Music Video: Neville Staple – “Roadblock”
Media | Apr 30th, 2014
Neville Staple left The Specials last year because of his health but also to continuing working on his solo band. He’s got a new album coming out and just premiered a new music video for a song called “Roadblock.” His new album, Ska Crazy!, will be out on May 13th via Cleopatra Records. The album has covers on it as well as some originals! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album by Mr Staple. Pre-order the CD or vinyl on Amazon or get the digital album on iTunes.
The Original Rude Boy returns! Neville Staple, charismatic vocalist/toaster for one of the most celebrated 2 Tone ska bands ever, The Specials, reclaims his place in the spotlight with a triumphant new album to be released on Cleopatra Records on May 13. Entitled Ska Crazy!, the album features phenomenal cover versions of ska/reggae classics by Prince Buster (“Time Longer Than Rope”), The Slickers (“Johnny Too Bad”), and Max Romeo (“Wet Dream”) plus brand new compositions including “Rude Boy Returns,” “Girl,” and the gritty single “Roadblock,” which will make its worldwide debut in a professionally shot music video that premieres on the syndicated music/pop culture webzine Something Else! this coming Monday, April 28.
From the cinematic opening scenes of urban decay filmed in Neville’s hometown Coventry, England, the video bristles with tension as the song’s melodic hook, a killer horn-guitar combo riff, pulsates over shots of graffiti walls and CCTV cameras, like the title sequence to a lost season of The Wire. The dramatic plot of the video, a drug deal that erupts in violence, unfolds as Neville and fellow toaster Daddy Woody act as a Greek chorus warning against youthful hubris. Director Joseph Wallace comments, “I wanted to film a video that approached the subject of street crime seriously, yet still very much retaining the relaxed mood and chilled tone of the music. I wanted Neville walking through Coventry’s cold, empty streets at night singing to the camera as though almost preaching his message; weaving in and out of the narrative itself and blurring the line between performance and social issues.” The video was produced by Rawline Entertainment.
Staple enthuses about the album, “I am so pleased and proud to have put this album together as it includes some old time classic favourites, which I grew up with and which I have added some ‘original rudeboy’ flavour to. My current band are brilliant and they put a lot of time into creating that authentic Jamaican sound with me, that you will hear in the tracks, as well as helping me with the creation of brand new material. You will also hear a lot of vocals from my wife Christine and my good friend and Jamaican DJ artist, Daddy Woody. I hope you all love it as much as I do and I’m dedicating the album to Jerry Dammers and my cousin Alvin who helped me on the way to a career in music.