The book “Rude Girls: Women in 2 Tone and One Step Beyond” written by ska music historian Heather Augustyn, will be released on March 8, 2023, to coincide with International Women’s Day.
The book, published by Sally Brown Publishing, contains over 50 interviews with women involved in ska bands from the late 1970s to the 1980s.
“Rude Girls: Women in 2 Tone and One Step Beyond” focuses on the personal stories and experiences of women vocalists, musicians, composers, and managers in the 2 Tone era of ska (British ska, a mix of Jamaican ska and new wave pop) music scene, highlighting their struggles and empowerment.
“Women’s voices have been largely silent, until now,” said Augustyn, “and when women hear their stories, they begin to see themselves in their lives. These women made space for the rest of us. They are incredibly inspiring, funny, and powerful.”
The book features interviews with members of famous ska bands like The Selecter, The Specials, and The Beat, as well as lesser-known bands. Augustyn has previously published 8 books on ska music including Ska: An Oral History, McFarland 2010; Ska: The Rhythm of Liberation, Rowman & Littlefield, 2013; and Pioneering Women in Jamaican Music, McFarland, 2020. Furthermore, Heather Augustynwrote the award-winning documentary Pick It Up! Ska in the ’90s from Pop Motion Pictures.
Heather Augustyn is an English professor at Purdue University Northwest, where she teaches composition and the popular course, “Catch A Fire: Bob Marley’s Lyrics and Life.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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