Must The Specials Record A New Album?
The party started in April 2009 – that’s when The Specials went on their 30th Anniversary Tour with sold-out shows around the UK. Gigs in Australia, Japan, the USA, Canada and festival appearances throughout Europe followed. On the way the 2Tone heroes picked up an Inspiration Award by Britain’s quality music magazine Q and regained international celebrity status. The next tour with UK dates scheduled for fall 2010 is already sold out. It soon became clear that the reunion was a huge success. The controversy around former bandleader Jerry Dammers being banned from the reunion was reduced to a footnote. His nagging couldn’t stop the fun.
But wait a minute …. What about the new album with original material that The Specials have promised?
Already in 2008, with the first announcements of the reunion, singer Terry Hall talked about booking studio time. Time to rehearse, but using the studio to throw together new ideas stood to reason. After two years (and repeated remarks by band members about a future album) nothing has been recorded yet. As Marco On The Bass reports, drummer John Bradbury has recently “confirmed during an interview with BBC 6 that the Specials will record again …”. In Bradbury’s words: “It’ll be different to what we’ve done just because it has to be really. We can’t keep doing the same set …”. Does that sound like a band eager to start recording?
Imagine The Specials are really going for another album. How can they make it happen?
It’s one thing to play the old songs with a (competent) stand-in organ player. It’s a completely different story to create a new musical vision. In his Grapevine blog bass player Horace Gentleman hints at The Specials being a collective with equal rights now. Which might work if you need to decide on a setlist or a tour plan. But a new direction? Can The Specials avoid ending up like a football team without a manager, an orchestra without a conductor, a chicken without a head?
The void after Jerry Dammers’ seclusion must be filled. But how?
Four scenarios seem feasible:
Scenario No 1: One or two members of The Specials will take responsibility as the band’s driving forces.
The best pick would probably be Terry Hall, because he has proven more than once to have a unique musical vision. Others like Roddy Byers or Lynval Golding might be able to contribute (great) songs, but they may not be in the position to take the lead in this fragile collective. The question is: If Terry Hall is ABLE to do it, is he WILLING to?
Probability for this scenario: High, but it could also be a frustrating trip leading into a dead-end street.
Scenario No 2: The Specials ask for help from outside.
A list of people coming to mind:
- John Collins (producer of The Specials’ biggest single “Ghost Town”), a man to trust.
- Elvis Costello (producer of the first album), always up for an interesting project.
- Damon Albarn (the singer/composer for Blur, Gorillaz and many more) has worked with Terry Hall before and grew up with 2Tone.
- Sly & Robbie (the Jamaican producer duo) are experienced in furnishing dance music with an edge.
Probability for this scenario: Not very high, though some guest appearances are to be expected (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen).
Scenario No 3: The Specials reappoint Jerry Dammers.
Remembering Terry Hall’s words “the door remains open for him” it would be very interesting to see if Jerry’s comeback would make the party complete. Or smash it.
Probability for this scenario: Close to null, too much has happened.
Scenario No 4: The Specials throw together some cover songs for a “new” album.
Something which looks like the easiest way to go would probably turn the affair into a comeback without “dignity”, a thing that Terry Hall was anxious to avoid from the beginning.
Probability for this scenario: Hm, no.
Or will history repeat itself and Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staples declare the end of the 2Tone party next year: just in time for Fun Boy Three’s 30th anniversary?
We shouldn’t be surprised. What do you think will happen? What would you prefer? Feel free to take part in the polls and comment.
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Steve from Moon
Posted at 00:23h, 04 OctoberJoe:
If The Specials make a new record (and it would be a real shame not to have Jerry involved in writing at least a few songs), I would love to see a few of the producers you mentioned involved. Each of them (Damon Albarn, John Collins, and EC) could produce a few tracks–and I’m sure the results would be pretty fantastic.
Steve
Collin F. KAEMMER
Posted at 01:45h, 07 OctoberTimes change and I doubt very much that any band will ever hit the nerve of an entire generation the way The Specials did. Let’s be honest. We grew up with 2Tone. What really drove us mad was the first recording, The Specials. To me this album (together with The Clash’s London Calling) still is one of the most important and influencial recordings of all times – and Jesus F***in’ Christ could you dance to it. Everybody was more than curious to get the next album. More Specials was allright, but nowhere close to the first smash hit. Too civilized. In the Studio was even more cultivated – and bored me to death. The Specials was spinning (those were the vinyl days, kid!) 24/7 for months and still hits me with full force every time I hear it. Gangsters, Rat Race, Too Much Too Young, Concrete Jungle, Little Bitch… This is what we want. I can’t even remember a tune from In The Studio.
So this is the Specials’ dilemma. If they go on and develop even further in the same direction they never will have the same raw energy they used to have. If they try to duplicate the old stuff they probably sound like their own revival. I used to be backstage with the band during a gig in Amsterdam a couple of years ago. After the show Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers mentioned he couldn’t understand all the fuzz about the band while he was getting a massage. I said it really is difficult to understand, but the band to me was bigger than life. It was everything that really mattered. Than I turned around. Backstage were a couple of men in their best years who probably never will experience anything like the late 70ies, early 80ies Ska Tsunami again. I would by a new record. As a collector and for sentimental reasons I would go for both vinyl and CD. But I wouldn’t expect it to be as good as the old stuff. Even if it was as good,. I am not the youngster I used to be any more. Pretty hard to impress an old fart.
Joe
Posted at 10:13h, 07 OctoberWell said Collin,
since they cannot win the best thing might be to just listen to themselves and carry on regardless. I promise tio buy the next record, too.
I agree that the effect of the first album by The Specials cannot be repeated. For people who grew up then it was a once-in-lifetime experience. “More Specials” and “In The Studio” were different, though I still think they are both great albums that helped me through the rest of the 80s. Especially “In The Studio”: The circumstances of “In The Studio” depressing as they were (described in Horace Gentleman’s “Ska’d For Life” at least generated brilliant songs like “Racist Friend”, “What I Like Most About You”, “Free Nelson Mandela”.
ekimas
Posted at 12:09h, 27 Octoberif at all, they’ll do it with mark ronson. in this case it`ll be a good record.
Joe
Posted at 14:29h, 29 OctoberI can imagine Mark Ronson is a fan of that idea.