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The Specials

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A Message To You, Rudy
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A Message To You, Rudy
Released: Jan 1, 0001
Label: Vanilla OMP


The energy of 1976's punk explosion seemed a faraway memory by the summer of 1979. With bands such as The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Jam having become fully paid up members of a new rock establishment, followers of the grass roots music scene were hungry for something fresh.

The time was right for The Specials - or The Special AKA as they were then calling themselves. Having been formed in Coventry two years earlier by keyboardist and songwriter Jerry Dammers, guitarist Lynval Golding and bassist Sir Horace Gentleman, the group underwent a series of name and personnel changes before deciding on a settled line-up around the start of 1979. Having already called themselves The Jaywalkers, The Hybrids and The Coventry Automatics, and initially setting out to play a mixture of rock and reggae, by 1979 they were perfecting an intoxicating fusion of punk and ska. With the original trio augmented by second guitarist Roddy Radiation, singer Terry Hall, drummer John 'Brad' Bradbury and MC Neville Staples, the West Midlands septet's high octane blend reflected their multiracial background and diverse musical interests.

Taking their name from the Jamaican hoodlums of the Sixties, Specials fans dubbed themselves 'rude boys' and dressed in loafers, Sta-Pres trousers, two-tone 'tonic' suits and bluebeat hats. The dawning of a new era demanded its own sartorial guidelines - and The Special AKA and their fans duly obliged.


Thankyou to all who have supported The Specials in anyway, after nearly thirty years of Ska.

General Info

  • Genre: Alternative / Ska

    Location UK

    Profile Views: 1629932

    Last Login: 5/5/2011

    Member Since 7/4/2006

    Website thespecials.com

    Record Label major

    Type of Label Major

  • Bio

    .. .. .. .. ........ ........ ........ ........ .. .. .. .. ..Link.. ..Link.. ..Link.. ..Link.. .. .. ..Link.. ..Link.. ..Link.. ..Link.. .. .. .. ....Visit the Official Specials YouTube Channel.... .... The energy of 1976’s punk explosion seemed a faraway memory by the summer of 1979. With bands such as The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Jam having become fully paid up members of a new rock establishment, followers of the grass roots music scene were hungry for something fresh. .... The time was right for The Specials - or The Special AKA as they were then calling themselves. Having been formed in Coventry two years earlier by keyboardist and songwriter Jerry Dammers, guitarist Lynval Golding and bassist Sir Horace Gentleman, the group underwent a series of name and personnel changes before deciding on a settled line-up around the start of 1979. Having already called themselves The Jaywalkers, The Hybrids and The Coventry Automatics, and initially setting out to play a mixture of rock and reggae, by 1979 they were perfecting an intoxicating fusion of punk and ska. With the original trio augmented by second guitarist Roddy Radiation, singer Terry Hall, drummer John ‘Brad’ Bradbury and MC Neville Staples, the West Midlands septet’s high octane blend reflected their multiracial background and diverse musical interests. .... Taking their name from the Jamaican hoodlums of the Sixties, Specials fans dubbed themselves ‘rude boys’ and dressed in loafers, Sta-Pres trousers, two-tone ‘tonic’ suits and bluebeat hats. The dawning of a new era demanded its own sartorial guidelines - and The Special AKA and their fans duly obliged. ...... ..Thankyou to all who have supported The Specials in anyway, after nearly thirty years of Ska... .... .. ..

  • Members

    ........ .. Jerry Dammers.. Terry Hall.. Roddy Radiation.. John Bradbury.. Sir Horace Gentleman.. Lynval Golding.. Neville Staples.. .. ..

  • Influences

  • Sounds Like

    ........ .. Madness, The Selecter, Harry Johnson and the All Stars, Special A.K.A. ..

Band Members

Jerry Dammers
Terry Hall
Roddy Radiation
John Bradbury
Sir Horace Gentleman
Lynval Golding
Neville Staples

Sounds Like

Madness, The Selecter, Harry Johnson and the All Stars, Special A.K.A.

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