Artist

The Specials

1977-1984, 1993-2001, 2008-2022·Coventry

The first stable lineup was seven strong: Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, Jerry Dammers on keyboards, Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation on guitars, Horace Panter on bass and John Bradbury on drums, with Rico Rodriguez and Dick Cuthell on horns. Bradbury came in after the Clash tour, when Silverton Hutchinson left because, Dammers said, he saw the move back to 60s ska as "a retrograde step".

The full story is in 2 Tone.

At a glance

Active
1977–1984, 1993–2001, 2008–2022
From
Coventry, England
Records in the issues
2 (1979–1980), 1 of them a Start here pick
Original label
Two-Tone Records
Listening guide track
“Ghost Town”

Listen

In the 2 Tone listening guide: “Ghost Town”

In the issues

  • 2 Tone
    Principal · 1979-1984 · Members

    2 Tone is a genre from Coventry, West Midlands, England, 1979–1984. Its principal artists include The Specials, The Selecter, Madness and The Beat. This issue covers 8 essential albums and 14 dated events.

Records

Family tree

Bands that shared members with The Specials, and who.

  • Special Beat1992–
    Horace Panter, John Bradbury, Lynval Golding, Neville Staple
  • Fun Boy Three1981–1983
    Lynval Golding, Neville Staple, Terry Hall

Terms

Toasting
A Jamaican vocal style in which a deejay chants or raps rhythmically over an instrumental track or riddim, often improvising phrases to hype a crowd.