Jerry Dammers slams Specials reunion

A Specials 30th anniversary reunion tour without founding member Jerry Dammers was always going to raise eyebrows. But with frontman Terry Hall claiming that 'the door is always open' for his former bandmate, we assumed it was Dammers' decision. Apparently not…

"Jerry has a duty to inform anybody who may be interested, of the true situation, which is that he was not invited to take part in this proposed tour, or even told about it," reads his official statement. "He also has to say that claims that 'the door is still open' to him, fail to mention that Jerry has been driven out every time he has attempted to get involved over the last year."

"He also wonders why this appears in the newspaper when former bandmates have his phone number. 'The prodigal sons came home, kicked me out, and have left the door open, great' says Jerry. These claims also contradict lawyers' letters stating that former members have resolved to go ahead without him, and that Jerry is not to speak to any of them."

"Attempts to imply that any proposed tour has Jerry's 'blessing', at this stage, are also highly misleading. These seem to be part of a wider attempt to rewrite the whole history of the band, in order to try and justify what is currently going on."

Handbags at dawn

The statement continues in the same vein for several pages, but you get the gist.

It goes to show, young sex-fuelled bands might enjoy a punch-up and walk-out scenario every now and again, but it's the wise old veterans that really know how to get the handbags out.