The Selecter, a ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in the late… Read Full Bio ↴The Selecter, a ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in the late 1970s as one of the essential bands of the British ska movement. The profilic lead singer is Pauline Black. The Selecter are known for hits as 'On My Radio', 'Too Much Pressure', 'Missing Words', 'Three Minute Hero' and 'Celebrate The Bullet'. The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and the name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ.
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The Selecter are a British ska revival band from Coventry, formed in the late 1970s as one of the essential bands of the British ska movement.

Much of what set apart The Selecter from many of the other ska bands at the time was the voice of Pauline Black. She had to disguise herself as a man in order for the band to get gigs, but once they did, there was no disguising her voice. Like other ska bands of this movement, The Selecter featured a racially mixed line up, and songs about violence, politics, marijuana, a fictional spy's theme song, James Bond, and reggae classics. The name of the band is a reference to the Jamaican word for a music selecter, known elsewhere as the DJ. Also typical to the style is the mix of one vocalist singing, and the other toasting in a Jamaican style, a precursor to rapping.

The Selecter's first recording Too Much Pressure was recorded at the end of 1979 and beginning of 1980 and issued on the pre-eminent 2 Tone/Chrysalis label. Their second recording Celebrate the Bullet was issued in 1981. Though the band has continued to regroup and reform on and off, most of the many recordings available are recompiled selections from these first two albums, either live or studio recordings. The Selecter's first two albums are essential British ska recordings.

Pauline Black has been the singer in The Selecter since its formation in 1979 when the band spearheaded the Two Tone movement alongside The Specials releasing the singles "The Selecter", "Three Minute Hero", "The Whisper", "Missing Words" and "On My Radio" as well as two albums; "Too Much Pressure" and "Celebrate The Bullet". The Selecter were also featured in the cult film Dance Craze. The band split in 1982, Pauline carved out a career in TV and theatre, appearing in dramas like The Vice, The Bill, Hearts and Minds and 2000 Acres of Sky. She won the 1991 Time Out award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the play All or Nothing At All and starred next to Christopher Lee in the schlock horror film The Funny Man. She reformed The Selecter in 1991 and has released several new albums and has toured all over the world.

Nick Welsh is probably best known for being the bassist in The Selecter and formerly Bad Manners but he has worked with some of the biggest names in Ska and Reggae, Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken, Rico Rodriguez, Dave Barker and most recently Lee "Scratch" Perry with whom he received a Grammy Award Certificate for his work on the CD Jamaican ET which won The Best Reggae Category in 2002. Nick also writes music for TV which has been used world-wide on shows as diverse as WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), The Osbournes and even adverts for Ariel soap powder.

Neol Davies the founder and writer of the classic hits returns with a brand new band in 2010.

neoldaviesakatheselecter plays the mainstage at Bestival 2011 with new album and remixes.

Original line-up

Pauline Black : vocals
Compton Amanor: guitar
Charley Anderson: bass guitar
Charley Bembridge: drums
Desmond Brown: Hammond keyboard
Neol Davies: guitar
Arthur Hendrickson: vocals

Anderson and Brown left The Selecter in 1980. They were replaced by James Mackie: Hammond organ and Adam Williams: bass guitar

Reformed line-up: 1991

Pauline Black: vocals
Neol Davies: guitar
Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson - vocals
Martin Stewart: keyboards
Nick Welsh : bass
Perry Melius : drums

The Selecter 2010 lineup includes

Founder and songwriter Neol Davies- vocals/guitars
Lead Vocals- John Gibbons
Daniel Crosby- Drums
Andre Buyani- Bass
Tim Cansfield- Guitar
Victor Travino- Congas & Percussion
Dean Ross- Hammond Organ
Selecter Horns

Bombscare
The Selecter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I hear an urgent message
From a panicking voice
Start moving your feet
Get out into the street
There's been a bombscare

An unattended bag in the corridor
Looking innocent

But we're all unsure
There's been a bombscare

If this is a joke it's not funny to me
My heart clocks the seconds and my shoes are loose
Is someone out to get me
Or is someone making headlines for the 9 o'clock news

Bombscare

Girl in the office
Shoppers down in the street
Do you care, do I care
Now we're living in fear
There's been a bombscare

The unattending hand
Plays a bitter game
A faceless choice
Kill or maim
This is a bombscare

Whoever you are now you've gone too far
You're not fighting for them, you're not fighting for me
Shatter glass, shut us up, cut us up brick it up, break it down
Your good reasons mean nothing to me
Now you're scared

Automatic printout brings the numbers and news
Telephones are calling, but the lines are dead
Is it the IRA or the SAS
All you can do is stand and guess

Right in the east
And down in the west
People them a wonder
A who a the best
Lord, cho, let me tell you is a

Bombscare
For dis ya world is a bombscare

Overall Meaning

The Selecter's song "Bombscare" is a commentary on the fear and panic that ensues when there is a bomb scare. The lyrics describe the urgency of receiving a message about a bombscare and calls for people to start moving their feet and get out into the street. The uncertainty of whether the unattended bag in the corridor is innocent or not is palpable, and the fear and anxiety of the situation is described in great detail. The lyrics pose the question if this is a joke, is it funny?

The song suggests that whoever is responsible for the bom scare has gone too far, and that the reasons for their actions mean nothing. The lyrics describe how the fear and panic spread quickly and indiscriminately, affecting people in the office and shoppers in the street. The song highlights the horrors of living in fear, and the fact that anyone could be a victim of a bomb attack.

The lyrics of "Bombscare" speak to the issues of terrorism, fear, and panic, and how it affects ordinary people. The song serves as a reminder that terrorism affects everyone, regardless of background or status, and that the fear and panic that ensue are real and tangible.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear an urgent message
There is a message that requires immediate attention

From a panicking voice
The message is being delivered by someone who is frantic

Start moving your feet
Take action and move out of the area immediately

Get out into the street
Exit the building and gather outside in a safe location

There's been a bombscare
There is an unconfirmed report of a bomb threat in the vicinity

An unattended bag in the corridor
An unidentified bag has been left unattended in the hallway

Looking innocent
The bag appears to be harmless

But we're all unsure
Despite the bag appearing harmless, everyone is still concerned because of the potential danger it could pose

If this is a joke it's not funny to me
This situation is not amusing, especially considering the potential danger of a bomb threat

My heart clocks the seconds and my shoes are loose
The person is feeling a sense of panic and is aware of the passing time

Is someone out to get me
The person is afraid that someone is targeting them specifically

Or is someone making headlines for the 9 o'clock news
The person is unsure if this is a serious threat or if it is a publicity stunt for media attention

Girl in the office
There is a woman working in the building who is affected by the bomb threat

Shoppers down in the street
People who are out shopping are also at risk of danger from the bomb threat

Do you care, do I care
The question is posed whether anyone cares about the potential danger posed by the bomb threat

Now we're living in fear
The situation has caused people to remain scared and worried

The unattending hand
The person behind the bomb threat is hidden and unknown

Plays a bitter game
The person behind the bomb threat is engaging in a dangerous and harmful game

A faceless choice
The person behind the bomb threat has chosen to remain anonymous and faceless

Kill or maim
The bomb threat could cause serious injury or death

This is a bombscare
The situation is a cause for alarm and concern

Whoever you are now you've gone too far
The person behind the bomb threat has taken things too far and has caused fear and panic

You're not fighting for them, you're not fighting for me
The person behind the bomb threat is not fighting for a just cause, but instead is only causing chaos and harm

Shatter glass, shut us up, cut us up brick it up, break it down
The potential damage and destruction from the bomb threat is immense and could cause significant harm

Your good reasons mean nothing to me
The reasons behind the bomb threat are irrelevant and unacceptable to the person affected by it

Now you're scared
The perpetrator behind the bomb threat is now feeling the fear and panic they caused in others

Automatic printout brings the numbers and news
The news outlets have started to report on the bomb threat, sharing information with the public

Telephones are calling, but the lines are dead
People are trying to communicate with each other, but are experiencing difficulty due to the chaos and confusion caused by the bomb threat

Is it the IRA or the SAS
People are speculating who could be behind the bomb threat, whether it be a terrorist group or the military

All you can do is stand and guess
The situation is uncertain and people are left to wonder and guess about what will happen next

Right in the east
There are bomb threats happening in the eastern part of the city

And down in the west
There are also bomb threats happening in the western part of the city

People them a wonder
People are questioning and wondering about the cause of the bomb threats

A who a the best
People are trying to determine who is responsible for the bomb threats

Lord, cho, let me tell you is a
People are acknowledging that this situation is serious and a cause for alarm

Bombscare
The situation involving the bomb threats is frightening and dangerous for everyone involved

Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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