Reformed 2-Tone legends The Specials have hit out at Prime Minister Gordon Brown, labelling the politician “a cunt” during their V Festival set.
The Specials have always had a political edge. A multi-racial group formed at a time when fascist organisations such as the National Front were marching throughout Britain, the band spoke for a generation who suffered through a severe recession.
Their reformation has caused some observers to make comparisons between the two eras. While certainly some aspects of The Specials’ material have aged, much of the band’s iconic back catalogue remains as powerful as the day it was released.
Playing the Stafford leg of the V Festival at the weekend (August 23rd) singer Terry Hall chose to ruminate on how the world had changed.
Smoking throughout the band’s set Hall said “I was thinking what the differences were when we last played here 28 years ago. Well, there’s the smoking ban, but fuck that.”
“We’re still bombing the shit out a country we shouldn’t be and the Prime Minister is still a cunt. The only difference is Man United are the champions. Righteous.”
The band then plunged into the ska classic ‘You’re Wondering Now’. Earlier in the set Terry Hall had asked the crowd “are there any Liverpool fans here?” before he added, “Well, you can fuck off.”
The singer was in better form when discussing England’s recent triumph in the Ashes.
“What happened today is history,” he added. “I am sending this out to the England boys,” he continued before the band kicked off ‘A Message To You Rudy’.
The Specials played:
‘Do The Dog’
‘Too Much Too Young’
‘It’s Up To You’
‘Gangsters’
‘Rat Race’
‘Monkey Man’
‘Blank Expression’
‘Doesn’t Make It Alright’
‘Concrete Jungle’
‘Stereotypes’
‘Man At C&A’
‘A Message To You Rudy’
‘Do Nothing’
‘Little Bitch’
‘Nite Club’
‘You’re Wondering Now’
‘Ghost Town’
