Name: The Best of The Specials
Brand: The Specials

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

CRTTVX1143

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Double 180 Gram Vinyl.

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Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2019-01-25

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Proper

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5060516092260

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Total Cap

2 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

CHRTV20082

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 CD and DVD Set. The DVD features 16 Promotional Videos.

2019-01-18

5099952039829

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2 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

The Specials

Genre GB

New Wave / Post Punk

Label GB

Chrysalis

The roots of Chrysalis stretch back to a tiny flat in West London in 1967, when former university social secretaries, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis, linked their flair for managing and booking bands to form the Ellis Wright Agency. After trying to release their bands' records via other companies, they decided to start their own label.

In 1968, they signed a licensing deal with Island Records with the proviso that if their acts achieved an agreed number of hits, they would be awarded a label of their own. Within a year, this tally was reached and Chrysalis Records was born.

Over the years, Chrysalis went through various ownership changes. In 1985, Chris Wright bought out Terry Ellis and later sold the label to EMI in 1991. EMI was then acquired by Universal Music Group in 2012 before selling the Parlophone Label Group (including Chrysalis) to Warner Music Group in 2013.

The Specials were the first band of the 2-Tone era in Britain during the late '70s and early '80s. Led by keyboardist Jerry Dammers, the band consisted of Terry Hall on lead vocals, Neville Staple on vocals and percussion, Lynval Golding on rhythm guitar and vocals, Roddy "Radiation" Byers on lead guitar, Sir Horace Gentleman (aka Horace Panter) on bass, and John Bradbury on drums.

During their active years from 1979 to 1981, The Specials released seven singles, two of which ("Too Much Too Young" & "Ghost Town") reached #1 in the UK charts. However, amidst widespread street violence in major cities across the country, they disbanded when "Ghost Town" topped the charts on July 11th, 1981.

Afterwards, Jerry Dammers and John Bradbury continued as The Special AKA until 1985. Horace Panter also remained involved to some extent. Roddy Byers left but made a guest appearance on one single. Meanwhile, Terry Hall, Neville Staple, and Lynval Golding formed Fun Boy Three.

The Best of The Specials covers music that the band recorded between 1979 and 1984. Along with the group's debut single Gangsters, the album also includes both of The Specials' UK number ones: Too Much Too Young (1980) and an extended version of Ghost Town (1981). Also featured are several songs that cracked the UK Top 10, including A Message To You, Rudy, Rat Race, Do Nothing, a medley of Stereotype and Stereotypes (Part 2), as well as the Special AKA 1984 protest song Nelson Mandela.

2LP - First Time on Vinyl. Double 180 Gram Vinyl.

2CD - CD and DVD Set. The DVD features 16 Promotional Videos.

The Best of The Specials

Music GB