Babylon Burner

April 15, 2023

The Two Tone label was introduced to me by a childminder in 1981 who would bring a box of records around and spend most of the night skanking around the back room and going to the corner shop next door.

One night he returned from the shop with a bloody nose and bust lip. He had been battered because of what he was wearing.

I didn't understand, being an 8 yr old, much about differences at this time and the social, racial and class battles that were being fought , but what happened to him was enough to get me both well irate and into his records. Pretty soon I was learning how to skank around the house and the correct angle to wear a pork pie.

As soon as I got my eye on the records I noticed the design, something clicked. I thought it was something to do with BMX'ing, I wasn't far off....

The designs were made by David Storey, who was art director at Chrysalis and his colleague John "Teflon" Sims, David handling pictures and John handling typography. Together they began producing work under the careful eye and instruction of Jerry Dammers who had set up the label in 1979 through Chrysalis and was the keyboardist in The Specials.

The checkerboard motif was lifted from some checkerboard tape on Jerry's bicycle (possibly a BMX?) and the iconic character that graced the sleeves in a tonic suit, pork pie hat, tie and loafers is based on an early picture of Peter Tosh. His name- Walter Jabsco, was taken from a vintage bowling shirt that Jerry owned. Jerry with a little assistance from Sir Horace Gentleman (Bass player in the Specials) designed the logo, ink and tippex.

Chalkie Davis (photographer for the NME) and his partner Carole Starr designed the first two album covers and production was overseen by Sims. From there on in Storey and Sims produced the majority of the Two Tone visual output up until the ceased operating in 1986.

Storey and Sims continued design for Fun Boy Three, made up of former members of the Specials Terry Hall (R.I.P) Neville Staples and Lynval Golding and for various bands including The Housemartins.

Years later I found out Storey was responsible for the layout and design for the Wild Style film soundtrack, the front cover featuring the iconic mural by Zephyr, Revolt and Sharp and photographed by Martha Cooper and Charlie Ahearn of Subway/Spraycan Art fame. For me the circle could not be more complete.

Jerry Dammers it became apparent was a massive collector of Library Records and played a lage part in the exemplary book- The Music Library: Graphic Art and Sound. His Dj sets are a true ear opener.

The cut and paste, hand drawn, physically laid out on a grid board technique and Sims' swiss style typographical approach as I got older and into designing proper has always stayed with me and those records stayed in my collection.

The main inspiration behind the bABYLØn BUrNeR shirt and shoes is this design-