Coventry Music Atlas, by Pete Chambers
It’s 40 years of 2-Tone and the visitors are coming in.
They want to know where Horizon Studios was located, and the actual spot where reggae legend Desmond Dekker stood at the Canal Basin.
Moving on to 2021 and The City of Culture, more visitors might ask: ‘Where was Delia Derbyshire born? Where did The Beatles stay when they played in Coventry and did Norwegian trio A-ha really play a gig in Keresley?’
If only there was some sort of book that addressed such issues.
Well now there is. I’m happy to say that The Coventry Music Atlas launches at The Coventry Music Museum this Saturday. I will be signing copies of this mega-colourful publication from 11am to 2pm.
Designed for 2019 and the 40 Years of 2-Tone and for 2021 The City of Culture, this guide to Coventry music and its locations gives a musical insight to Coventry’s heartbeat like never before. I’m proud to have written it.
The A5 size full colour publication takes you on the famous 2-Tone Trail, the places that were pertinent in the creation of this infectious Coventry music , where The Specials and The Selecter played, rehearsed and created some of those iconic photos.
Of course there is much more to Coventry’s music than just Ska, and half the book is dedicated to various tours of the city.
The Delian Way is the life and career of Delia Derbyshire, including some never-before-seen photos of the electronic music pioneer as a child.
The Enemy trail is here, as is the Beatles Coventry, Coventry’s Musical Mile and the Godiva Rocks Music Tour I created for 2012 and the Olympic Games.
Various areas of the city (from Binley to Wood End) are explored giving musical trivia of what happened in those districts and who lived there.
There are maps to follow and pronunciations to master for out-of -towners.
It’s a fascinating guide to a city that is coming like a host town.
The foreword (Foreword or as we like to call it the ‘FORWARD’, a little play on words there) is by Original Rude Boy Neville Staple and the publication sponsored by CNS Sport, Music Heritage UK, Kevin Holloway and Dean Eastment.
The Atlas includes the following sections, The 2-Tone Trail, The Delian Way, The Enemy’s Coventry, The Coventry Rocks Musical Tour, The Beatles Sent To Coventry Tour, Coventry’s Music Mile, Discovering The Areas of Coventry.
All this for just £5.
