Legendary Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriquez was a key member of the 2Tone family, being a member of The Specials live line up as well as performing on many of their records including, of course, "A Message To You Rudy" along with releasing 2 LP's for the label in his own right.

It's testament to his musicianship that for this LP he gathered together an absolute who's who of Jamaican musicians from the time, including: Sly & Robbie, Ansell Collins, Tommy McCook, Cedric Brookes, Deadly Headley Bennet and Winston Wright.

TRACK LISTING

1 Destroy Them 
2 We Want Peace 
3 Jam Rock 
4 Some Day 
5 Distant Drums 
6 Love And Justice 
7 Java 
8 Do The Reload 
9 Easter Island 

Legendary Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriquez was a key member of the 2Tone family, being a member of The Specials live line up as well as performing on many of their records including, of course, "A Message To You Rudy" along with releasing 2 LP's for the label in his own right.

This was his first LP for the label and includes such legends as Sly & Robbie, Ansell Collins, Cedric Brookes, Deadly Headley Bennet and Winston Wright.

TRACK LISTING

1 Easy Snappin'
2 Fiesta
3 Chang Kai Shek
4 Stay Out Late
5 Red Top
6 X
7 Ganja
8 That Man Is Forward

THE SPECIALS are one of the defining bands of the late 70’s/early 80’s along with Jerry Dammers iconic label Two Tone Records. They combined Jamaican ska and Rocksteady mixed with the energy of punk and launched a whole Ska Revival which paved the way for fellow likeminded bands Madness, The Beat and The Selecter to release their first singles.

Having had seven top 10 singles and two Gold albums over the course of two years, the band released Jerry Dammers’ Ghost Town in June 1981, backed by Lynval Goldings’ Why? and the Terry Hall penned Friday Night Saturday Morning. The beginnings of the song were written around the closure of the Larcano dancehall in Coventry, but also reflecting what was happening in other towns and cities with urban decay, unemployment and ongoing racial tensions of the period. Themes which are still relevant today.

The single, which was recently voted the second greatest UK single of all time by Alexis Petridis in the Guardian, reached Number One in the UK singles charts and stayed there for a further 3 weeks, becoming one of the biggest selling singles of 1981 and has remained one of the classic UK singles of all.

This 40th Anniversary Edition has been mastered and cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios using the original production tapes for optimum audio quality.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: There's no denying that 'Ghost Town' is one of the most well known singles from one of the greatest Ska bands of all time, and what better way to hear it than on this brand new half-speed mastered definitive pressing? Essential purchase.

TRACK LISTING

7" TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. Ghost Town (Single Version)
Side B
1. Why? (Edit)
2. Friday Night, Saturday Morning

12" TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. Ghost Town (Extended Version)
2. Why? (Extended Version)
Side B
1. Friday Night, Saturday Morning

The Selecter were one of the key bands of the ska revival in the late 70’s and one of the few racially and sexually integrated bands on the scene. Vocalist Pauline Black wrote about sexism, racism, and social issues. Their debut release was the AA side of The Specials single ‘Gangsters’ in the summer of 1979, which only consisted of Neol Davies and John Bradbury (of The Specials) before quickly forming a full band by the end of the year. Releasing their follow up single ‘On My Radio’ which reached No. 6 in the UK charts. Their debut album ‘Too Much Pressure’ was released in February 1980 and reached No. 5 in the UK charts. The album also included two further hit singles ‘Three Minute Hero’ and ‘Missing Words’.

TRACK LISTING

Vinyl Tracklisting:
Side A
1. Three Minute Hero
2. Everyday
3. They Make Me Mad
4. Missing Words
5. Danger
6. Street Feeling
7. My Collie (Not A Dog)

Side B
1. Too Much Pressure
2. Murder
3. Out On The Streets
4. Carry Go Bring Come
5. Black And Blue 
6. James Bond

Bonus 7"
Side A
1. On My Radio
Side B
1. Too Much Pressure

Deluxe CD Tracklisting:
Disc 1
1. Three Minute Hero
2. Everyday
3. They Make Me Mad
4. Missing Words
5. Danger
6. Street Feeling
7. My Collie (Not A Dog)
8. Too Much Pressure
9. Murder
10. Out On The Streets
11. Carry Go Bring Come
12. Black And Blue
13. James Bond

Disc 2
1. The Selecter
2. On My Radio
3. Too Much Pressure (Version)
4. Street Feeling (Outtake)
5. They Make Me Mad (John Peel Session 22/10/79)
6. Carry Go Bring Come (John Peel Session 22/10/79)
7. Danger (John Peel Session 22/10/79)
8. Street Feeling (John Peel Session 22/10/79)
9. Three Minute Hero (Alt Version)
10. Missing Words (Single Version)
11. Carry Go Bring Come (Live At Tiffany's / B Side)
12. A Live Injection / Mony Mony / Too Much Pressure (Soundcheck)
13. The Whisper
14. Train To Skaville
15. Cool Blue Lady (Outtake)
16. Train To Skaville (Extended Version)
17. On My Radio (Ready Mix Radio)

Disc 3
1. Murder (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
2. Out On The Streets (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
3. James Bond (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
4. Sweet Collie (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
5. Street Feeling (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
6. Everyday (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
7. The Selecter (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
8. Danger (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
9. They Make Me Mad (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
10. Carry Go Bring Come (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
11. On My Radio (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
12. Too Much Pressure (Live At Tiffany's, Coventry 29/11/79)
13. Three Minute Hero (Live In Hemel Hempstead 28/2/80)
14. Black And Blue (Live In Hemel Hempstead 28/2/80)
15. Missing Words (Live In Hemel Hempstead 28/2/80)
16. Train To Skaville (Live In Hemel Hempstead 28/2/80)

The Specials are one of the defining bands of the late 70’s/early 80’s along with Jerry Dammers iconic label Two Tone Records. Originally formed in 1977, as The Coventry Automatics, The Specials combined Jamaican ska and Rocksteady, mixed with the energy of punk they launched a whole Ska Revival. They also helped fellow likeminded bands such as Madness, The Beat, The Selecter to release their first singles. The Specials released ‘Gangsters’ as their first single in the summer of ’79, quickly releasing the classic singles A Message To You Rudy, Do Nothing and Rat Race. They released their debut album ‘Specials’ in 1979, followed by ‘More Specials’ in 1980. During this time, the band has two UK Number One singles, a live version of ‘Too Much Too Young’ from ‘The Special AKA Live EP’ and the unforgettable ‘Ghost Town’ in the summer of 1981. Jerry Dammers continued as The Special AKA following the departure of band members in late 1981, releasing their third album ‘In The Studio’ which included the iconic single ‘Nelson Mandela’. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: Along with Madness, The Selecter and The Beat, The Specials were at the forefront of the ska revival which injected a much needed energy into the bleakness of the late 70s / early 80s. They wrote about growing up in a city with all that entailed at the time. Listening to this compilation some 30-odd years on, and the songs still stand up, both musically and lyrically: much of the subject matter is as relevant now is it was back then.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1 Gangsters
2 A Message To You Rudy
3 Nite Klub (Album Version)
4 Concrete Jungle
5 Too Much Too Young

Side 2
1 Blank Expression
2 Doesn't Make It Alright
3 Rude Bouys Outa Jail
4 Rat Race
5 Man At C&A

Side 3
1 Do Nothing (Single Version)
2 Stereotypes
3 International Jet Set (Album Version)
4 Friday Night, Saturday Morning
5 Why?

Side 4
1 Ghost Town (Full Version)
2 What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend (Album Version)
3 Racist Friend (Single Version)
4 War Crimes (Single Version)
5 Nelson Mandela (Album Version)