Terry Hall's bandmate has revealed the star faced a short battle with cancer, after he died age 63 earlier this week.
The Specials' lead vocalist had planned to record a new album with the band last month, but he was taken ill with a suspected stomach bug. Bassist Horace Panter gave an emotional account of Terry's final days.
He recalled how 'everything turned to sh**' on Sunday October 2, when he got a call from their manager letting him know Terry's illness was 'a lot worse' than they initially feared. Sadly Terry was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which had spread to his liver and, although initial treatment went well, the music icon was 'very frail' earlier this month prior to his death.
The Specials shared the news Terry had passed away via social media on Monday night, writing: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced."
Taking to Facebook on Tuesday, bassist for the ska group Horace shared a moving tribute to his late bandmate as he recalled Terry's final weeks, reports the Mirror. Alongside a picture of Terry, he wrote: "The Specials. Terry. This is what happened.
"We had it all planned out. Make the album we were going to do in 2020 – a reggae album. Record in Los Angeles in November. We had the studio booked, flights paid for, accommodation sorted."
He went on to explain how "Terry had the framework for 8 tunes" and "confidence was high" ahead of the group meeting up to record some new music. But in September "Terry e-mails everyone and says he’s in bed with a stomach bug and can’t do the first week of pre-production sessions."
Horace recalled thinking: "No big deal, we can knock everything back a week." The musician continued to note how the next week Terry was no better and was in hospital. He added how there wasn't much the band could do but wait for their friend to get better.
"Sunday October 2nd and I get a phone call from Manager Steve. And everything turns to sh**," Horace poignantly wrote as he continued his recollections. "He has been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas which has spread to his liver. This is serious. Like life-threatening serious.
"He has developed diabetes due to his pancreas being attacked. This has to be treated first, then it’s a regime of chemotherapy. There is nothing anyone can do. Everything is put on hold."
The star added how Terry was "emphatic that no-one be told about this" and to tell anyone to ask that he is managing his diabetes. Horace continued with his post, writing: "The chemo treatment starts favourably but it seems that it would be March 2023 at the earliest before we’d be in any position to work.
"He is in and out of hospital to stabilise the diabetes issue and also to manage pain. It then goes quiet."
The bassist remembered how at the start of December reports didn't look good, as he wrote: "Terry has lost a lot of weight and is very frail. His friend Ian Broudie visits and phones Manager Steve. He fears that Terry is slipping away."
"15th December and Manager Steve drives up to London to visit. He calls me on his return journey and says things are not looking promising. Terry is dying." Horace then wrote how the next day Terry was "put on morphine and is more-or-less unconscious for most of the time".
"I thought it would be best for me to go and visit but Lindy, his wife, advises against it," Horace recalled. "She has held her phone to Terry’s ear so that his sisters and Lynval can say their goodbyes. She suggests I do the same. So, I did. It was tough.
"Terry died around half past 5 the next evening, Sunday 18th December. The world has lost a unique voice and I have lost a good friend."
The Specials were formed in Terry’s home city of Coventry in 1977, by Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding and Horace – with Hall, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers and John Bradbury joining a year later. The band were originally called The Automatics, before changing their name to The Coventry Automatics, The Specials AKA The Automatics and finally, in 1978, settling on The Specials.
During their time together, the band produced a string of hit records including A Message To You, Rudy, Rat Race and Ghost Town, which reached number one. The Specials split in 1981, after which Hall, Golding and Staple went on to form Fun Boy Three, while Dammers and Bradbury released an album under the moniker The Special AKA, which spawned the hit single Free Nelson Mandela in 1984.
Fun Boy Three achieved four UK top 10 singles during their time together, until Hall left the band in 1983 to form The Colourfield with ex-Swinging Cats members Toby Lyons and Karl Shale.
Terry shared two sons, Theo and Felix, with Jeanette Hall.
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