The Specials / New Song Recorded (12/11/2009)

[funboy]

As a founding member of possibly the most famous and influential ska
band ever, The Specials, Lynval Golding has his place in the annals of
musical history guaranteed. Having spent most of the past decade
trying to reunite the Coventry band, he finally succeeded when the
original members (excluding keyboardist Jerry Dammers) regrouped and
announced a very special '30th Anniversary Tour'. I recently had a
chat with the very friendly guitarist about his 'other' band Pama
International (who are supporting The Specials on their tour), how the
reunion came about, the ongoing acrimony with Dammers, and of
course... Father Ted. | Words: Lauren Murphy

Hi Lynval, you're in Edinburgh tonight - how is the tour going?

Yeah, the tour is gonna end up in London, at the Hammersmith Apollo at
the end of the month. I think it's been fantastic. There's an article
in The Word magazine this month, and I read a quote from Jerry
(Dammers), our old keyboardist from The Specials. I think he's the
only one in the country who's seen us who's saying we're not as good
as we should be. We just laughed at that. I think the band has been
absolutely fantastic, it's been great. From a musical point of view,
we've all grown so much, y'know? It's absolutely brilliant.

You're obviously not in touch with Jerry a lot these days. Has it been
hard to hear him make comments like he doesn't think that you're good
these days, or that he felt "frozen out" when the band reformed
without him last year?

This morning when we read that, we all laughed, because we thought
"You can't tell all those people who came to see us…"... I think it's
insulting the audience, what he said. Because they all had such a good
time, and we know that we put on a good show. Democracy is never easy.
And we decided that we were gonna work as a democracy in this band,
and it's gonna be one man, one vote. Seven of us played in the band -
not six, not one; seven of us creaking this monster, and the majority
takes us forward. I'm not saying that democracy is always right, but I
think this in this case, it works. There's six of us still together,
and thousands of people have bought tickets and not one of them has
ever said 'I want my money back'. So that says a lot.

We started off as a democratic band. It got lost in the second album.
With the second album, Jerry became a very dictacting sort of person,
and that's what wrecked everything. And we could say to him "Look now,
we're not little kids any more, we're not naive boys. We're all adults
now. All of our children are with us, they're all on the road, we want
a family thing." And he just couldn't cope with that, his view was
that it was his way or the highway. So we said well, we're going that
way, you can go whichever way you wanna go! (laughs) It was what the
majority wanted, but he didn't accept that. So it is a bit sad, that
he insulted the audience that paid us. Wherever I go, people say to me
"Jerry's let them down badly." It's not us - we go out and perform for
them. He lets the audience down - that's not my words, it's what
people out there are saying. He couldn't put the past behind and move
on and play for the audience, he let them down badly. They're very
disappointed in him. The door is open for him if he realises that it's
a democracy, and that we're not gonna work under any kind of
dictatorship now. Look at the way the Berlin Wall fell, y'know? Jerry
- dictatorship doesn't work. You gotta talk, you gotta communicate,
you can't tell people 'It's my way or the highway'. Life is not like
that right now. So until he's learned… it's up to him. But as I said,
the door's always open to him.

Your Oxegen gig during the summer was brilliant, but we're very
excited to have you over for a dry, indoor gig! The Olympia is a great
venue as well, perfectly suited to a band like The Specials.

Yeah, that sort of venue is made for us, I think. And we've
accomplished being a good dance band now, y'know? Everyone is coming
to dance, and my other band Pama International is the opening band as
well, and they're a great reggae band, a great dance band as well. So
it's a wonderful package!

Obviously you're best known for your role in The Specials, but you've
had a very varied career since then, working with lots of different
bands, whether it's been with Fun Boy Three or as you just mentioned,
Pama International. You must be a very busy man!

(laughs) What makes it work nowadays is that we've got the wonderful
world of the internet. So wherever I am, I can work from - I've got my
laptop on right now, and there's always music happening. It seems a
lot easier to work with people when you don't see them (laughs). Just
send them a file, don't have a big debate about it! I've been doing
stuff with Pama for 15 years now, I think this is the third album I've
done with them, and it's been fantastic. We have long discussions, it
costs a fortune in phone calls, but it's all good, it's been worth it.

You recently jokingly described Pama International as your main act,
The Specials as your side project - but I suppose you've spent more
time on them than The Specials over the past few years!

(laughs) It was my way of having a laugh. Yeah, I have spent more time
with them than I have with The Specials! It's all in good humour. I
met Sean (Flowerdew, keyboards) many years ago, when he got The
Special Beat together - with members of The Specials and members of
The Beat. He was the guy who organised that. They (Pama International)
did a tour, but I didn't go with them for that because I wasn't part
of it then. When they got back, their guitarist had left, and somebody
twisted my arm, saying "You must go play with them." I thought "Why?!"
So I did one tour with them, and then I thought "Ohhh, that's why I
should play with them!". So we've been friends ever since, and been
doing little music projects for the last 15 years.

So Pama are supporting The Specials on their current UK tour - but I
presume that you're not playing two sets every night?!

No, there's another guitarist that plays when I'm not there. It's just
like a collective of musicians, really. Obviously I can't play twice
because that would just kill me, I'm getting bloody old now! So we've
got another member of the band that fills in for me, his name is Lenny
and he's a wonderful guitar player. As soon as I'm finished with The
Specials, I'll go back to Pama again.

A lot of people are probably asking you this, but do The Specials have
any plan to continue after this 30th Anniversary Tour is finished, or
are you taking it as it comes?

We're just gonna take it as it comes. Brad (John Bradbury), our
drummer, has a new song that I've started running through with the
guys, and it's amazing. Everyone just fits back into their own little
part, and we’ve done a rough demo of it. And it's the first new song
as a band that we’ve done so far. So who knows what's around the
corner. We'll carry on playing, and hopefully if we do do something
new, our wonderful audience will be happy with it. We don't wanna give
them anything second best. We're gonna spend time, we're not gonna
rush anything at all. You know we don't rush things anyway - it took
us 25 years to get back together, so we might try and break the record
for recording a new album. Probably to beat Guns 'n' Roses - what did
they take, 10, 15 years? (laughs). No, it won't take that long, but
when we do it, we'll make sure that it's absolutely right.

That actually brings me to my next question. There are so many bands
that reform simply to cash in on their name, or out of some sort of
need for validation - and then end up tainting their amazing legacies
by releasing sub-standard 'new' material, or just being not very good
in genral. I'm not saying that that's what The Specials are doing, but
did you worry that some people would view your reformation in that
way, or was it a concern that you wouldn't recapture the magic that
you originally had?

I think I was very confident, because I was the one that really
engineered all of this, y'know? It took me 6 years to get the band
back together, and I was always confident about the players, because
I'd seen them do their individual stuff - like Terry (Hall), he's such
a good character musically, he's so, so good. I knew it would work,
and I got a lot of encouragement from the fans through the website.
They're the ones that make us good, y'know? If it wasn't for them,
we'd be shit! They play such a big part, subconsciously in your mind.
When you rehearse, even though it's only the band there, you can see
the audience there. We want to put on the best gig of our lives every
night for the fans, it's all for them. Otherwise we wouldn't do it.

It must be quite energy-sapping then, putting on such an intense and
energetic show night after night…

Yeah, back in the day after each gig, I'd probably end up in the bar
till the next morning (laughs). Now, after soundcheck I go and have a
sleep from about 6 o'clock until about 8.30pm, then afterwards I only
stay up for about half an hour and I'm straight back to bed again! I
can't afford not to be 100% for the fans every night, I don't want to
have a bad night and I will not compromise it. So far, I cannot fault
one gig. The very first gig we played in Glasgow will always stick in
my mind because of the excitement of it, but that was the standard we
set, it was brilliant that night. We just thought "We can't afford to
blow this now!".

Well, hopefully the Irish crowds will give the Glaswegians a run for
their money!

I tell you, I'm looking forward so much. We haven't played there for
so many years, I need to apologise! I mean, I've been trying to get
the band back together for the last 5 years, but the right time is the
right time. It's the 30th Anniversary, and I'm so pleased that
everyone has had the patience to wait for us to come back. What more
can I say? Guys, we're coming for you! If it wasn't for all those
people who bought a ticket, we wouldn't be here today. It's gonna be
100% brilliant. I can't wait for the curtain to drop and look out at
those people, it's gonna be magic.


Finally, do you think there are any young bands that could potentially
carry on the legacy of The Specials, or do you think that you're a one-
off kind of band?

I love the fact that we've influenced people like Lily Allen, and Amy
(Winehouse), and Kid British, who are a wonderful little band. And I
hope we'll carry on influencing bands like that - like Franz
Ferdinand, what a wonderful bunch of guys. Meeting these bands, and
seeing them perform our songs live to an audience - watching an
audience of 19-year-old kids singing 'Too Much Too Young', who weren't
even around when we recorded that! That's what it's all about. 'Too
Much Too Young, 'Ghost Town', 'It doesn't make it alright / not
because you're black, not because you're white / it doesn't mean you
have to fight' - we still have the same problems with the BNP and the
National Front as we did years ago. So if we can still educate others
with our music, I think other bands will follow.

And just because you mentioned 'Ghost Town' there, I have to ask -
have you seen the episode of Father Ted where that record is famously
played all night long at the parish disco?

No, but it's good that it's such a serious song, with a serious
message, but you can still have a laugh. It's brilliant! That's what
it's about, y'know? That's what the Specials are about - you come and
see to dance, and be happy, and sing the songs. (Sings) "Just because
you're a black boy / Just because you're a white / It doesn't mean
you've got to hate him / It doesn't mean you've got to fight." That's
what The Specials are about.

***********

http://entertainment.ie/Music/feature/Interview-with-Lynval-Golding-%28The-Specials%29/1/437.htm

[jason]

Great find Funboy.

The sound of The Specials was the sum of their parts, but the person
who masterminded that sound by hand picking each and every member was
Jerry Dammers.

The rest of the band may not have like they way he worked but a quick
look at the writing credits on the tracks Lynval name checks ('Too
Much Too Young, 'Ghost Town', 'It doesn't make it alright ) and it's
easy to see who really was the mastermind behind it all.

[funboy]

And out of those 3 songs Jerry wrote 1 Ghost Town the other 2 are
basically covers. I'm glad they are writing new songs because I don't
want to see them burn out and that will happen if they continue
without recording something new with or without Jerry Dammers. I
waited 8 years for Madness to release something after reforming for
Madstock but I don't think we will be left waiting as long for The
Specials for some reason. if they split up tomorrow it would suit me
fine because they came back with a bang and they would go out on top
again just like they did back in 1981 but I know they can't continue
playing the same live set forever and I'm sure they know that
themselves that's why they are writing and I admire them for that
because they are looking after the fans and there legacy. in my eyes
In The Studio was a great album but it wasn't for most so let's see
what happens regarding the next Specials Album.

Funboy1

[jason]

They may well be covers Funboy but it was Dammers that added the extra
special (no pun intended) ingredient.

The difficulty with new material for the six of them is the direction
it will take. Going by the posts over thespecials2.com people will
accept nothing less than a carbon copy of the first album. That
simply is not going to happen.

The difference between Madness and The Specials is that Madness didn't
have the very obvious talents of one individual stamped all over them.

[Paul Rodgers]

Yep, echoed cheers for copying that for us Paul.

I must admit when I read 'new song recorded' I was a little worried. I'm
pleased it's just a demo so far. I really can't see where they'd go in terms
of lyrics for new material. And what about the sound? I don't know how you
can start on new material 29 years on from your second and final album
coming out. I honestly think that new material should come under a different
name, if at all. No reference to The Specials at all.

The anniversary re-union is just a celebration of the past. As others have
said, there's no great pool of back catalogue songs to work with so the set
can't be changed much without going for new material or covers. As soon as
they do that it dilutes down the whole point of people going to see The
Specials. The crowd wants them to look and sound like The Specials. The
other problem they are likely to encounter is what do they drop to make room
for new stuff? I saw them perform without Ghost Town in Margate. As a one
off it was fine. Would I want to see them on a regular basis without Rat
Race, Do Nothing, Stereotype, Do The Dog, It's Up To You or Man At C & A?
Nope. Whether they drop singles or album tracks from the current set, the
show will be worse for it.

Even bringing Dammers back wouldn't guarantee good new material. He's hardly
been a prolific songwriter since In The Studio.

Cheers



Paul Rodgers

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[jason]

>
> The anniversary re-union is just a celebration of the past. As others have
> said, there's no great pool of back catalogue songs to work with so the set
> can't be changed much without going for new material or covers. As soon as
> they do that it dilutes down the whole point of people going to see The
> Specials. The crowd wants them to look and sound like The Specials. The
> other problem they are likely to encounter is what do they drop to make room
> for new stuff? I saw them perform without Ghost Town in Margate. As a one
> off it was fine. Would I want to see them on a regular basis without Rat
> Race, Do Nothing, Stereotype, Do The Dog, It's Up To You or Man At C & A?
> Nope. Whether they drop singles or album tracks from the current set, the
> show will be worse for it.
>

----------------------------------------------

Very valid and interesting points. I'm afraid that is the price that
is paid when a band with such a brief and defining career as The
Specials had is turned into nostalgia act.

[funboy]

They left out Too Hot during this tour but I didn't miss it. Regarding
Dammers vs. I'm on both sides Looking forward to a new Specials
recording and waiting for Jerry to release something with The Spacial
AKA. I respect them both in there own right so good luck to them what
ever they decide to do next.

Funboy1

[Paul Rodgers]

I think we can all look forward to reissues of Virgins And Philistines and
Deception long long before we have to look out for new material from either
camp.

Good spot re Too Hot. I hadn't noticed it was missing from the set!

[Brian Greene]

Paul 

well Dublin on Sunday Ghost Town was below par. par being what a live sound 

of a well know recording by same band (even if it 29 years later). Ghost Town was 

cluttered with brass and full of bad timing, so they could drop that. 

I think all your other points are well made. 

So new recordings debate has begun. :) 

Lets all be civil with each other about it. (not saying this thread hasn't been

but I think i know how these thing can go.)

regards BHG 

[funboy]

I have both already and so will most serious Terry Hall collectors by
now and it's also available as a Download. I think a best of would be
a better Idea. there was a time when this reissue would have been
welcomed but I think that time has past now with ipods, Blogs and
stuff. but I will buy them anyway out of fan Loyalty I hope Frosty
Mornings is Included this time ?

Funboy1

[funboy]

Brian

I'm not saying there perfect in any way we all make mistakes I wasn't
to happy with Guns of Navarone or Stupid Marriage and I agree with you
Regarding Ghost Town. Iv'e herd most of the Recent Bootlegs and they
have played it better at other gigs but not all of them. I'm trying to
keep the peace here but like and you said things can get out of hand.
I'm just passing on news regarding the band and it's not up to me how
people are going to take it.

Cheers

Funboy1

[jason]

Ghost Town was very much a studio based sound and going by the few
times I saw them attempt on TV they failed miserably to re-create it.
That's nothing to do with the current line-up. The Toronto 81 bootleg
doesn't do the track much justice either.

[dwas]

I think we all recognise that there shouldn't be a long drawn out
recording career for this phase of The Specials.

The vast majority of us just wanted to see the band because we were
too young the first time.
I have been one of those saying don't do new stuff but i am now
intrigued as to how it would sound.

If this is the last tour ever, i will be happy because i have seen
them.
If they continue to tour for too long the crowds will dwindle because
it will cease being 'Special' unless there are new songs to play.

I remember you saying many times that you wouldn't go and see this
'nostalgia tour'.....the danger is if they continue year after year
playing the same tracks it will turn into that type of tour.....but i
take it you have seen them and that you enjoyed it???

Dave

[Brian Greene]

I dissed them re the Sunday Times CD 

but

I saw them & I really enjoyed myself. 

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[jason]

>
> I remember you saying many times that you wouldn't go and see this
> 'nostalgia tour'.....the danger is if they continue year after year
> playing the same tracks it will turn into that type of tour.....but i
> take it you have seen them and that you enjoyed it???
>

------------------------------------------------------

Even the lure of the two free tickets I was offered and the fact that
they were playing about 25 minutes away from where I live didn't tempt
me to go and see them.

[dwas]

I am sorry to hear that.......being such a big fan......i do think one
day you may regret it!!

[jason]

> I am sorry to hear that.......being such a big fan......i do think one
> day you may regret it!!

--------------------------------

Somehow I doubt it!!.

[Jon Russell]

It's a remarkable degree of loyalty to Jerry Dammers you are exercising. For
someone to whom the band obviously means a lot, and has obviously taken up a
lot of your time and money following and collecting over the years, aren't
you just a little curious to see what all the excellent reviews are about?

I had my scepticism as well. I don't particularly like Jerry not being
there. But as soon as Do the Dog started it all seemed irrelevant.

If, god forbid, Jerry had so passed away in say 1995, and this tour was
being staged by the remaining six today, would you have made the effort to
go?

-----Original Message-----
From: jason [mailto:ja...@2-tone.info]
Sent: 24 November 2009 13:03
To: 2-tone forum
Subject: [2-tone-forum] Re: The Specials / New Song Recorded (12/11/2009)


>

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[jason]

On Nov 26, 2:16 pm, Jon Russell <jr.jonruss...@googlemail.com> wrote:



> It's a remarkable degree of loyalty to Jerry Dammers you are exercising. For
> someone to whom the band obviously means a lot, and has obviously taken up a
> lot of your time and money following and collecting over the years, aren't
> you just a little curious to see what all the excellent reviews are about?
> I had my scepticism as well. I don't particularly like Jerry not being
> there. But as soon as Do the Dog started it all seemed irrelevant.
> If, god forbid, Jerry had so passed away in say 1995, and this tour was
> being staged by the remaining six today, would you have made the effort to
> go?

------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I should point out here that I was against the idea of a
reunion from the very start, long before it was made clear who would
take part or who wouldn't as the case may be. I just think that band
that had so much impact and energy at the time should never reform
because they simply can not regain that spark and spontaneity. The
Specials in their day were the archetypal angry young men. Now some
of them are grandfathers.


What made the band sound so great was the same reason that it fell
apart. Some bands were just not meant to be round 30 years later.
The Specials is one of the them.

[Paul Rodgers]

It seems ok on here, unless I'm mis-judging the mood. I was under the
impression that some of us are for the reunion and struggle to understand
fully the decision to stay away by the few we know about. Jason might be one
of a great many people who aren't into this reunion. I know of others. At
the end of the day it's been their decision, just the same as everyone else
might have to make a decision about new material if any is recorded.

In the meantime I hope to carry on talking about 2Tone, The Specials and the
legacy they created...

[jason]

On Nov 27, 12:59 am, "Paul Rodgers" <pled...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> It seems ok on here, unless I'm mis-judging the mood. I was under the
> impression that some of us are for the reunion and struggle to understand
> fully the decision to stay away by the few we know about. Jason might be one
> of a great many people who aren't into this reunion. I know of others. At
> the end of the day it's been their decision, just the same as everyone else
> might have to make a decision about new material if any is recorded.
>
> In the meantime I hope to carry on talking about 2Tone, The Specials and the
> legacy they created...
>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

From what I can gather most people who post on here are in favour of
the reunion. And good luck too them. Judging by what has been posted
here and elsewhere people got just what they wanted (and more) from
the gigs. It's just something I hadn't the slightest desire to be part
of.

[DavidBlunt]

A new album, while if decent, will get rave reviews but its all but
guaranteed it will be a Specials album in name only. Missing Dammers;
way too far down the line since inception; and too much has changed
musically. It'll be a miracle if it is as good as Madness' new album
(who have been playing together on/off almost indefinitely) and even
that album I personally thought was a sub-par addition to their
discography even in light of all the rave reviews its been getting.
David

[dwas]

On Nov 27, 9:20 am, DavidBlunt <rdasia.da...@gmail.com> wrote:
> A new album, while if decent, will get rave reviews but its all but
> guaranteed it will be a Specials album in name only. Missing Dammers;
> way too far down the line since inception; and too much has changed
> musically. It'll be a miracle if it is as good as Madness' new album
> (who have been playing together on/off almost indefinitely) and even
> that album I personally thought was a sub-par addition to their
> discography even in light of all the rave reviews its been getting.
> David
>
> On Nov 27, 4:22 pm, jason <ja...@2-tone.info> wrote:
>
>

I can't think of a single band or artist that has returned after 20
or 30 years and had a successful second recording career.
I would hope that any recordings would be only because they wanted
to continue playing and having fun....personally i doubt that would
last too long!!!

I also think Madness' album was ok at best!

>
> > On Nov 27, 12:59 am, "Paul Rodgers" <pled...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:> It seems ok on here, unless I'm mis-judging the mood. I was under the
> > > impression that some of us are for the reunion and struggle to understand
> > > fully the decision to stay away by the few we know about. Jason might be one
> > > of a great many people who aren't into this reunion. I know of others. At
> > > the end of the day it's been their decision, just the same as everyone else
> > > might have to make a decision about new material if any is recorded.
>
> > > In the meantime I hope to carry on talking about 2Tone, The Specials and the
> > > legacy they created...
>

> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------­--

>
> > From what I can gather most people who post on here are in favour of
> > the reunion.  And good luck too them.  Judging by what has been posted
> > here and elsewhere people got just what they wanted (and more) from
> > the gigs. It's just something I hadn't the slightest desire to be part

> > of.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I don't think anyone really expected the shows to be as good as
they have been.....and they seem to have got better and better.
It's all been said before but musically Jerry was not missed!!!