Looks like 2008 will see the return of The Specials.

4 of the 7 band members have already started rehearsals. The band were planning a tour starting in May but this has now been put back due to both Neville Staples & Jerry Dammers been busy with other projects. October now looks like the month that the band will make their comeback. Also due out soon is a 'Best Of The Specials' CD & DVD set.

Great News ... A huge Fan and would love to see them come to Canada

Oh yes! Oh yes! Hopefully, i'll get to see them. That would be nice, very nice

Highly appropiate that they are reforming just in time for the demise of the woman they made a seminal song about :

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Perhaps Gordon Brown should watch this video as he seems to have forgotten just how shite Britain was under Thatcher?

More news on The Specials reunion. All the band met yesterday for a rehearsal with gigs planned for the end of the year. Or at least that's what Neville Staple said in this interview -

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apparently they are playing this Love Music Hate Racism thing no?

played with them once when the were still the Coventry Automatics..they all came back to our place to score some dope after and to this day I'm still ashamed at the poor quality gear we had to offer at the time

Looks like the reunion might not be going ahead after all -

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You've got to respect Dammers for his stance on this. It would be too easy to reform and just go through the motions, and to be fair it might still result in some great nights 'cos the fans would certainly be up for it...but if the chemistry isn't there any more with the band then it's just a bunch of middle aged blokes forming a tribute band to themselves.

"....we used to be The Specials, thank you very much for your £20, now don't forget there's t-shirts on sale on the way out..."


Hope they do manage to get themselves together for a tour though - low key in small sweaty venues for proper fans rather than stadiums, festivals and souless aircraft hangers of course.

Looks like the Specials reunion is all off.
The following was posted by Specials guitarist Roddy Byers (aka Roddy Radiation) on his forum at the weekend -


"Right you asked for it!
I think a reunion of the Original Specials is pratically impposible ..
Terry,Lynval and Horace refuse to work with Jerry..
Jerry will only do it if hes has total control..
Im wee weeed off with the lot of them..
Brad seems to be joining the without Jerry camp..
Nevelle is saying nothin?
Me im out Skabillin*
If this makes yer mad imagine how i feel!"

"Im not involed with any of it!
It seems a Terry Hall ,n, friends band will be out there giging sometime soon.
Guess i was never meant to be Rich,n,Famous?
But ild rather be Sane ,n, Broke."

Jerry Dammers talks about The Specials reunion at Marxism 2008 on this video clip.

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Roddy Radiation, Neville Staple, Lynval Golding, John Bradbury, Horace Panter and Terry Hall performed during day two of Bestival at Robin Hill Country Park on September 6, 2008 in Newport, Isle of Wight. No Jerry Dammers = no Specials.

The Specials (minus Jerry Dammers) 2009 tour dates.

Live in 2009

22 April NEWCASTLE, Academy 0844 477 2000 *
23 April SHEFFIELD, Academy 0844 477 2000 *
25 April BIRMINGHAM, Academy 0844 477 2000 **
26 April BIRMINGHAM, Academy 0844 477 2000
28 April GLASGOW, Academy 08444 999 990
3 May MANCHESTER, Apollo 08444 777 677
6 May LONDON, Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000
7 May LONDON, Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000


Tickets go on sale 9am Thursday 11th December priced £32.50 in advance except London £35.

24 hr CC Hotline: 0871 2200 260 / online:

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Doors 7pm except * tbc and ** 6pm.

£32.50

BrummieCelt wrote:

£32.50

All aboard the gravy train to Skaville.

Gig tickets are getting far too pricey these days. I was shocked when I got me & our lass 2 tickets to see the Weller fella earlier this year and it set me back £75! I still remember seeing him solo at the same venue for around £10 a ticket.