The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, is an English group formed in 1977 in Coventry by Jerry Dammers, Tim Strickland, Lynval Golding, Silverton Hutchinson and Horace Panter. Group that can boast of having placed no less than 7 consecutive singles in the English Top10 Singles between 1979 and 1981.
Originally, the group was called "The Automatics", then "The Coventry Automatics". The original singer is Tim Strickland, but the latter quickly leaves the ship and is replaced by Terry Hall. The backbone of the group is multi-racial and the group makes it their brand.
Their first single "Gangsters" was released in 1979 and was a hit when it was released. Dazzling success due in part also to the atypical looks of the various members of the group.
The album which bears the band's name was released immediately. Flagship album that produced a new hit with the huge "A message to you, Rudy". Little followed in 1980 by "Too much too young" which is even better than its predecessor in terms of classification in the Charts, especially English.
New album "More specials", still in 1980. Album which does not meet at all the same success as the preceding one and which reflects well the first tensions noted within the group.
A salutary break in 1981 which allowed the group to find serenity and to come back in force with the single "Ghost town" which offered them their best ranking all singles combined.
Success that did not prevent Golding and Hall from leaving the group to form the Fun Boy Three. Departures and arrivals will follow one another, to the detriment of quality.
The group will experience a last notorious success in 1984 with the single "Free Nelson Mandela".
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Gangsters 1979
A message to you, Rudy 1979
Too much too young 1980
Rat race 1980
Do nothing 1980
Ghost town 1981
Free Nelson Mandela 1984
What I like most about you is your girlfriend 1984
Clips :
1979 ... on the one hand, Madness. On the other, The Specials. Two Formula 1 of the Ska current that will forever remain as the undisputed Masters of this iconic current
1979 ... a second title which confirms the very particular talent of the group in a particularly atypical field for the time ...
1980 ... their biggest success to date. The group is now making top hits at a staggering speed, Skamania is at its peak !
1980 ... and still this very special rhythm. Just like the sound base. Two peculiarities forever attached to this now legendary current
1980 ... a big year 1980 with an almost uninterrupted succession of titles of big caliber. The inspiration is of the highest quality, that's for sure !
1981 ... in reggae mode. A melodic parenthesis that succeeds them since they thus obtain their second biggest hit
1984 ... Terry Hall is gone and the group struggles to find a level of success equivalent to previous years. We therefore had to wait until 1984 to finally see them return to the forefront. But for how long...?
1984 ... an adventure that ends slowly but surely. After a shattering start to the decade, the group failed to negotiate the turn of the mid-decade and will die out irreparably ...
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Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :