The Specials, one of the best-loved bands of the late 70s UK ska revival, are hitting the road in October and November. Between 1977 and 1981 the band scored such hits as 'Too Much Too Young', 'A Message to You, Rudy' and 1981's majestic 'Ghost Town', one of the greatest recordings in the history of music.

The Specials has never exactly been renowned for its stable line-up, but it recently suffered the sad loss of one of its most loyal members: long-time drummer John 'Brad' Bradbury, who had been behind the kit since 1979, died in December 2015. Bradbury's powerful playing was one of the band's secret ingredients and a major reason why the Specials live were always a night to remember. MC Neville Staple will also not be joining the tour, and group founder and original keyboardist Jerry Dammers has quietly expressed his lack of interest in joining any reunion that doesn't want to create new music, meaning that the last remaining original members are singer Terry Hall, guitarist Lynval Golding and bassist Horace Panter. More than enough to rock the house, mind.

'We started working on these dates last October,' explains Hall. 'Everyone was really looking forward to them and then just after Christmas Brad passed away. It was devastating but in our heart of hearts we know he would want us to continue with the plan he helped to put together.'

The Specials tour dates:
Wed 19 Oct – Rock City, Nottingham
Sat 22 Oct – O2 Academy Sheffield
Sun 23 Oct – The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe
Tue 25 Oct – O2 Academy, Glasgow
Thu 27 Oct – Empress Ballroom, Blackpool
Sat 29 Oct – Liverpool Olympia
Mon 31 Oct – Venue Cymru Llandudno
Tue 1 Nov – Barbican, York
Thu 3 Nov – De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Fri 4 Nov – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
Sat 5 Nov – Great Hall Exeter
Mon 7 Nov – O2 Guildhall Southampton
Tue 8 Nov – Rivermead Centre Reading
Fri 11 Nov – Corn Exchange Cambridge
Sat 12 Nov – Cliffs Pavilion Southend
Sun 13 Nov – Winter Gardens Eastbourne
Tue 15 Nov – The Troxy, London
Wed 16 Nov – The Troxy, London

Tickets on sale from 9am Tue 23 Feb