The Specials

British 2-Tone ska band

The Specials were an English new wave/ska band. They were originally from Coventry, England and formed in 1977. They were part of the ska revival in Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Specials
The Specials performing at Brixton Academy, London, May 2009 as part of their 30th anniversary tour.
Background information
OriginCoventry, England
Genres2 Tone, ska, New Wave
Years active1977–1984, 1996–2001, 2008–present
Labels2 Tone, Chrysalis, Virgin, Kuff
MembersTerry Hall
Neville Staple
Horace Panter
Roddy Byers
Lynval Golding
John Bradbury
Past member(s)Jerry Dammers
Silverton Hutchinson
Websitewww.thespecials.com

During the ska revival, bands began playing 1960s-style Jamaican ska music. The Specials often mixed other popular music styles from the 1970s and 1980s into their music, such as punk rock.