Terry Hall The Specials And Fun Boy Three R.I.P.

Sad news that singer/songwriter Terry Hall has passed away at age 63.

The Specials where one of the pioneers of " Two Tone " Ska music that came out of Coventry in the late 70's. Terry then went on to form The Fun Boy Three with fellow band mates Neville Staple and Lynval Golding.

R.I.P. Terry, you made some fantastic music.

Terry Hall, the frontman of socially conscious ska band The Specials, has died at the age of 63. Known for his dour image and sharp wit, the singer found fame in the 1970s and 80s with hits like Ghost Town, Gangsters and Too Much Too Young

www.bbc.co.uk...


With The Specials.





And with The Fun Boy Three.

a reply to: alldaylong


Ah no.
Not the way to start any day.
Grew up a little rude boy i did. Loved dancing to them. Me and all the lads and rudegirls having a great nite at it.

Heres something totally under rated. Terry said he always believed it to be one of the finest. I agree.

International Jet Set.


Gangsters


RIP Terry. You was legendary. Now you is a legend.

a reply to: alldaylong

One of the few honest people in this crazy biz we call show.

Damn.
RIP Terry.

Message to Rudy was a great song as well-

My introduction to Two-tone/Rudeboy/Skin music.

Another Brother skankin on the big dance floor in the sky. I cried. Rest in peace.

a reply to: alldaylong

Devastated by the news; Terry Hall and The Specials were such an integral part of my youth.
Their impact can not be overstated.
Fantastic music and they did more to break down racial barriers than any organisation.

Earlier this year I started a thread on the Best Concerts I've ever been to.....and I've been to literally hundreds.
Up there in my top 5 was The Specials on the opening night of their 30th Reunion Tour in 2009.
Truly outstanding.

Here's what I posted then;

This particular concert was by The Specials.
They were a part of my youth; didn't matter if people were Punks/Skins/Mod/Soulie The Specials struck a chord with my generation.
They were working class kids singing about the world we were living in.
Most of the old punks turned out to be hypocrites or were arty wankers who didn't have a clue what life was like for urban working class kids during Thatcher's hey day.
The Specials gave a big # off to everyone.....and had great fun doing it.
Their music is as relevant today as it was back in 1980.

Anyway, they broke up and we waited years - by all accounts Terry Hall didn't get on with some of the members and no-one got on with Jerry Dammers.
I'd met a few of them over the years and they were really good people but they all just laughed when I mentioned a reunion.

But in 2009 they announced a reunion tour - minus Jerry Dammers - and the opening night was in Newcastle.
Newcastle was absolutely bouncing that day, pubs were rammed with people who could hardly contain themselves - this band was/is so special to so many.
The atmosphere in Newcastle Academy was electric and the whole place erupted when they opened with 'Do the Dog'.
And it just got better.....they really were outstanding.

Its impossible to over-emphasise just how important a band The Specials were and to see them that night was simply unforgettable.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I also posted videos of a concert of them on their Reunion Tour but even more impressively of the Rock Goes to College they played.


Its a must watch for all Terry Hall and Specials fans.

Terry and the boys used to let all the Skins/Rude Boys who had no tickets etc into their early gigs for nothing.
They agreed to do this gig at a Students Union as it was getting broadcast on BBC2.
The organisers refused to allow anyone in without a Student Union card - the band insisted they be allowed in or they'd pull the plug.
Terry gets animated during Skinhead Symphony as the bouncers were trying to stop the crowd getting on stage - a regular occurrence - and were beating a couple of young kids up.

You'll be missed Terry.

a reply to: alldaylong

Too Much, Too Young has always been one of my favorites!

When I think, ska, that song (and possibly, Pressure Drop) immediately comes to mind!

Sorry about being late to this OP about losing Terry Hall.

He, like more and more of my youth, will be missed! But we still have the music!!

(40!)

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Now I know why I know who The Specials were…

They were on tour with the Go-gos!!

I was wondering where I would have heard of some specific local ska band from England and it was my obsession with punk/new wave that, I would do later with literature, hear names of bands I was not familiar with and go investigate!!

There was so much great cross breeding between bands (and the fact we only knew their “punk” names because if they used their real names they would be considered employed and no longer on the dole!). It is rather weird to look back at how much of a music freak I was back then!!

Sorry it took me a whole week to figure out how some teenager from Fairbanks, Alaska knew of a ska band’s lead singer and why his passing is meaningful!

May music soothe your savage heart like it did mine!!