The Specials - Singles

YOURZ

The Specials are another of those bands who not just provided me with great listening and great memories but informed me as well.  Musically, they were seriously talented, masters of their particular instruments and lords of their sound (even if they did burn out rather quickly).  Lyrically, their reflections of life in Thatcherism-dominated London allowed me to understand, partially, what it was like to live in that environment, at least enough to know I was glad to be living on the other side of the world.

They were part of a number of bands who turned me from a late-70s rock fan into something more.  They sounded brilliant and looked seriously cool.  I still love (and wear) pork pie hats, although the winkle pickers are languishing in the back of the shoe cupboard now.  As regular readers know, I still like my rock, but thanks to bands such as The Specials, The Clash, The Blockheads and others, my tastes broadened and my listening palette expanded, something I still consider valuable. 

The Specials are still part of my regular listening roster.  In fact, I've covered Message To Rudi in more bands than any other song (yes, I know ...Rudi isn't their song but it's probably the most popular version of it).  This is also a genre Mine and Yourz (truly) share a common passion for, a line where we both stand and skank our hearts out together.  It's a beautiful thing, let me tell you.

The only thing I have to add is I'm still eating humble pie over the 'should we be reviewing greatest hits albums' debate we had at the start of the year.  I'm so glad I lost that one. (Mine says: me too, honey...)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and get your skankin' shoes on

MINE

I spent a large part of 1980 and 81 as a Two Tone girl.  Stovepipe black pants, white shirt, skinny black tie, V-neck jumper, sports jacket and winkle picker shoes.  This was because my favourite Canberra band was Naughty Rhythms - a ska outfit who played a mix of originals and covers including, of course, a few Specials numbers.  I skanked along to Ghost Town and  Too Much Too Young many times.  I especially loved the movement because it melded black and white musicians and wasn't afraid of including political material in its lyrics.

The Specials were -heh- especially good at this, and this collection includes some numbers from their incarnation as the Special AKA which still resonate with me, inculding Racist Friend and  Free Nelson Mandela.  It brings tears to my eyes when I realise that since I first heard that song, Mr Mandela has indeed been freed, led his country and has now retired.

So this CD's a welcome addition to our collection, and is guaranteed to have me acting like a teenager all over again.  Ah, that was a great time.  The Allniters, the Porkers, The 88s - time for me to break out my Ska Skank Down Under CD and boogie.  "Naughty rhythms in in your feet/ Naughty rhythms in your head/ You've done it on the floor/ Now go do it in your bed!"

VERDICT:TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.thespecials.com/

Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Jukebox Dury

MINE

Yes, I know the CD to the side doesn't match the title we've got - but rest assured, all the songs on Jukebox Dury are on the album pictured.  Thank goodness. This is yet another best-of CD and one that has some damn fine songs on it.  Lots are actually on my gymPod, because it's nice to have a smile on your face while you're sweating and panting and wishing you could die right now and end the pain.

But I can't wait, I can't WAIT until the Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll movie comes out.  Featuring Andy Serkis (Gollum to the LOTR nerds) in the lead role, it promises to be a fabulous inside peek into the life of this larger-than-life muso.  It's no wonder that an all-about-the-lyrics girl like myself loves this band. From namechecking Noel Coward and Einstein in There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards to the beautiful zen-like statements in You'll See Glimpses (Every living thing will be another friend) and of course the round-the-world in a song of Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Dury is just a delight as a songwriter.  The tunes don't suck, either.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (Reasons to be cheerful/ one, two, THREE)

YOURZ

I remember years ago, watching Countdown, the iconic Australian music show that used to be on ABC every Sunday night at 6pm.  Every kid in Australia watched it because if they didn't, they wouldn't have anything to talk about the next day.  Repeated offences would most likely result in said offender being ostracised for the rest of their youth.

Anyway, my siblings and I were happily watching Countdown when the clip for Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick came on.  I loved the song partly because Dury was so naughty and cheeky and partly because the music was brilliant.

There's a part in the clip where Dury wags the microphone while singing 'hit me' and while I'm sure my younger siblings had no idea what he was inferring (I'm not sure they could have even spelt 'fellatio'), I knew exactly what was going on.  It was about this time my mother walked into the room, saw what we were watching and hit the roof.  There was no doubting she also knew what he was miming.  To cut a long story short, it took a lot of cajoling before we could watch Countdown again (at least, with her blessings).

Jukebox Dury includes this track as well as the superbness that is Reasons To Be Cheerful, Sweet Gene Vincent and of course, the generations-defining anthem, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, all of which serve to remind me of how good Dury was and how sad it is he's no longer with us.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and hit me, hit me, HIT ME!

For more information: http://www.iandury.co.uk/