The Specials

This article is about the British ska band. For the (unrelated) movie, see The Specials (film). For the Northern Ireland police force, see Ulster Special Constabulary.

The Specials were an English band formed in 1977 in Coventry. They fused elements of punk and ska to create a new sound that became known as Two Tone. They were best known for singles including "A Message To You Rudy", "Ghost Town", "Too Much Too Young" and their debut, "Gangsters". The band members were Jerry Dammers, Terry Hall, Roddy Radiation, John Bradbury, Sir Horace Gentleman (aka Horace Panter), Lynval Golding and Neville Staples.

History

Shortly after being formed in 1977 by Dammers, Golding, and Gentleman, the band performed minor gigs under the name 'The Coventry Automatics'. Terry Hall and Roddy Radiation joined the band the following year, and the band changed its name to 'The Coventry Specials' and then to 'The Special AKA'. Joe Strummer of The Clash had attended one of their gigs, and invited 'The Special AKA' to open for his band in their "On Parole UK Tour". This performance gave The AKA a new level of national exposure, and they briefly shared the Clash's management. However, in 1979, Dammers decided to form his own label, and 2-Tone Records was born. On this label, the band released "Gangsters," which became a Top Ten hit in 1979. The band had begun wearing two-toned mod-style tonic suits, along with other late 1960s teen fashion. Their debut LP was Specials, produced by Elvis Costello. "Too Much Too Young" was a number one hit in the UK singles chart despite some controversy due to the song's lyrics, which promoted contraception.

Their second album, More Specials was not as successful as previous recordings. The band had seemingly abandoned the ska genre, despite having been single-handedly responsible for its revival and newfound popularity in Britain, in favor of a more ambiguous and experimental approach to music. More Specials contained music of many different styles, most of which eluded genre specification, but traces of pop and new wave were apparent. The band also experimented with what could be best described as a dark, almost psychedelic reggae. Due to their previous establishment as one of the most important ska bands of all time, their original fanbase was alienated and disillusioned with their departure from the genre.

However, "Ghost Town" hit number one in 1981. Despite this, 2-Tone was in trouble. Staples, Golding and Hall departed, and Dammers added Stan Campbell and began working under the name Special A.K.A.. The result, In the Studio, was not very successful, though "Racist Friend" and "Free Nelson Mandela" were hits. Dammers then dissolved the group and pursued activism.

The Beat from nearby Birmingham collaborated on tracks such as Free Nelson Mandela and teamed up with members of The Specials in the early '90s to form the 'Special Beat'.

Terry Hall continued to be successful after departing from The Specials, mainly with his '80s pop band Fun Boy Three (with fellow ex-Specials Neville Staples and Lynval Golding), who enjoyed success with a small collection of hits including Tunnel of Love, Our Lips Are Sealed, and The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum). From 1984 until 1987, Hall fronted The Colourfield, with some success. After they disbanded, Hall went on to pursue a solo career (mostly in the New Wave genre) and has recently done vocal work on The Dub Pistols' latest album.

More recently, The Specials have appeared in the Dance Dance Revolution video game series and in the soundtrack for the 2000 movie Snatch, Irish TV series Father Ted and more recently, British zombie film Shaun of the Dead. They also appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 film Grosse Pointe Blank. The song "Pressure Drop" was featured in The Extreme Goofy Movie as well.

Discography

Albums

Specials (1979)
More Specials (1980)
In the Studio (as Special A.K.A.) (1984)
Today's Specials (1996)
Guilty 'Til Proved Innocent! (1998)
Skinhead Girl (2000)
Conquering Ruler (2001)

Live albums

Live at The Moonlight Club (1997)
Peel Sessions (1987)
Blue Plate Specials (1999)
Ghost Town: Live at Montreaux Jazz Festival 1995 (1999)

Compilations

The Singles Collection (1991)
Coventry Automatics Aka the Specials: Dawning of a New Era (1994)
Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection (1996)
Concrete Jungle (1998)
Best of The Specials (1999)
Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three (2000)
Ghost Town (2004)
Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities (2005)
Greatest Hits (2006)

Singles

Gangsters (1979) UK #6 - billed as Specials A.K.A. - other side by The Selecter
A Message To You Rudy/Nite Club (1979) UK #10
The Special A.K.A. Live! - (Too Much Too Young/Guns Of Navarone/Long Shot Kick De Bucket/Liquidator/Skinhead Moonstomp) (1980) UK #1 - EP
Rat Race/Rude Boys Outa Jail (1980) UK #5
Stereotype/International Jet Set (1980) UK #6
Do Nothing/Maggie's Farm (1980) UK #4
Ghost Town (1981) UK #1
Racist Friend (1983) UK #60
Nelson Mandela (1984) UK #9 - (Free Nelson Mandela)
What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend (1984) UK #51

References

Guinness Book of British Hit Singles 7th Edition - 1988

External links

English musical groups | Second-wave ska groups | Bemani artists | New Wave groups | Peel Sessions artists

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