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The Specials

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Musicians

The Resume

    (1977-1984)
    Born in Coventry, England, United Kingdom
    Original Members:
    Jerry Dammers (May 22, 1955- ), keyboards and vocals
    Terry Hall (March 19, 1959-December 18, 2022), vocals
    Lynval Golding (July 24, 1951- ), rhythm guitar and vocals
    Neville Staple (April 11, 1955- ), percussion and vocals
    Roddy Byers (May 5, 1955- ), guitar
    Horace Panter (August 30, 1953- ), bass guitar
    John Bradbury (1956- ), drums
    Golding, Staple, Byers and Panter re-formed the band (1996)
    All members but Dammers re-united (2008)
    Recorded the albums 'Specials' (1979), 'More Specials' (1980), 'In the Studio' (1984), 'Today's Specials' (1996), 'Guilty Til Proven Innocent' (1998), 'Skinhead Girl' (2000) and 'Conquering Ruler' (2001)
    Recorded the singles 'Gangsters' (1979), 'A Message to You, Rudy' (1979), 'Too Much Too Young' (1980), 'Rat Race' (1980), 'Ghost Town' (1981) and 'Free Nelson Mandela' (1984)

Why they might be annoying:

    They kept switching back and forth between the names 'Specials' and 'Specials AKA.'
    Their pro-contraception song 'Too Much, Too Young' was banned by the BBC.
    Dammers and Hall were arrested for inciting a riot at one of their concerts (1980).
    Dammers ticked off their American label when he said of a US tour that he 'had more fun on a school trip to Russia.'

Why they might not be annoying:

    They were the opening act for the Clash's 'On Parole' tour (1978).
    They founded the Two Tone label, which released their records along with those by fellow ska revivalists Madness, the English Beat and the Selecter.
    Despite the BBC ban, 'Too Much, Too Young' hit #1.
    Dammers organized the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert (1988).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 10 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 23 Votes: 47.83% Annoying