PAULINE Black was arguably the most influential woman on the male-dominated 2-Tone music scene.

Renowned for reflecting the social and political issues of the 1980s and giving a voice to disaffected youth across the racial divide through their mad-cap fusion of punk, ska and reggae, The Selecter seem just as relevant today as they ever were.

“To carry the banner for Two Tone is very dear to my heart,” said Black, The Selecter’s lead singer.

“I hope our music still reflects what is going on in life. I think it does. The same spirit is there and that’s the main thing.

“The country was in recession in the 1980s, and there was great hardship too, so what we are experiencing today is eerily similar.”

Black was singing in local pubs, earning £10 a gig, then one day in May, 1979, she went to a rehearsal with a group of friends and left as the leader of The Selecter.

A few months later, the band had their first hit, the foot-stomping On My Radio.

Within weeks, The Selecter were supporting Madness and the Specials and Pauline was being hailed as the Queen of Ska.

A string of UK hits followed, including Too Much Pressure and Three Minute Hero.

“I try not to dwell too much on nostalgia – and what makes me really happy is the amount of young people, especially girls, who are coming to our gigs and possibly hearing The Selecter for the first time.

“That’s very satisfying, because a fresh generation are picking up on us and the 2-Tone movement.

“We played the Beat-Herder festival last year and got a fantastic reception, so we are looking forward to playing in the Ribble Valley again.”

Black has teamed up again with toaster Gaps Hendrickson, and their latest offering Made in Britain would sit comfortably next to The Selecter’s 1980 debut ‘Too Much Pressure.’ “I’ve always felt any band worth their salt has to keep evolving, writing and producing new music and The Selecter have always done that,” she added.

“I think we’d be doing a disservice to the Two Tone movement if we just churned out the old hits everywhere we played.

“Kids always take what’s around and pick and mix, and when you’re young you are after what’s new.

“It is very difficult, though, because the charts are so awash with the rubbish that comes from X Factor.”

She admits her autobiography – Black By Design, a 2-Tone Memoir – has given her a period of time to reflect on a life of singing, acting and broadcasting.

“It gave me some time out to re-think my strategy, and it feels better than ever now,” she said.

“Since the demise of the original line-up, it has worked so well with each other.

“I don’t know if it is because we are a bit older now, but the on stage rapport is brilliant.”

*The Selecter, Grand, Saturday, May 19. 01200 421599