While the world mourned the death of Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, another much-loved musician has passed away.
According to Variety, John Bradbury, who is widely known as the drummer of 1980s ska revival band The Specials, has passed away yesterday (29th December). He was 62 years old.
The cause of Bradbury’s death was unknown, but the news of his death came less than 24 hours after Motorhead confirmed that its frontman has died from an aggressive form of cancer on Boxing Day. It also came 3 months after The Specials trombonist Rico Rodriguez died.
The remaining members of The Specials took to their official Twitter account to announce the heartbreaking news:
https://twitter.com/thespecials/status/681848461810089985/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Bradbury’s family also released a statement praising his musical influence.
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They said:
Brad’s drumming was the powerhouse behind The Specials, and it was seen as a key part to the 2 Tone sound. He was much respected in the world of drumming, and his style of reggae and ska was seen as genuinely ground-breaking when The Specials first hit the charts in 1979.
“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 cannot be understated and he will be much missed by family, friends and fans alike,” they added.
Bradbury, who is one of the key musical figures behind the Two Tone sound, joined The Specials in 1979. He performed many of their band’s hit singles such as “Ghost Town”, “A Message To You, Rudy”, and “Too Much Too Young”. He also played in spin-off band named Special AKA throughout the 1980’s, playing a number of critically-acclaimed tracks such as the top 10 hit, “Free Nelson Mandela”. He recently played drums for the band’s 2008/9 reunion tour and lead a group called JB Allstars.
Our deepest condolences to Bradbury’s friends and family members. May his soul rest in peace.
Source: Variety.
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