General Public “All the Rage” 1984, the ska/funk-infused new wave supergroup’s debut, formed after the breakup of The (English) Beat by Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger. Filed under things I didn’t know but really should have: Mick Jones from The Clash was in the original lineup but left the band during the recording of All the Rage (replaced by guitarist Kevin White). Dexys Midnight Runner’s Mickey Billingham (keyboards) and the Specials’ Horace Parker (bass) were also part of General Public.

All the Rage, the band’s first LP, went to #26 in the US, propelled by their hit single “Tenderness” (#27 US, #95 UK); I loved this song back in ’84. It appeared in two iconic 80’s films: Sixteen Candles and Weird Science, giving it broad exposure though I do remember it getting heavy rotation on MTV. Mick Jones plays guitar on that track. General Public released three other singles from All the Rage: “General Public,” “Never You Done That” and “Hot You’re Cool.”

We saw Dave Wakeling play live most recently this past April at Turner Hall in Milwaukee as part of The (English) Beat (totally revamped of course, I’m pretty Wakeling was the only original member of the band playing). Besides Beat songs, they performed two songs from All The Rage, “Tenderness,” of course, and “Never You Done That.”