“If you were 12 in 1979, The Specials were easy peasy lemon squeezy the greatest band on the planet. If you’re 42 in 2009, nothing’s changed.” Four years later, in 2013, the English 2 Tone ska revivalist band is still keeping things fresh.
Formed in 1977 in Coventry, England, The Specials, or at that time “The Coventry Automatics,” were not just a band who helped revitalize ska, they were a band who helped break down racial barriers in the UK music scene. The Coventry Automatics, later known as “The Specials AKA” and finally “The Specials,” contributed to the anti-National Front cause of Rock Against Racism, an organization that did exactly that—used music as a way to protest against racism.
In a 2008 interview with UK’s The Guardian, founding member Jerry Dammers says, “…it was no good being anti-racist if you didn’t involve black people, so what the Specials tried to do was create something that was more integrated.”
They didn’t just try, they succeeded. The Specials’ contribution to that cause, and of course, their revitalized 2 Tone ska music, hasn’t been forgotten. In fact, the band is currently touring all over North America. The tour includes a stop at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Friday, July 12, and we’re giving away a pair of tickets.
Throughout the course of their musical career, The Specials have experienced several bumps in the road. Conflicts between band members, the departure of members, the revisions of the band line-up, and countless hiatuses. Regardless of the hard times, the band managed to pull through, recently selling out several venues during their 2013 UK and American Tours.
To win the tickets, leave a comment below naming a band that’s gone through a few different iterations or line-ups. Van Halen is mine.
The winner will be chosen a week from now on Friday, June 28. Tickets are still available for purchase.
