Ska Crowd Funding: Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers!

Rhoda Dakar demonstrating her moves.

Here's an interesting ska crowd funding project that we're planning to support! In recognition and celebration of The Bodysnatchers' 35th(!) anniversary (it's important to note that they were 2 Tone's only all-girl group), vocalist Rhoda Dakar is recording an album of unreleased and unheard Bodysnatchers material, most of which she wrote or co-wrote back in the day. (Dakar stresses that The Bodysnatchers are NOT reforming, this is her project in tribute to the band--think Rhoda Dakar sings The Bodysnatchers' unreleased songs.) If you're interested in funding this project, there are digital downloads, CDs, vinyl records, etc. available at various pledge levels--all the details are available on her PledgeMusic page.

Word from Sean Flowerdew via the Specials' fan site is that these songs will be recorded with a full band and produced in a manner that will attempt to be faithful to The Bodysnatchers' original sound. And when I checked in with Ms. Dakar, she confirmed with me that, indeed, the songs will be captured in the studio with a full band, but due to the tight deadline and availability of musicians she's asked to accompany her, she's understandably reluctant to announce who else may be involved in her project until the album is in the can.

Apart from two great singles ("Let's Do the Rocksteady" b/w "Ruder Than You"--which was co-written with Gaz Mayall before he became a Trojan--and "Easy Life" b/w "Too Experienced"), a track on the soundtrack to the 2 Tone film Dance Craze, and inclusion of these songs on various 2 Tone compilations, The Bodysnatchers didn't leave much recorded music behind after their break-up (of course, Rhoda went on to join The Special AKA, while other members went on to form the pop group the Belle Stars--and this band later begat the brilliant ska group The Deltones in the late 1980s). So, this is an amazing opportunity to see what might have been, had The Bodysnatchers soldiered on after the flame out of 2 Tone mania in the UK, instead of dissolving.

Also, if you're in the UK, Rhoda Dakar will be performing a one-off show of these songs at an "Invasion of The Bodysnatchers" gig at Camden Town’s legendary Jazz Cafe this coming Halloween.