English Beat Cope With Death and Aging on Upcoming Albums

Dave Wakeling's shower nozzle won't get credit for a new English Beat song, even though he admits it played a significant part in the songwriting process.

"They clog up and become more of a pain than useful, but I enjoyed one of those tropical rain storm shower heads," Wakeling tells Spinner. "I was sitting under this, and I started hearing this song. I thought it was somebody outside the bathroom, someone in the family blasting something. I got out of the shower to listen to what it was, and the music stopped. Quickly, I jumped back in the shower and there was the song again."

With a rhythm and melody in place thanks to the sounds of his shower, Wakeling -- who often writes in the bathroom -- added lyrics inspired by his late mother.

"It was really inspired by the death of my mom and me and my sister talking about how we could still feel a sense of my mom even though we weren't talking about her in terms of ectoplasm," he says. "We came to the conclusion that it was the love we shared for her."

The song that resulted, 'The Love You Give Lasts Forever,' is one of 21 new songs Wakeling has written for the English Beat. The ska band put out three influential albums in the '80s before splitting, when separate members formed General Public and the Fine Young Cannibals. After General Public, Wakeling worked for Greenpeace for five years before returning to a reconfigured English Beat. While he's been touring with the old songs, Wakeling has also been performing new tunes.

"I've got enough songs now for two great albums," he says. "But I don't know what you do with albums." He supposes some will be available on iTunes or maybe as a free download for those attending shows.

"We'll end up with some songs on film and some songs on TV shows," says Wakeling, who has had success with licensing in the past. "I guess we'll end up with songs for sale or available one way or another."

While he's not sure if the shower nozzle can repeat its karma, songs like 'The Love You Give Lasts Forever' will likely resonate with his fans from the '80s.

"My original fans in their 40s and 50s are dealing with the deaths of their parents and, in some cases, their own deaths or their own terminal illnesses," he says. "We're having some beautiful and, sadly, final conversations with people who have been listening to my songs for 30 years."