Terry Corridor, the charismatic lead vocalist of British ska revivalists The Specials has died at 63. The band introduced Corridor’s passing on Monday (Dec. 19), revealing that the singer handed after an undisclosed “temporary sickness.”
“It’s with nice disappointment that we announce the passing, following a short sickness, of Terry, our lovely buddy, brother and some of the good singers, songwriters and lyricists this nation has ever produced,” the band mentioned in a press release.
“Terry was an exquisite husband and father and one of many kindest, funniest, and most real of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the enjoyment, the ache, the humour, the battle for justice, however principally the love. He will probably be deeply missed by all who knew and cherished him and leaves behind the reward of his outstanding music and profound humanity.”
One of many main lights of the late ’70s British ska revival, the Specials (initially billed as Particular AKA) shaped in Coventry, England in 1977, with Corridor changing unique singer Tim Strickland within the group notable for its multi-racial make-up. Coinciding with the burgeoning Rock Towards Racism motion within the UK on the time, the band made a press release of their impolite boy two-tone fits and porkpie hats and blasted out of the gate on their Elvis Costello-produced self-titled debut on their 2 Tone label, which featured their signature cowl of Dandy Livingstone’s 1967 single “A Message To You Rudy.”
Terence Edward Corridor was born on March 19, 1959 in Coventry and started his singing profession in native punk bands as a teen earlier than becoming a member of the Specials and splitting vocal duties with the excitable Neville Staple.
On such pointedly political songs as “Concrete Jungle,” “Ghost City and “Rat Race,” the band blended Caribbean sway, ska horns, loungey grooves and Jamaican rhythms to kind a uniquely uplifting, danceable sound whereas delivering sharp social critiques concerning the late Seventies political, racial and financial struggles within the UK. Go-Gos guitarist Jane Wiedlin — who sang backing vocals on the Specials’ 1980 album Extra Specials — paid tribute to her buddy in a touching tweet.
“Gutted to listen to of the passing of #terryhall. He was a stunning, delicate, proficient and distinctive particular person,” he wrote. “Our extraordinarily temporary romance resulted within the music ‘Our Lips Are Sealed,’ which is able to endlessly tie us collectively in music historical past. Horrible information to listen to this.”
The group scored a string of UK prime 10 singles of their quick preliminary run (1979-1981), earlier than Corridor and co-vocalist Staple and guitarist Lynval Golding break up to kind the extra pop-oriented group Enjoyable Boy Three. Corridor then shaped the group the Coclourfield in 1984, releasing two albums with that challenge earlier than pivoting to launch an album together with his trio that includes actress Blair Sales space and jeweler Anouchka Grose: Terry, Blair & Anouchka. He additionally recorded an album of electro pop songs with Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart as Vegas in 1992 earlier than releasing a pair of solo albums, Dwelling (1994) and Giggle (1997).
Corridor returned for a reunion in 2008 and carried out on-and-off with the band till his demise, showing on their eight studio album, 2019’s Encore.
Within the early 2000s Corridor sang on the 2001 Gorillaz music “911” and sat in on the Toots and the Maytals 2004 Grammy-winning album True Love. Although the Specials shaped and reformed a lot of occasions through the years with all kinds of lineups, Corridor will probably be remembered for the indelible mark he left on their first two albums and the lengthy tail of affect within the band’s music, message and magnificence, which was carried on in spirit by everybody from Fishbone to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, Blur, Chic, and Operation Ivy/Rancid.
In a shifting nod to the Specials’ message of unity, the band famous in its tribute that Corridor usually left the stage on the finish of reveals by uttering a signature affirming three-word mantra: “Love Love Love.”
Watch “A Message to You Rudy” and see some tributes to Corridor under.
