charts and was very popular in the U.S.
The fifth release from the album in September 2016 is an 80's new wave version of Bob Marley's reggae classic "Iron Lion Zion" was written and recorded in April 1973 by Bob Marley. It was first released posthumously in September 1992 reaching number 5 in the UK Singles Chart. The song is available for purchase on Specialized Records. All proceeds benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK.
www.specializedproject.co.uk/shop/
The sixth release from the album in November 2016 is a ska version of the Howard Jones classic "Things Can Only Get Better" released in 1985 reaching #6 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The seventh release from the album in April 2017 is a new wave meets reggae version of Blondie's "Atomic" released in 1980 became the band's third number one in the UK Singles Chart, where it held the top spot for two weeks. It also reached the Top 40 in the US in Spring 1980.
The eighth release from the album in September 2017 is a 2-Tone ska meets new wave version of The Jam's "Town Called Malice" released in 1982. It debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart in February 1982.
The song is available for purchase on Specialized Records. All proceeds benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK.
www.specializedproject.co.uk/shop/
Check out videos for tracks here:
Tainted Love:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgenDdVPhLY
Close To Me:
youtu.be/C-P3hTCrRiM
Wang Chung:
youtu.be/uJsEhM4_2U4
Kids In America:
youtu.be/NYSHeyKA3gc
Iron Lion Zion:
youtu.be/sIi9p9_FfkQ
Things Can Only Get Better:
youtu.be/Jsc9mUOyK8c
Atomic:
youtu.be/VysRRBVdUes
Town Called Malice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D82dth-YmqM&feature=youtu.be