Lynval Golding is a musician who plays guitar, provides backing vocals, and writes songs.
During our time in the Specials, while working on our album More Specials, we experienced a constant rotation of band members leaving and rejoining. It was a chaotic but ultimately successful recording process. However, we all felt it was necessary to take a break from each other. After performing Ghost Town on Top of the Pops, three of us met with [songwriter and keyboard-player] Jerry Dammers at his home and informed him of our decision to leave. Jerry, who was in bed at the time, protested and told us we were not allowed to leave. We responded by saying that was precisely why we were leaving, and then left.
We’d already written The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum), which I always thought was a potential follow-up to Ghost Town. Instead, it became our first single as Fun Boy Three. Terry Hall, our singer, came up with the name, which was deliberately ironic.
We all shared an apartment in Notting Hill, London. We’d watch football, I’d strum my guitar and we’d talk and talk. Then I’d just leave Terry alone. He’d smoke a cigarette and write some lyrics. Life under Margaret Thatcher had inspired the Specials’ songs. With Lunatics, Terry wrote about nuclear war and the then US president Ronald Reagan, the idea being that the world was being run by lunatics. Forty years later, nothing’s changed.
We desired a livelier tone and constructed the song from scratch, utilizing conga drums for the beat. Terry composed the tune on a keyboard – he possessed great talent. During that period, electronic Linn drums and similar instruments were becoming popular, but the conga rhythm had an Afrobeat influence. In the studio, Terry occasionally provided a guide vocal, but he would later record the vocals at early hours of the morning. He was a multifaceted individual. I often ponder if his traumatic childhood experiences sparked his creativity.
I was in Jamaica around Christmas time when Terry was passing away. I had a dream about him, where I saw his face at 17 years old when he first joined the Specials. In the dream, I told him he looked good, but he didn’t respond, just smiled and disappeared. We had already planned a box set before his death and I hope it will serve as a way for people to honor and appreciate what an incredible artist he was. Moving forward, all of my actions will be in remembrance of Terry.
Neville Staple provides backing vocals and percussion.
In the midst of success in the Specials, things took a turn for the worse. Disputes arose regarding finances and taxes, and we desired to contribute our own ideas, but felt unable to do so. The thought of leaving a highly successful band, fresh off a No 1 single, did not cross our minds; we simply wanted to avoid conflicts. Our departure was justified when the new group was warmly received.
For me, Fun Boy Three was a departure from the norm. People often commented on our dour appearances, so we chose the name as a nod to that. Our first song together was “Lunatics.” I had previous experience playing percussion in bands like The Specials, alongside musicians like Ray King and Lieutenant Pigeon, so transitioning from ska to a new sound was effortless for me. Everyone in the band contributed to the percussion. Our producer, Dave Jordan, had a great rapport with us from our time in The Specials and understood our vision for a new sound. On our debut album, Terry discovered Bananarama and invited them to join us in singing. It wasn’t just a group of guys making music.
During that period, there was widespread conflict and police were conducting stop and search operations. It seemed as though everyone was under surveillance, which is reflected in the lyrics, “They’re watching every move we make / We’re all included on their list.” The first line, “I see a clinic full of cynics”, may have referred to parliament. The lyrics also mention issues like Reagan and global starvation, which were prevalent at the time. In fact, people were so concerned about the state of the world that they were even building nuclear bunkers in their own backyards.
I think that releasing a politically charged song as the initial single was a courageous move, but you don’t question whether it will affect our popularity. It’s simply what you want to do. While Fun Boy Three may not receive as much recognition as the Specials, whenever I perform at festivals with my band, younger fans still sing along to both Specials and Fun Boy Three songs. Our time together in the band was like being part of a family, so Terry’s passing has been a significant loss. Whenever I perform Fun Boy Three songs, I make sure to dedicate them to him.
Source: theguardian.com
