Why I like The Specials
Reggae doesn't do anything for me but Ska definitely does. It gets me up on my feet. It's so damned infectious. And if it hadn't been for The Specials the UK probably wouldn't know what it does about Ska. Note the capitals. I remember hearing Gangsters for the first time and thinking "What's this? Reggae that I like?" and all those kids at school who liked raggae turned their noses up at The Specials. (Working for the) Rat Race came out in the middle of my A level courses and Ghost town was a hit during inner city riots. The Specials had an infectious beat and prescient timing. I have neither of those and went to Coventry Poly in 1982 when everything Two Tone had died down. (Although I did spot a subway where Banalarama (mis-spelling intentional) sang with The Fun Boy Three.) When the word went round that The Specials were playing in Plymouth I got my ticket that day. This was potentially a once in a lifetime's experience. There'd been a ...