FM
Biography
Ranking Roger (b. 21 February 1961), born Roger Charlery in Birmingham, is an English musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s two-tone band, The Beat (known in the U.S. as The English Beat) and one of its successor bands, General Public. He leads a re-formed Beat line-up.
Roger became a punk rock fan as a teenager and joined ska revival pioneers the Beat in the late 1970s. He had appeared on stage toasting and singing with them many times before officially joining the band. His energetic style and Jamaican-influenced vocals, paired with Dave Wakeling, were crucial in distinguishing the band from the other second-wave ska bands. The Beat released three albums: the critically-acclaimed and seminal I Just Can't Stop It (1980), Wha'ppen (1981) and Special Beat Service (1982).
