Bang the Beat again.

THE Beat, the famous Brummie 80s band, could be hitting the road again after plans for a full reunion were hinted at by Ranking Roger.

The Birmingham-born singer hopes to get all the original members of the group back together to mark their 30th anniversary next year.

Roger fronts the current version of The Beat, featuring his son Ranking Jnr, Dexy's Midnight Runners star Mickey Billingham, and original Beat member Everett Moreton.

But he hopes that other original members Wesley Magoogan, Dave Blockhead, Saxa and both Dave Wakeling and David Steele - who later formed Fine Young Cannibals - will sign up for the reunion.

Ranking Roger told the Sunday Mercury: "You should never say never when it comes to a reunion.

"If everyone else wants it, then it will happen. As far as I'm concerned we are all grown ups."

The Beat are currently touring with Neville Staple from former Coventry 80s band The Specials.

"We're having a good time," Ranking Roger said.

"The festivals have been great and there's a real mixture of people who are coming to see us.

"We still sing about the issues we covered back in the 80s, because the same things are still going on."

Meanwhile, Neville Staple is writing a new tell-all autobiography.

Neville, who still lives in Coventry, said: "It will be really frank. I've been writing it with a roadie who is helping me remember all the anecdotes while we were on tour.

"But there's also stuff in there about me before the band. I was bad back then. Not as bad as some of the stars nowadays, but a few people will be shocked because everyone thinks they know me."

Neville is hoping that the book will be out later this year, which will also coincide with a possible reunion of The Specials.

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CONFIDENT: Ranking Roger of The Beat