Days after Terry Hall died, his close friend and bandmate Lynval Golding says he appeared to him in a vision. The Specials guitarist recalls the profound experience while in Jamaica with his cousin Alvin. 'He came towards me, and what struck me was that he had the face of the 17-year-old Terry I first knew, but the body of the 63-year-old Terry. He looked at me and smiled that unmistakable smile,' Golding told Garry Bushell.
Peaceful Encounter and Funeral Song Revelation
Golding said the vision was not frightening but 'incredibly peaceful.' He knew Hall had passed away about a week earlier. Then an even stranger event occurred. Hall's wife Lindy asked Golding what he planned to perform at the funeral. Initially, he said he couldn't do it, but later, after waking from a rest, he heard Andy Williams' 'Moon River' playing in his living room. 'The moment I heard it, I knew. That's what I'm going to sing,' he said.
When Golding told Lindy, she cried and revealed 'Moon River' was their wedding song and the last song she played to Hall on his deathbed. 'I hadn't been at their wedding, and I'd never known that was their song. No one had told me about the music she'd played to him at the end of his life. Yet somehow, that was the song that came to me. I've never really been able to explain it,' Golding said.
Live From The Cathedral Release
Now, Golding and bassist Horace Panter are celebrating Hall's life and The Specials' career by releasing 'Live From The Cathedral.' The 24-track, three-LP set was recorded at the band's four homecoming nights in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in July 2019. A 6CD boxset includes full recordings from three of those nights. When they first heard the playback, both men wept. Golding says he now listens with a smile, sometimes still crying, but mostly feeling Terry's presence.
Golding's Psychic Awareness and Bond with Hall
Golding says he has a psychic awareness that allows him to feel when people pass, as happened with his father and stepmother. His sister Molly calls him her 'psychic brother.' Golding bonded with Hall from day one and took care of him, describing his uniquely surreal sense of humour. 'At least twice on stage he said he was going to marry me – that was his humour,' Golding recalled.
The Specials' Legacy and Hall's Struggles
The Specials ignited the 2-Tone movement with hits like 'Too Much Too Young' and 'Ghost Town.' Their 1980 US tour was successful but broke the band. Golding, Hall, and Neville Staple formed Fun Boy Three, achieving four Top Ten hits. Hall suffered horrific childhood abuse, which he referenced in his 1983 song 'Well Fancy That.' He was abducted at 12 and delivered to a French paedophile ring. He later attempted suicide in 2004 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The Specials reformed in 2008, with Golding acting as 'the Henry Kissinger of the band.' The reunion was successful, with their 2019 studio album topping the charts. They were planning a new album when Hall died of pancreatic cancer in December 2022. Golding says they had no idea how bad Hall's health was. 'We had the studio booked and everything; we never intended to release the Cathedral shows,' he said.
Golding's Life and Message
Golding, born in St Catherine, Jamaica, moved to Gloucester at 13 and later to Coventry. He now lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, and has been recovering from spinal surgery. He says he can no longer play guitar due to his back and knee, so he's passing it on to the next generation. His message to the world is simple: 'It's love, love, love.'
As Golding and Bushell walked through Kings Cross, a TFL worker recognised Golding and praised The Specials. 'You spoke to us and for us,' the worker said. Golding replied, 'We've released this for Terry. It sums up our whole story.'
