Tributes have been pouring in after it was sadly announced that Terry Hall, the lead singer of The Specials, has died aged 63.
It was confirmed in a statement that he died after a “short illness”.
Born in Coventry in 1959, and going on to become a truly influential figure in the music industry over the last 40 years and beyond, Hall made a name for himself as the lead vocalist in the English 2 tone and ska revival band, The Specials – which formed in 1977.
Confirming Hall’s passing on social media last night, the band paid a heartwarming tribute to their “beautiful friend and brother”.
“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.
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“Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls.
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. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/qJHsI1oTwp
“His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.
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“He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity.
“Terry often left the stage at the end of The Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words…’Love Love Love’.”
The statement also called on everyone to “respect the family’s privacy at this very sad time”.
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He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity. Terry often left the stage at the end of The Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words…“Love Love Love” (3/4)
While The Specials – formerly known as The Automatics, before settling on the name they would be known by – were formed by Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding, and Horace Panter in Hall’s home city of Coventry in 1977, but Hall, together with other members Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, and John Bradbury, all joined a year later.
Shortly after forming, the band sky-rocketed to fame and quickly achieved popularity with their music that combined a “danceable ska and rocksteady beat” with “punk’s energy and attitude” and lyrics that were described as having a “more focused and informed political and social stance”, and reflecting the country’s economic recession and societal fractures in the early 1980s.
In 1980, the band’s song ‘Too Much Too Young’ – which was the lead track on their The Special AKA Live! EP – reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, before the recession-themed single ‘Ghost Town’ also hit No. 1 in the UK a year later.
The band were also famous for their style, known for wearing mod-style 1960s period rude boy outfits, such as pork pie hats, tonic, and mohair suits and loafers.
After seven consecutive UK top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, Hall and and other main lead vocalist Neville Staple, along with guitarist Golding, left to form Fun Boy Three.
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The Specials re-formed in 1993, and have since continued to perform and record with varying lineups.
Terry Hall and The Specials / Credit: The Specials (via Twitter)
Tributes to Hall have been pouring in on social media.
Bandmate Neville Staple lead the tributes saying he was “deeply saddened” to hear about the death of Hall: “In the music world, people have many ups and downs, but I will hang onto the great memories of Terry and I, making history fronting The Specials and Fun Boy Three together.”
Staple added that the pair had only just confirmed some joint musical projects for 2023.
"I was deeply saddened to hear about Terry Hall's passing on Sunday. @SugaryStaple was called as we arrived in Egypt. We knew Terry had been unwell but didn't realise how serious until recently. We had only just confirmed some 2023 joint music agreements together. This has hit me pic.twitter.com/sHNMJIwPII
— From THE SPECIALS Neville Staple (@NevilleStaple) December 19, 2022
Midge Ure, Lightning Seeds, Billy Bragg, UB40, Dexys Midnight Runners, Rowetta, Matt Goss, Reverend & The Makers, and are just some of the musical figures to pay tribute.
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Fans have also paid tributes in their thousands.
We are very sad to hear of the passing of Terry Hall the lead singer of @thespecials Another one gone too soon!
The Specials were a celebration of how British culture was envigorated by Caribbean immigration but the onstage demenour of their lead singer was a reminder that they were in the serious business of challenging our perception of who we were in the late 1970s. RIP Terry Hall pic.twitter.com/PVwbXyXubq
One of the greatest frontmen from one of the greatest bands. And a gorgeous, kind, down to earth man. I’ll miss his music, his United post match honesty, his messages. 💔 ❤️ Terry Hall Forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/etTSo5Pl20
Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month
Emily Sergeant
There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.
Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.
The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.
‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM
Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.
Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.
The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.
“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.
Emily Sergeant -
20th December 2022 
