According to popular belief at the time Terry Hall was almost a passenger within The Specials. His vocal approach bordered on almost non singing and at times appeared disinterested. According to Jerry Dammers he had little input into the band itself. So when The Specials folded no one expected much of him. And yet Hall went on to the most successful post Special's career of all the members.
First with Fun Boy 3, then The Colourfield, a few solo albums and interesting collaborations before coming full circle to rejoin The Specials (sans Dammers). Jan and I saw the reformed Specials put on a good show in early 2012 in Singapore.
Last weekend driving around The Coromandel with Chris, after listening to Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly and a few others we started playing this one loud. It had probably been ten years since I gave it a good listen,
Recorded in 1983 with David Byrne from Talking Heads at the production helm it is a real album with consistent themes and strong songs. Hall had recently written Our Lips are Sealed with and for the Gogos but the now definitive version is here. I remember watching and being impressed by The More I See (the less I Believe) on Radio With Pictures and that being the main reason for me getting the album. We're having all the fun explores the trials of early marriage, the sacrifices that need to be made and the resentments that can build. Hall would explore this again in The Colourfield. While Farmyard Connection examines the mariajuana drug economy and its victims at the production end.
Very pleased we made the decision to play this on the drive and next time it wont be so long between plays.
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