The Specials are no more! Horace Panter remembers days when it was ‘like walking on air’
About this episode
Horace Panter reflects on the legacy and final days of The Specials, sharing memories from their early performances and the impact of ska music.
The Specials have officially disbanded, bowing out with a swansong album recorded in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in 2019. Horace Panter looks back at the first shows they played - when Jim Callaghan was still PM! - and the rigours of mastering ska when some of the group thought it was “old man’s music”. Along with … … the dignified way for any band to retire … the 2-Tone tour of 1979 – “like a school trip with no teachers” … bonding with Terry Hall over comedian Ken Platt: ‘I won't take me coat off, I'm not stoppin'!" … the day Jerry Dammers came to rehearsal with Prince Buster’s Greatest Hits – “for all your rebellious needs!” … the poignancy of playing in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral when you start the set with an air-raid siren … seeing the Faces and Mott the Hoople, “once in my school uniform” … the sensory overload - “The space! The volume!” - of Led Zeppelin at the Albert Hall when you’re 15 and from Kettering … “strange to think few people under 60 have ever seen the Specials” … the bassist he pretended to be when posing in the mirror ... the Bilzen Festival in 1979 “when the chain-link fence was…
People in this episode
Hosts: Mark Ellen, David Hepworth, Alex Gold
Guest: Horace Panter
Topics covered
- The Specials
- ska music
- music history
- band disbandment
- live performances
- 2-Tone movement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Specials
Books & works: Live From The Cathedral
Places: Coventry Cathedral, Kettering
More episodes of Word In Your Ear
- Mari Wilson, our favourite girl about town, takes Neasden to Chelsea
- All music is dance music! – and the best stage name ever
- Adam & the Ants, pop stardom and Marco Pirroni’s brief spell in the spotlight
- Is Indie the new Good Old Days? And why are there no British country stars?
- Kevin Rowland, the new Dexys and what he's learnt from life
- Great rock feuds of Manchester, TV comedy & the man who invented the pop song
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Word In Your Ear podcast page.