1978. Coventry. England. It was the end of the punk era, and time for a change. Enter stage left The Specials, with their infectious mixture of ska, reggae and punk rock....
The Specials will be the recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2010. The band will celebrate the award with the Shockwaves NME Awards Big Gig at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 29 March, as part of Roger Daltrey's annual concerts for Teenage Cancer Trust. The Specials' performance is one of ten exclusive shows marking the 10th year of these renowned concerts.
More info at The Teenage Cancer Trust and the NME.
Coventry's finest, The Specials concluded their 30th Anniversary Tour in the UK in December 2009.
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The Specials were announced as the 2008 inductees into the MOJO Hall of Fame at a ceremony in London on June 16th. [link.]
2008 also brought a new relase - The Best of The Specials - which features 20 tracks including all of their classic hits on CD & DVD. [Amazon]
There's a rather nice youtube site to support the album at www.youtube.com/OfficialSpecials
Projects - Neville
Neville Staple's album 'The Rude Boy Returns' comes with a DVD featuring over an hour and a half of previously unseen live footage and interviews
Skabilly Rebels new album "Blues Attack" featuring Roddy Radiation Byers will be available first at www.roddyradiation.com from October.
In Print
Available from September 2009 from Cherry Red Records: Paul Williams' book is the only one of its kind detailing the story of the band, it's members, and their post-Specials careers. Includes the first publication of a complete gig listing, a full discography... With foreward by Phill Jupitus.
Available for pre-order from www.cherryred.co.uk and amazon.co.uk. www.yourewonderingnow.eu Neville's book 'Original Rude Boy: From Borstal to the Specials' hit the stores on May 1st 2009.
Raucous and charming Original Rude Boy is the story of a man who done too much, much too young.
Pete Chambers' latest book "2-TONE-2 Dispatches from the 2-Tone city-30 years on" is now available from eBay.
Nearly thirty years on and bands like the Specials and The Selecter, are as still as relevant today as they ever were. This title is brimming with rare and unseen photographs and new sound bites from some of 2-Tone's key players. "There's stuff in this book you won't see anywhere else" says Lynval.
Horace Panter's long awaited book Ska'd For Life: A Personal Journey with The Specials has been
published and is available from Amazon here UK
- US.
Delivered in Horaces inimitable tone, dripping with dry whit and honesty, this is a great read for any Specials Fan!!
2-Tone@30 is a project that will see 2-Tone and it's bands celebrate their 30th Anniversary in Coventry, city of it's birth. In 2009 eight 2-Tone Trail plaques are to be unveiled at pertinent sights around the city. Each unveiling will include a series of linked events, some you would expect like gigs and film shows. Other slightly off the wall ideas include fashion shows and even a 2-tone comedy improv night. Ideas are welcome, this is the time to celebrate something very special.
For more information go here
Projects - Jerry
Jerry Dammers is currently conducting, directing and playing with his Spatial AKA Orchestra project, a tribute to Sun Ra as well as playing Dammers' own work. He has received high praise in the media and has drawn up a few dates for a tour of the UK starting in March 2010. To keep tabs on Jerry and The Spatials follow this link.
Jerry also now has his own site at www.jerrydammers.com
