Jerry Dammers - The Specials Reunion?

Jerry Dammers, the man behind The Specials success thirty years ago, is back in the news today as one of the performers at the Love Music Hate Racism event on May 30 at Stoke's Britannia Stadium.

He will be joined by some "very special guests", which is leading some to believe that the long awaited reunion with Jerry and the rest of The Specials could happen. Both Dammers and The Specials have long been campaigners for equality and spoken out against racism, having performed together at Coventry's Butts College at a similar event three decades prior.

The Specials and Dammers had been unable to agree about the way The Specials would return to celebrate thirty years of Two Tone SKA music, eventually leading to Jerry Dammers missing from the line-up during the tour which is currently taking place. Yet, Jerry and The Specials have both left the door open with the hope of being able to perform together on stage once again.

The Love Music Hate Racism would be the perfect opportunity for the whole band to reunite under the umbrella of racial harmony. Could the 'very special guests' appearing on stage with Dammers be the original Specials? Watch this space for more updates....................

The Specials Interview

The Specials: Lynval Golding, Terry Hall and John Bradbury

*Picture: Martin Godwin *Source: Guardian

The Specials are in a buoyant mood ahead of their 30th Anniversary Tour as

Alexis Petridis from The Guardian found out when he met up with Terry Hall, guitarist Lynval Golding and drummer John Bradbury and interviewed them about life in The Specials back then and since reforming last year.

John Bradbury summed up his feelings by saying, "I've never had so much fun as I've been having since the Specials reformed." A feeling backed up by Terry Hall, "We haven't changed that much, we still take the piss out of each other." Lynval Golding said "Being in the Specials is wonderful." Adding further proof the lads are enjoying time together ahead of their sell-out tour, which starts on April 22nd in Newcastle.

The Guardian interview discusses the demise of The Specials back in 1981 at the Top of the Pops dressing room and their relationship with Jerry Dammers but John Bradbury remained upbeat saying;

"I've got to admit, this time around I feel a lot more at ease with the other people in the band, but I thought the first time around was absolutely brilliant, needless to say, a lot of people look for the downside more than the fun side, in terms of journalism. A lot of the good side never got discussed."

To read the full interview: The Guardian