Ghost Town – The Specials (1981)

An individual, limited edition, example of vinyl record silhouette art made from a genuine, original, 45rpm, 7” single, Ghost Town from 1981, by British 2 Tone and Ska band, The Specials. This vinyl single has been reworked into a silhouette of a human skull  as also seen on the picture sleeve of their biggest hit single, Ghost Town.

The song Ghost Town addresses themes of urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities, the song is remembered for being a hit at the same time as riots were occurring in British cities. Internal tensions within the band were also coming to a head when the single was being recorded, resulting in the song being the last single recorded by the original seven members of the group before splitting up. However, the song Ghost Town was hailed by the contemporary UK music press as a major piece of popular social commentary.