The Selecter – Gangsters / The Selecter

Incorrectly lists The Specials on both sides as artist on the label.

it was some of the Specials and Noel Davis that did The Selecter in a shed!

Normally on a Festival pressing one would expect to find the original overseas catalogue number printed on the label under the MX matrix. The story is that the reason it does not appear here is that Festival were in such a hurry to release this single they didn't wait for the master to arrive from the UK and simply purchased a copy of the UK single from the Record Plant in Imperial Arcade in Sydney and mastered their own pressing from that.

Happy 40th birthday today to 2-tone records and one of the greatest debut singles ever , I always thought there were less quantities pressed of the initial rough trade distributed hand stamped sleeve than 5000?.

Those curious can gain a bit of information here: http://2-tone.info/2tone.pl?show96&
It's still not very clear which were the original 5,000 units without the hand stamped sleeve included. Seems they came in both solid and pop-out center versions.

1976 to 77- Jerry Dammers-Keyboard/drums/vocals, Horace Panter-Bass, Noel Davis-Guitar, Chuck Elliot-Guitar and 'H'- bass and drums. Record demo tapes of Jerrys songs.
July 77:: Band formed with Horace-Bass, Silverton Hutchinson-Drums, Lynval Golding-Guitar, Tim Strickland-Bass and Jerry-Keyboards, Oct 77: first gig at the Heath Hotel as the 'Automatics' ing Urban Blight, Certified, Wild Boys and Squad, organ wouldn't fit on stage so Jerry played in the audience facing the band. Nov 77: Horace persuaded to leave the band - Breaker, Lynval and Silverton leave 'Pharoahs kingdom'. Dec 77: Terry ex Squad s replacing Tim as lead singer, Pete Waterman takes band to London to record, fails to pay studio, tries to teach Terry to dance and is dismissed. Terrys debut was to the Sex Pistols at Mr Georges but blown out by Steve English and Roadent( roadies) who tell them to go away. Jan 78: Band residency at Mr George begins. Feb 78: Roddy ex Wlid Boys s as 2nd guitarist. March 78: Manager no.2 Chris Gilby ex Saints, changes name to Coventry Automatics, tries to get rid of Terry.Johnny Rotten sought as replacement.. meanwhile residency at Georges continues, band plays gigs ing Ultravox, Gen X, XTC and the Saints at the Marquee. April 78: Mr Georges closes, residency ends..Johnny Rotten turns down job, manager #2 moves back to Australia, manager #3 Mike Horseman starts dismal residency at Golden Eagle, Birmingham. Band The Clash at Barbarellas but Clash don't turn up. Band manages to avert riot. May 78: Dismal residency at Golden Eagle continues, band the Clash at Barbarellas. The Clash turn up. Band Sham 69 at Mayfair, Birmingham and introduce some classic old reggae and rocksteady numbers. Jerry meets Bernie Rhodes in London and they agree to the Clash for the beginning dates of their tour. Roddy, Horace and Terry pack in their day jobs.June 78: Clash tour begins, Clash persuade Bernie to let them do the whole tour. During this tour Neville (the roadie) s the group onstage and begins singing on a few numbers. July 78: Tour continues..lots of adventures etc August 78: Nothing happened Sept 78: Negotiations with Bernie Rhodes to be manager#4 contract is drawn up..lawyer advises band not to sign. Band is rehearsing at Railway Sidings Camden. Oct 78: Bernie arranges a gig in Paris, Silverton is sent home for having wrong port.Most of band hitch to Paris as van is too small. Then are thrown out of their hotel and guitars confiscated due to unpaid damages caused by the Damned who stayed there the week before, argument ensues between rival gangsters and eventually bill is paid and the band play. Dec 78: Brad replaces Silverton. Jan 79: with £2000 from Jimbo they decide to form their own label and record a single.. extracts from Jerry Dammers Diary.. all credits here to Alternative Sounds.

How exactly is this "numbered"? I see nothing on the sleeve or label.

i have a paper label copy with push out centre, TT1 side has in the run out written 2 Gangsters 5 TT2 side has TT2-1 cant find it listed can anyone help please thanks

I've just picked up a paper label version of this. A side Matrix is etched: CHS TT1/ [scratched out etching] A-1 NOEL. PRT. DAMONT B side Matrix is etched: CHS [scratched out etching] /TT2 B-2 DAMONT. Any ideas which version this is as I can't find it?

I have a TT1/TT2 The Special AKA copy that I bought on release. It looks black but is in fact is a deep red colour vinyl when you hold it up to the light. Anyone else got this?

the original does not fade out whereas the chrysalis re-press does.