COVENTRY AUTOMATICS (AKA THE SPECIALS) – DAWNING OF A NEW ERA

Back in 1978, THE COVENTRY AUTOMATICS headed into the studio to record some demos in an effort to secure a record deal. It didn’t happen, but within months the band had renamed themselves THE SPECIALS and set up their own label called 2 TONE and a movement was born and the rest is history! “DAWNING OF A NEW ERA” is a fascinating collection of demos, now officially re-released for the 40th anniversary of the recordings! Of the 13 songs which appear on the release only Wake Up, Look But Don’t Touch and Jay Walker failed to make it on to any official release and were dropped from the bands live set early in their career. The remainder of the tracks offer embryonic versions of tracks which make up the bulk of the band’s first album. Rock and Roll Nightmare would later appear on the band’s More Specials under the name Pearls Cafe abet with slightly different lyrics. The track Raquel appeared on the b-side of the Dutch Concrete Jungle single and later was released in session version as part of the BBC Radio Sessions album. These recordings are must owns for any SPECIALS fan or indeed anyone with a love of the 2Tone/Ska scene.