By
Rob Jones
Terry Hall was a vital voice of a generation and It was not just the stellar content of The Specials but the fine fare of the Fun Boy 3 across a brace of brilliant albums and also some superb singles. There was also The Colourfield and a host of other collaborations and projects.
I feel privileged to have seen the great man on stage with The Specials on a couple of occasions in the more recent comeback years – but, I also feel that there was a missed treat not having seen the band in their youthful prime.
Terry’s deadpan delivery was unique and he along with his associates took a punk ethos into the arenas of reggae and ska. It is uncanny that earlier on I posted picture of Prince Buster (with Desmond Dekker) and the former was a huge influence on the direction and delivery of The Specials.
Terry Hall will be sorely missed and irreplaceable He was a unique performer and those original words that came forth several decades ago will never lose their resonance. There are so many tunes that carry countless messages of political and personal weight – but, if I had to choose one that summed up being a young adult in the early 80s it would have to be ‘Friday Night Saturday morning’. Terry – you will always mean so much to so many and your influence carries kudos from one generation to another. Even in a world of so much change certain issues never alter for the better. A number of those distant rallying calls from yesteryear still demand improvements within the day to day dalliances of the human race. This sad news of the loss of an icon leaves one with a ‘Blank Expression’.
Terry Hall RIP.
