Great Lives

Jon Ronson picks Terry Hall of The Specials


Listen Later

When Jon Ronson was growing up, he went to see The Specials play in Cardiff. "I went on my own to Sophia Gardens," he says. "The crowd was fantastically wild. There’s a lot to not like about the feral nature of British street culture – i.e. getting beaten up - but out of turmoil can come great art, songs like Ghost Town and Concrete Jungle. Anyway, before The Specials came on, I made a decision: I would pretend to faint in the hope that I could watch the show from the side of the stage. It worked like a dream. I was carried by the bouncers to the wings, and left there. This was probably the most exciting moment of my life, and as I stood there, Terry Hall noticed me and came over to ask if I was okay. Terry Hall, the coolest man in Britain, being kind and showing concern."

Years later Terry Hall publicly announced that he'd been abducted by paedophiles as a boy. Jon Ronson immediately remembered the care and concern Terry had shown him and wondered if this was why.

Programme includes Terry's bandmate, Lynval Golding, giving his first interview since Terry died in December; plus two of his friends, Shaun O'Donnell and Gary Aspden, and the voice of Terry himself.

Jon Ronson is the author of Adventures with Extremists and presenter of Things Fell Apart, about the culture wars.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Great LivesBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2

4.2

465 ratings


More shows like Great Lives

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

977 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

618 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

303 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,996 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

113 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

49 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

306 Listeners

Front Row by BBC Radio 4

Front Row

129 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

159 Listeners

Bookclub by BBC Radio 4

Bookclub

241 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

52 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

100 Listeners

A Good Read by BBC Radio 4

A Good Read

44 Listeners