Gangsters

Recorded in January 1979 at Horizon Studios in Coventry by the Special A.K.A., with John Bradbury on drums after Silverton Hutchinson had left the group. The session became the band’s first 2 Tone recording and paired the original single with “The Selecter” as its B-side. Released as the first charting 2 Tone single, it reached No. 6 in the UK and gave the label its first hit record. It quickly established the Specials as leaders of the ska revival and helped define the early 2 Tone moment. The song remains one of the signature records of the 2 Tone era and the band’s best-known early statement. Its enduring status is reflected in continued reissues, live performances, and its place in histories of British ska and post-punk.