By Joe Kelly
In the New York Times' obituary for Ranking Roger, singer and former leader of ska bands like The English Beat and more, Neil Genzlinger brings Roger's story to life by outlining his band's history, Roger's own history, and the influences their music made in the past decades.
Genzlinger chose to highlight what made the band unique, including how their music was a mix of ska, rap, punk, pop, soul, and Jamaican music. Genzlinger mentioned how Roger's sound with his various solo projects and bands was a precursor to reggae.
The writer also focused on some of the band's biggest hits, including a political song called "Stand Down Margaret". The song was a critique on Britain's former prime minister Margaret Thatcher who was a conservative leader in the 1980s.
In the final paragraphs, Genzlinger focused the spotlight on Roger's audience, which ranged from whites, blacks, native Americans, old, and young. By taking a quote from Roger himself, the writer emphasized the universal appeal of the band and implicated the positive impact of their music.
Genzlinger's process might have included going back and listening to Roger's various records and solo projects, along with reviewing his history with friends, band members, relatives, and more. It appears that Genzlinger also used past interviews Roger made with various media outlets along with articles from the Boston Globe, the New York Times, and others.
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