Specialized Records

Who are Specialized Records?

Specialized Records is part of The Specialized Project. Over the years we’ve produced an ever increasing catalogue of music. Specialized Records is now the outlet for our compilation albums but this will grow into a label that produces original releases and helps to develop new music.

Each year we release a four-disc boxset album that pays tribute to an iconic band, record label or style. Since 2012 we’ve released ten albums for our tribute series. Each year the tribute series picks a new theme and invites bands from across the globe to contribute. Past themes have included
The Specials, The Beat, Madness, The Clash, Bob Marley, The Jam, Trojan Records, Two Tone Records, Glam Rock and most recently celebrated our 10th anniversary with Viva – The Freedom Songs. These albums are 4-disc CD Boxsets containing between 65 to 70 exclusive cover versions.

We welcome requests to appear on our themed albums. Contact us here


THE UNTOUCHABLES – HOOKED ON A FEELING

We are very proud to announce that we now have on sale the first physical vinyl single in 37 years by The Untouchables!
Last year we issued the download of this track “Hooked On A Feeling” (along with a cool promo video we made!) which was originally to be on our “Blockbuster” album but the guys missed the deadline back in 2020 but now in conjunction with our friends at Jump Up Records, we bring you a fantastic 7″ picture disc single of the track with a dub version of the B-Side- It’s a real vinyl junkies item, it looks fantastic and a real retro flashback to when picture discs were king in the ’80s. This is a must own item for Ska record collectors.

The Untouchables (sometimes know as The UT’s) are legends of American Ska. The UT’s mixed R&B covers with reggae rhythms and recorded with England’s Stiff Records, the Untouchables debuted in 1984 with Live & Let Dance. The group comprised of vocalist Chuck Askerneese, guitarist and vocalist Clyde Grimes, bassist Derek Breakfield, keyboard player Brewster, and an alternating crew of percussionists and horn players. They recorded Wild Child in 1985 but after the 1986 EP Dance Party, Agent Double O Soul in 1989


BIMSKALA BIM – SONIC TONIC

In 2021 Boston ska legends Bim Skala Bim just dropped their first album in eight years, Sonic Tonic. The band — who still have the majority of their classic ’80s/’90s lineup intact — made the album with help from Dave Hillyard (The Slackers), Chris Rhodes (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) Nick Welsh (aka King Hammond), Ken Stewart (The Skatalites) and Steve Cracknell (The Dub Pistols), and it finds their unique ska/reggae/calypso/rock sound in fine form.

If you’re unfamiliar with Bim Skala Bim, they were a crucial part of the ’80s American ska scene, and played a large role in bridging the gap between the 2 Tone era and the ska-punk explosion of the ’90s. They were especially influential on another particular Boston band who helped bring ska to the masses. To quote Marc Wasserman’s upcoming book Ska Boom! An American Ska & Reggae Oral History, “Without Bim Skala Bim there is no Mighty Mighty Bosstones.”