by Pete Chambers
Ok, my last comment on the Specials Honour debate…
Since Los Angeles City Council gave Coventry band The Specials their very own Specials Day, there have been calls for something similar in their own city.
Some say it would be just a half-hearted ‘guilty’ gesture, just following LA’s lead.
Specials bassist Horace Panter of the Specials called the situation “Embarrassing” (on Twitter while tweeting the Coventry Observer’s front page last week) and the band’s frontman Terry Hall made light of the whole thing (quipping during the fourth cathedral gig, “Good of Coventry Council to celebrate with us. There’s apathy and then there’s apathy.”)
I asked Special guitarist Lynval Golding what he thought about the honour idea and he came up with a sane solution.
Lynval suggested a road named in honour of The Specials drummer John Bradbury, and you know what, that sounded like a great idea.
Can I also add that The ‘Coventry Stars’ outside the BBC in Priory Place has a star for The Specials and The Selecter and both bands have their members celebrated on the Coventry Music Wall of Fame, based on Ball Hill, not forgetting the 2-Tone Trail plaques all over the city. So 2-Tone and its bands have been honoured over the years in Coventry.
John or Brad or Prince Rimshot passed away in December 2015, and left a Brad shaped gap in the world ever since.
John Bradbury Way sounds like a great idea.
We could also have The Specials Way and The Selecter Way, invite everyone to the opening and those who don’t attend can do their own pictures at a later date.
While we are at it, how about a statue in 2021 in Coventry city centre of Walt Jabsco – the famous chequered silhouette dancing figure from 2-Tone’s logo?
All the Car’s A Stage…
August is the month, 12 noon is the time, The Coventry Music Museum is the place, Our Ghost Town Car is the stage…yes really.. All the Car’s A Stage.
Since acquiring the original Specials Ghost Town Car at The Coventry Music Museum in January, it has become something of a centrepiece. So with that in mind, August will see the Vauxhall Cresta PA become the stage to a series of one-off performances.
Yes, actually using the car as the stage! Each set will last around 20 to 30 minutes and will be live and networked to other rooms in the museum. Entry is the normal £3 adult entry fee, all performances begin at 12 noon.
Expect the unexpected, this is unique as are the performers.
The car is much more than a photo opportunity, so we want to use it to its full potential.
This is perfect having creative people actually performing in our amazing car. I personally can’t wait to see it.
Saturday August 3 – Nick Knibb Our Poet in Residence, ‘Tales from a ‘61’ Vauxhall Cresta’.
Saturday August 10 —David Goody Comedic songs of our city, “The Day I Bought The Ghost Town Car”.
Saturday August 17 — Morocco Dave Electronic wizardry, “Ghost Town Variations”.
Saturday August 24 —‘Crokodile ‘Chris’ Sidwell, Sweet and quirky songs.
Sing-songs about ‘Trains, Pains and a 2-Tone Automobile’.
Saturday August 31 —Rich Coad Situation comedy, “Comedy in The GT Car”.
With thanks to Steve Kearns and his Ghost Town car team and Simon Shaw and his video skills.
