The Specials singer Terry Hall was kidnapped by a paedophile ring aged 12
The late Terry Hall, the iconic singer famed ska band the Specials, once revealed the harrowing details of how he was kidnapped by a paedophile ring when he was just 12 years old.
The story has resurfaced in the light of the devastating news that Hall, who was famed for his razor-sharp sense of humour and unequivocal approach to music creation, has passed away after a short illness has today been confirmed by the band. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced,” the band said in a statement.
The statement continued: “Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love”.
“He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity. Terry often left the stage at the end of the Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words…’Love Love Love’.”
The note concluded: “We would ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy at this very sad time.”
Born and raised in Coventry, Hall left school at the age of 14 and attempted a host of temporary jobs such as bricklaying, apprentice hairdresser and more. Trying to find his place, Hall eventually ended up playing in a number of local bands and became an active member of the local music scene of the late 1970s before eventually joining The Specials in 1977.
However, shortly before his death, Hall explained that his decision to leave school at the age of 14 was an effect of dealing with the sexual abuse he suffered two years prior. Speaking on Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, Hall stated that he was sexually abused by a group of men over multiple days in the 1970s.
Hall also admitted that he struggled to deal with the effects of what had happened to him as he turned to adulthood. When speaking on Herring, the musician said: “I can laugh about it now,” before adding that the experience was a “real eye-opener”.
Hall added: “It sort of switched something in my head, and it’s like I don’t have to do that, and that’s when I started like not listening to anyone.”
The effects of the incident meant that Hall required medical assistance. The decision was made to offer the child medication, and the results meant he struggled for the year prior to his decision to leave education. “I was sort of drugged up then on Valium for about a year,” he said before adding: “And I didn’t go to school.”
“I find it quite easy to forgive and forget,” Hall detailed. “It’s like you can let that eat away at you, but then well, you know it’s paedophilia, and it’s like part of life, really. It’s unfortunate it happened to me, but you can’t just let it destroy your life; it’s not good.”
Later in the conversation, Hall admitted that depression and trauma can help influence the creative aspect of his life: “It helps, I mean, I suffer from manic depression and avoided all sorts of medication for a long time, then ten years ago, I started taking Lithium and stuff, and I’m still on these drugs. And it sort of helps, it sort of helps.”
In the wake of his recent death, the trauma that Terry Hall suffered shines a light on just how brilliant of a man he was. Amid a nightmarish incident that is beyond comprehension, Hall fought for his life, battled for his independence and resisted the idea of succumbing to the damage that was imposed on him as a child. Terry Hall was one of the greats, not just as a musician but as a multi-faceted man who is an inspiration to countless people.
