The records of my life by Antonee First Class from The Family Business LTD

In addition to being a member of the British band The (English) Beat, Antonee First Class is one of the members of that supergroup that just debuted with the namesake “The Family Business LTD” (Hellcat/(PIAS), 26), a vibrant ska treatise.

And we can’t think of any other way to define a group formed by Antonee, Samuel Preston (The Ordinary Boys), Jordan Carty (RAT BOY) and that tandem that makes up Jesse Michaels (Operation Ivy) and Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy and, of course, Rancid). Taking advantage of the occasion, we asked him about the six albums that have served as inspiration in this project that brings together members from the United Kingdom and the United States under the same musical banner.

Rancid “…And Out Come The Wolves” (1995)
For me, Rancid They’re like The Clash or the Sex Pistols. They burst in with a raw sound and made people realize that they could do it too under their own rules and without apologizing for it.

The Specials – “The Specials” (1979)
The Specials They were a movement. You have to include all the other bands in the 2-Tone genre that helped create it. I’m talking about The Beat, The Selecter, Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers, Madness… We are all in the same boat and we must move forward collectively. Lyrics, unity and musical quality…

Militant Barry – “Green Valley” (1979)
Because Militant Barry (Barrington Dunn) was my father, because Keith Hudson produced it and because it included the song “Pistol Boy,” which is about Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols.

Tappa Zukie – “MPLA” (1976)
Tappa Zukieproducer, composer and artist. He inspired Patti Smith, who took him as a guest artist around the UK before reggae artists had mainstream exposure.

Bad Brains – “Rock for Light” (1983)
Four guys from DC who gave a new face to punk rock by mixing reggae and immersing it in the center of a chaos unprecedented until then. They changed the idea that anyone could have of punk and hardcore, in addition to opening the door for others to take new paths.

Bob Marley – Any album of yours
I’m sorry, but I can’t choose just one of your albums. I have to keep the entire catalog. Musician, poet, rastaman… he brought love, hope, political sense, without commitment while making you dance and feel his music. The introduction to punk came with his visit to London in the seventies through the legendary Don Letts. The Punky Reggae Party was born…