Everyone on the planet knows Mr. Graham McPherson better simply as ‘Suggs’. Yet while some of us know him as a detectorist extraordinaire and the presenter of WW2 Treasure Hunters, a lot of folk instantly think of Madness when Suggs comes up in conversation.

My Girl, Baggy Trousers, Our House, Wings of a Dove, It Must Be Love, House of Fun, Driving in My Car... Suggs and Madness have enjoyed huge success as one of the most popular ska bands of all time. And rightly so.

While Suggs & Co. may be the very epitome of ska music to a lot of their fans, real aficionados of the genre know there’s a fair bit more to the musical style than some lads from Camden Town skanking while singing about loose-fitting clothing.

Let’s explore it now in this - A BRIEF HISTORY OF SKA..

In the grand scheme of things, the Jamaica is a fairly small little island in the Caribbean. Culturally, however, it’s a giant. When it comes to music, in particular, the place is as important as it is prolific. Reggae, dub, dancehall, ragga, rocksteady… Jamaica doesn’t mess about when it comes to originating forms of music.

Reggae might be its biggest contribution to the world of sound, but ska music runs it a very close second. A mixture of calypso, jazz, R‘n’B, jump blues and rhythmic African styles like mento, ska was born in Kingston in the sixties. Generally in the uptempo 4/4 time; drums, guitars and bass feature heavily, but it’s the brass section that really helps set ska apart.

Ska bands became increasingly popular in Jamaica in the 1960’s, as did disc jockeys. A relaxed attitude towards copyright and music ownership meant that cover versions were rife and often became hugely popular. As the decade wore on, ska morphed into reggae and the original sound faded from the sound systems of the island’s favourite DJs.

Most notable artists: The Skatalites, Coxsone Dodd, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Duke Reid, Jimmy Cliff, Toots & the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Millie Small, Prince Buster.

You can’t keep a good music genre down for long. While Jamaicans had effectively abandoned ska in favour of the new sound of reggae, 4,500 miles away, the genre was reborn. In Coventry, of all places.

The war-blasted Midlands city nurtured a huge ska revival that was centred around one band: The Specials. Their record label, backed by the bigger and richer Chrysalis Records, was called 2 Tone Records. The name reflected the multi-racial make-up of The Specials and other bands that would follow suit. It was a direct reply to the divisive politics of Thatcherite Britain at the time.

The music itself was a lively mixture of Jamaician ska and the punk rock which was dominating alternative music in the UK at the time. 2 Tone might not have been the nation’s favourite kind of music at the time, but it won a hardcore and loyal fanbase that still exists today.

Most notable artists: The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners, Fun Boy Three.

Coming out of the US in the very late eighties (finding its spiritual home in California), the third incarnation of ska music came about more as an Americanised version of 2 Tone than a resurgence of the original form. Fast and furious, yet a little ‘safer’ than the punk happening on the other side of the Atlantic, ear-bleedingly loud horns and huge riffs became The Sound of the new ska.

Third-wave ska survived throughout the nineties, but many of the bigger acts pivoted to the likes of heavy metal, pop, more traditional rock or ‘proper’ punk. That said, devotees remain and plenty of clubs and venues are still proud to host the trumpets and guitars of dedicated ska punk rockers.

Most notable artists: Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, No Doubt, Fishbone, Goldfinger, Mad Caddies, Less Than Jake.

So there we have it, by no means a comprehensive rundown of the history of one of music’s most fun and lively styles, but a neat little summary (if we do say so ourselves).

Now, why not fire up your sound system and have a little skank along to some ska, eh? If it’s good enough for our man Suggs, it’s good enough for us.

WW2 Treasure Hunters pairs Britain’s foremost amateur WW2 detectorist with Madness frontman Suggs, as they uncover historical finds from across the UK. In this series, we will see Suggs and WW2 militaria expert, Stephen Taylor, bring forgotten stories of World War Two back to life by unearthing artefacts from former military sites across the UK. #WW2TreasureHunters

Stephen Taylor, joins forces with Madness front man Suggs, as they uncover and analyse historical finds from across the UK, offering a new perspective on the Second World War and the people it affected. #WW2TreasureHunters

Stephen Taylor and Suggs are up to their knees in digging all all day for some historic finds... But first. Let's have lunch... WW1 Style. #WW2TreasureHunters

Suggs and WW2 expert Stephen uncover more historical finds across the UK. But let's not forget the time Suggs abandoned Stephen under a tree sleeping! #WW2TreasureHunters

Metal detecting. You’ve seen Suggs getting stuck into it on WW2 Treasure Hunters. With his co-presenting pal Stephen Taylor, the Madness man digs up and explains all sorts of military goodies that help bring the Second World War to life. If you’ve watched the show (if not - why not?!), you’ll no doubt have considered picking up a metal detector and trying it out yourself.

What’s stopping you?

You don’t have to focus on finding things just from the forties. You’ve got the whole of British history waiting to tell a million stories and it’s all right there underneath your feet.

Don’t worry that you’re a novice. We’ve got your back. Here’s a quick beginner’s guide to getting started as a metal detector...

Let’s start with a nice easy question, shall we? Metal detecting is the process of, well, detecting metal. You wave a piece of specially-made equipment over a section of ground you suspect may be hoarding treasure (or at least something of some historical interest of significance). 

The metal detector transmits an electromagnetic field. When the field hits something made of any kind of metal, an electromagnetic field is beamed back and registered on the device. In other words, ‘BEEP BEEP!’

First of all, of course, you’ll need a metal detector. Like anything, these things range in price and your budget will inform your choice. Buy the best you can afford, though. Don’t skimp. 

For tips on the best or most suitable make and model, some research is wise. There’s plenty of good information online. Try some forums for the best advice.

Next up, you’ll want a robust pair of headphones. They’ll help you hear the beeps better and - crucially - make you far less annoying to the people around you. Get yourself a small but well-made shovel to dig with too. And make sure you’ve some sturdy boots (NOT STEEL TOE CAPPED ONES). 

One final item you may want is something called a ‘pinpointer’. It’s basically a small handheld metal detector that will help you ‘pinpoint’ and hone in on your finds.

Oh, and pack some sandwiches. And maybe a flask. You’ll be gone longer than you think.

Before you go huntin’, here are a few words from the wise. Well, words from us, anyway:

• Start local. As a beginner you’ll need to get into the swing of things. You can get to know your detector and pick up a technique in your own garden or a local park.
• Rubbish is all part of the fun. Accept you'll likely find a lot of useless old garbage before you detect anything interesting. All the old cans and things you dig up - take them home and discard them properly. Don't leave them on the ground or re-bury them.
• Get friendly with other detectorists. Other local enthusiasts can clue you in as to where the best spots are. You may even make a pal to go hunting with.
• Keep records and rotate. It’s a good idea to note down your finds and your searched areas. For posterity’s sake, but also to make sure that you’re not - quite literally - going over old ground.
• Hunt when the ground’s soft. Spring makes for soft ground, for instance. As does rain.
• Found something? Keep looking! When you stumble across something interesting, don’t just trot off home. One find could mean two. Or three. Or four! It’s probably fertile ground...
• Take it slow. More haste, less speed. You don’t want to miss anything good, after all.

This isn’t a comprehensive guide for any of you would-be metal detectors out there, naturally. We’d like to think of it as a bit of a start. A nudge in a hunting direction. 

So why not try it? Give a treasure hunting a go for yourself… And if you find anything valuable? Well, just remember who encouraged you to take it up in the first place, eh?