John Bradbury, the drummer of the group The Specials, has died at the age of 62. The band took to Twitter to make the announcement and immediately the tweets from fans started flooding in with their condolences.
It is with deep regret that we say goodbye to our great friend, the world's greatest drummer, our beloved Brad. RIP pic.twitter.com/yYBFyQmuLy
— thespecials (@thespecials) December 29, 2015
Bradbury joined The Specials in 1979 and replaced Silverton Hutchinson as their drummer. The group released the hit tracks, "Too Much Too Young" and Dandy Livingstone cover "A Message to You, Rudy" along with the singles, "Ghost Town" and "Nelson Mandela." They stuck it through together until after "Ghost Town" and then three of the core members left the group. Bradbury and Jerry Dammers released their final album together, In The Studio, in 1984. There was a reformed The Specials group that got together in 2008 and Bradbury joined them and stayed with them until his passing. The band had performed as recent as July 2015 and released a live album.
Bradbury was also known for playing in his own band, JB's Allstars and the band Selector. A spokesperson for the band released the following statement to The Guardian, "Brad's drumming was the powerhouse behind the Specials, and it was seen as a key part to the 2 Tone sound. He was an integral part of the Specials re-forming in 2008, and [he] toured with them extensively up to the present day. His contribution to the world of music can not be understated and he will much missed by family, friends and fans alike."
Bradbury's passing comes three months after Rico Rodriguez, the band's trombonist died
Rest in Peace John. Our hearts go out to your family and fans!
