Defining the disenchanted youth of Thatcher’s broken Britain, joining the Coventry-based ska band The Automatics took Terry Hall on a roller coaster ride of chart success and fame…
OBITUARY by Ian Woolley
As lead singer of one of the most successful ska bands in the UK, he went on to form Fun Boy Three and Colourfield…
He replaced Tim Strickland to join the Automatics in 1977 and after several name changes, they became the Specials. Supporting the Clash on tour, their catchy ska tunes got noticed by DJ John Peel. Their debut single Gangsters took them to No.6 in the UK charts in 1979. Their first EP ‘The Special A.K.A. Live!’ released in 1980 went straight to the top and a year later, ‘Ghost Town’ became an anthem of the problems affecting Britain at that time.
The song’s haunting melodies became the perfect backdrop and signature for the rioting that blighted the country that summer. It’s now considered one of pop’s greatest songs by many.
It’s no coincidence then that nearly all of the multi-racial two-tone band’s hits came during the first term of Margaret Thatcher.
The Specials
Their final top 10 was all about another World leader who was making all the headlines – Nelson Mandela.
If the writing was on the wall for Thatcher, it was for the band too. Hall stated at the time ” “It felt like the perfect moment to stop the Specials part one,” he said. “We’d gone from seven kids in the back of a van to being presented with gold discs and I never felt massively comfortable with that.”
Hall formed Fun Boy Three with two of the band’s members and enjoyed chart success and collaborations with Bananarama and Jane Wiedlin. His working and personal relationship with the Go-Go’s lead singer resulted in the band’s hit ‘Rush Hour’ which he co-wrote with Wiedlin. Their relationship also gave Fun Boy Three their last UK top 10 hit, Our Lips Are Sealed.
In 1984 he formed Colourfield and despite the band having only minor success, he worked with many on their own projects. He formed Vegas with Dave Stewart in 1992.
Throughout his life, Hall suffered from mental problems which resulted in him turning to alcohol excess later on in his career.
He is survived by his wife, director Lindy Heymann and three children. He was 63 years of age.