Tag: The Specials

The Specials to release ‘More… Or Less’ 2CD live album recorded on 2011 reunion dates

The Specials to release ‘More… Or Less’ 2CD live album recorded on 2011 reunion dates

The Specials next month will release a 26-track live album dubbed ‘More… Or Less: The Specials Live’ in both 2CD and 2LP formats, collecting “the best of the best tracks” from U.K. and European dates on the band’s 2011 reunion tour, EMI Catalogue announced this morning.

Video: ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ — classic 2 Tone concert film

Video: ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ — classic 2 Tone concert film

It’s an absolute crime that 1981’s ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ isn’t available on DVD or Blu-ray, but at least we can share the full 85-minute concert film — featuring classic performances from 2 Tone-era acts The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Beat and more — via the modern miracle of YouTube

New Order returning to U.S. ‘for more shows later in the year,’ may start writing new music

New Order returning to U.S. ‘for more shows later in the year,’ may start writing new music

New Order performed its first U.S. concert in seven years Friday night at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival — but that won’t be the band’s only American appearance this year. The band says: ‘It’s great to back in the U.S., and we will be back for more shows later in the year when we have fulfilled our other live commitments around the world.’

The Week in Rock: Feb. 19-25, 2012

The Week in Rock: Feb. 19-25, 2012

The round-up of this week’s Slicing Up Eyeballs headlines includes news about The Replacements’ Slim Dunlap and Tommy Stinson, New Order, The Specials, Squeeze, Visage, Ian McCulloch and Public Image Ltd. — plus Slicing Up Eyeballs’ third birthday.

Blur, The Specials and New Order to play Olympics Closing Ceremony Celebration

Blur, The Specials and New Order to play Olympics Closing Ceremony Celebration

Three recently reunited U.K. acts — Britpop masters Blur, 2 Tone ska kings The Specials and electronic-rock pioneers New Order — will perform at a giant “Best of British” outdoor concert on Aug. 12 in Hyde Park to cap off the London Olympics, the bands announced Monday.

Linkage: Mick Jones plays The Clash, plus Simple Minds, The Sisters of Mercy, JAMC, The Specials

Linkage: Mick Jones plays The Clash, plus Simple Minds, The Sisters of Mercy, JAMC, The Specials

This week’s round-up of click-worthy links includes news about Mick Jones playing Clash songs on a U.K. benefit tour, an interview with Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr via the Stuck in the ’80s podcast, interviews with The Sisters of Mercy and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and news that The Specials’ reunion will continue.

New Peel Sessions compilation features Joy Division, PiL, Simple Minds, XTC from ’77-’79

New Peel Sessions compilation features Joy Division, PiL, Simple Minds, XTC from ’77-’79

EMI this week released the first in a new series of Peel Sessions compilations, a 2CD set called ‘Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977–1979’ that compiles recordings by 41 different punk, post-punk, reggae and 2 Tone acts including Joy Division, XTC, The Jam, Simple Minds, The Specials, Public Image Ltd. and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Milestones: The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’ single released exactly 30 years ago today

Milestones: The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’ single released exactly 30 years ago today

Thirty years ago today, 2 Tone ska kings The Specials released their landmark single ‘Ghost Town,’ a haunting soundtrack to England’s early-’80s economic despair and civil unrest. Check out several video version of the unforgettable U.K. No. 1 hit.

The Specials announce 23-date tour of Europe, U.K. for next September and October

Reformed 2 Tone-era ska act The Specials this morning announced a lengthy tour of Europe and the band’s native U.K. next fall, a trek that puts the band’s reunion well into a third year.

Terry Hall: The Specials to tour in 2011, play self-titled debut, ‘More Specials’ live

Terry Hall: The Specials to tour in 2011, play self-titled debut, ‘More Specials’ live

The Specials will continue their reunion in 2011 with a ‘lengthy tour’ that will feature the band performing its self-titled 1979 debut and its 1980 follow-up ‘More Specials’ back-to-back, frontman Terry Hall told a Manchester, England, audience last Friday.

Video: The Specials perform ‘Night Klub’ on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’

Reunited 2 Tone ska legends The Specials made their third American late-night TV appearance this year tonight, performing ‘Night Klub’ on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman.’

New releases: Specials live DVD, Gary Numan vinyl box set, Dean & Britta’s Warhol CD

New releases: Specials live DVD, Gary Numan vinyl box set, Dean & Britta’s Warhol CD

This week’s new releases include the U.S. version of The Specials’ ’30th Anniversary Tour’ live DVD; Gary Numan and Tubeway Army’s 4LP ’78/79 Box Set’; and Dean & Britta’s ’13 Most Beautiful… Songs For Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests,’ featuring ex-Galaxie 500 frontman Dean Wareham.

The Specials cancel New York SummerStage concert, plan U.S. tour in early 2011

The Specials cancel New York SummerStage concert, plan U.S. tour in early 2011

Blaming the ever-popular ‘visa issues,’ reunited 2 Tone ska kings The Specials today pulled the plug on their free concert next month in New York City’s Central Park — but announced plans to ‘return to the U.S. in early 2011 for additional dates.’