The day the 1970s died
The 1970s were a stormy decade in politics and music and Tony McMahon sets out to find how the 1970s died

The 1970s were a stormy decade in politics and music and Tony McMahon sets out to find how the 1970s died
Missing Words – The Selecter and Pauline Black
Walk down Oxford Street today and it’s impossible to avoid glimpsing the ever present influence of 2Tone whether it’s the black and white check patterns, porkpie hats, tonic suits, etc, etc. The style pioneered by The Specials, The Selecter and The Beat has proved to be timeless. Don’t believe me – look at these images…
Backstage passes for gigs by The Specials from 1979 to 1981
1981 saw a riot in Coventry after the murder of Asian teenager Satnam Singh Gill that led to The Specials putting on a unity gig in the city
Four Coventry black British heroes of the late 1970s and early 1980s should be immortalised argues author Tony McMahon
1981 was a great year for movies and TV historian Tony McMahon picks out the best five and why he thinks you should view them
1981 saw a riot in Coventry over racism attended by boxer Errol Christie while The Specials played a gig of unity at The Butts stadium
Being young, black and British in 1970s Coventry was tough but Neville Staple and Errol Christie escaped from the Ghost Town