In the Studio
{{about|the album|the radio show|In the Studio with Redbeard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = In the Studio
| type = Album
| artist = the Special AKA
| cover = Inthestudio.jpg
| alt =
| released = 15 June 1984{{cite magazine|date=9 June 1984|title=News|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/84/Record-Mirror-1984-06-09-OCR.pdf|magazine=Record Mirror|page=6|access-date=12 April 2022}}
| recorded = 1982–1984
| venue =
| studio = Woodbine Studios, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; Air Studios, London; Vineland Studios, Southwark, London; Phoenix Studios, Wembley
| genre =
| length = 42:56
| label = 2 Tone
| producer = Jerry Dammers
Dick Cuthell
Elvis Costello
| chronology = The Specials
| prev_title = More Specials
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = The Singles Collection
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{Singles
| name = In the Studio
| type = studio
| single1 = War Crimes (The Crime Remains the Same)
| single1date = December 1982
| single2 = "Racist Friend"/"Bright Lights"
| single2date = 26 August 1983{{cite magazine|date=20 August 1983|title=News|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/83/Record-Mirror-1983-08-20-OCR.pdf|magazine=Record Mirror|page=4|access-date=12 April 2022}}
| single3 = "Nelson Mandela"/"Break Down the Door"
| single3date = 5 March 1984
| single4 = What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend
| single4date = August 1984
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |first=Jo-Ann |last=Greene |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-studio-mw0000194931 |title=In the Studio – The Specials / The Special A.K.A. |website=AllMusic |accessdate=1 April 2015}}
| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev2score = B{{cite magazine |title=The Specials: In the Studio |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |page=95 |date=24 May 2002}}
| rev3 = The Guardian
| rev3Score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite news |first=Alexis |last=Petridis |author-link=Alexis Petridis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/26/the-special-aka-in-the-studio-reissue-review |title=The Special Aka: In the Studio review – weird, vivid nightmares on Jerry Dammers' utterly compelling final album |work=The Guardian |date=26 March 2015 |accessdate=6 December 2016}}
| rev4 = Q
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal |first=Steve |last=Lowe |title=The Specials: In the Studio |journal=Q |issue=189 |page=133 |date=April 2002}}
| rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev5score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=The Specials |last=Frere-Jones |first=Sasha |author-link=Sasha Frere-Jones |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/766 766] }}
| rev6 = The Village Voice
| rev6score = B+{{cite web |first=Robert |last=Christgau |author-link=Robert Christgau |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-84.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=25 September 1984 |accessdate=10 February 2018}}
}}
In the Studio is the third studio album by British ska revival band the Specials. It was released under the name the Special AKA in June 1984, their only album under that name. The album took over two years to produce before finally seeing release, by which time the original Specials had long since disbanded.
In the Studio was ranked No. 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1984 by NME.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1984-2-1045391 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=2016 |magazine=NME |accessdate=21 March 2018 }} It charted in the UK Top 35. It was not as commercially successful as their previous two albums, although "(Free) Nelson Mandela" became an international hit single.
Track listing
{{track listing
| title1=Bright Lights
| length1=4:11
| writer1=John Bradbury, Stan Campbell, Dick Cuthell, Jerry Dammers
| title2=The Lonely Crowd
| length2=3:52
| writer2=Campbell, Dammers, John Shipley
| title3=What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend
| length3=4:50
| writer3 = Dammers
| title4=Housebound
| length4=4:13
| writer4 = Dammers
| title5=Night on the Tiles
| length5=3:04
| writer5=Dammers, Shipley
| title6=Nelson Mandela
| length6=4:07
| writer6 = Dammers
| title7=War Crimes
| length7=6:13
| writer7 = Dammers
| title8=Racist Friend
| length8=3:49
| writer8=Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers
| title9=Alcohol
| length9=5:01
| writer9 = Dammers
| title10=Break Down the Door
| length10=3:36
| writer10=Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers
| total_length= 42:56
}}
{{track listing
| headline = 2015 remastered edition second CD
| title1 = The Boiler
| length1 = 5:47
| writer1 = Miranda Joyce, Penny Leyton, Jane Summers, Nicky Summers, Rhoda Dakar, Stella Barker, Sarah Jane Owens
| title2 = Can't Get a Break
| length2 = 6:31
| writer2 = Campbell, Dakar, Dammers, Gary McManus, Shipley, Bradbury
| title3 = Jungle Music
| length3 = 4:01
| writer3 = Rico Rodriguez
| title4 = The Lonely Crowd
| note4 = Peel Session 12/9/83
| length4 = 3:20
| writer4 = Campbell, Dammers, Shipley
| title5 = Alcohol
| note5 = Peel Session 12/9/83
| writer5 = Dammers
| length5 = 3:45
| title6 = Bright Lights
| note6 = Peel Session 12/9/83
| length6 = 4:09
| writer6 = Bradbury, Campbell, Cuthell, Dammers
| title7 = Break Down the Door
| note7 = Instrumental
| length7 = 5:00
| writer7 = Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers
| title8 = Racist Friend
| note8 = Instrumental
| length8 = 4:07
| writer8 = Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers
| title9 = War Crimes
| note9 = Instrumental
| length9 = 6:21
| writer9 = Dammers
| title10 = Theme from the Boiler
| note10 = Instrumental
| length10 = 5:55
| writer10 = Dakar, J. Summers, Shipley, Bradbury, Cuthell, Dammers
| title11 = Bright Lights
| note11 = Instrumental
| length11 = 4:19
| writer11 = Bradbury, Campbell, Cuthell, Dammers
| title12 = Nelson Mandela
| note12 = Instrumental
| length12 = 4:29
| writer12 = Dammers
| total_length = 57:44
}}
Personnel
;The Special AKA
- Stan Campbell – vocals
- Rhoda Dakar – vocals, backing vocals
- Jerry Dammers – organ, piano; vocals on "What I like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend"
- Gary McManus – bass guitar
- John Shipley – lead guitar
- John Bradbury – drums; bass and synthesizer on "Break Down the Door"
;Additional personnel
- Rico Rodriguez – trombone
- Dick Cuthell – flugelhorn
- Andy Aderinto – saxophone
- Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals on "What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend"
- Edgio Newton – vocals, percussion
- Horace Panter – bass guitar on "What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend", "War Crimes" and "Alcohol"{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Special-AKA-In-The-Studio/release/874880|title = The Special AKA – in the Studio (1984, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| year=1984 }}
- Roddy Radiation – lead guitar on "Racist Friend"{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Special-AKA-In-The-Studio/release/874880|title = The Special AKA – in the Studio (1984, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| year=1984 }}
- Lynval Golding – backing vocals on "Night On the Tiles"{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Special-AKA-In-The-Studio/release/874880|title = The Special AKA – in the Studio (1984, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| year=1984 }}
- Nigel Reeve – saxophone
- Tony "Groko" Utah – percussion on "The Lonely Crowd"
- Dave Heath – flute on "Nelson Mandela"
- Paul Speare – penny whistle on "Nelson Mandela"
- Nick Parker – violin on "War Crimes"
- Dave Wakeling, Elvis Costello, Lynval Golding, Molly Jackson, Polly Jackson, Ranking Roger - backing vocals on "Nelson Mandela"
- Caron Wheeler – backing vocals on "What I Like Most Like About You Is Your Girlfriend"
- Naomi Thompson – backing vocals on "What I Most Like About You Is Your Girlfriend"
;Technical
- Jerry Dammers – production
- Dick Cuthell – production on "The Lonely Crowd" and "War Crimes"{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Special-AKA-In-The-Studio/release/874880|title = The Special AKA – in the Studio (1984, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| year=1984 }}
- Elvis Costello – production on "Nelson Mandela"{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Special-AKA-In-The-Studio/release/874880|title = The Special AKA – in the Studio (1984, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| year=1984 }}
- Alvin Clark, Colin Fairley, Dick Cuthell, Jeremy Green, Mark Freegard, Teri Reed – engineer
- John A. Rivers, Steve Churchyard – rhythm track engineering
- Nigel Reeve – remastering coordination
- Noel Summerville – remastering
- Adrian Thrills – sleeve notes
- David Storey – album cover design
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Specials}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Elvis Costello
Category:2 Tone Records albums
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{{ska-album-stub}}