The Best Of The Specials

Product Information

Williams, Paul (2009) You're Wondering Now-The Specials From Conception to Reunion, Cherry Red Books. ISBN 978-1-901447-51-4 The Specials – The Best Of The Specials. Released via Chrysalis Records. Available on Double Vinyl LP, CD+Bonus DVD. Chambers, Pete (7 February 2014). "Specials lead guitarist Roddy 'Radiation' Byers leaves the band". Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 23 April 2018. CD-2 Single released 27th October, 1979 on 2 Tone catalogue number CHS TT 5 Digital remaster ℗ 2002 Turner, Luke (10 December 2008). "Jerry Dammers Damns Specials Reunion". Thequietus.com . Retrieved 29 April 2010.

The Specials performing at Brixton Academy, London, May 2009 as part of their 30th anniversary tour The Specials reunion all down to Lily Allen". Coventry Telegraph. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009 . Retrieved 29 April 2010. Hall was quoted as saying, "The door remains open to him". [23] However, Dammers described the new reunion as a "takeover" and claimed he had been forced out of the band. [24] Around that same time, longtime Specials fan Amy Winehouse joined Dammers onstage at Hyde Park, singing the song he wrote for the Specials, "Free Nelson Mandela", for Mandela's 90th birthday concert, dubbed 46664 after Mandela's prison number, and also the name of his AIDS charity, which received money raised by the birthday bash. [25] [26] 30th Anniversary Tour and beyond [ edit ] The Specials join Blur for London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony". Birmingham Post. 21 February 2012 . Retrieved 23 April 2018. On 19 December 2022, the Specials announced on social media that Hall had died at age 63 after a brief illness which was later revealed to be pancreatic cancer. They had planned to record a new album in the United States before Hall's health deteriorated. [50] Members [ edit ] Current members [ edit ]Despite the live success, the band fizzled out after a 1998 Japan tour (which Panter missed due to illness [19]), although limited touring with a different line-up continued into 2000. The release of the earlier Trojan sessions, Skinhead Girl in 2000 and Conquering Ruler in 2001, would be the last heard from the band for some time. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sourcesin this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( June 2023) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) The Specials led off with Dandy Livingstone's " Rudy, A Message to You" (slightly altering the title to "A Message to You, Rudy") and also had covers of Prince Buster and Toots & the Maytals songs from the late 1960s. In 1980, the EP Too Much Too Young (predominantly credited to the Special A.K.A.) was a No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart, [3] despite controversy over the song's lyrics, which reference teen pregnancy and promote contraception. [10]

The Specials confirm more 2009 UK dates". Thespecials.com. 8 June 2009. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011 . Retrieved 29 April 2010. John Bradbury, Drummer for the Specials, Dies at 62". The New York Times. 2 January 2016 . Retrieved 23 April 2018. Williams, Paul (1995) You're Wondering Now – A History of the Specials, ST Publishing. ISBN 1-898927-25-1 Panter went on to join with members of the Beat and Dexys Midnight Runners to form General Public, and then Special Beat. He joined the 1990s Specials before training as a primary school teacher at the University of Central England in Birmingham. He continued to play with latter-day Special Neol Davies in the blues outfit Box of Blues. However, he rejoined the band for their 2009 reunion and continues as a member. A 1994 single credited to "X Specials" featured Staple, Golding, Radiation, and Panter. A cover of the Slade song "Coz I Love You", the project was produced by Slade's Jim Lea.Original Rude Boy: From Borstal to the Specials by Neville Staple with Tony McMahon; Chapter 4: The Specials – The Rude Boys Arrive

In August 2012, the Specials released a new live album, More... Or Less. – The Specials Live, featuring "the best of the best" performances from their 2011 European tour, selected by the band themselves on a double-disc CD and double-vinyl LP. [36] Departures of Neville Staple and Roddy Radiation [ edit ] The group re-formed in 1993, and have continued to perform and record with varying line-ups, none of them involving Dammers. Sutherland, Mark (13 August 2013). "The Specials join Blur for London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 23 April 2018.

Credits

The Specials completed a North American tour in 2013, performing to sold-out crowds in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Vancouver.

The Specials reveal updated UK tour dates including homecoming Coventry gig". Coventry Telegraph. 3 March 2021 . Retrieved 13 May 2021.On 30 March 2008, Hall stated that the Specials would be reforming for tour dates in autumn 2008, and possibly for some recording. [21] This was officially confirmed on 7 April 2008. [22] On 6 September 2008, six members of the band performed on the main stage at the Bestival, billed as the "Surprise Act". By December 2008, the band had announced 2009 tour dates to celebrate their 30th anniversary, although founder member Dammers was not joining the band on the tour.