Specials Mod Roots

The Specials have been talking about their origins, with songwriter Jerry Dammers revealing his childhood obsession with Mods.

2-Tone came at a very important time for British music. The energy of punk was being subsumed by the experimentation of groups such as PiL, with many fans turning away from these abrasive styles.

The Specials launched a phenomenon, with the entire country being turned into a sea of black and white. A huge chart band the group even scored a number one hit with an EP recorded live at one of their shows.

With 2-Tone churning out a series of iconic hits, the label became a symbol for British youth being able to work together - regardless of colour.

With the label turning 30 this year, The Specials decided to reform bringing their music to a new generation. Speaking to Spin Magazine, the band's erstwhile leader Jerry Dammers revealed that he was infatuated by Mods as a child.

"I was a very young mod. The older mods at school used to like me because I brought in a copy of Mad magazine every week and let them read it. I think Mad magazine is the biggest influence in my life."

"At the age of ten, I decided I was going to have a band, one of the best in the country. I worked through my teenage years getting the songs together, learning music. I played in a Teddy Boy rock'n'roll band, a funk band, even in a country-western band."

The Specials songwriter revealed that the band's big break came after talking their way into a support slot on tour with The Clash. "The Clash had done a bit of mixing punk and reggae. But I wanted to do it with actual reggae musicians and a racially mixed band. I managed to talk my way onto the Clash's (1978) 'On Parole' tour with manager Bernie Rhodes."

"He hadn't even heard us. But the fact that I'd managed to get a reggae/punk band together with black and white people was enough for him. He didn't even need to hear it. I think he believed it was impossible, so he was impressed."