General Public
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
With both Wakeling and Roger unable to agree on a musical direction, General Public split up shortly thereafter. Roger issued a solo debut in 1988, the more ska-based Radical Departure, while Wakeling contributed the title track to John Hughes 1988 film Shes Having a Baby and issued a solo album as well, 1991s General Public-esque No Warning. Roger would go on to form another outfit, Special Beat, which included musicians from the late-70s English ska scene, but in 1994, Roger and Wakeling were asked to reunite General Public for a track on the Threesome motion picture soundtrack. A UB40-like interpretation of the Staple Singers Ill Take You There was offered and became a surprise Top 40 hit. The duo remained together for a third General Public studio album, 1995s Rub It Better (produced by former Talking Heads keyboardist/guitarist Jerry Harrison), but when it sunk from sight upon release, the band split up once more. 2002 saw the release of the duos first best-of collection, the 12-track Classic Masters.
