The Specials among those to feature in book that lifts lid on Coventry's music scene

An author will be signing copies of her book that lifts the lid on Coventry 's thriving 1970s music scene. Ruth Cherrington chronicles the time of legendary band the Specials and the Selectar in The Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1970s Coventry.

She will be at Waterstones, in the city centre, on Friday, June 21, from 2pm. The period the book covers saw the birth of the 2-Tone music genre, which at the time was a welcome distraction from the city's collapsing car industry. It has been written after Ruth interviewed musicians, DJs, punters and venue owners who were there at the time.

She said: "Coventry’s Locarno Ballroom led the way in terms of after-dark entertainment at the start of the 1970s – it already had a decade of entertaining the city’s party-charged hordes under its belt. But it wasn’t long before it found itself with competition in the shape of Mr George’s and the City Centre Club, later Tamango’s."

The book also features rare photographs and memorabilia. Publisher Neil Anderson describes it as 'arguably the most comprehensive look at the 1970s we’ve ever produced'. At the signing, guests will have the chance to share their memories with Ruth, who grew up close to Canley Social, one of Coventry's best known nightspots.

Other venues to feature include the Bear Inn, Golden Cross, Cottage and Climax and Walsgrave. The Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1970s Coventry costs £21.95 and is available here.