The Heels

Tagged with: Ska Reggae The Heels Birmingham The Beat The English Beat The Specials Neville Staples Skatalites

The Heels are an 8-piece ska and reggae band from Birmingham, UK

The following is taken from their myspace site: www.myspace.com/theheelsska -

“The Heels have had a wholesome refit and made themselves ultra comfortable;
They've been rebooted, reformed and revamped,
Resoled and renewed over the hard Winter
and are now back in a new t-shirt
with our logo on for all you Heels fans!

Having toured the UK with The Beat and
Neville Staples (of The Specials), we played at
Shambala and Leamington Peace Festival last year and are set to keep on skanking...

Currently learning new material - going back to the original
masters of Jamaican Ska for inspiration - with some added Ska Latino! We take our influences from The Skatalites, Studio One and Trojan Records,  Ska Cubano, Jazz Jamaica, Prince Buster, Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, and Duke Reid etc for “that” sound. Then add a little Yeska, Don Drummond, Rico Rodriguez, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Ernest Ranglin etc and you're getting there… It’s that authentic 1960’s “ya-ya” music . . . you get the idea!

They recorded a new album "Mentally Ska'd" (released Spring 2010; available on iTunes or via the band) with tracks such as Skalloween, Armagideon Time, Man In The Street, Christine Keeler, Skaravan, Coconut Rock, Rockford Rock, Baby Face, Death Rides a Horse, Shot In the Dark, Phoenix City, Al Capone, etc.

"we borrowed an empty warehouse space, built a recording studio, recorded 16 tracks, and took everything apart, all in a weekend.  We're going for a crusty old Studio One sound, but still keeping everything sounding crystal clear. Impossible? Maybe... we're going to find out."

Watch out - The Heels are Back!  

Clicking and Stomping their way to a venue near you . . .  

We are now leaner, fitter and hungrier than ever!  

You've Been Warned - Get Yerselves Heeled!

 

Reviews of The Heels:

"Great Birmingham Ska band who have toured with The Beat.  Great musicianship, a tight horn section and funk influences give them an edge over most ska bands, recommended."

(Review by Jibbering Records/Shambala)

"The Heels took to the stage and I was impressed; the tight twin saxes (alto/tenor) buzzed up the crowd and the harmonies were amazing with pounding reggae basslines and a sharp man on 6 strings playing all styles from Jazzy Ska to South African/Senegalese guitar picking - it really got things going."

(Review by The Cracked Actors).

"Fat horn ska band."

(Surge Music/Ryan's Gig Guide)

"The Heels are Mentally Ska'd as the track of the same title suggests. Think epic horns... think dub bass, latino guitar, skanking keys and rock steady drumming. Think musical tourettes. This is The Heels."

(Skiddle)

"Awesome Brummie Ska Band!" 

(Moon Buggy)

Albums by this Artist

Management Details

Contact the band for bookings via their Myspace site www.myspace.com/theheelsska

Alternatively via their Facebook site www.facebook.com