Artist:Special A.K.A.
Song:Nelson Mandela
Album:A Special Collection
Here's a song you probably heard in the mid-80s. You may not know who recorded it. I don't think the popularity of the song was reflected by the chart position. In those days if a video was in heavy rotation on MTV, that didn't result in increased radio play. Special A.K.A. is an offshoot of the popular British ska band The Specials. They were from Coventry, England led by pianist Jerry Dammers. He also owned 2 Tone Records. Their biggest hit was Ghost Town. But by the time the 1981 album More Specials was released, the band was falling apart. Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynville Golding left The Specials to form Fun Boy Three. Dammers decided to disband The Specials. Then he kind of reformed them as Special A.K.A. for the 1984 album In the Studio. I guess he wanted fans to know that he was still there but it's an all new band. Among other things Dammers brought in a new lead singer Stan Campbell and a new lead guitarist John Shipley. Dammers wrote most of the songs including Mandela. Elvis Costello produced Mandela. The single reached #9 on the British Singles chart. And though the video was very popular, that did not convert into radio airplay or record sales. My guess is some stations refused to play Mandela because they want to stay away from politics. Dammers again disbanded the group. This budget comp has all their hits. Though versions of The Specials have reunited over the years, Dammers has not participated for the most part. He leads his jazz band The Spatial AKA Orchestra and he DJs in London clubs. Stan Campbell recorded an album for Elektra in 1987 and then he quit the music business. Here's the video for Mandela by Special A.K.A.
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