The Specials, known as The Special AKA, are an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry.
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17 Facts About The Specials
2.
The Specials began at the same time as Rock Against Racism, which was first organised in 1978.
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3.
The Specials sang with the 1990s Specials line-up, and again from 2009 to 2012.
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4.
The Specials joined the 1990s Specials before training as a primary school teacher at the University of Central England in Birmingham.
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5.
The Specials continued to play with latter-day Special Neol Davies in the blues outfit Box of Blues.
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6.
The Specials joined the 1990s Specials line-up and again in 2009, continuing to 2014.
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7.
The Specials joined Special Beat for several years, then a reformed Selecter, before retiring from music to work as an IT specialist.
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8.
The Specials rejoined the band for their 2009 reunion, and continued to perform with them until his death in 2015.
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10.
The Specials approached all members of The Specials and the four that were willing to participate were Roddy Radiation, Neville Staple, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter, they were joined by Aitch Bembridge, who had been the drummer in The Selecter.
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11.
On 30 March 2008, Hall stated that the Specials would be reforming for tour dates in autumn 2008, and possibly for some recording.
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12.
On 8 June 2009, it was announced that the Specials would embark on a second leg of their 30th anniversary tour, taking in the locations and venues that they missed earlier in the year.
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13.
In February 2012, it was announced that the Specials would perform at Hyde Park with Blur and New Order to celebrate the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
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14.
The Specials has made a huge contribution to the fantastic time and reception we have received since we started and reformed in 2009.
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15.
The Specials completed a North American tour in 2013, performing to sold-out crowds in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Vancouver.
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16.
In spite of his departure, the Specials played an extensive tour in the autumn of 2014 with Steve Cradock as lead guitarist.
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17.
On 29 October 2018, the Specials announced a UK tour in 2019 to coincide with the release of a new album, Encore.
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