19 September 2022
Newsdesk
On 11 November Chrysalis Records will release a Deluxe Edition of The Selecter’s second album, Celebrate The Bullet.
The Selecters’s second album, Celebrate The Bullet was originally released in February 1981 as the follow up to the successful 2 Tone debut album Too Much Pressure and the hit singles ‘On My Radio’, ‘Three Minute Hero’ and ‘Missing Words’.
Switching labels to Chrysalis Records, the band returned to ‘On My Radio’ producer Roger Lomas, moving into to a more melodic slower pace, whilst keeping their lyrical commentary on racial and social issues. With original members Desmond Brown and Charley Anderson departing before the recording began, vocalists Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, guitarists Noel Davies and Compton Amanor, and drummer Charlie ‘H’ Bembridge were initially joined by Norman Watt-Ray (Ian Dury and The Blockheads) on bass – playing on the title track and ‘Washed Up and Left For Dead’ - before new members James Mackie (keyboards, Hammond organ, saxophone) and Adam Williams (bass) joined to complete the recording.
Due to unfortunate timing of the original release, the title of this album was misunderstood because of the then recent murder of John Lennon and an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Regan. This meant radio stations didn’t support the single or album and the release was largely ignored.
Now, over 40 years later, this remastered, deluxe reissue allows this forgotten classic from the 2 Tone-era to be reassessed.
Pauline Black, who was recently awarded an OBE in 2022, and the band will be touring in November 2022 and into 2023 performing the album in full along with selections of their previous album.
