Bandmates and fellow musicians have paid tribute to former frontman of influential post-punk Two-Tone band The Specials, Terry Hall, whose death has been announced.

In a social media post, The Specials wrote, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.”

Artists paying tribute to him online included Supergrass’s Danny Goffey, Badly Drawn Boy, Lol Tolhurst of The Cure, The Libertines, Billy Bragg, Rowetta and Matt Goss.

Terry Hall fronted The Specials also known as The Special AKA from 1977 until 1981, scoring seven consecutive UK Top 10 singles, including two Number Ones ‘Too Much Too Young’ and the politically-charged ‘Ghost Town’, which charted amidst social unrest in the UK and scored the unique distinction of being named Single Of The Year by all three UK music papers, Melody Maker, NME and Sounds.

Hall left the band in 1981 with Lynval Golding and Neville Staples to form Fun Boy Three, scoring a string of hit singles including ‘Our Lips Our Sealed’ and (with Bananarama) ‘It Ain’t What You Do (It’s The Way That You Do It)’ and ‘Really Saying Something’ before starting again with a new band Colourfield. He continued recording over the years reuniting with The Specials for live dates in 2009 which continued until as recently as summer 2022.

Terry Hall was known for his sharp humour and downbeat delivery, but also for his strong sense of social justice.

BMG is proud to continue to publish his work in around 75 songs which came to it via the acquisition of the Plangent Visions catalogue.