The Specials for RIO?

Moved to General Music Discussions as you don;t wish to formally suggest this band. From http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13082

Prog Music lounge This section is for general discussions about Progressive music. Unless and until an artist is included in Prog Archives, they are not considered to be "prog". In other words, discussions in "Prog Music Lounge" should only be about groups/music currently included in Prog Archives, or about progressive music in general. If you wish to suggest a band for inclusion in the site, see "Suggest new Bands" below. For discussions on all other types of music see the "General music discussions" section below. N.B. In terms of the incorrect posting of threads, this is the most widely abused section of the forum. Please make sure you only create threads in this section which directly relate to Prog music

As for The Specials, I don't know them well, but I have never heard of them associated with the Rock in Opposition (RIO) movement, and if they were to be considered part of RIO, I think Chris Cutler, Recommended Records. and RIO festival organisers would be better ones to make that call than PA.

Of course the R.I.O. universe (or Univers) has expanded beyond the core RIO bands of the first two festivals, which included Henry Cow (England), Stormy Six (Italy), Samla Mammas Manna (Sweden), Univers Zero (Belgium), Etron Fou Leloublan (France), Art Bears (Great Britain), Art Zoyd (France) and Aksak Maboul (Belgium) and can be thought of as an approach to music and commentary on the music industry and art. It was political, was opposed to the music "industry" and expected that the bands work outside of the rock establishment, expected a commitment to musical "excellence", has been leftist generally, and has had various core values in regards to acceptance under the RIO fold.

One can loosely also refer to it as bands that sound similar to core RIO bands.
Present I can happily consider RIO, but it very related, various chamber rock bands, Guapo, Aranis etc. which sound "right" and have played RIO festivals..., or News From Babel etc.)

The Specials that I have heard don't remind me much of any RIO band's music. let alone would I know a reason why they would be considered to be related to the movement.

Gully Foyle wrote: If nothing else this thread has caused me to consider, just what would skog sound like?

Love Specials, Madness, London Beat but no way i considered them RIO bands