Music

Revisiting Ghost Town: Watch our behind the scenes video with The Specials

It’s 1981. Britain is two years into the Thatcher era.

“The tide is a bit further in,” says Terry Hall. Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter, aka The Specials, are throwing rocks into the Thames at St Katharine Docks. It is almost 38 years since they were last on this tidal mudbank together, at 5am, rounding off a riotous night shoot for the video to accompany perhaps their finest achievement as a band.

Ghost Town was so much more than a hit record. It was a visceral, uncompromising portrait of how it felt to be young in Thatcher’s Britain.

“No jobs to be found in this country.” “Government leaving the youth on the shelf.” “All the clubs have been closed down.” “The people getting angry.” The song depicted a country on the edge of violent unrest.

The recording, release and success of Ghost Town took place against a backdrop of UK rioting, including Toxteth in Liverpool, Handsworth in Birmingham, Brixton in London and Moss Side in Manchester. The video showed the band careering through Britain’s deserted financial heartlands in the City of London, and if the 1962 Vauxhall Cresta driven by Panter seemed out of control, so was the country.

For an exclusive, behind the scenes look at our cover feature with The Specials revisiting Ghost Town, pick up this week’s Big Issue, on the streets today, and use our Augmented Reality app to bring the pages to life.

To download the GenARate app on the Apple App Store, go here

If you’re using Android, you can get the app here

Read the full article in this week's Big Issue.
Find your vendor
The Beautiful Game

Image: Mathew Parri Thomas

Support the Big Issue

For over 30 years, the Big Issue has been committed to ending poverty in the UK. In 2024, our work is needed more than ever. Find out how you can support the Big Issue today.
Vendor martin Hawes

Recommended for you

View all
Yungblud on 'ignorant' politicians, his own affordable festival and how music can change the world
Music

Yungblud on 'ignorant' politicians, his own affordable festival and how music can change the world

How the world finally caught up with music pioneer Alice Coltrane
Alice Coltrane
Music

How the world finally caught up with music pioneer Alice Coltrane

How a swanky London townhouse links composer Handel with Jimi Hendrix
Handel’s bedroom in Brook Street, London
Music

How a swanky London townhouse links composer Handel with Jimi Hendrix

Kool & the Gang's Robert Bell on music, politics and the secret to a happy marriage
Letter to my younger self

Kool & the Gang's Robert Bell on music, politics and the secret to a happy marriage

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know