I Just Can’t Stop It…My Life In The Beat Ranking Roger

Roger Charlery was born in 1963  in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, to parents originally from St Lucia in the Caribbean. Named after  the iconic film star Roger Moore young Roger was  brought up  in tough circumstances by his single parent Mum. A self confessed naughty boy, in trouble at  home and at school he went on to become one of the  best known faces of the  new music scene that emerged in the late 70’s when British kids began to  properly discover reggae and ska music and find ways to give it a contemporary lift that reflected the tough times of Margaret Thatcher’s Tory Britain.

Roger’s own  impact on the scene seems to have been lacking in any great vision or master plan but achieved through sheer force of his personality. From a young age he would stand out as a black punk rocker, in bondage trousers, leather jacket and  bleached hair. This was at a time when the racist National Front were very active in many towns and cities including Birmingham. Everyday life for many black youths was tough. Roger seems to have had winning ways and  he was  able to have  navigated any race and culture clashes by a combination of  defiance, good nature and humour.

A regular on the punk scene, as new bands began to experiment, adding a twist to old ska and rocksteady records Roger was well placed to embrace the new combinations that were emerging. He began by Toasting - adding  lyrics over the top of punk records. Quick witted, sharp of tongue and certainly different looking, he became a well known face around this new scene. Eventually he was doing what he did best: jumping on stage with bands, adding his own rhythmic commentary, bringing a blast of Caribbean sound system culture into predominantly white punk spaces. Renamed and restyled as Ranking Roger he soon caught attention adding his own unique lyrics over the top of  of DJs and local bands, bringing  a very upbeat and joyful opposite to the heavier and more serious side of many of the bands and records of the time. His talent on the mic was  noted by many but he was a natural fit for a local Brummie band The Beat and quickly became an indispensable part of the group and subsequent manifestations of it for the next 40 years.

This autobiography is written in Roger’s chatty, friendly style and provides a very honest account of the time. A great read and also  something of a tribute to The Beat, easily one of the  best bands to come out of the period. Recommended.