After rough trade did the second pressing of Gangsters, things really started to happen! The pub gig's were fuller and when we supported other bands we usually won.
Other pop stars started coming to our gig's in London pubs - The Pretenders, Elvis Costello etc to name but a few.
Then finally the record labels! But General Dammers wanted more, a label, with it's own identity. They all seemed interested in the latest thing? Even Mick Jagger asked us to sign to rolling stone records. But none of them seemed keen on signing an independent label.
Finally chrysalis records agreed to Jerry's Two Tone record label, and things started to move incredibly fast. Gangsters was re-released on Two Tone/Chrysalis, and it seemed everyone was forming ska based bands!
Friends I'd known for years suddenly cut their hair and started wearing tonic suits ( ahhh! the smell of money £$ ). By this time I'd also become a ska convert and would buy anything blue beat or remotely skankie.
On these early records was the legendary trombone player, Rico Rodriguez who had recently played with another reggae punk outfit The Members.
Jerry asked him to feature on a cover we had started playing called "A Message To You Rudy" - I think he'd played on the original! Rico and his sideman Dick Cuthell became our brass section, adding a touch of class to our punky ska
We all had great respect for Rico and Dick, and Rico became our mentor - godfather.