Musical Youth are in the elite of veteran British reggae bands. They are best known for their 1982 worldwide hit Pass the Dutchie which took the top spot over most of Europe and went top 10 in the USA.
The group was formed in 1979 when two sets of brothers, Kelvin and Michael Grant, and Junior and Patrick Waite, linked up alongside the latter pair’s father, Frederic Waite Sr. Musical Youth grew and managed to secure gigs at different Birmingham pubs, releasing a double single in 1981, including the songs Generals and Political, on a local record label.
An appearance on John Peel’s show on BBC Radio 1 brought further attention to the group, and they were signed to MCA Records. By that time, founding father Frederick Waite had backed down, to be replaced by Dennis Seaton as lead singer.
Pass the Dutchie went to number 1 in the UK singles chart in October 1982 before going on to sell over four million copies and was nominated for a Grammy Award. A top 10 placing also followed in the Billboard Hot 100 chart while the accompanying video made them the first black artists to be played on MTV.
They went on to have hits with songs such as Never Gonna Give You Up, Whatcha Talkin ‘Bout, Youth Of Today, She’s Trouble, 007, Sixteen and Tell Me Why. They honed a memorable style, with their roots in reggae and their vocals uplifting and fun. This famous band certainly shook up the reggae world in the 80s.
Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant continue to perform as Musical Youth now and are among the most popular reggae singers currently working the entertainment circuit. Their vocal talent, stage presence and charisma has seen them on a journey through the pop and reggae spheres. The duo brings back the same boundless energy that they were renowned for and can play with a full live band. They have recently taken to the stage at Bestival, Godiva and the Absolute 80s Weekender at Butlins.
Recently releasing a new series of EPs that feature some of the biggest hits from the reggae genre, Musical Youth remain popular with both their original fans and newcomers to the reggae scene.
