Specials Archives - Alan Cross' A Journal of Musical Things

Music History Music News

RIP Terry Hall, singer with The Specials, Fun Boy Three, and The Colourfield. It appears to have been pancreatic cancer.

December 20, 2022December 21, 2022 Alan Cross 0 Comments Abduction, Colourfield, Fun Boy Three, Go-Gos, RIP, Specials, Terry Hall

Anyone who loves Second Wave ska knows Terry’s voice. His slightly pouty, somewhat snotty, always witty vocals powered all the

Music History Ongoing History of New Music

The Ongoing History of New Music encore presentation: A not-so-brief history of ska, part 2

August 10, 2018August 12, 2018 Alan Cross 0 Comments Fishbone, Gangster Fun, Less Than Jake, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, Planet Smashers, Ska, Specials, Sublime, Toasters, Untouchables

As I said in the preamble to part one, ska seems to be one of those immortal musical genres. And

The Ongoing History of New Music Encore Presentation: The History of Indie Rock, Part 2

June 8, 2018June 10, 2018 Alan Cross 0 Comments Bad Religion, Black Flag, Buzzcocks, Dead Kennedys, Indie Rock, MARRS, My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream, special edition LP, Specials

All change, all evolution, all revolution in music comes from the street. It’s up to indie musicians, indie labels and

Ongoing History of New Music

The Ongoing History of New Music, Episode 786: The Diversity Show [Music and Podcast Embedded]

April 30, 2017February 17, 2022 Alan Cross 0 Comments Bad Brains, Body Count, Cornershop, Death, English Beat, Fishbone, Living Colour, MIA, Specials

Here is a truth that some people find very uncomfortable: rock, alt-rock and indie rock are predominantly white. Why is

The Ongoing History of New Music, Episode 761: The History of Indie Rock, Part 2

September 30, 2016October 2, 2016 Alan Cross 0 Comments Bad Religion, Black Flag, Buzzcocks, Dead Kennedys, Hardcore, Indie Rock, MARRS, My Bloody Valentine, New Wave, Post-punk, Primal Scream, Specials, Theadora Kelly Project

All change, all evolution, all revolution in music comes from the street. It’s up to indie musicians, indie labels and

Prince Buster, The King of Ska, Dead at 78

September 10, 2016September 10, 2016 Alan Cross 0 Comments Jamaica, Madness, Prince Buster, Ska, Specials

When a bunch of British punk fans became enamoured with the music of Jamaican immigrants in cities like Coventry, some

Random Music News for Wednesday, December 30, 2015

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015 Alan Cross 0 Comments Big Bang Theory, CBGB, CD Glasses, Geddy Lee, Guru Josh, John Bradbury, Motorhead, Oasis, Psy, Rush, Soft Kitty, Specials

I’m all shopped out and I can’t eat another bite. Thank God for the World Junior Hockey Championship. How else

Random Music News for Monday, September 7, 2015

September 7, 2015September 6, 2015 Alan Cross 0 Comments 50 Cent, Bob Geldof, Chrissie Hynde, Dad Dancing., Eminem, Harry Styles, Kevin Spacey, Meat Loaf, Rico Rodriguez, Rocky Horror, Rod Stewart, Specials, Steinway

This is no way for Labour Day to be later than this. Enjoy it. There is, however, still music news

Let’s Take Some Time to Reflect on the History of Ska

May 17, 2015May 16, 2015 Alan Cross 0 Comments 2 Tone, Selector, Ska, Specials

Shane Alexander at sister site Geeks&Beats points us to this Voice/Noisey documentary on the era of 2 Tone ska.