Biography

True innovators of the punk era, the Specials began the British ska revival craze, combining the highly danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude, and taking on a more focused and informed political and social stance than their predecessors and peers. The band was originally formed in Coventry, in 1977 by songwriter/keyboardist Jerry Dammers. An opening slot for the Clash stirred up interest with the major labels, but Dammers instead opted to start his own 2-Tone label, named for its multiracial agenda and after the two-tone tonic suits favored by the like-minded mods of the '60s. ~ Chris Woodstra

Top Tracks

• Click on the track to launch in Spotify

• A Message To You Rudy

• Be Alright

• Concrete Jungle

• Do Nothing

• Enjoy Yourself (it's Later Than You Think)

• Free Nelson Mandela

• Free Yourself

• Gangsters

• Ghost Town

• Hypocrite

• It Ain't What You Do

• Message To You Rudy

• Nite Klub

• Nite Klub/raquel

• Nite On The Tiles

• Our Lips Are Sealed

• Racist Friend

• Rat Race

• Simmer Down

• Too Much Too Young

• Wake Up

• Wild Child

• You're Wondering Now

Discography

• Click on the album to launch in Spotify

• Ghost Town: Live at Montreaux Jazz Festival 1995

  Receiver

  1999

• Guilty 'Til Proved Innocent!

  MCA

  1998

• Today's Specials

  Virgin

  1996