THE SPECIAL AKA – IN THE STUDIO LP – Nr MINT UK 2-TONE SKA SPECIALS

The Special AKA – In The Studio
(2-Tone Records  1984  TT5008)
Matrix No’s: A6/B3 – UK Pressing

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition
– tiny dink on top left corner
Inner Sleeve in Nr MINT condition

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition

The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Halland Neville Staple on vocals, Jerry Dammers on keyboards, Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation on guitars, Horace Panter on bass, John Bradbury on drums, and Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez on horns. The band wore mod-style “1960s period rude boy outfits (pork pie hats, tonic and mohair suits and loafers)”. Their music combines the danceable rhythms of ska and rocksteady with the energy and attitude of punk. Lyrically, their work (often written by primary songwriter Dammers) presented overt political and social commentary.

The group re-formed in 1993, and continued to perform and record with varying line-ups – none of them involving Dammers – until the death of Terry Hall in December 2022.

In the Studio is the third album from The Specials, released in 1984, long after the breakup of the original Specials. It charted in the UK Top 35.

The album was released under the name The Special AKA and was over two years in the making (hence the title). It was not as commercially successful as their previous two albums, although “(Free) Nelson Mandela” and “Racist Friend” became popular singles.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Jerry Dammers; except where indicated

1. “Bright Lights” (John Bradbury, Stan Campbell, Dick Cuthell, Dammers) – 4:11
2. “The Lonely Crowd” (Campbell, Dammers, John Shipley) – 3:52
3. “What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend” – 4:50
4. “Housebound” – 4:13
5. “Night on the Tiles” (Dammers, Shipley) – 3:04
6. “(Free) Nelson Mandela” – 4:07
7. “War Crimes” – 6:13
8. “Racist Friend” (Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers) – 3:49
9. “Alcohol” – 5:01
10. “Break Down the Door” (Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers) – 3:36

Personnel

• Stan Campbell – vocals
• Rhoda Dakar – vocals
• Jerry Dammers – organ, piano, vocals
• Gary McManus – bass guitar
• John Shipley – lead guitar
• John Bradbury – drums

Additional personnel

• Dick Cuthell – flugelhorn
• Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals
• Edgio Newton – vocals, percussion
• Horace Panter – bass guitar
• Roddy Radiation – lead guitar, vocals
• Nigel Reeve – saxophone
• Caron Wheeler – backing vocals