Terry Hall RIP

Really sad news.

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Ghost Town is in one of the best pop songs to ever come out of this country and will last until the end of time.

It’s also one of the most articulate bits of music to reflected how bleak early 80s Britain was: it’s true, visceral art.

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No age that. Underrated singer, a really outstanding lyricist.

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Really shit news. Too young

Oh shit. That has really shaken me. Totally unexpected. One of the first bands I can recall ever having something about them, something to identify with, before them I was a kid, The Specials began making me think about being an adult, even at the age of 10, shocked by this. The Specials had no bad songs and went out at the right time with such a beautiful damnation that was / is Ghost Town, the finest Number 1 single in my lifetime. More than the music they echoed the mood of the nation, the real people. I loved their first 2 studio albums so much, still do. Ahead of the game and Stereotypes is arguably the birth of Trip Hop 15 years before the event or so.

Beyond The Specials, even The Fun Boy Three material was something I would seek out, they changed with the times and it felt right leaning into Pop. I never saw them live, with the reformation, etc because no Dammers, but that is my mistake now. One morning when I was getting up to do my paper round the most charming song came on the radio about 6am. I loved it immediately, the most beautiful, gentle, warm, earworm. More than the music you kind of looked up to him. Damn.

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Completely taken aback here - absolutely no age.

First came across him when he was being interviewed on TFI Friday of all places, sometime in the late 90s. Needless to say I took to him right away….

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nice piece on terry here, but judging how quickly it appeared the author probably had forewarning about this

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Aw man

Absolutely heartbreaking news

The Specials obviously highly regarded & rightly so, Fun Boy Three hugely underrated, always had a huge soft spot for this too

Sad, sad news

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Oh that’s gutting :pensive:

Can’t believe he was only 63, when I heard he’d died I’d mentally added a decade to his age. Not that would make it ok, absolutely no age though that.

Really sad, his delivery and deadpan mannerisms are iconic and he’s one of the great British frontmen. Seems a stretch to say The Specials were underrated given they were massive and are still well known, kinda feel like critically and culturally maybe they are though? Think they’re much better than they’re given credit for, that run of singles is pretty incredible, including a few that properly penetetrated the public consciousness, but there’s loads of belters tucked away on their albums.

Really fond memories of seeing them on their first reunion tour in 2009 or so on a Saturday night at Birmingham Academy. Me and my mate were the youngest there by decades, the place just went off and it was a really joyous gig. Still probably one of my favourites of all time actually.

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Oh man, The Specials were one of the bands that lead me into punk music back in the day. Severely under listened to them over the years. Always a funny guy in interviews too.

Really like this from the Nearly God album on which Terry sang

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Not a favourite of theirs by any stretch, the delivery on the “I walk in a bar and immediately…I sense danger” might genuinely be one of my favourite bits of vocal delivery ever though.

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It’s probably not the most revered period of his work, but I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for this, from Terry Hall’s collaborations with the Dub Pistols

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Growing up in the 70’s and becoming a teenager in the 80’s living on a council estate the music of The Specials resonated so much, like they were talking directly to you. The mood of the nation then, different times and The National Front were visible everywhere, graffiti, negative racial words, you know the ones, were rife, normal even. You would feel peer pressure and elder friends on the estate would get wrapped up in it. It was kind of hard to resist and you would get called out on it. As a conflicted youngster I knew all that shit was wrong, so wrong and why? Because you fucking looked at The Specials, you saw their make up, diversity, the music, the words, and you were like NO FUCKING WAY, listen to this band. Really shaken me this news, 10 years older than me which is one of them wake-up calls, so sad, they were so life affirming and his style, disinterested, yet sharp.

He sang, you listened, and he was right.

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Ahh shit. That’s too young. RIP Terry.
Best Of The Specials getting pulled out tonight.