Description

What makes a protest song The Specials should know. First time around, back when the 70s were lurching into the 80s, they sang of racism, war, unemployment and the rough edges of urban life, and never in the same way twice. As the multiracial flagship of the 2 Tone movement, they made a political statement every time they stepped on stage. June 2021 saw the 40th anniversary of their last and greatest protest song, Ghost Town, a record that will retain its eerie power as long as there are concrete jungles, empty dancehalls, and desperate spasms of violence.Its fitting, then, that in 2021 the Specials are releasing Protest Songs 19242012, an unpredictable collection of unique takes which celebrates the long history and endless versatility of the form, from folk to post punk, from righteous uplift to biting satire, and from Kingston to Alabama. Itrsquos a potent reminder that there are no fixed rules to templates for a protest song. All thatrsquos required is the combination of something that needs to be said with music that needs to be heard. ldquoPeople have been using music as a vehicle for protest since time immemorial,rdquo says bassplayer Horace Panter. ldquoInjustice is timeless.rdquo The Specials CD is available for home delivery from Vinyl Records London, only £33