Terry Hall (1959 - 2022)

When Terry Hall broke big in 1979, I wasn't interested, really. I have 'The Specials', for a very long time, but when I played it last could well be over 40 years ago today. It just wasn't may music, really.

I put it on today and found an album that was so exciting, I could not believe my ears. What did I not hear at the time? With it's debut album The Specials played a mix of ska, rock and roll and things British and played it in a kind of blend that created new music. Together with Madness, always my favourite, The Selecter, The Beat and just down the musical road, UB40, The Specials were the amalgam of a new British society, in which the local youth had become a mix of Brits, West Caribbean and south Indian children who started to combine their musical traditions.

What was the first hit of what we called Two Tone at the time? In my recollection that is 'Gangsters'. A song that was different from all I'd ever heard before. This wasn't exactly Bob Marley or Peter Tosh, was it? So much faster and much more aggressive this music was. It was also far removed from the punk that we only got to hear every once in a while on our national radio or tv. What was it? Ska, we were told. Everything on the back beat and that little organ and lead guitar doing whatever they wanted it seemed.

'Gangsters' is still an exciting song today, as it has a pace that is phenomenal. The singer is Terry Hall, who is obviously working hard to find his voice on the album. Sometimes found, sometimes searching. After two albums it was all over for The Specials. Terry Hall went on to form Fun Boy Three but ask me to name one single and I can't think of a single one. I'm sure I have an album, not played since the 80s as well. What I do remember is the single with Bananarama, 'It Ain't What You It's The Way That You Do It'.

From that moment on Terry Hall was someone from the past for me. Never heard from again. Except that The Specials regularly went on reunion tours in the past ten years. It was not for me. It is only today that I'm thinking for the first time I might have missed out on something.

Reading twitter it is obvious that Terry Hall was well-loved by his colleagues. For us, we have the music and that is an extremely good thing. I am left with one question. Why does 'Monkey Man' sound so familiar to me? Except for the three singles on The Specials, I recognise nothing. Enter 'Moneky Man'. Anyone any suggestion? A movie, series?

Wout de Natris